Xiaomi Redmi 9AT smartphone review: Is the 99-Euro smartphone better than the original?
Just last year, we had a very affordable Redmi smartphone in our test lab with the Redmi 9A. Now, an "improved" version of the Xiaomi smartphone bearing the designation "9AT" is going through our test course. This is another model in the Redmi 9 entry-level series. Compared with the Redmi 9A, the 9AT is supposed to have an additional microphone and consequently offer improved noise cancellation. The remaining specifications of the Redmi 9AT are the same as those of the 9A model.
Whether the purchase of the entry-level phone with the MediaTek Helio G25, 2 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of storage is worthwhile and whether hidden improvements have been implemented in the Redmi 9AT will be clarified in the following review.
Possible contenders in comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Drive | Size | Resolution | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75.3 % v7 (old) | 04 / 2021 | Xiaomi Redmi 9AT Helio G25, PowerVR GE8320 | 194 g | 32 GB eMMC Flash | 6.53" | 1600x720 | |
| 75.7 % v7 (old) | 11 / 2020 | Xiaomi Redmi 9A Helio G25, PowerVR GE8320 | 194 g | 32 GB eMMC Flash | 6.53" | 1600x720 | |
| 74.6 % v7 (old) | 01 / 2021 | Motorola Moto E7 Helio G25, PowerVR GE8320 | 180 g | 32 GB eMMC Flash | 6.50" | 1600x720 | |
| 74.5 % v7 (old) | 03 / 2021 | Blackview A80 Plus Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320 | 180 g | 64 GB eMMC Flash | 6.49" | 1560x720 | |
| 77.8 % v7 (old) | 09 / 2020 | Xiaomi Redmi 9 Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2 | 198 g | 32 GB eMMC Flash | 6.53" | 2340x1080 |
Case - Xiaomi smartphone with notch
The Redmi 9AT's case is mostly made of plastic and has a solid build, but it doesn't look particularly high-quality - the same applies to the volume controls and the on/off button. Creaking noises aren't audible even when applying strong pressure on the back.
Thanks to the fact that the black bezels around the 6.53-inch display are satisfactory for this price range - with the exception of the "chin" - the screen-to-body ratio of the Xiaomi phone is still 81%, which isn't bad for a low-budget smartphone.
Connectivity - Redmi 9AT with 3.5 mm audio jack
Like the other Redmi 9 smartphones, the Redmi 9AT features a microSD card slot, dual-SIM functionality, and a 3.5 mm audio jack. The eMMC storage merely has a capacity of 32 GB. After accounting for the operating system's space, the user is left with approximately 23 GB of available storage.
The 5,000 mAh battery of the low-budget smartphone is charged over a micro USB port. The connection also functions as an OTG host for peripherals.
Software - Xiaomi smartphone with MIUI 12
The Chinese manufacturer installs Android 10 as the operating system, which is complemented by its own user interface MIUI 12. With security patches at the level of February 2021, the device is still quite up to date in this regard at the time of this review. Moreover, video content from video streaming services can't be viewed in HD quality due to the device being limited to Widevine DRM Level 3.
Communication and GPS - Xiaomi smartphone with accurate positioning
In terms of communication modules, Xiaomi uses Bluetooth version 5.0, two slots for nano SIM cards, and an LTE modem that supports 4G in 12 frequencies. The 5G standard and an NFC chip for near-field communication are not on board.
Within the home Wi-Fi, the Redmi 9AT offers very low and also relatively inconsistent transfer rates with the IEEE 802.11b/g/n standard. In combination with our Netgear Nighthawk AX12 reference router, the low-budget phone achieves peak rates of about 50 Mb/s, which is okay for a smartphone in this price range, but it's very slow overall.
| Networking | |
| iperf3 transmit AX12 | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9 | |
| Blackview A80 Plus | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9A | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9AT | |
| Motorola Moto E7 | |
| iperf3 receive AX12 | |
| Blackview A80 Plus | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9 | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9A | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9AT | |
| Motorola Moto E7 | |
In order to be able to assess the Redmi 9AT's positioning accuracy in practice, we track a route in parallel with the Garmin Edge 520 GPS bike computer for comparison purposes. The deviations amount to a total of only 80 meters at the end of the 4.5-kilometer route. The detailed view of the route also shows that the Redmi phone has good navigational capabilities.
Positioning using the main satellite systems GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, and the SBAS satellite-based complementary system is performed quickly with an accuracy of up to 2 meters.
Telephone and call quality - Redmi 9AT with three microphones?
The dual-SIM smartphone from Xiaomi supports VoLTE, and calls are also allowed over the Wi-Fi network at home (Wi-Fi calling). Call quality doesn't show any issues in the Redmi 9AT. Video calls via Skype using the built-in front-facing camera also worked without problems in our test.
Call quality via the built-in speaker is okay, and the built-in microphones transmit our voice intelligibly to the person on the other end of the line at short distances. Although the AT model, in contrast to the Redmi 9A, is supposed to have three instead of only two microphones installed, the case is identical as far as we can see. We can only see two microphone cutouts in the Redmi 9AT as well.
Cameras - Xiaomi smartphone with single camera
The selfie camera, which is hidden in the display notch, has a resolution of 5 MP and offers a good quality for this price range; it's absolutely suitable for multimedia content and snapshots. Colors look realistic, and the sharpness offered is very good for a 99-Euro (~$118) phone.
The rear camera unit's sensor has a resolution of 13 MP and an aperture of f/2.2. The photos already have problems with image sharpness in daylight, and exposure is not optimal either, but the results are perfectly satisfactory for a low-budget phone. In low-light conditions, the problems with image sharpness intensify.
Videos can be recorded in 1080p at 30 frames per second both with the selfie camera and the rear-facing lens.
Image Comparison
Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.
Main camera | Subject 1Main camera | Subject 2Main camera | Low light
Accessories and warranty - Xiaomi smartphone with case
A 10-watt modular power adapter, a USB cable, a SIM tool as well as a quick-start guide, and headphones are included in the box.
The smartphone comes with a 12-month warranty from Xiaomi.
Input devices and handling - Xiaomi smartphone without fingerprint scanner
The capacitive multi-touchscreen pleases with precise controls in the test. Similar to the Redmi 9A, the 9AT lacks a fingerprint reader, so buyers of the Xiaomi phone have to rely on AI face unlocking. The Chinese manufacturer eliminated biometric identification via fingerprint due to cost savings.
The 2D face-unlock feature over the front-facing camera recognizes the user in daylight with a low margin of error, but the unlock times are comparatively slow. The recognition rate deteriorates noticeably even in slightly poorer light conditions.
Display - Redmi 9AT with IPS display
The Redmi 9AT has a 6.53-inch HD+ IPS LCD panel with a 20:9 aspect ratio. The low 720p resolution results in a pixel density of only 269 ppi; consequently, content isn't very sharp. However, the provided sharpness is acceptable at normal viewing distances.
The maximum brightness of the IPS display is at a solid entry level with an average of 345 cd/m², but the 9A sibling model is about 20% brighter. In our more realistic APL50 measurement, which simulates an even distribution of bright and dark areas on the LC display, brightness reaches 375 cd/m².
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 374 cd/m²
Contrast: 813:1 (Black: 0.46 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.86 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.9
ΔE Greyscale 5.7 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
92.6% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.307
| Xiaomi Redmi 9AT IPS LCD , 1600x720, 6.5" | Xiaomi Redmi 9A IPS, 1600x720, 6.5" | Motorola Moto E7 IPS, 1600x720, 6.5" | Blackview A80 Plus IPS, 1560x720, 6.5" | Xiaomi Redmi 9 IPS LCD, 2340x1080, 6.5" | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 29% | 10% | -8% | 8% | |
| Brightness middle | 374 | 435 16% | 470 26% | 475 27% | 476 27% |
| Brightness | 345 | 411 19% | 445 29% | 467 35% | 436 26% |
| Brightness Distribution | 85 | 91 7% | 92 8% | 84 -1% | 86 1% |
| Black Level * | 0.46 | 0.33 28% | 0.35 24% | 0.49 -7% | 0.67 -46% |
| Contrast | 813 | 1318 62% | 1343 65% | 969 19% | 710 -13% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 3.86 | 2.68 31% | 5.69 -47% | 6.32 -64% | 3.51 9% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 8.07 | 5.33 34% | 13.4 -66% | 10.75 -33% | 9.38 -16% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 5.7 | 3.6 37% | 3.5 39% | 7.8 -37% | 1.5 74% |
| Gamma | 2.307 95% | 2.365 93% | 2.264 97% | 2.228 99% | 2.166 102% |
| CCT | 6932 94% | 6779 96% | 7089 92% | 9152 71% | 6485 100% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM not detected |  | ||
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8627 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
An IPS panel never achieves the perfect black level of an OLED panel due to its backlight, but the Redmi 9AT's black level of 0.45 cd/m² is certainly fine for a low-budget phone. In view of the low brightness, the contrast of the panel is below 1,000:1.
The display analysis is performed with the help of a spectrophotometer and the CalMAN software. The deviations from the sRGB color space are relatively low, and the color temperature of the display is well calibrated too.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 36 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 19 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 17 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 93 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 55 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 31 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 24 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 91 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (32.7 ms). | ||
When using the Redmi phone outdoors, it's important to avoid direct sunlight and reflections due to the low brightness. Otherwise, reading the display's content is only possible with difficulty. The decrease in brightness is pronounced when looking at the LC panel from the sides, and viewing angles are relatively unstable.
Performance - Xiaomi smartphone with MediaTek SoC
The Helio G25 used in the Redmi 9AT is a low-performance SoC. The inexpensive MediaTek chipset is exclusively based on ARM Cortex-A53 cores that run at up to 2.0 GHz in the G25. The Helio SoC has eight processor cores divided into two clusters: Four Cortex-A53 cores with a clock rate of up to 2 GHz and four Cortex-A53 cores running at up to 1.5 GHz.
The system doesn't always run smoothly in everyday use, and lags occur frequently. Loading times are also significant due to the slow eMMC storage. The benchmark results are on par with the Redmi 9A. However, the scores are below the entry-level competition, which is also considerably more expensive though.
| PCMark for Android | |
| Work performance score (sort by value) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9AT | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9A | |
| Motorola Moto E7 | |
| Blackview A80 Plus | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9 | |
| Average Mediatek Helio G25 (6083 - 7009, n=3) | |
| Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9AT | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9A | |
| Motorola Moto E7 | |
| Blackview A80 Plus | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9 | |
| Average Mediatek Helio G25 (4938 - 5296, n=6) | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 | |
| T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9AT | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9A | |
| Average Mediatek Helio G25 (28 - 29, n=2) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (23 - 166, n=168, last 2 years) | |
| 1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9AT | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9A | |
| Average Mediatek Helio G25 (22 - 22, n=2) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (22 - 791, n=168, last 2 years) | |
| GFXBench 3.0 | |
| on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9AT | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9A | |
| Average Mediatek Helio G25 (19 - 19, n=2) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (15 - 166, n=168, last 2 years) | |
| 1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9AT | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9A | |
| Average Mediatek Helio G25 (11 - 11, n=2) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (12 - 502, n=168, last 2 years) | |
| GFXBench 3.1 | |
| on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9AT | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9A | |
| Average Mediatek Helio G25 (13 - 13, n=2) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (8.9 - 166, n=168, last 2 years) | |
| 1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9AT | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9A | |
| Average Mediatek Helio G25 (7.3 - 7.6, n=2) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (8.3 - 365, n=168, last 2 years) | |
| AnTuTu v8 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9AT | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9A | |
| Average Mediatek Helio G25 (84175 - 94609, n=2) | |
| Jetstream 2 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 387, n=167, last 2 years) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9 (Chrome 85) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9AT (Chroome89) | |
| Average Mediatek Helio G25 (14 - 14.8, n=2) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9A (Chrome 86) | |
| Speedometer 2.0 - Result | |
| Average of class Smartphone (15.2 - 569, n=149, last 2 years) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9 (Chrome 85) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9AT (Chroome89) | |
| Average Mediatek Helio G25 (12.5 - 12.8, n=2) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9A (Chrome 86) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (2228 - 100368, n=205, last 2 years) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9 (Chrome 85) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9A (Chrome 86) | |
| Average Mediatek Helio G25 (3965 - 3983, n=2) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9AT (Chroome89) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9A (Chrome 86) | |
| Average Mediatek Helio G25 (12437 - 13043, n=2) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9AT (Chroome89) | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9 (Chrome 85) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (277 - 28190, n=165, last 2 years) | |
* ... smaller is better
| Xiaomi Redmi 9AT | Xiaomi Redmi 9A | Motorola Moto E7 | Blackview A80 Plus | Xiaomi Redmi 9 | Average 32 GB eMMC Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | 18% | -2% | 23% | 26% | -9% | 932% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB | 266.4 | 258.9 -3% | 261 -2% | 286.7 8% | 289.9 9% | 242 ? -9% | 1937 ? 627% |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 84.2 | 171.9 104% | 101 20% | 210.8 150% | 119.8 42% | 100.5 ? 19% | 1550 ? 1741% |
| Random Read 4KB | 46.49 | 57.6 24% | 58 25% | 52.2 12% | 49.09 6% | 43.1 ? -7% | 281 ? 504% |
| Random Write 4KB | 33.53 | 26.7 -20% | 13.5 -60% | 21.2 -37% | 60.7 81% | 22.3 ? -33% | 321 ? 857% |
| Sequential Read 256KB SDCard | 79.7 ? | 80.2 ? 1% | 81.5 ? 2% | 82.4 ? 3% | 84.4 ? 6% | 71.8 ? -10% | |
| Sequential Write 256KB SDCard | 59.9 ? | 62.1 ? 4% | 62 ? 4% | 62.2 ? 4% | 65 ? 9% | 52.9 ? -12% |
Games - Redmi 9AT is not designed for gaming
Thanks to the low display resolution of the entry-level phone, older games, such as Dead Trigger 2, are playable despite the low-performance IMG PowerVR GE8320. Demanding Android games, such as PUBG Mobile, run quite smoothly at the lowest graphics setting. However, the CPU-heavy racing game Asphalt 9: Legends is hardly playable.
Both the touchscreen controls and position sensors responded accurately in the test.
Emissions - Cool Xiaomi smartphone
Temperature
Surface temperatures remain within an uncritical range even under load. The Redmi 9AT never gets particularly hot. A similar behavior in terms of heat development under sustained load ensured stable frame rates in the 9A sibling model when running the GFXBench app's battery test.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 40.3 °C / 105 F, compared to the average of 35.1 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 63.7 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 39.1 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 33.9 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.6 °C / 80 F, compared to the device average of 32.8 °C / 91 F.
Speaker
The mono speaker, which is located on the case's bottom, performs solidly in everyday use with a maximum volume of 78 dB. As expected, the sound pattern is dominated by mids and highs, and these are reproduced quite linearly for the price range.
The 3.5-millimeter audio jack enables a reproduction that is richer in bass. Wireless headphones can be connected via Bluetooth 5.0. SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, and LDAC are the supported Bluetooth codecs.
Xiaomi Redmi 9AT audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 32.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.6% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.8% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (29.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 75% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 21% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 36%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 86% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 11% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Xiaomi Redmi 9A audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (76.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 32.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.6% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.6% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (26.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 63% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 31% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 36%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 78% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 17% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Battery life - Redmi 9AT with a lot of endurance
Energy consumption
The Redmi 9AT has a 5,000 mAh battery that can be charged at a maximum of 10 watts using the micro USB port. The charging process takes about 3 hours when the battery is completely depleted.
| Off / Standby |   0.1 / 0.2 Watt |
| Idle |  1.1 / 1.6 / 1.9 Watt |
| Load |
5.4 / 7.3 Watt |
    
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
| Xiaomi Redmi 9AT 5000 mAh | Xiaomi Redmi 9A 5000 mAh | Xiaomi Redmi 9 5020 mAh | Average Mediatek Helio G25 | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | -3% | -13% | 6% | -3% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 1.1 | 1.2 -9% | 1.4 -27% | 0.99 ? 10% | 0.879 ? 20% |
| Idle Average * | 1.6 | 1.8 -13% | 1.7 -6% | 1.75 ? -9% | 1.456 ? 9% |
| Idle Maximum * | 1.9 | 1.9 -0% | 2.1 -11% | 1.893 ? -0% | 1.601 ? 16% |
| Load Average * | 5.4 | 5.3 2% | 5.7 -6% | 4.64 ? 14% | 6.71 ? -24% |
| Load Maximum * | 7.3 | 7.1 3% | 8.5 -16% | 6.3 ? 14% | 10.1 ? -38% |
* ... smaller is better
Battery life
The Xiaomi phone shows very good battery life in our Wi-Fi test under realistic conditions (display brightness at 150 cd/m²). However, the Redmi 9A gets about 3 hours more out of the 5,000 mAh battery with almost identical hardware.
| Xiaomi Redmi 9AT 5000 mAh | Xiaomi Redmi 9A 5000 mAh | Motorola Moto E7 4000 mAh | Blackview A80 Plus 4680 mAh | Xiaomi Redmi 9 5020 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | |||||
| WiFi v1.3 | 1145 | 1319 15% | 867 -24% | 943 -18% | 804 -30% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict on the Xiaomi Redmi 9AT - The worse Redmi 9A
Unfortunately, the Redmi 9AT doesn't combine the advantages of the Redmi 9T with the virtues of the very affordable Redmi 9A. Essentially, the AT model of the Redmi 9 series is a worse copy of the Redmi 9A.
Budget-conscious users should opt for the Redmi 9A or straight for the much better Redmi 9.
The IPS panel is less bright and has a lower contrast, and the Redmi 9AT's battery life is also significantly lower than that of its counterpart. Consequently, the same conclusion that we had already reached for the Redmi 9A applies to the 9AT.
The low-budget phone certainly offers quite a lot of smartphone for very little money, but for a manageable extra cost, buyers can get a noticeably better overall package with the Redmi 9 or the Redmi Note 9, for example.
Price and availability
At the time of writing, you can find the Redmi 9AT on Walmart's website for $134.90 and on Newegg for $137.50.
Xiaomi Redmi 9AT
- 04/05/2021 v7 (old)
Marcus Herbrich
Price comparison
