Redmi Note 7 Pro: 48 MP Sony IMX586, Snapdragon 675, US$200

Xiaomi's new sub-brand, Redmi, released the Redmi Note 7 last week, and the device has been hailed for offering incredible value for money, as Xiaomi phones always do. Going by new information, though, the company is set to release a new, improved version of that phone: The Redmi Note 7 Pro.

The Note 7 Pro is expected to be released after the Chinese Spring Festival. The festival comes up on February 5, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Redmi Note 7 Pro launched immediately after, or perhaps at MWC. The Redmi Note 5 was unveiled in mid-February last year, and a similarly-timed launch this time out would be about par.

The Note 7 Pro is expected to feature Sony’s new 48 MP IMX586 sensor. The base Redmi Note 7 sports Samsung’s GM1 sensor, also a 48 MP one. The Samsung sensor doesn’t shoot in true 48 MP, by most accounts, however, and the IMX586 outperforms it.

Likewise, the Pro model will be powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 675, as the Snapdragon 660 doesn’t offer support for the IMX586. Going by recent benchmarks, the Snapdragon outperforms the Snapdragon 710 by about 20% in single-core tests, while matching it in multi-core. The SD710 has a better GPU, though.

The Redmi Note 7 Pro could start at CNY 1,399 (US$206), and you’d be hard-pressed to find a device offering similar specifications at anywhere near that price point.