In 2019, Xiaomi started to bring in its Redmi 7 series of devices in the Nepali market. These devices are premium and well priced and are sure to do well. But, Xiaomi also wanted to target some cheaper range of devices. So, they brought in the Redmi Y3, the brother to the Redmi 7 series of phones starting at Rs. 18,000/-. But, just how good is the device? Let’s find out in our full review.
Design
The Redmi Y3 has a completely plastic design. It is not the most premium feel in the hand, but on the bright side, it won’t shatter if you happen to drop it. Also, the back of the device is slightly curved, so it does fit quite well in the hand. Due to the lack of any metal and glass backs, the device feels very light. The device is also not that much slippery.
Display
The Redmi Y3 sports a 6.2 inch notched 720p display with a screen ratio of 19:9. The display is an IPS LCD panel and has Gorilla Glass 5 protection. The colors from this display are satisfactory. The display seems to lack a bit at a time but for the average user, the device is good enough for daily use. The brightness of the display could have been better. I frequently found myself having trouble to see what was being displayed under direct sunlight. The corners of the device are heavily rounded which tends to cut off some of the content you are enjoying on this device. Also, most content out there isn’t still optimized for this 19:9 ratio, so you will get a black bar around the screen whenever you’re trying to enjoy something.
The notch on the Redmi Y3 isn’t that invasive. You get used to it quickly. There is also an option in the settings to hide the notch, but since this is an LCD panel, the notch is very much visible.
Performance
The Redmi Y3 runs on the SnapDragon 632 processor. The device is smooth for most of the time. But, during heavy usage, the device tends to suffer quite a bit.
PubG Mobile set settings automatically to low but I did not have issues playing the game on medium settings too. The device I have has 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB internal storage. The RAM management was on the more aggressive side The device runs on Android Pie with MIUI 10 which offers a lot of great software and customization options.
Camera
The device has a dual 12 MP+2 MP camera setup at the back. The second sensor is just a depth-sensing lens with no other purposes than the portrait mode. The front-facing 32 MP camera is where this device shines. The front-facing camera does not have a dedicated flash and uses the screen to shine a light on your face.
The rear cameras produce good quality photos outdoors with plenty of details. Under low light conditions, the device does suffer a little but that is not a deal-breaker.
The videos are also well stabilized with a gyroscope based EIS. The Redmi Y37 can shoot slo-mo videos at 120fps also. Sadly, there is no support for 4K videos.
Battery and Speaker
The 4000 mAh battery is the star of the Redmi Y3. The 720p screen adds up to better battery life. The device feels super light even with this humongous battery in it. Sadly, unlike the Y3’s big brothers, the device has the older micro USB port. The device also supports 10W fast charging technology.
The device never died on me during a day and sometimes even lasted 2 full days. Even during heavy stress tests with a lot of gaming and on full brightness, the device gave me more than 5hours of the screen on time.
I constantly watch videos on my smartphone while holding it in my hands so I am not a huge fan of speakers placed at the bottom of the device. The sound from the speakers in loud and has rich bass. There was no noticeable distortion in the speakers when music was played at a high volume. Although, I do not prefer the 3.5mm headphone jack is placed on the top.
Call and connectivity
The call quality on the device is pretty much what you’d expect from a smartphone these days. The earpiece which is neatly tucked in above the notch is loud and clear. The device has a hybrid SIM tray. The data speeds on Ncell 4G network were satisfactory.
Extra features
Like most devices in the market, the Redmi Y3 has a fingerprint sensor which is conveniently placed under the rear cameras. The sensor is super-fast and accurate. It takes less than a second to unlock the phone. The fingerprint sensor can also be used to lock apps and to take pictures. Sadly, the Y3 does not come equipped with face unlock feature. The IR blaster on the device works as expected. There is an included app on the device which allows you to control your electronics using the IR blaster.
Verdict
The device is currently priced starting at Rs. 18,000 which makes this device a great value for money. The performance of the device is well above average for the price tag. This device is also targeted towards selfie lovers. If you have a tight budget and want to get a good phone, this is the device to go for.
