The makers of cheap and good gadgets, Xiaomi, are getting ready to announce a new device in Malaysia and if the information we received is an indication, it looks like it will be the Redmi 2.
Announced in January this year, the Redmi 2 is Xiaomi’s newest entry-level smartphone. Powering the Redmi 2 is an updated 64-bit 1.2GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 410 processor with a claimed 50% improvement over the Redmi. The processor is mated to 1GB of LPDDR3 RAM and 8GB of on-board storage that can be expanded using microSD card. The main camera is still an 8MP f/2.2 shooter with 5-element lens from the previous Redmi while the front camera has been updated to a 2MP unit that is capable of shooting HD 720p videos.
The battery has been upgraded to a slightly larger 2,200mAh unit developed by Samsung. The Redmi 2 supports QuickCharge rapid charging technology that speeds up charging by 40%. Despite the bigger capacity battery, the Redmi 2 is more compact, lighter and thinner than its predecessor (133 grams/9.4mm in the Redmi 2 vs 158 grams/9.9mm in the original Redmi). Out of the box, the REdmi 2 runs on Android 4.4 with Xiaomi’s newer MIUI 6. You also get a 4.7-inch 720p HD display 4G LTE support.
There’s also an enhanced version of the Redmi 2 that brings with a 2GB of RAM and a 16GB of storage. We’re hoping Xiaomi will be bringing the enhanced version to Malaysia instead of the basic version that offers less RAM and on board memory.
In terms of pricing, the enhanced version of the Redmi 2 retails for 799 CNY or about RM465 at the current exchange rate. If you can’t wait, the Redmi 2 is already available in Malaysia through various grey importers.
