Xiaomi Redmi 1s review: Best affordable phone you can buy

Phones should be judged by their price. At its low price of Rs 5,999, the Xiaomi Redmi 1s has a spec sheet that blows its competitors away. As expected, this is the best affordable phone you can buy.
But it’s not without flaws.
Specs: 4.7-inch IPS HD touchscreen (1280×720 pixels, 312ppi) with Dragontrail Scratch-resistant Glass | 1.6GHz quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor | 1GB RAM | 8GB internal memory, microSD card up to 32GB | 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4, GPS | Dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) | 8MP rear camera with LED flash and 1080p FullHD video recording | 1.6MP front camera with 720p HD video recording | 2000mAh battery | Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with MIUI v5
Price: Rs. 5,999


Design: Yeah, it’s a budget smartphone, but it’s sad that the Redmi 1s looks and feels like a budget smartphone. It’s heavy, it has big bezels that are a put-off, the screen is prone to fingerprint smudges, and the overall build quality feels cheap. But perhaps the biggest problem is the capacitive buttons under the screen. The red colour is a turn-off and looks childish. More importantly, they aren’t backlit, which means they are impossible to spot and use in a dark room. The Redmi 1s will get the job done, but it won’t look good doing it. 

 Screen: The 4.7-inch HD screen is, without a doubt, the best you get at this price. Plus, it has Dragontrail protection to keep away scratches on the glass. Sunlight legibility isn’t the best we have seen, but in this price range, it’s good enough.

Performance: The Redmi 1s is a satisfying experience, but not an excellent one. You’ll be able to play most games, but not at their highest graphics settings. You’ll be able to multi-task between apps, but once in a while, they do crash. None of it is a deal-breaker when you consider the price. But it is a little frustrating at times. 


Camera: For the first time, you get a budget phone with a camera that won’t make you cringe. Yes, you can safely use it in most situations and even low-lit environments. For comparison, the photos are as good as what you would get on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus or the iPhone 4.


Memory: Unlike other sub-10k phones, there are no compromises with the 8GB