Xiaomi Redmi Note 7S first look: Redmi Note 7 super-charged with 48MP camera 

Well what do you kw, Xiaomi has finally launched Redmi te 7 in India. I kw you’re probably wondering, didn’t Xiaomi launch Redmi te 7 in India alrey? Yes and . thing is, Redmi te 7 that Xiaomi has been selling in India, is different – from both its Chinese as well as global variants. Redmi te 7 India variant ships with a 12MP plus 2MP depth rear dual camera system, even as Chinese and global variants pack a 48MP plus 5MP setup. This is because Xiaomi wanted to stay true to Redmi te legacy. A Redmi te 7 with a 48MP camera would seemingly have increased cost. A Redmi te 7 with a 48MP camera would seemingly t have been possible at an entry-level price of Rs 9,999. 

Even though many fans and enthusiasts have questioned move, fact that Redmi te 7 has been a best-in-class product, even without a 48MP camera, has helped Xiaomi turn tide in its favor – Redmi te 7 (and Redmi te 7 Pro) has been selling like hot cakes in India. Basically, everyone’s happy – and for those who demand more, re’s always Redmi te 7 Pro. 

Photo by Saurabh Singh

But on Monday, Xiaomi decided to go off script a little – company anunced that it is bringing a new phone called Redmi te 7S to India. Redmi te 7S is your usual Xiaomi phone – prizes for guessing, it (too) punches way above its weight in all departments and it (too) won’t burn a hole in your pocket. Things start to get interesting when you realize that Redmi te 7S, is in fact, a rebranded Redmi te 7 from China and global markets – it's original Redmi te 7 that Xiaomi should have launched in India in first place.  

Which brings me back to my introduction - Xiaomi has finally launched Redmi te 7 in India. It’s got a new name, but everything inside (and out), is literally same. 

Photo by Saurabh Singh

It has same aura design with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on front as well as on back. It has same 6.3-inch 1080p+ display with a teardrop/waterdrop style tch - Xiaomi calls it a dot tch. It has same Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor paired with up to 4GB RAM and up to 64GB stor which is expandable via a hybrid micro-SD card slot. It runs same Android Pie-based MIUI 10 software. It has same 13MP front camera with f/2.0 aperture and smart AI that can recognize up to 12 scenes. It has same 4,000mAh battery with Qualcomm Quick Charge 4.0 support through USB -C (Xiaomi isn’t bundling a fast charger in box here as well). It has same P2i hydrophobic coating that makes m resistant to light splashes of water or rain. It is available in same three colour schemes as well - Onyx Black, Ruby Red and Sapphire Blue. 

Redmi te 7S is a capable performer in day-to-day us, it has a near edge-to-edge screen with good brightness levels and viewing angles (although colours look a little muted by default), its selfie camera does a good job especially when lighting is equate, and it has a phemenal battery life – just like Redmi te 7. You can re my full review of Xiaomi Redmi te 7 here. 

Photo by Saurabh Singh

Xiaomi isn’t saying what ‘S’ in Redmi te 7S stands for – but I like to call it a Redmi te 7 with a super-charged camera. Xiaomi has reason to believe that its 48MP camera will be eugh to compel buyers into opting for it, as opposed to say vanilla Redmi te 7 that it sold in India. And it is correct. re’s denying host of possibilities that a 48MP camera brings to table and for a phone that costs as much as what Redmi te 7S does, it’s a steal deal - you simply can’t ask for more.  

Redmi te 7S does t have same 48MP camera sensor as Redmi te 7 Pro though. While Redmi te 7 Pro comes with a Sony IMX586 sensor, Redmi te 7S packs a Samsung GM1 sensor – that uses software interpolation to produce high-quality 48MP resolution photos inste of supporting m natively like Sony IMX586. 

Photo by Saurabh Singh

Xiaomi is touting low-light capabilities of Redmi te 7S’ 48MP main camera ( Redmi te 7S also supports Xiaomi’s stey handheld night mode for enhanced low light photography), in dition to its ability to produce photos with lots of detail – both of which are a key highlight of Samsung GM1 sensor. 48MP main camera is paired with a 5MP secondary sensor for depth sensing aka portrait photography.  

Xiaomi sprung a surprise recently when it launched Redmi Y3 in India with a segment-first 32MP front camera with a Samsung GD1 sensor – that works on same principle as Samsung GD1 inside Redmi te 7S. Come to think of it, Redmi te 7S with a 48MP Samsung GM1 inside isn’t very surprising – even more so since Xiaomi has alrey broken back of many competitors by launching Redmi te 7 Pro equipped with a 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor.   

What’s surprising is why Xiaomi h to come up and launch a product like Redmi te 7S in India at all. Or better still, why didn’t Xiaomi give an early hes-up to potential buyers who have probably alrey invested in a Redmi te 7. Xiaomi has been teasing a new Redmi 700-series phone for India for a while w, hasn’t it? Xiaomi has been teasing yet-to-be-launched Redmi K20 with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 (and or quirks) for some time w, hasn’t it?    

Photo by Saurabh Singh

And it does t help that Redmi te 7S starts at Rs 10,999 for base variant with 3GB RAM and 32GB stor, while top-end variant with 4GB RAM and 64GB stor has been launched at Rs 12,999. Redmi te 7 sells for only Rs 1,000 less (Rs 9,999, Rs 11,999) and even though Xiaomi may say that every penny counts, well, t so much when you have around Rs 10,000 to spare. re will be many who’ll happily spend Rs 1,000 more for a better camera – even more so when cameras that y’re getting in Redmi te 7 are probably its biggest Achilles heel. 

I don’t doubt eir phones, but, this may be first time I am wishing, re was a visible price difference between two Xiaomi phones – so I could actually pin-point that out and say, hey, that’s a treoff you get at a lower price. Redmi te 7 may (still) be best phone under Rs 10,000, but Xiaomi just killed it by launching real Redmi te 7 that it was supposed to launch in first place.   

Also Re:  Xiaomi Redmi te 7S Launched In India With Segment-first 48MP Camera: Specs, Price And Everything To Kw