Redmi 7A first impressions: Xiaomi takes on Realme C2 with an improved budget phone

Redmi 7A joins Xiaomi's crowded lineup of budget smartphones. With prices starting at ₹5,799, Redmi 7A sits between Xiaomi's Redmi Go entry-level and Redmi Note series of budget phones. As expected, the new Xiaomi phone comes with specifications upgrade with design improvements.

At first glance, Redmi 7A looks identical the Redmi 6A. The subtle changes include a vertically aligned camera on the back and a cleaner rear panel without the antenna bands. The speaker location has also shifted to the bottom of the phone from the lower back panel. Xiaomi is now adding a "Redmi designed by Xiaomi" branding on its back panels instead of older Mi logo.

With a 5.45-inch display, Redmi 7A is quite smaller than the modern large-screen phones hovering above 5.7-inch or even 6.0-inch. The HD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio has remained the same as the predecessor, Redmi 6A. The screen quality is satisfactory as it delivered pretty decent indoor and outdoor legibility. Auto-brightness works pretty fast though it can be slightly reflective under direct sunlight.

The front is dominated by the display with the front-facing camera on the top bezel. Volume and power buttons are located on the right edge of the phone. The base houses USB port and speaker grilles while the headphone jack is on the top. The left edge houses the full slot (dual nano SIM and microSD).

Redmi 7A doesn't score high on looks parameters. There are changes but compared to Realme C2's 'diamond cut design' and other new phones, Redmi 7A looks little dated. Redmi 7A also feels thick at 9.5mm. Note that Xiaomi's Redmi 6A was 8.3mm. This is probably because of the bump in battery capacity by 1,000mAh.

Redmi 7A also comes with splash-proof nano-coating which to said to help reduce corrosion caused due to common liquids such as sweat, oils, beverages etc. From user interface point of view, Redmi 7A offers the same MIUI experience as on other Redmi and Note series phones. It's quite smooth as well. During our brief usage, we didn't come across any stutter or unexpected app crashes.

This time around Xiaomi has gone ahead with a Qualcomm chipset instead of rare MediaTek chip. Qualcomm Snapdragon 439, on papers, is a powerful enough chip to drive budget smartphones. The chip is said to deliver speedy downloads and uploads, improved graphics and photos, and power-saving features. We're yet to test the full performance of the phone but so far, it looks like it can handle basic tasks with ease.

Takeaway,

Xiaomi Redmi 7A is a promising budget smartphone. At ₹5,799, there are very few phones that will match Redmi 7A's specifications. Realme C2, however, is also a reliable alternative in this segment.