Redmi A4 5G Challengers: It may seem like Redmi phones (particularly the Note series) have been climbing up the price ladder, but the brand has not lost sight of its budget roots even as it quests for the premium crown. The brand just released the Redmi A4 5G, which brings some impressive specs at a super affordable, in classic Xiaomi tradition.
At a starting price of Rs 8,499, the phone comes with 5G connectivity, a big 6.88 inch IPS LCD HD+ display with 120 Hz refresh rate, and is also the first phone to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 chip which is pretty much THE chipset in this segment, and supposed to match the Snapdragon 695 which comes on much more expensive devices.
It also has a 50-megapixel main sensor on the back and a 5-megapixel sensor on the front and comes with a big 5,160 mAh battery, which charges at 18W, and there’s even a 33W charger in the box. The Redmi A4 runs on Android 14 out of the box with Xiaomi’s new HyperOS on top and features an IP52 rating and a 3.5 mm audio jack.
All of this comes packed in a “glass sandwich” design that does not seem budget at all.
But even with all of these impressive specs on board, the Redmi A4 has its work cut out in the extremely competitive budget 5G phone segment.
There are several competing devices that can be a proper headache for the Redmi A4. Here are a few of them:
Samsung Galaxy A14 5G: Samsung’s A-Team Player
Price: Around Rs 9,500
It was launched in 2023 with a higher price but now that a year has passed, so have the Galaxy A14’s expensive price tag days. The phone has seen some price cuts and can now be purchased for below Rs. 10,000, and this makes it a pain in the neck of the Redmi A4 5G.
It features a 6.6-inch full HD+ IPS LCD with a 90 Hz refresh rate and runs on Samsung’s Exynos 1330 chip which may not be in the same league as the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 on the Redmi A4 but would see you through non-taxing everyday smartphone chores with ease. It has a triple camera setup on the back but has just one usable sensor– the 50-megapixel main one (the others are two 2-megapixel ones).
On the front, it comes with a 13-megapixel selfie camera, which is impressive at its (lowered) price. The phone is juiced by a 5,000 mAh battery which can be charged at 15W but there is no charger in the box.
It runs on Android 13 out of the box with OneUI on top but can be upgraded to Android 14 without any troubles and there is a 3.5 mm jack on it as well. Bundle all of this with the assurance that a Samsung tag brings to many, and you get a competitor that can be a problem for the Redmi A4.
Redmi 13C 5G: I C You, Redmi Sib
Price: Around Rs 8,999
A very similar Redmi device in the same price zone as the A4 5G is the Redmi 13C. It is almost a year old but manages to hold its smartphone ground well. It comes with a 6.74 inch IPS LCD HD+ display with a 90 Hz refresh rate and has Corning Gorilla glass protection on top.
It is backed by Dimensity 6100+ processor which is a decent performer and comes with a 50-megapixel main camera and a 5-megapixel selfie camera combination.
There is a 5,000 mAh battery on board that can be charged at 18W, although the box only contains a 10W charger. It runs on Android 13 out of the box with MIUI on top but can be updated to Android 14.
You get dust and splash resistance and a 3.5 mm audio jack on this one too. It is not as great a spec sheet as that of the Redmi A4 but does enough to be a contender for its budget 5G champ title.
Lava Blaze Pro 5G: See You Later, Outspec-er
Price: Rs 9,999 onwards
If specs are what you are chasing on a shoestring 5G phone budget, then the Lava Blaze Pro 5G should be a contender. The phone comes with a 6.78 inch IPS LCD full HD+ display with 120 Hz refresh rate, and its processing powers come from a very able MediaTek Dimensity 6020 chipset.
And while most devices in this segment come with 4GB RAM in their base models, the Blaze Pro packs 8 GB. It has a 50-megapixel main camera on the back and an 8-megapixel selfie camera on the front.
Its 5,000 mAh battery comes with speedy 33W fast charging support and also brings a 3.5 mm audio jack to the table. This is the phone to get if you want a device that’s speedy on many fronts other than just processing.
Tecno Spark 30C: Not-So-Budget Specs At A Budget Price
Price: Rs 9,999 onwards
The Tecno Spark 30C brings surprisingly good specs to the budget segment. Its showpiece is a 48-megapixel Sony Sensor which is as rare as it gets in this price zone. You also get an 8-megapixel selfie sensor on the front.
The phone runs on the capable MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset and sports a slightly smaller 6.67-inch HD+ LCD display, but with a 120 Hz refresh rate. You get Android 14 out of the box, a 5,000 mAh battery with 18W charging support (although there is no charger in the box), an IP54 rating, and another rarity at this price: stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support, and a 3.5 mm audio jack as well.
Quite a feature bouquet at this price.
Poco M6 5G: Another Sibling Segment-Squatter
Price: About Rs 9,500
Another brother ready to be a pain for the Redmi A4 is the Poco M6 5G. The phone from Xiaomi’s sub-brand comes with a 6.74-inch IPS LCD HD+ display with a 90 Hz refresh rate.
It packs in some respectable processor power, thanks to the MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ chipset and brings along the same megapixel count as the Redmi A4 to the table – 50-megapixel on the back, 5-megapixel on the front.
It also comes with a 5,000 mAh battery with support for 18W charging and runs on Android 13 with MIUI on top out of the box, which can be updated to Android 14.
You get dust and splash resistance and a 3.5 mm audio jack here too, which might sound too familiar for comfort to the Redmi A4 5G.
