Xiaomi launches new Redmi Note 9 Pro and the Mi Note 10 Lite smartphones, set to arrive in Malaysia mid-May

By Tan Jee Yee May 5, 2020

Redmi Note 9 Pro features 64MP quad camera, Snapdragon 730G; prices from US$269
Mi Note 10 Lite doesn’t feature a penta-camera setup, but retains similar premium designs

The Redmi Note 9 runs on a MediaTek Helio G85 chipset, while the Note 9 Pro features the Snapdragon 720G processor.

In a recent global online launch event, Xiaomi announced three new smartphones. Two of them are the latest incarnation of the Redmi Note series – namely the Redmi Note 9 and Redmi Note 9 Pro. Tagging along is the Mi Note 10 Lite, a cut-down version of last year’s 108MP camera-toting Mi Note 10. Xiaomi also launched a brand new standing fan. Yes, you read that right. And of course, it has to be a smart fan, but more on that later.

The Redmi Note 9 devices come with a quad-camera setup in the rear. The Pro version features a 64MP main lens that is coupled with an 8MP ultra wide-angle shooter, a 5MP macro lens and 2MP depth sensor for those bokeh profile shots.

The basic Redmi Note 9 model, on the other hand, sports a 48MP main camera instead. It retains an 8MP ultra wide-angle lens but has a 2MP macro lens alongside a 2MP depth sensor. It has a 13MP front-facing camera, as opposed to the Redmi Note 9 Pro’s 16MP selfie shooter (which also has a new slow-motion selfie mode).

Both devices also feature a 5,020mAh battery, though the Pro device features 30W fast charging with a 33W fast charger bundled together. Xiaomi claims that it can achieve 57% capacity in just 30 minutes of charging. The basic Redmi Note 9 only has 18W fast charging support.

As for their processors, the Redmi Note 9 runs on a MediaTek Helio G85 chipset, while the Note 9 Pro features the Snapdragon 720G processor.

The Redmi Note 9 Pro features a notch-free 6.67-inch DotDisplay, displaying at a 20:9 aspect ratio in 2400 x 1080 resolutions. There won’t be any on-screen fingerprint scanner here – a side-mounted fingerprint sensor is implemented instead.

The basic Redmi Note 9, on the other hand, has a smaller 6.53-inch display with a similar DotDisplay design, but has a slightly lower resolution of 2340 x 1080. Both devices have TÜV Rheinland low blue light certification, which is meant to provide long-lasting eye comfort.

Redmi Note 9 Pro comes in two variants: 6GB RAM +64GB ROM and 6GB+128GB, at a recommended retail price of US$269 and US$299 respectively. The basic Redmi Note 9, has a 3GB+64GB variant as well as a pricier 4GB + 128GB version. They retail for US$199 and US$249 respectively.

The Mi Note 10 Lite features a quad-camera setup with a 64MP main shooter featuring a Sony IMX686 sensor.

A lighter note… and a new stand fan

The Mi Note 10 Lite, on the other hand, may be billed as a more stripped down version of the Mi Note 10, but it still retains quite a number of its predecessor’s more premium features. For one, the Lite version sports a similar 6.47-inch 3D curved AMOLED display with in-screen fingerprint sensor.

While it won’t have the penta-camera setup led by a 108MP main camera, the Mi Note 10 Lite nevertheless features a quad-camera setup with a 64MP main shooter featuring a Sony IMX686 sensor. This is packed alongside an 8MP ultra wide-angle camera, a 5MP depth sensor and 2MP macro camera. A 16MP front camera sits on a tiny notch at the top of the display.

On the performance front, the Mi Note 10 Lite features a Snapdragon 730G chipset similar to the original Mi Note 10, as well as the same massive 5,260mAh battery that supports 30W fast charging.

The Mi Note 10 Lite is offered in 6GB RAM+64GB ROM and 6GB+128GB variants. They price at EUR349 and EUR399 respectively.

The Malaysian pricing of all three smartphones will be announced when the phone launches locally sometime in mid-May, according to Xiaomi. (The Mi Note 10 Lite’s pricing is in Euros we’re told, is because their global prices are guided by Xiaomi’s headquarters for local markets’ reference – each market will make their own adjustments based on their respective circumstances).

What’s also arriving in Malaysia in time is the Mi Smart Standing Fan 1C, announced alongside the three smartphones above. The fan has seven custom-built blades, and has three types of airflow speeds settings. The height of the fan can be adjusted between standing or close to the ground (or, well, placed on a table. Flexible!)

The Mi Smart Standing Fan 1C also runs on a noise level as low as 37.2dB(A), and can be controlled via the Mi Home app. It’s also compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Should self-quarantining practices continue later into the year, perhaps it’s the right fan to last us through Southeast Asia’s perpetual heat.

The fan prices at EUR39.9, and will also arrive in Malaysia by mid of May 2020. And, in case you are wondering, there is no news of any upcoming Xiaomi branded air-conditioner.

The Mi Smart Standing Fan 1C can be controlled via the Mi Home app. It’s also compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.