Xiaomi's base number series represents a tight value package aimed at the entry-level and budget segments. Over the years, Xiaomi has been consistently raising the bar with the very definition of entry-level. While there have been smaller price increases over the years, these still retained excellent value as Xiaomi matches it well with spec bumps. The consequent price gap in the entry-level allows Xiaomi to introduce other models in the form of "A" and "C" sub-series. Now, Xiaomi has released the new Xiaomi 9 Prime in India, which on the face of it, looks to be a rebrand of the globally launched Redmi 9.

Xiaomi Redmi 9 XDA Forums

Xiaomi Redmi 9: Specifications

Specifications

Xiaomi Redmi 9

Dimensions & Weight

  • 163.32 × 77.01 × 9.1 mm
  • 198g

Display

  • 6.53-inch LCD
  • 2340 x 1080
  • 19.5:9
  • 400 nits
  • Gorilla Glass 3

SoC

  • MediaTek Helio G80
    • 12nm
    • 2x ARM Cortex A-75
    • 6x ARM Cortex A-55
  • Mali-G52 GPU

RAM

4GB LPDDR4X

Storage

  • 64GB
  • 128GB
  • Dedicated microSD slot

Battery

  • 5,020mAh
  • Supports Quick Charge 3.0 (18W)
  • 10W charger included

Rear Camera

  • Primary: 13MP, f/2.2
  • Secondary: 8MP, wide-angle camera, f/2.2
  • Tertiary: 5MP, macro camera, f/2.4
  • Quarternary: 2MP depth sensor

Front Camera

  • 8MP, f/2.0

Android Version

Android 10 with MIUI 11

The Redmi 9 Prime in India bears very large similarities with the Redmi 9, but we'll know this for sure once we get access to MIUI builds from the devices. So far, the spec sheet looks the same, but knowing Xiaomi and its confusing rebranding habits, we wouldn't be surprised if a few minor differences existed.

What bears mentioning on the Redmi 9 Prime in India is that the pricing on the product is slightly higher than expected from the number series. Nonetheless, it does feel justified, as you get a solid package that could have easily been branded under the Redmi Note series. We don't know yet if a vanilla Redmi 9 would launch in India, so there is still space below the Redmi 9 Prime that Xiaomi can capitalize on. We already know that the Redmi 9C is coming to India as the POCO C3, and there is a Redmi 9A also present globally. So if you have tight budget constraints, there is still a glimmer of hope left.

Pricing and Availability

The Xiaomi Redmi 9 Prime will be available in India in four different colors: Space Blue, Mint Green, Matte Black, and Sunrise Flare. Xiaomi is raising the base storage and RAM, so the base 4GB + 64GB variant will cost you ₹9,999 (~$133) while the 4GB + 128GB variant will cost ₹11,999 (~$160).

Buy the Xiaomi Redmi 9 Prime from mi.com

You can buy the Redmi 9 Prime in a special early access sale on August 6 on mi.com, Amazon India, Mi Homes, and Mi Studios. General availability is expected from August 17, 2020, across these channels.