Redmi Go – Review – Go for it!

Xiaomi’s Mi A1 was their first mobile to depart from using MIUI skin and opt for a stock Android experience. Mi A1 was launched in partnership with Google, as Android One device. It was followed by the hugely popular Mi A2 and while we are waiting for the Mi A3 to hit the streets, we have a little surprise package. Redmi Go runs on pure Android, but the stripped down, lightweight version, Android Go. Android Go is an initiative from the Android tab into the entry-level segment which has devices with low muscle power.

Though the hardware specifications may not move mountains, the lightweight Android Go is designed to swift and nimble on such low powered mobiles. Redmi has the 5A and 6A in that segment, but running on MIUI with average hardware specifications. But the Redmi Go goes further down into a price category of under Rs 5k. At Rs 4499, does the Redmi Go suit the first time smartphone entrants or the one graduating from the feature phone to the smartphone segment? Let us find out in this review.

In the Box

• Redmi Go Mobile
• 5v 1A Charger
• micro USB Cable
• SIM Ejector Pin
• User Manual

Design

Redmi G0 is a plain simple and straight forward mobile. It is made of plastic but looks well built. It has a micro USB port, mic and speaker grill at the bottom. 3.5 mm port and secondary noise cancelation mic on the top. No IR Port on this Redmi mobile. It sports a dual SIM card slot and a dedicated SD card slot. The mobile has a 16:9 aspect ratio display with a single 5 MP camera, earpiece, sensor but no Notification LED on the front. The back has an 8 MP single camera with LED flash. It comes in 2 colors and the Blue looks cool for mobile in this price range. This is a simple mobile with no gaudy design promises. It does most of its talking in the hardware and software optimizations. So let’s move on.

Display

It has a 5 inch IPS LCD HD+ display. The display is not very bright but has vivid colors and good viewing angles. It is fairly usable under direct sunlight. It is crisp and clear under indoor lights as well. The screen can give you a good display for watching videos and any light gameplay. In a nutshell, it does the job.

Camera

It has an 8 MP camera on the rear and 5 MP selfie shooter. Both the cameras can shoot 1080p videos. The front camera does not have a flash. The shots from the rear camera are good under daylight. It has decent color reproduction, but the saturation level is a bit flat and the colors don’t pop up. The focusing is fast and the exposure levels are just right. The dynamic range is also limited. The front camera can take good selfies when there is ample light. Under low light conditions, both the front and the rear camera can shoot average shots, but manage to capture the moments. We are looking at a mobile under Rs 5k and frankly, I must not have been writing anything in this section. But for the price, the Redmi Go has very good camera compared to any other mobile in this segment.

Performance

Redmi Go is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 Processor. It has 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal storage. Though it has support for dedicated SD card, 16 GB internal memory would have been a great option. But that could increase the price. It has Adreno 308 for graphics. This is a very basic mobile and I played a bunch of entry-level games and also pushed the limits with Asphalt 8. The mobile was found to be good for basic gaming. But with resource demanding games, it was found to be stuttering and loosing frames. But again, this is not built for gaming. It is built to be a daily companion. It can handle any social media or productive apps you throw on it. I would suggest to get a memory card and install the apps on them. It does not have fingerprint sensor or face unlock mechanism. It supports 4G VoLTE, but only on the first SIM card tray. The speakers are loud and the mobile has only the basis sensors which is expected on an entry-level mobile. Considering the price range and the target audience this mobile is built for, I would say that the hardware and performance are well optimized to get the job done.

Software

Android Go is built for lightweight hardware. Redmi Go runs on Android Oreo, Go Edition. It also comes with a few Go applications from Google and a few lightweight applications. Xiaomi recently acquired Mint launcher, which was famous in the entry-level segment. So this mobile has Mint launcher and browser. The combination works very well. The UI is nimble and feels lightweights. 1 GB of RAM is not good enough for multi-tasking, but with a minimal number of apps running on the background, Redmi Go can handle the apps and the UI with ease. Xiaomi has also included a bunch of apps from the MIUI world. MIUI Camera app, file manager, Drop are the few to be named. Overall, the Go version of Android is pretty lightweight and well optimized to be handled by the lightweight hardware on the Redmi Go.

Battery

Redmi Go runs on a 3000 mAh battery. It takes about 2:30 hours to fully charge. Once charged, the mobile lasts for a day of moderate usage and you would get about 4 to 5 hours of screen on time. The mobile’s low power processor, Android Go, and HD display aid its low power consumption. If you are using the mobile to take calls and a few occasional apps on the 4G network, it can even last for about 1.5 days.

Verdict

If you are looking to buy a backup mobile, Redmi Go is a good choice. Anyone having a feature phone and looking to move on to the Smartphone experience can consider the Redmi Go as their first mobile. Compared to the competition in the segment, Redmi Go offers better specifications and a much better experience. It is very similar to the Asus Zenfone Lite L1. If your budget can be extended a bit, the Zenfone Lite offers 2 GB RAM and 16 GB storage, face unlocks and 13 MP camera for Rs 4999. But it is not on Stock Android Go, which is very crucial for faster performance on lesser powered devices. If you need a better specification, extend your budget and go for the Zenfone Lite L1, but if you need faster performance on a tighter budget, you cannot go wrong with Redmi Go. Go for it!