Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Philippines Price Starts at PHP 7,990, Specs, Unboxing, Initial Impressions - Android

Earlier, I showed you the handsome and powerful Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro, which I'm personally recommending for those who are now ready to jump to a more powerful but slightly more expensive device coming from their entry-level Android smartphone.

Now, here's something a bit more budget-friendly yet just as feature-packed.


The Xiaomi Redmi Note 9, which is now available through the Official Mi Stores in Lazada and Shopee Philippines, dons a price tag of only PHP 7,990 for the 3GB + 64GB version and PHP 9,990 for the 4GB RAM + 128GB ROM variant. Given all that this model offers, I'd say it's very competitively priced.


Let's do a quick unboxing of my review unit, shall we?

As you can see, the package looks almost identical to that of Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro. It's a plain white box with images of the handset - showing its front and back designs - printed on the cover.


On the side, you will see the line "Redmi Note 9 with easy access to the Google apps you use the most", which I think tells us that Xiaomi is particularly proud that their smartphones allow users to benefit from Google services.


What I have here is the 4GB RAM + 64GB ROM Midnight Grey version -- but as you will see later, it looks more Dark Blue than Grey.


When you remove the box cover, you will be greeted by a white paper sleeve containing documentation along with a couple of other items.


Here we have the metal pin for ejecting the SIM card tray clipped on the container.


The warranty card details the after-sales support that's available for the handset.


If you will buy this smartphone, I suggest you give the provided User Guide a quick glance to get a good overview of the ports, features, and technical specifications of your new device.


No need to buy a soft gel case because Xiaomi had generously included one in the package. Compared to the transparent case for the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro, this one has a black tint, though.


Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 ships with this translucent plastic cover to protect the screen. On it, you will see a list of the four key features of this model, which includes the following:

1. 48 MegaPixel AI Quad Camera with 13 MegaPixel In-Display Front Camera
2. 5,020 mAh Battery with 18W Fast Charge Support
3. 6.53-inch FullHD+ DotDisplay with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Touchscreen
4. High-Performance 12nm MediaTek Helio G85 Processor


Underneath the smartphone, there's another container which has the USB Type C to USB connector cable for charging the device and for transferring files to a computer.


It is joined by this rather chunky travel charger with two rounded prongs and 22.5W max output. I have to confirm if the official retail unit for the Philippine market will ship with a travel charger having flat prongs which make it compatible with our electrical outlets even without an adapter.


My complete Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 review package includes the handset itself, the travel charger, USB Type C cord, metal pin for ejecting the SIM card tray, warranty card, user manual, and the free soft gel case.


Now, let's take a closer look at Xiaomi Redmi Note 9's design and technical specifications.


On its face, this model flaunts a 6.53-inch FullHD+ 1080 x 2340 pixels IPS LCD panel that's protected by scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 5 touchscreen panel.

With ultra-thin bezels on the top, left, and right sides, the massive display offers a high 83.5% Screen-to-Body Ratio which makes for a more enjoyable viewing experience on the device.

What's even more amazing is that Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 has a very small punch hole housing the front-facing camera in lieu of a notch, which we usually find on devices in its price bracket. For me, this is one of the most attractive physical characteristics of this handset since it's still rare in the sub-PHP 10,000 echelon.


The gorgeous front is perfectly complemented by the sleek and eye-catching back panel which features a high-gloss finish on top of a metallic paint-job with machine-crafted micro-line patterns. The sides gently taper to the sides and the corners are also rounded, making the phone a joy to behold and hold.


Flipping the handset around, on the right side, we have the power button as well as the volume rocker.

For those who prefer all these buttons to be on just one side instead of having the volume up and down keys on the left panel, this should put a smile on your face.


On the left side, you will see the SIM card tray which you can eject using the provided pin. This tray has two slots for nanoSIM cards and a dedicated microSD card slot.


Going back to the rear panel, in the upper middle part, you will find the four cameras of this smartphone nearly placed inside a "squircle" module. I'll talk about this imaging set-up more in a bit. Below it, there's an optical fingerprint scanner for quickly unlocking the interface with just a touch of a finger.


On top, there's a microphone pinhole that lets the phone record stereo sound and - one of my favorite features of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 - an Infrared Sensor!

The Infrared Sensor, which is becoming very rare in midrange and high-end smartphones, lets you use this handset as a remote control for other devices and appliances in your home through applications that you can download on the Google Play Store.


Finally, at the bottom, the phone sports a 3.5mm audio jack, another microphone pinhole, a USB Type C port, and a row of holes for the loudspeaker.


The Quad Rear Camera Module is made up of the following cameras:

1. 48 MegaPixels, f/1.8 Aperture, 26mm, 1/2.0", 0.8µm, Phase Detection AutoFocus

If you are an aspiring mobile photographer or a casual point-and-shoot photographer, this is the one that you will find most useful in various lighting conditions since it has the highest resolution, the widest aperture, and the largest sensor of the four cameras in the set-up.

2. 8 MegaPixels, f/2.2, 118˚ Ultra-Wide-Angle, 1/4.0", 1.12µm

With its ultra-wide-angle lens, this camera is great for capturing scale that's needed in landscape and architectural photography. You can also use this for taking group shots or for adding creative flair to your daily photos.

3. 2 MegaPixels, f/2.4, Macro, AutoFocus

Use this close-up cam for taking photos of insects, the stigma of flowers, the veins of leaves, or any minute detail on larger objects.

4. 2 MegaPixels, f/2.4, Depth Sensor

Finally, the fourth one is a depth sensor that enables the phone's Portrait Mode which adds Bokeh Effect or background blur to various subjects including people, pets, and inanimate objects.

As for video recording capability, the main and the ultra-wide cameras can both record FullHD 1080p videos at 30 frames per second.

Personally, I would have loved to see the main camera be able to shoot 1080p 60fps videos or 4K clips at 30fps -- but it sadly can't. If it's possible, I hope Xiaomi can add that through a software update in the future.


Now, for the selfie-lovers, Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 has a 13 MegaPixel f/2.3 front-facing camera housed inside the punch-hole that I mentioned earlier. Powered by Mi's own skin-clearing or beautification software, it gives you selfies that are instantly ready for sharing on Facebook.

Good for starting TikTokers, this camera can also record clear FullHD 1080p 30fps clips outdoors in the daytime or when there's enough light indoors.


As for Xiaomi Redmi Note 9's internal hardware, this model runs its MIUI 11 skinned Android 10 operating system with 12nm 2.05 GHz Octa-Core MT6785 Helio G85 which is one of the more powerful processors made by MediaTek, a Taiwanese chipset maker. Based on its Antutu Benchmark Score, this CPU is far more powerful than Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor inside the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8.

As I've said, there are two RAM and ROM options for the Xiaomi Redmi Note9. There's the more affordable 3GB RAM + 64GB ROM version and the more expensive 4GB RAM + 128GB ROM variant. Both of these have a dedicated microSD card slot so the user can expand the phone's memory without sacrificing Dual SIM capability.

I've been using Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 4GB + 128GB for a week now and I'd say that delivers a smooth daily mobile experience when running social media apps and light 3D games. For average smartphone users, I think the power of this model is enough to keep lagging and stuttering to a minimum when browsing the web, watching videos, checking social media apps, uploading photos and videos, and other light tasks. However, if you're a heavy gamer who likes playing resource-intensive titles, I suggest you take a look at the more powerful Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro.


For me, one of the most attractive features of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 is its ultra-large 5,020 mAh Li-Po battery that can easily give you more than a whole day of usage on a full charge. And if you're not really a power-user or a heavy gamer, you can even stretch the battery life to two days from 100% charge.

This huge pack also supports 18W Fast Charging which means that you won't have to plug in the smartphone to an electrical outlet through the provided charging kit for way too long -- so you can spend more time using it to celebrate your passions.


So is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 the right smartphone for you? Frankly, the competition is very tight in its price bracket. But if you are comfortable navigating the MIUI interface and you love this model's design and feature-set, I suggest that you check it out and see how it can be part of your tech lifestyle.

Again, Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 is now available at the Official Mi Store on Lazada and Shopee. I believe Mi Philippines is offering exclusive promos and freebies for early birds who will buy this smartphone ahead of everyone else so make sure you take advantage of those. Soon, Redmi Note9 will also be up for purchase at all Mi Stores in major malls nationwide.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Specs
162.3 x 77.2 x 8.9 mm
199 grams
6.53 inches, FullHD+, 1080 x 2340 pixels, 395 ppi, 19.5:9, IPS LCD
83.5% Screen-to-Body Ratio
Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Quad Rear Camera Module:
48 MegaPixels, f/1.8 Aperture, 26mm, 1/2.0", 0.8µm, Phase Detection AutoFocus
8 MegaPixels, f/2.2, 118˚ Ultra-Wide-Angle, 1/4.0", 1.12µm
2 MegaPixels, f/2.4, Macro, AutoFocus
2 MegaPixels, f/2.4, Depth Sensor
Dual Front Camera Module:
13 MegaPixels, f/2.3 Aperture, 29mm, 1/3.1", 1.12µm
Video Recorder:
Back and Front - FullHD 1080p 30fps
MIUI 11
Android 10 Operating System
12nm 2.05 GHz Octa-Core Mediatek MT6785 Helio G85
Mali-G52 MC2 GPU
3GB, 4GB RAM Options
64, 128GB Internal Storage Options
Dedicated microSDXC Slot
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 5.0
4G LTE-A
Rear-Mounted Optical Fingerprint Scanner
Gyroscope
USB Type C
USB On-The-Go
18W Fast Charging
9W Reverse Charging
Non-Removable 5,020 mAh Li-Po Battery
High-Gloss Polycarbonate Finish
Midnight Grey, Forest Green, Polar White

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Price and Release Date in Philippines
Official SRPs:
3GB RAM + 64GB ROM = PHP 7,990
4GB RAM + 128GB ROM = PHP 9,990
Official Release Date - June 4, 2020