Friends+Design
- Sturdy, tried-and-tested design
- Curved back makes it comfortable to hold
- Water-resistant P2i coating, similar to the Poco F1
- The power and the volume buttons are both on the right - the power button is easy to hit, but the volume buttons need a bit of a stretch to reach
- While the design is sturdy, it's also now a bit boring, with a lot of great looking phones now available in the budget segment
Display
- Excellent, large, 'notch' display - it has superb contrast, good brightness levels, and tiny bezels - one of the best displays you will get in this price bracket
Software
- MIUI is one of the better, more refined, and more optimised Android UIs around, and is packed with many features and customisation options
- There is also an option to switch to fullscreen navigation gestures instead of the on-screen Android navigation buttons
- One of the issues with MIUI in recent times has been the annoying ads in MI's own apps, and that still continues with the Redmi Note 6 Pro (these can be disabled but it's a complicated procedure)
Performance
- Solid mid-range performance - backed by the Snapdragon 636 which is still very good for the class
- If you are a heavy gamer though, then the Redmi Note 6 Pro is no longer the best performer for it's price segment (like the Redmi Note 5 Pro was) - you will want to look at the Mi A2 or Realme 2 Pro instead
Camera
- Excellent set of dual rear cameras at the back, which improve upon the already very good cameras of the Redmi Note 5 Pro
- The rear cameras perform well regardless of the conditions you’re shooting in - Low light, artificial light, portrait shots, landscapes, it’s got you all covered
- Very good set of dual cameras on the front as well - selfies taken with the Redmi Note 6 Pro have good details, and the edge detection in portrait mode is good too
- Overall, the Redmi Note 6 Pro is now arguably the best camera experience under Rs. 20, 000
- Video recording on the Redmi Note 6 Pro is decent but maxes out at 1080p which is a bit disappointing, considering that other smartphones in this price range are capable of 4K video recording
Battery
- Excellent battery life with a 4000mAH battery pack
- The phone also has support for Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 but Xiaomi only ships a 10W charger in the box - you will need to buy a quick charger separately to enable fast charging
Connectivity
- Has an interesting Wi-Fi pass through feature that lets your phone act as a Wi-Fi repeater
- Thoughtful anti-rust coating inside 3.5mm audio jack and micro USB port
- Uses the outdated microUSB port, instead of a modern USB-C port
Verdict
- The Redmi Note 6 Pro again ticks all the right boxes for a best-seller in its class and price segment, continuing a tradition of the Redmi Note line in terms of excellent value for money
- If you want a very good all-rounder with best camera in the mid-range, you need to look no further
- Having said that though, it's not quite a clear, outright winner as the Redmi Note 5 Pro was, simply because of the much tougher competition in this segment now - there is the Realme 2 Pro (has a much better take on how a notch should look like, and is more powerful with a SD660), the Xiaomi Mi A2 (No notch, Android One, all-metal design, SD660), Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 (better battery, arguably better value for money), and the Motorola One Power (Android One, better battery) - so all in all, there are lots of good choices around
