Xiaomi Redmi 4X — One of the most popular budget smartphones of 2017, which is still in demand in the secondary market, and its main advantage is the balanced performance at an affordable price. But what exactly is hidden under the hood of this device? Today we will take a detailed look at the Xiaomi Redmi processor. 4X, Its architecture, performance and how it copes with modern challenges.
Many users are still wondering whether this smartphone is worth buying today or is it hopelessly outdated? The answer lies in its heart, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 chipset. This processor has become a real workhorse for the budget segment, but is it that good in practice? Let's get it straight.
Technical specifications of the Snapdragon 435 processor in Redmi 4X
Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 chipset (MSM8940) It was announced in early 2017 and became the basis for many budget smartphones of the time. It was built on a 28-nm process technology, which by modern standards seems archaic, but for its time it was the optimal balance between price and performance.
The main parameters of the processor:
- 🔹 Architecture: 8 cores Cortex-A53 (64-bit)
- 🔹 Clock frequency: up to 1.4 GHz
- 🔹 Graphics accelerator: Adreno 505 (550 MHz)
- 🔹 Memory support: LPDDR3 (4GB)
- 🔹 modem: X9 LTE (Cat. 7, up to 300 Mbps)
Importantly, the Snapdragon 435 is a 400 series that is marketed as a budget solution, not designed for heavy gaming or multitasking, but it does a great job of everyday tasks: social networks, instant messengers, video watching and light mobile games.
At Redmi. 4X The chipset works in tandem with 3 GB RAM (in the top version) and 32/64 GB of internal memory: This configuration allowed the device to remain relevant for several years after release.
Performance and benchmarks: what the Snapdragon 435 shows today
To objectively assess the capabilities of the processor, we turn to the results of benchmarks. in AnTuTu 8 (current at the time of release of the version) Redmi 4X It was about 40,000-45,000 points, compared to the current budget smartphones on the Snapdragon 480 or Helio. G85 show results 2-3 times higher.
However, benchmarks are not always a reflection of real performance, and in everyday use, the Snapdragon 435 demonstrates the following features:
- ✅ Quick work on WhatsApp, Telegram, VK and other messengers.
- ✅ Smooth video viewing in Full HD (1080p) on YouTube or Kodi.
- ⚠️ Noticeable slowdowns at simultaneous opening 10+ chrome.
- ❌ Problems with modern games like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile (only work on minimal settings).
If we talk about multitasking, then 3 GB of RAM in Redmi 4X You can keep 4-5 light apps in the background without rebooting, but when you try to run something heavier (like Google Maps). + Instagram + The music player system starts to "hang».
Critical Feature: Snapdragon 435 does not support 64-bit apps on Android 12+. This means that after the system update, some programs may stop working. - Xiaomi officially stopped supporting Redmi 4X Android 7 Nougat, but unofficial firmware (like LineageOS) lets you upgrade to Android 10.
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If you're Redmi. 4X You're starting to slow down a lot, try turning off animations in the developer settings. → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Click 7 times, then in the Developer Settings → The scale of the animation and set the value 0.5x or off.
Comparison with other processors: who is stronger?
To see how good (or bad) the Snapdragon 435 is, compare it to other popular low-end chipsets.
| Processor | Process technology (nm) | AnTuTu (approx.) | 4K support | Max. RAM frequency. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snapdragon 435 | 28 | 40 000–45 000 | No. | 800 MHz (LPDDR3) |
| Snapdragon 450 | 14 | 60 000–70 000 | Yes (decoding) | 1866 MHz (LPDDR4X) |
| Helio P25 (MT6757) | 16 | 55 000–65 000 | No. | 1600 MHz (LPDDR4X) |
| Kirin 655 | 16 | 65 000–75 000 | Yes (decoding) | 933 MHz (LPDDR3) |
The table shows that the Snapdragon 435 is outperforming the more advanced chipsets in all aspects, process technology, performance, and support for modern standards, but in 2017 it was one of the most energy-efficient solutions in its segment.
Compared to a direct competitor, MediaTek Helio P20 (The Redmi Note 4, for example, has the Snapdragon 435 winning the game:
- 📶 Stability LTE-communication modem X9 LTE better optimized).
- 🎮 Support for games (Adreno drivers less likely to cause lags).
- 🔋 Energy efficiency at a simple load (social networks, calls).
But loses in:
- 📈 Maximum performance (core) Cortex-A53 Helio P20 accelerate to 2.3 GHz).
- 📸 Photo processing (MediaTek processor works better with high-resolution cameras).
Why is the Snapdragon 435 still relevant?
Energy efficiency and heating: weak spots of Snapdragon 435
One of the main advantages of the Snapdragon 435 is its low power consumption, and thanks to its optimized architecture and 28nm process technology (despite its age), the chipset performs well in standby mode. 4X with a battery of 4100 mAh can work:
- 📞 Up to 2 days with moderate use (calls, messengers, web surfing).
- 🎮 Up to 4-5 hours in games (e.g, PUBG Mobile at low settings).
- 🎥 Up to 10-12 hours of video playback.
However, there is also a downside: at high load (for example, recording video in the video). 1080p Or long games, the processor starts to warm up a lot:
- Obsolete process technology (28 nm is less efficient than 14 or 10 nm).
- Lack of active cooling in Redmi 4X (passive radiator).
- Non-optimal distribution of load between the nuclei.
⚠️ Attention: If your Redmi is 4X heats up above 50°C in simple tasks (e.g., when watching YouTube), this may indicate that: 🔋 Battery wear (solution: battery replacement). 🧹 Clogging of the charging connector or vents. 🛠️ Damage to thermopaste (requires disassembly and replacement).
To reduce the heat, you can:
Disable background activity of unnecessary applications|Reduce the brightness of the screen to 60-70%|Use lightweight shells (e.g. Nova Launcher)|Limit FPS games up to 30 frames/s-->
Support for modern technologies: what can and what can not
Snapdragon 435 was released in the era of the 4K-Video and artificial intelligence are just beginning to enter mobile devices, so its capabilities are limited:
Supports:
- 📡 LTE Cat. 7 (up to 300 Mbps per download).
- 🎧 Qualcomm Aqstic (improved sound in headphones).
- 📷 Single cells up to 21 MP or double to 13+13 MPP.
- 🖥️ display to an external display via Miracast or HDMI (adapter).
Not supporting:
- ❌ 5G (maximum — 4G LTE).
- ❌ 4K@60fps video recording (maximum — 1080p@30fps).
- ❌ Hardware acceleration of neural networks (no) NPU).
- ❌ Bluetooth 5.0 (Bluetooth 4.1 only).
- ❌ Wi-Fi 6 (maximum Wi-Fi) 802.11n).
This means that Redmi 4X fail:
- 🎮 Run games with raytracing (for example, Diablo Immortal).
- 📸 Process photos in Google Photos using AI enhancements.
- 🔌 Quickly upload files over Wi-Fi (maximum speed up to 150 Mbps).
But for basic tasks, these limitations might be enough, for example, if you need a smartphone to:
- 📞 Calls and SMS.
- 📱 Social networks (Instagram, TikTok in the light version).
- 🎵 Listening to music (Spotify, VK Music).
- 📍 Navigation (Google Maps or Yandex.Maps).
Then Redmi. 4X It will remain relevant for several more years.
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Snapdragon 435 is a chipset for basic tasks that won’t be able to handle modern games or resource-intensive applications, but it does a great job of handling everyday needs like calls, instant messengers, web surfing and multimedia.
Can I overclock the processor in Redmi? 4X?
In theory, overclocking is possible, but in practice it is extremely risky and ineffective.
- Firmware restrictions: Stock MIUI It does not allow you to change the frequencies of the processor. Overclocking will require a custom core (for example, FrancoKernel), which requires unlocking the bootloader and installing it. TWRP.
- Overheating: An increase in frequency even by 10-15% will lead to an increase in temperature to 60-70°C, which can damage the chipset.
- Minimum gain: Maximum possible acceleration - up to 1.6-1.7 GHz, which will give an increase in productivity by 5-10% (imperceptible in real use).
If you want to try it, here is a step-by-step guide (at your own risk!):
Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool|Install custom recovery (TWRP)|Swipe the kernel with overclocking support (e.g., ElementalX)|Use Kernel Adiutor to adjust frequencies-->
⚠️ Attention: Overclocking the processor in Redmi 4X may lead to: 🔥 Overheating and automatic disconnection of the device. 🔋 Accelerated battery wear (capacity reduction by 20-30% in 6 months). 🚫 Loss of warranty (if it is still valid). 💥 Recommendation: Instead of overclocking, it's better to optimize the system -- disable unnecessary services, use light firmware (MIUI Lite) or go to Android Go.
Redmi alternatives 4X: Which smartphones are better in 2026?
If Redmi 4X You may feel too weak, but the budget is limited, consider the following alternatives (new and used):
| Model | Processor | RAM/ROM | AnTuTu (approx.) | Price (b/y, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redmi 9A | Helio G25 | 2/32 GB | 90 000–100 000 | 5 000–7 000 ₽ |
| Redmi Note 8 | Snapdragon 665 | 4/64 GB | 180 000–200 000 | 10 000–12 000 ₽ |
| Poco M3 | Snapdragon 662 | 4/64 GB | 170 000–190 000 | 12 000–14 000 ₽ |
| Samsung Galaxy A12 | Helio P35 | 4/64 GB | 100 000–110 000 | 9 000–11 000 ₽ |
If you need a smartphone strictly up to 5 000 ₽, redmi 4X It's one of the best options, but if you have a budget that allows you to spend 8,000 to 12,000. ₽, better:
- 📱 Redmi 9A/9C — More modern processor (Helio) G25/G35) Android support 11+.
- 📱 Realme C30/C35 — better camera and display.
- 📱 Samsung Galaxy A03s — More stable firmware (but weaker iron).
If you want maximum productivity on a budget, pay attention to:
- 🎮 Poco X3 NFC (Snapdragon 732G, ~15 000 ₽ b).
- 🎮 Redmi Note 10 (Snapdragon 678, ~16 000 ₽ b).