Three years ago the Xiaomi Redmi 9A was released: a cheap smartphone sold between 140 and 70 euros. But today, although it still sells a lot, it is no longer as interesting. Here’s why we invite you to think before buying a Redmi 9A.
We have known for years that Xiaomi has a very wide catalog. Without knowing why, some models are very successful: this is the case of the Redmi 9A, number 5 in the ranking of the best-selling smartphones on Amazon at the time of writing these lines.
The Redmi 9A is a dated smartphone, but not expensive
If you are used to our articles, often dealing with the most advanced models, the technical sheet of the Redmi 9A will seem ridiculous to you. A small Helio G25 SoC from MediaTek that is getting old, only 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage, yes, it is indeed outdated.
Same thing for the screen: an LCD panel, an HD + definition (1600 by 720 pixels) and a maximum brightness of 400 cd / m² which may complicate reading in direct sunlight. However, the battery has a capacity of 5000 mAh: with a low-power chip and a low-light screen, it promises two days of autonomy, which is very good. The charge is nevertheless 10 W: to charge this large battery, it is a bit long.
Last limitation: the operating system. This is Android 10, dated 2020. Fortunately, the Redmi 9A benefited from an update to Android 11 with the arrival of MIUI 12, but nothing since. An update to Android 12 does not seem planned, at a time when Android 13 is in deployment.
All this makes the Redmi 9A a very underperforming and above all dated smartphone. But you have to remember one thing: this model is no longer sold at the launch price. Today, it is found on Amazon at 75 euros: in other words, for a smartphone, it is not much. However, we still advise you to try to put a little more money in a phone.
If you can, buy a more expensive model
Smartphones under 100 euros, there are a multitude of them and they are essentially Xiaomi smartphones. Certainly, there are many other Chinese brands on the Internet, but they are known to be less reliable. These inexpensive models can work, but will be quite slow and will limit your uses.
Forget about 3D video games, fast app launches and smooth animations. Also, don’t expect to take pretty pictures with it. Finally, an argument that comes up more and more in the context of reducing carbon emissions, sustainability. The cheapest models are also the ones that will last the shortest. This is because they will be outdated more quickly, but also because they will be less updated.
Just take the Redmi 9A for example: it only received one major Android update, where other models are entitled to two or even three years of support. The same goes for security updates: the cheapest models become vulnerable more quickly since they are supported for less time by manufacturers.
Of course, at its price, it’s still probably the safest choice. But, if you have the financial resources, choose a smartphone for less than 200 euros, which will satisfy you for longer. This range offers significant advantages: today, we can be entitled to better finished designs, OLED screens, more updates and more efficient sensors. Finally, you can check our good deals on smartphones to be informed of promotions, which could allow you to buy a cheaper and better smartphone.
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