Choosing a new smartphone often becomes a difficult dilemma, especially when it comes to the confrontation of the flagship models of past years and modern devices of the middle class. In this case, we consider the Xiaomi Mi 9, the former flagship of the company, released in 2019, and the Redmi Note 9 (we are considering a global version), which became a hit in the segment of public sector a year later.
On the one hand, we have a top-of-the-line processor, premium case materials and advanced wireless charging technology, and a practical, software-driven, more affordable phone with a huge battery, and understanding the difference between them will help you avoid overpaying for features that you don't need, or saving on things that are critical for everyday use.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the hardware platform, the quality of the shooting, the features of the screens and the autonomy, and you will learn why an older flagship can be faster than a new budgetary, but still lose to it in time from a single charge, and we will also touch on the topic of software support, which is a key factor in long-term operation.
Productivity and hardware platform
At the heart of the Xiaomi Mi 9 is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 processor. At the time of its release, it was the absolute top market, providing the highest speed of the interface and the ability to run any heavy games at maximum graphics settings. The chip architecture is still powerful enough to comfortably perform 95% of the tasks of the modern user.
By contrast, the Redmi Note 9 is based on the MediaTek Helio G85 chipset, a budget solution that is billed as an entry-level game, but in reality it is far inferior to the flagship Snapdragon. The difference in synthetic tests can reach double the value in favor of the Mi 9, which is felt in real life.
- 🚀 Xiaomi Mi 9 opens heavy apps faster and handles photos.
- 🎮 Redmi Note 9 only works on low or medium settings.
- ⚡ The Mi 9 drives use a faster standard. UFS, speed up.
It’s worth noting that RAM can vary in both cases, but even with the same number of gigabytes, the Mi 9 will work faster thanks to the faster LPDDR4X memory vs. LPDDR4X in Redmi, as well as optimization for a powerful processor. If multitasking and system response speed are important to you, the old flagship wins this battle.
But the powerful processor in the compact Mi 9 can heat up more under load, while the Redmi Note 9, with its less-performing chip, remains colder, albeit less productive. It’s a classic trade-off between power and energy efficiency.
Display and multimedia capabilities
The screens of the models in question vary dramatically in production technology and color reproduction quality. Xiaomi Mi 9 is equipped with Samsung's Super AMOLED matrix with FullHD+ resolution. This provides deep black, high brightness and excellent readability in the sun, the colors on it are rich and bright, which is ideal for viewing content.
Redmi Note 9 received a new IPS-screen with full HD resolution also+. Despite the good viewing angles, IPS can't compete with AMOLED Contrast and energy efficiency when displaying dark topics. IPS rather dark gray, which is especially noticeable in the room at low brightness.
⚠️ Note: The screen Redmi Note 9 has a protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 5, while Xiaomi Mi 9 is protected by the newer Gorilla Glass 6. This means that the flagship theoretically better tolerates falls, although both devices require careful handling.
The important aspect is refresh rate. Both smartphones run on a standard 60Hz, so the scrolling smoothness that is characteristic of modern 90-hertz screens is not here. However, thanks to the high processor performance in the Mi 9, the interface animations may seem smoother.
The sound system is also different. Xiaomi Mi 9 features stereo speakers with support for Hi-Res Audio technology and aptX HD codec, which gives a tangible increase in the sound quality in the headphones. Redmi Note 9 has a monophone speaker that sounds loud, but lacks stereo effect and depth.
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When buying a used smartphone, be sure to check the screen for the presence of burnt-out pixels (especially important for AMOLED Mi 9 matrices), turning on the white picture at maximum brightness.
Cameras: Flagship level vs. budget practicality
The photography system is the area where the difference between the device classes is most pronounced. Xiaomi Mi 9 received a triple camera with the main module 48 MP Sony IMX586, telephoto lens with 2x zoom and ultra-wide angle lens. the presence of optical stabilization (OIS) and laser autofocus allows you to take clear pictures even in difficult conditions.
The Redmi Note 9 also has a 48MP main sensor, but it's a different matrix model that doesn't have optical stabilization, and instead of a full-length telephoto lens, it's a 2MP macro module that's more decorative, and under-light shooting on Redmi is noticeably inferior, with noises, details lost in the shadows.
| Characteristics | Xiaomi Mi 9 | Redmi Note 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Core module | 48 MP, f/1.75, OIS | 48 MP, f/1.8 |
| Telephoto lens | 12 MP, 2x zoom | Absent. |
| Chic. | 16 MP, 117° | 8 MP, 118° |
| Video | 4K @ 60 fps | 4K @ 30 fps |
Video shooting on the Mi 9 also benefits from the ability to record in 4K at 60 frames per second and the presence of high-level electronic stabilization.The Redmi Note 9 is limited to 30 frames in 4K, and stabilization works less efficiently, which is noticeable when walking.
Secrets of Night Shooting
Autonomy and charging speed
Here, things turn 180 degrees in favor of a cheaper device. The Redmi Note 9 has a 5020 mAh battery. In conjunction with an energy-efficient but not powerful processor, this provides up to two days of active use. This is one of the best in its class.
Xiaomi Mi 9 because of the compact body received a battery of only 3300 mAh. For the flagship processor of 2019, this was not enough even at the time of release, and now, given the wear of the battery in used devices, the phone may not live to the evening with active use.
- 🔋 Redmi Note 9 is running much longer in standby and navigation mode.
- ⚡ Xiaomi Mi 9 supports wireless charging capacity of 20 watts.
- 🔌 Wireless charging speed of the Mi 9 is higher (27 W vs. 18 W at Redmi).
The unique feature of the Mi 9 is wireless charging, which is rare even for many modern mid-range smartphones. the Redmi Note 9 is completely devoid of this feature. However, the wired charging speed of the Redmi (18 watts) is standard, while the Mi 9 charges faster, which partially compensates for the small battery capacity.
⚠️ Note: When buying a used Xiaomi Mi 9 Check the status of the battery (team ##6485##). Small battery capacity in 3300 mAh is critical for this device, and wear is more 15-20% Makes the phone uncomfortable.
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If autonomy is a priority for you №1, Redmi Note 9 destroys Mi 9 by two times the time of operation, despite lower performance.
Design, Materials and Ergonomics
The look of the devices reflects their positioning. Xiaomi Mi 9 is made of glass front and rear with an aluminum frame. The back has a gradient coloring that shimmers in the light, which looks expensive and premium. The smartphone is compact, easy to lie in one hand, but slippery.
The Redmi Note 9 is completely plastic. It reduces the cost of production and weight, but it's easier to feel the haptics of it. But the plastic case is better at absorbing impacts when it falls and doesn't break into fragments. It's more utilitarian, with a characteristic circular camera module.
An important element of ergonomics is the fingerprint scanner. In the Mi 9, it is built right into the screen (optical), which looks modern and saves space. In the Redmi Note 9, the scanner is located on the side edge, combined with the on button. Many users find the side scanner faster and more convenient to use, since you do not need to aim at a certain area on the screen.
Water and dust protection in both cases is not officially declared high (IP53 or no certificate), so immersion in water should be avoided. However, the assembly density of the flagship Mi 9 is traditionally higher, the gaps between parts are minimal.
☑️ What to look at when choosing a design
Software and relevance
The issue of operating system updates is critical for security and functionality. Xiaomi Mi 9 came with Android 9 and received updates to Android 10 and 11 (MIUI 12/13). Official support for the OS is already complete, it receives only rare security patches.
The Redmi Note 9 came out later, so it got a more recent version of Android out of the box and has a longer support tail.It has upgraded to Android 12 and 13 (MIUI 13/14).This means that at the time of purchase you get more relevant interface and app features.
However, thanks to the powerful hardware, the Mi 9 even runs very fast on older versions of Android, while the Redmi Note 9 on newer versions of MIUI may experience a slight shortage of processor resources, which sometimes leads to micro-slowdowns, especially immediately after the update.
For enthusiasts, the Xiaomi Mi 9 remains a more attractive object for custom firmware installation thanks to an unlocked bootloader and developer community. the Redmi Note 9 also has support, but MediaTek processors are often harder to modify than the Qualcomm Snapdragon.