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Xiaomi Redmi 2 Smartphone Review

A basic solution. The Redmi 2 aims to be a mainstream smartphone for a budget price. Its humble 720p display and Snapdragon 410 SoC aren't trying to break any records, but will instead offer sufficient and reliable performance for everyday use.

There's a reason why Xiaomi has become the third largest smartphone manufacturer in a market saturated with more familiar household brands like Samsung or Apple. By swooping in from the low-end instead of competing directly with an expensive flagship model, the Chinese manufacturer has scooped up significant market share in Asian and European territories where unsubsidized smartphones are much more common than in the United States. Xiaomi devices have been slowly creeping into the mainstream market and have become a headache for manufacturers like Sony who simply cannot compete at such low prices.

Today's Redmi 2 is an example of a mainstream smartphone for a budget price of about $130. As the successor to last year's Redmi 1S, this model carries a faster Snapdragon 410 SoC while sporting the same size display and a smaller, lighter chassis. We take this model for a quick spin to compare its hardware and performance against other entry-level smartphones like the HTC Desire 510 and Motorola Moto E.

Xiaomi Redmi 2 (Redmi Series)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 MSM8916 4 x 1.4 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
1024 MB 
Display
4.70 inch 16:9, 1280 x 720 pixel, Capacitive, IPS+OGS, glossy: yes
Storage
8 GB SSD, 8 GB 
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm, Card Reader: MicroSD reader, Sensors: Accelerometer, Gravity, Proximity, GPS, GLONASS, Gyroscope, Ambient light
Networking
802.11 b/g/n (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.0, GSM+WCDMA+LTE-FDD, 2G: GSM900/1800MHz, 3G: WCDMA 900/1900/2100MHz, 4G: FDD-LTE 1800/2100MHz
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 9.4 x 134 x 67.2 ( = 0.37 x 5.28 x 2.65 in)
Battery
Lithium-Polymer, 2200 mAh
Operating System
Android 4.4 KitKat
Camera
Webcam: Rear: 8 MP w/ Flash, Autofocus, Front: 2 MP
Additional features
Speakers: Monaural, Screen protector, microUSB cable, AC adapter, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
133 g ( = 4.69 oz / 0.29 pounds), Power Supply: 50 g ( = 1.76 oz / 0.11 pounds)
Price
140 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The Redmi 2 shares many physical similarities with the larger 5.5-inch Redmi Note 4G. The dedicated red buttons and positioning of the Power, Volume, and inputs around the edges are identical between the two models as are the smooth matte back covers and Dragontrail Glass front cover. The device feels solid to hold with no weak spots or creaking with applied pressure. On the other hand, the plastic cover feels cheap and could have benefited from a leather or even sandstone texture to better allay that budget design. Aside from the default white, 4 other optional colors (green, yellow, pink, and black) are available as well.

In terms of size, the Xiaomi is quite small compared to other 4.7-inch smartphones especially in length and width where even the iPhone 6 will have a larger footprint. The drawback is a thicker chassis at about 9.4 mm, which is in line with the entry-level Desire 510. Despite this, the small front makes the Redmi 2 relatively more attractive as the display takes up a larger percentage of the surface.

140 mm / 5.51 inch 68 mm / 2.68 inch 11.2 mm / 0.4409 inch 158 g0.3483 lbs139.9 mm / 5.51 inch 69.8 mm / 2.75 inch 9.99 mm / 0.3933 inch 158 g0.3483 lbs139.6 mm / 5.5 inch 71.1 mm / 2.8 inch 8.6 mm / 0.3386 inch 149 g0.3285 lbs138.1 mm / 5.44 inch 67 mm / 2.64 inch 6.9 mm / 0.2717 inch 129 g0.2844 lbs134.7 mm / 5.3 inch 68.5 mm / 2.7 inch 8.9 mm / 0.3504 inch 134 g0.2954 lbs136 mm / 5.35 inch 68 mm / 2.68 inch 7.5 mm / 0.2953 inch 97 g0.2138 lbs134 mm / 5.28 inch 67.2 mm / 2.65 inch 9.4 mm / 0.3701 inch 133 g0.2932 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

The usual micro-USB 2.0 and 3.5 mm audio port are available. USB On-The-Go (OTG) is supported as well, so users can connect third-party mice and keyboards without any issues. Storage devices can be detected too, though drives in the NTFS format are not compatible. Note that a connected USB cable can potentially feel loose because of the thick removable cover surrounding the port. Removing the cover prior to connecting a USB cable will result in a more secured fit, although this can be a hassle over time.

Removing both the back cover and battery will reveal a MicroSD slot with support up to 32 GB. This is especially welcoming since the internal 8 GB is only sufficient for a handful of apps and music files. In comparison, certain Windows smartphones, like the Trekstor WinPhone 4.7, can support MicroSD cards up to 128 GB.

Unfortunately, Miracast appears to be unavailable on the Redmi 2 despite the feature being standard amongst most newer Android devices. The option is nowhere to be found on the highly customized MIUI 6 skin.

Software

The aforementioned MIUI 6 skin sits on top of the base Android 4.4.4 software. It's a heavy skin with pre-installed apps that include security options, widgets, virus protection, and Speed Booster that users may see as bloatware. Some features can be animation-heavy and buggy as well, such as the RAM booster and its flying spaceship or the Virus Protection feature and its recurring crashes. MIUI 6 is more intrusive compared to other customized skins from competing manufacturers and the Redmi 2 will likely not receive any official Android updates in the future because of it.

Standard Homescreen with available RAM widget
Standard Homescreen with available RAM widget
Tapping on the widget allows the user to quickly close running applications
Tapping on the widget allows the user to quickly close running applications
The custom animations can be a bit much
The custom animations can be a bit much
Device information
Device information

Communication & GPS

Fast TTFS with stable visibility
Fast TTFS with stable visibility

Supported communication bands include GSM and WCDMA. More specifically, the Redmi 2 officially supports 2G (900/1800 MHz), 3G (Band 1: 2100 MHz, Band 8: 900 MHz), and 4G FDD-LTE (Band 3: 1800 MHz). TDD-LTE (Band 40: 2300 MHz) is supported as well, though this is more commonly used in Asia. We were able to take advantage of AT&T's HSDPA/HSPA network in the U.S..

As for the GPS, the Xiaomi is able to detect available satellites rather quickly with an equally fast time-to-first-fix even without WAN assistance. Accuracy is about 13 to 36 ft indoors  (4 to 11 meters) indoors and 10 ft (3 meters) outdoors according to GPS Test. We experienced no dropout or connectivity issues when using the smartphone for navigation purposes on the road. Similarly, its 802.11 b/g/n radio performs without any hiccups.

Telephone & Speech Quality

Dual SIM slots and MicroSD support up to 32 GB
Dual SIM slots and MicroSD support up to 32 GB

Both SIM slots accept micro-SIM cards (3FF). If two are inserted, the phone will automatically select which network to use based on call and text history. Interestingly, a SIM card in the second slot will not be detected if there is no SIM card in the first slot.

Call quality during our time with the Xiaomi is average at best. We called a tried-and-true LG G2 on the other end, but the person had heavy static and spotty sound with words frequently cut off even with full bars on both ends. Activating the speakerphone did not dramatically improve quality, either. Sound quality from our listener was a bit better with less static, though the experience was subpar overall.

Cameras

The rear camera works well outdoors for still or macro shots. However, it doesn't capture as much detail as we would have liked from an 8 MP camera and colors appear muddier and more saturated compared to pictures taken with more popular mainstream smartphones. On the plus side, the Xiaomi avoids heavy purple fringing that is common on cheap smartphone cameras and works better than expected in low-light situations. The latter may be explained by its relatively powerful LED Flash and backside illumination (BSI) technology incorporated specifically for better nighttime photos.

We should note that the included camera app is unfortunately buggy on our test model. While the majority of features are accessible, some will crash the app each and every time. This means users cannot change the megapixel setting of the rear camera or shoot video in anything other than the default 720p30 setting. Thus, a third party camera app may be necessary.

Accessories & Warranty

Xiaomi throws in very little extras out-of-the-box. The standard warranty card, micro-USB cable, and AC adapter are all there, but there are no protective cases, extra screen protectors, or even earphones.

Gearbest provides a 45-day Money Back Guarantee with a 15 percent restocking fee. The fee can be waived if the smartphone arrives faulty, but the buyer must pay for shipping either way. Repairs are accepted if the item is still within the 12-month warranty period.

Input Devices & Interface

Cheap smartphones can be either hit or miss regarding touchscreen responsiveness and we're happy to report that the Redmi 2 doesn't suffer from any significant input or accuracy issues. The screen is equally responsive around the edges and corners as it is towards the center, which isn't always true on some inexpensive models like the Verykool s5511. Text output is quick enough to keep up with fast touch-typists and both Swype and auto-correct are enabled by default.

The included keyboard software from TouchPal provides plenty of built-in features and emoticons, although some users may see this as bloatware as it is only a Trial version of the software. While it has all the basic options from the Vanilla Android keyboard and more, digging deeper into the software will reveal a number of locked features reserved only for the Premium version of TouchPal.

Standard Android keyboard...
Standard Android keyboard...
... with lots of extra emojis and features
... with lots of extra emojis and features

Display

The 4.7-inch IPS display offers the same 720p resolution as most other modern budget smartphones, which is an upgrade from the lower 800 x 480 pixels of older devices. Its DPI of 312 proves to be sufficient for browsing and everyday use. Perhaps more notably, the screen uses the same One Glass Solution (OGS) technology as the iPhone, which reduces the thickness of the glass that sits on top of the display. This allows the screen to really "pop" with colors and images, especially when compared to entry-level models that do not take advantage of the same technology.

Display brightness is better than average for an inexpensive model at about 430 nits with a high contrast of just over 600:1. Budget smartphones tend to hover around 300 nits while flagship models can be as high as 700 nits as is the case with the Sony Xperia Z3.

408.3
cd/m²
435.3
cd/m²
456.7
cd/m²
407.9
cd/m²
421.4
cd/m²
451
cd/m²
404.9
cd/m²
424.8
cd/m²
449.7
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro Basic 2
Maximum: 456.7 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 428.9 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 89 %
Center on Battery: 421.4 cd/m²
Contrast: 656:1 (Black: 0.642 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 7.31 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 7.88 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.51
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
Trekstor WinPhone 4.7 HD
Adreno 302, 200 MSM8212, 8 GB eMMC Flash
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
Nokia Lumia 735
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 8 GB eMMC Flash
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
Apple iPhone 6
PowerVR GX6450, A8, 128 GB eMMC Flash
Screen
-6%
-15%
10%
20%
24%
Brightness middle
421.4
418
-1%
355
-16%
291
-31%
217
-49%
520
23%
Brightness
429
420
-2%
371
-14%
293
-32%
204
-52%
511
19%
Brightness Distribution
89
89
0%
80
-10%
93
4%
55
-38%
88
-1%
Black Level *
0.642
0.93
-45%
0.37
42%
0.15
77%
0.61
5%
Contrast
656
449
-32%
959
46%
1447
121%
852
30%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
7.31
6
18%
12.13
-66%
4.04
45%
4.12
44%
3.92
46%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
7.88
6.36
19%
14.77
-87%
2.87
64%
4.87
38%
4.33
45%
Gamma
2.51 88%
2.46 89%
2.42 91%
2.49 88%
2.38 92%
2.46 89%
CCT
8944 73%
7974 82%
17097 38%
6432 101%
6019 108%
7384 88%

* ... smaller is better

Color analyses against the sRGB standard reveal an inaccurate grayscale due to the cool color temperature and only average color accuracy. Colors become more accurate as saturation levels increase. In general, these results are not uncommon on budget smartphones as seen on the Lumia 735 (inaccurate colors) and Motorola Moto E (inaccurate grayscale).

The data below reflects the "Standard" display option. "Warm" and "Cool" options are available as well with "Warm" providing colors that are easier on the eyes. Two saturation levels, "Brilliant" and "Standard", are available for very slightly deeper colors at the cost of adjusted midtones and contrast.

Grayscale
Grayscale
Saturation Sweeps
Saturation Sweeps
ColorChecker
ColorChecker

Outdoor usability is average at maximum display brightness. The glossy display prevents comfortable use as glare will be inevitable. The backlight is barely satisfactory on an overcast day let alone under direct sunlight.

Viewing angles are excellent as expected for an IPS panel. Colors do not degrade dramatically from extreme angles, though apparent brightness may decrease if not looking straight at the screen.

Difficult to view comfortably on a bright day
Difficult to view comfortably on a bright day
Excellent viewing angles from IPS panel
Excellent viewing angles from IPS panel

Performance

The quad-core Snapdragon 410 MSM8916 SoC can theoretically run up to 1.4 GHz, although it is underclocked to 1.2 GHz for smartphones like the Redmi 2. When idling, three of the four cores become inactive and the remaining core will run at 800 MHz according to CPU-Z. This particular Snapdragon SoC is a common find on many mainstream smartphones including the Huawei Ascend G7 and Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime.

General performance is in line with the similar Desire 510 and Moto E 2015 according to synthetic benchmarks. Subjectively, system performance is average as launching applications will almost always take a couple of seconds. Similarly, there is a delay when multi-tasking between applications that otherwise wouldn't be there on more powerful smartphones and tablets. Nonetheless, frame skips don't occur too frequently and we are able to scroll through long webpages smoothly for the most part, such as on our own review pages.

Sunspider
1.0 Total Score (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
1505 ms *
Trekstor WinPhone 4.7 HD
Adreno 302, 200 MSM8212, 8 GB eMMC Flash
1407 ms * +7%
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
1265 ms * +16%
Nokia Lumia 735
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 8 GB eMMC Flash
1247 ms * +17%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
1305 ms * +13%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
408.7 ms * +73%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
840 ms * +44%
0.9.1 Total Score (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
1483 ms *
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
1262 ms * +15%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
778 ms * +48%
Google V8 Ver. 7 - Google V8 Ver. 7 Score (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
2880 Points
Trekstor WinPhone 4.7 HD
Adreno 302, 200 MSM8212, 8 GB eMMC Flash
982 Points -66%
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
2759 Points -4%
Nokia Lumia 735
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 8 GB eMMC Flash
1137 Points -61%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2580 Points -10%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
6440 Points +124%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
2950 Points
Trekstor WinPhone 4.7 HD
Adreno 302, 200 MSM8212, 8 GB eMMC Flash
1122 Points -62%
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
2717 Points -8%
Nokia Lumia 735
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 8 GB eMMC Flash
1260 Points -57%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2804 Points -5%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
3875 Points +31%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
6493 Points +120%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
13534 ms *
Trekstor WinPhone 4.7 HD
Adreno 302, 200 MSM8212, 8 GB eMMC Flash
30716 ms * -127%
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
14332 ms * -6%
Nokia Lumia 735
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 8 GB eMMC Flash
26363 ms * -95%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
14002 ms * -3%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
6302 ms * +53%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
6508 ms * +52%
WebXPRT 2013
Offline Notes (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
1936 ms *
Trekstor WinPhone 4.7 HD
Adreno 302, 200 MSM8212, 8 GB eMMC Flash
3171 ms * -64%
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
2016 ms * -4%
Nokia Lumia 735
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2795 ms * -44%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2041 ms * -5%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1313 ms * +32%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1132 ms * +42%
Stocks Dashboard (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
1990 ms *
Trekstor WinPhone 4.7 HD
Adreno 302, 200 MSM8212, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2851 ms * -43%
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
2080 ms * -5%
Nokia Lumia 735
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2495 ms * -25%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2139 ms * -7%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1017 ms * +49%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1088 ms * +45%
Face Detection (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
3132 ms *
Trekstor WinPhone 4.7 HD
Adreno 302, 200 MSM8212, 8 GB eMMC Flash
6810 ms * -117%
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
3134 ms * -0%
Nokia Lumia 735
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 8 GB eMMC Flash
5840 ms * -86%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2282 ms * +27%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
2774 ms * +11%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2237 ms * +29%
Photo Effects (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
1626 ms *
Trekstor WinPhone 4.7 HD
Adreno 302, 200 MSM8212, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2464 ms * -52%
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
1423 ms * +12%
Nokia Lumia 735
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2039 ms * -25%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
1005 ms * +38%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
2569 ms * -58%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1585 ms * +3%
Overall (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
197 Points
Trekstor WinPhone 4.7 HD
Adreno 302, 200 MSM8212, 8 GB eMMC Flash
118 Points -40%
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
200 Points +2%
Nokia Lumia 735
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 8 GB eMMC Flash
138 Points -30%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
233 Points +18%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
237 Points +20%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
287 Points +46%
Peacekeeper - --- (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
643 Points
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
619 Points -4%
Nokia Lumia 735
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 8 GB eMMC Flash
297 Points -54%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
712 Points +11%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1043 Points +62%
PCMark for Android - Work performance score (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
3101 Points
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
4193 Points +35%
BaseMark OS II
Web (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
625 Points
Trekstor WinPhone 4.7 HD
Adreno 302, 200 MSM8212, 8 GB eMMC Flash
373 Points -40%
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
778 Points +24%
Nokia Lumia 735
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 8 GB eMMC Flash
409 Points -35%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
580 Points -7%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
789 Points +26%
Graphics (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
314 Points
Trekstor WinPhone 4.7 HD
Adreno 302, 200 MSM8212, 8 GB eMMC Flash
168 Points -46%
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
367 Points +17%
Nokia Lumia 735
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 8 GB eMMC Flash
235 Points -25%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
312 Points -1%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
3210 Points +922%
Memory (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
411 Points
Trekstor WinPhone 4.7 HD
Adreno 302, 200 MSM8212, 8 GB eMMC Flash
635 Points +55%
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
234 Points -43%
Nokia Lumia 735
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 8 GB eMMC Flash
765 Points +86%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
369 Points -10%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
933 Points +127%
System (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
1053 Points
Trekstor WinPhone 4.7 HD
Adreno 302, 200 MSM8212, 8 GB eMMC Flash
621 Points -41%
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
790 Points -25%
Nokia Lumia 735
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 8 GB eMMC Flash
608 Points -42%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
1053 Points 0%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1672 Points +59%
Overall (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
540 Points
Trekstor WinPhone 4.7 HD
Adreno 302, 200 MSM8212, 8 GB eMMC Flash
369 Points -32%
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
479 Points -11%
Nokia Lumia 735
Adreno 305, 400 MSM8926, 8 GB eMMC Flash
460 Points -15%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
515 Points -5%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1410 Points +161%
AndEBench
Java (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
403 Iter./s
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
405 Iter./s 0%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
705 Iter./s +75%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1400 Iter./s +247%
Native (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
7580 Iter./s
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
6416 Iter./s -15%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
17584 Iter./s +132%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
15384 Iter./s +103%
Vellamo 3.x
Metal (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
945 Points
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
767 Points -19%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
772 Points -18%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2280 Points +141%
Multicore Beta (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
1313 Points
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
1226 Points -7%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
1115 Points -15%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
2298 Points +75%
Browser (sort by value)
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
2139 Points
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2005 Points
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
3174 Points
Epic Citadel
Ultra High Quality (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
30.3 fps
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
52.9 fps +75%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
51.2 fps +69%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
58.2 fps +92%
High Quality (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
55 fps
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
58.3 fps +6%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
55.7 fps +1%
High Performance (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
57.1 fps
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
59.3 fps +4%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
57.2 fps 0%
AndroBench 3-5
Random Write 4KB (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
10.93 MB/s
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
1.05 MB/s -90%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
1.67 MB/s -85%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
1 MB/s -91%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
13.91 MB/s +27%
Random Read 4KB (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
18.34 MB/s
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
8.55 MB/s -53%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
12.08 MB/s -34%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
8.5 MB/s -54%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
20.66 MB/s +13%
Sequential Write 256KB (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
37.81 MB/s
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
7.29 MB/s -81%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
20.03 MB/s -47%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
19.05 MB/s -50%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
123.8 MB/s +227%
Sequential Read 256KB (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
137.3 MB/s
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
86.2 MB/s -37%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
100 MB/s -27%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
83.5 MB/s -39%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
235.1 MB/s +71%
3DMark
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1132 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1084 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1094 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
845 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1892 Points
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
1484 Points
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
9455 Points
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
9458 Points 0%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
9440 Points 0%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
15198 Points +61%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
10432 (10432min - 10786max) Points +10%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
3830 Points
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
4037 Points +5%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
3969 Points +4%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
19530 Points +410%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
34429 (34429min - 34485max) Points +799%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
4413 Points
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
4626 Points +5%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
4556 Points +3%
Samsung Galaxy S5
Adreno 330, 801 MSM8974AC, 16 GB eMMC Flash
18367 Points +316%
HTC One M9
Adreno 430, 810 MSM8994, 32 GB eMMC Flash
22783 (22783min - 23171max) Points +416%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Physics (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
9185 Points
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
8993 Points -2%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
8548 Points -7%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Graphics (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
2199 Points
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
2197 Points 0%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2091 Points -5%
1920x1080 Ice Storm Extreme Score (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
2646 Points
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
2640 Points 0%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
2513 Points -5%
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Physics (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
9190 Points
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
8812 Points -4%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
8718 Points -5%
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Graphics (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
4749 Points
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
4882 Points +3%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
4847 Points +2%
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 2
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
5320 Points
HTC Desire 510
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB SSD
5419 Points +2%
Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Adreno 306, 410 MSM8916, 8 GB eMMC Flash
5378 Points +1%

* ... smaller is better

Games

The Adreno 306 is the integrated graphics processor of choice on Snapdragon 410 SoCs. Performance is on the lower end of the spectrum as the GPU focuses on reduced power consumption instead of improved graphics power over its immediate Adreno 305 predecessor. Raw performance is about 30 percent higher than the old Tegra 3 according to 3DMark Ice Storm, but demanding games like N.O.V.A. 3 still play well below 30 FPS. More popular 2D titles like Angry Birds or Candy Crush will run without issues.

3DMark Ice Storm
3DMark Ice Storm
N.O.V.A. 3
N.O.V.A. 3

Emissions

Temperature

Surface temperatures when idle average just under 30 degrees C on both the front and back. Prolonged browsing will increase temperatures significantly, especially if gaming. We were able to record a maximum temperature of 44 degrees near the earpiece whilst running a stress test for over half an hour. Users will feel this end of the smartphone warm up much more quickly than the opposite end. For day to day use, however, the temperature rise should not negatively affect user experience.

The Motorola Moto E, which sports the same Snapdragon SoC as our Xiaomi, experiences notably lower surface temperatures under similar conditions.

Max. Load
 41 °C
106 F
38.4 °C
101 F
36.8 °C
98 F
 
 40.4 °C
105 F
38.4 °C
101 F
37.6 °C
100 F
 
 38.8 °C
102 F
38.2 °C
101 F
36.4 °C
98 F
 
Maximum: 41 °C = 106 F
Average: 38.4 °C = 101 F
36.4 °C
98 F
37.8 °C
100 F
44.2 °C
112 F
34 °C
93 F
37.2 °C
99 F
44.2 °C
112 F
34.6 °C
94 F
36.6 °C
98 F
37.8 °C
100 F
Maximum: 44.2 °C = 112 F
Average: 38.1 °C = 101 F
Room Temperature 23 °C = 73 F | Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 38.4 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 41 °C / 106 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 44.2 °C / 112 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 29.3 °C / 85 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.

Speaker

The speakerphone is on the rear of the device adjacent to the camera. Sound quality is very good considering the size and inexpensive price. Music playback feels balanced with no static on higher volume settings. Bass could be better of course, but the Xiaomi avoids the "tin can" quality that many budget devices suffer from.

Battery Life

The removable 2200 mAh (8.61 Wh) Li-ion battery pack is similar in size to its competitors such as the Desire 510 (7.98 Wh), Xperia M2 (8.39 Wh), and Lumia 735 (8.4 Wh). Thus, battery life should be similar in most cases, though the Redmi 2 comes out slightly below in our testing. Users can expect a little under 6 hours of constant use according to our standard WiFi test at a brightness of 150 nits (a setting of approximately 60 percent). Under the most demanding of conditions (i.e., maximum brightness and processing load with all wireless radios active), users will get at least 3.5 hours of use. This may be sufficient for a typical workday while heavy users may want to carry a secondary battery just in case.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
17h 42min
WiFi Websurfing
5h 54min
Load (maximum brightness)
3h 38min
Xiaomi Redmi 2Trekstor WinPhone 4.7 HDHTC Desire 510Nokia Lumia 735Sony Xperia M2Motorola Moto E 2. Gen 2015
Battery Runtime
-12%
21%
21%
40%
37%
Reader / Idle
1062
1280
21%
1108
4%
1538
45%
1593
50%
WiFi v1.3
354
311
-12%
506
43%
Load
218
262
20%
301
38%
293
34%
260
19%
WiFi
570
761
686

Pros

+ Great display quality
+ Relatively bright backlight
+ Responsive glass touchscreen
+ Good speaker quality for music and movies
+ MicroSD and dual 4G micro-SIM support
+ Low-light camera performance is good for a smartphone
+ Inexpensive

Cons

- No WiFi calling
- Some included apps are buggy
- Average battery life
- Average graphics performance
- Average system performance
- Below average telephone quality
- Bloatware

Verdict

Xiaomi Redmi 2. Test device provided by:
Xiaomi Redmi 2. Test device provided by:

The Redmi 2 has a lot going for it, including its impressive glass display, dual SIM support with 4G, responsive touchscreen, and an inexpensive price of $130 at Gearbest. It performs reasonably well in almost all core categories, which is not easy to say for smartphones in this price range.

The major misstep here is in its call quality, which is spotty from our experience even under ideal reception conditions. The bloatware is real as well and we recommend removing some of them as they have a tendency to crash. CDMA users are also out of luck due to unsupported bands. The Sharp Aquos Crystal offers similar performance for a smaller chassis size, larger 5-inch screen, WiFi calling, and more stable apps for those who are tied to CDMA networks.

It performs reasonably well in almost all core categories, which is not easy to say for smartphones in this price range.

Xiaomi Redmi 2 - 04/27/2015 v4(old)
Allen Ngo

Chassis
74%
Keyboard
80 / 75 → 100%
Pointing Device
80%
Connectivity
44 / 60 → 73%
Weight
94%
Battery
91%
Display
78%
Games Performance
72 / 63 → 100%
Application Performance
45 / 70 → 64%
Temperature
86%
Noise
100%
Audio
75 / 91 → 82%
Camera
60%
Average
76%
80%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

Pricecompare

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Allen Ngo, 2015-04-27 (Update: 2017-05-23)