How to distinguish the original Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X from a fake: 5 working ways

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X is one of the brand’s most popular smartphones, and is still in demand in the secondary market. However, due to high demand, scammers are actively forging this model, passing off low-quality copies with simplified fillings as the original. According to Trade-in services, up to 15% of devices sold as Redmi Note 4X are fakes under the Xiaomi brand.

Compounding the problem, the exterior copies are often indistinguishable from the original: the same body shape, logo, and even mimicking MIUI firmware. But inside, a cheap processor, a weak camera, and a battery that runs out in half a day. In this article, we will discuss 5 reliable ways to check forgery before you buy or confirm the originality of a device you already bought.

1. IMEI verification: the main identifier of the original

The International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI) is a unique 15-digit code that is assigned to each original smartphone. For counterfeits, the IMEI is either duplicated (belongs to another device) or absent from Xiaomi’s database.

• 📱 By dialing: type *#06# in the phone keyboard, IMEI will appear on the screen (or two IMEI if the device supports two SIM- cards).
• 📦 On the box: the original IMEI is duplicated on the sticker at the back of the package (under the barcode).
• 🔧 In Settings: Go to Settings → The phone. → General information → IMEI.

After receiving the code, check it through the official services:

⚠️ Warning: If the IMEI box and phone don't match, or if Xiaomi's service gives you a "Device not found" error, you're 100% fake. Even if the seller says "just changed the case," it's impossible without replacing the motherboard.

IMEI Original Redmi Note 4X It always starts with 86 or 35 and corresponds to the mido model. IMEI, A 00 or 99 is a sign of a fake.

Packaging and configuration analysis: 7 key details

The original Redmi Note 4X package has several hidden security features that are difficult to fake.

• 🎨 Color and texture: The original box is matte, with a light embossing of the Mi logo. Fakes are often glossy or blurry print.
• 🔍 Barcode: Must match the code on the sticker under the battery (if you remove the back cover) and can be authenticated via the Barcode Scanner app.
• 📏 Box sizes: original - 15.5 × 8.5 × 2.5 see Counterfeiting is often thinner or narrower.
• 🖼️ Phone photo: The original box shows a Redmi Note 4X without the physical home button (it's touch-sensitive).

The original equipment includes:

1. The Redmi Note 4X smartphone.
2. 5V/2A charger (white, with Mi logo)
3. USB Type-C cable (length 1 m, with metal tips).
4. Paperclip for the tray of SIM-cards (silver color).
5. Instructions in Chinese/English (in some regions - with a sticker-translation).

⚠️ Warning: If you have a black charger, a Micro-USB cable or a manual in Russian without the Xiaomi logo, it's a fake. The original chargers are always white, labeled MDY-08-EM.

External examination of the phone: 5 differences of the original

Even if the packaging looks perfect, look at the device itself, and fakes give away little things that are hard to see without comparison.

Note the weight of the device: the original Redmi Note 4X weighs 165 g. Counterfeiting is often lighter (140-150 g) due to cheap body materials. Also check the screen resolution: the original has Full HD (1920×1080), and copies are HD (1280×720) or worse.

The build quality test: press the back cover slightly near the camera. The original has no backlashes, the fake lid is bent or creaking. Also try inserting the SIM- card: in the original tray it is fixed with a slight click, in fakes it often falls out.

Check the Mi logo on the back (must be metal)

Examine the camera (must have a double flash and a metal rim)

Weigh the phone (original - 165 g)

Check the backlight of the touch buttons (should be white)

Click on the screen in the corner (no waves or yellowing)-->

4. Check firmware and software tags

The MIUI firmware is a key feature of the original device, and counterfeits often mimic the look of the device, but they have critical differences.

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Check out MIUI: the original Redmi Note 4X supports upgrades to MIUI 12.5 (for global versions).If it costs MIUI 9 or lower and there are no updates, it's a fake.
3. Click 5 times on the MIUI version, and the Developer Options menu should appear.

Additional features of the original firmware:

• 🔄 Updates over the air (OTA): in Settings → About Phone → System Update should be available official updates. Fakes are either not updated or offer to download files from questionable sites.
• 🔒 Reset Protection (Mi Account): When you try to reset to factory settings, the original requires you to enter a username/password from your Xiaomi account.
• 📡 Google Services: The original has Google Play Services and Google Play Store preinstalled, and these are often missing or unupdated on fakes.

For a deep check, use the Mi Verify app (available on Google Play), which scans system files and issues a verdict of authenticity, and you can also check the serial number through the command in the engineering menu:

adb shell getprop ro.boot.serialno

The serial number must match what is indicated on the box and under the battery.

💡

If the seller refuses to show the firmware or settings menu, this is a reason to doubt the originality. Ask him to shoot a video demonstrating a system update or IMEI check.

5.Iron testing: processor, camera, battery

Fake Redmi Note 4X often comes with weak iron, which gives itself away when tested.

🔋 Battery.

The original Redmi Note 4X has a 4100 mAh battery.

• Through the AccuBattery app (shows real capacity).

📸 Camera

The original main camera has a resolution of 13 MP (Sony IMX258 or OmniVision OV13853).

• 🔍 Macro: zoom in by 5-10 cm. The original focuses clearly, the fake doesn't.

🖥️ Processor

The original Redmi Note 4X is equipped with a Snapdragon 625 (8 cores, 2.0 GHz) and can be checked through the CPU-Z or AIDA64 apps.

• MediaTek MT6580 (4 cores, weak)
• Spreadtrum SC9832 (load brake)
• Unknown Chinese chips (e.g. Allwinner)

⚠️ Warning: If the specs indicate a Snapdragon 625 but the phone is slowing down in simple games (e.g. Subway Surfers) is a fake with spoofed data in the firmware. Check the performance through AnTuTu Benchmark: the original scores 60,000-70,000, fakes less than 30,000.

💡

If the vendor says, "The processor is stitched under Snapdragon," but the tests show MediaTek, that's a fraud. The original chip can't be flashed into another.

6. Check through official Xiaomi services

The most reliable way is to check the device data against Xiaomi database.

1. Go to mi.com/global/verify.
2. Enter the IMEI, serial number or code from the sticker under the battery.
3. The system will show the model, the date of production and the warranty status, and if there is no data, the device is not original.

Alternative services:

• 🌍 Global Version Check: new.c.mi.com/global/buy/verify – checks global versions.
• 📱 Mi Auth App: Official authentication app (available on Google Play).
• 🛡️ Anti-Counterfeit Alliance: A database of fake devices (aca-china.org).

If the seller refuses to provide IMEI for verification, it is 100% a sign of fraud.

7 Where to buy so as not to run into a fake

Even if you know all the signs of the original, you still have the risk of buying a fake, and you can minimize it with trusted sources.

Safe Handheld Buying Rules:

• 📸 Ask for a video with IMEI validation and firmware operation.
• 💳 Use a secure transaction (e.g., via Tinkoff or Sberbank Online).
• 📋 Check the documents: check, warranty card, box.
• 🔄 Turn your phone on in Fastboot Mode (clamb Volume Down + Power) – the screen should have a Mi logo and the inscription mido (code name of the model).

If the price of the Redmi Note 4X is below 8,000-10,000 rubles (2026) – this is a cause for suspicion. The average market value of the original device in good condition – 12,000-15,000 rubles.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the Redmi Note 4X