Category: Mobile phone

Or as a second title: Three years of daily usage of Xiaomi’s mid-range device, named Poco F5 (marble)

I would start this long-term review with a premise – the king will stay alive, it will not be buried, it will be reused as I have noted that most of my older devices have the legendary 3R process: reuse, repurpose, and lastly if it can’t be used – recycle, from the blog post here.

Now to the meat and potatoes, how it is to end the career of a 3-year-old device and start fresh with a new Xiaomi device (yes, I didn’t move brand even if I could, had some options in the price range of 500-600€ right now like Motorolas, Samsungs, Honors, or even Nothing Phones) which is the Xiaomi Poco F8 Pro in the 12/512GB variant in a black colorway (classic). For me it’s a bit strange as the new device is bigger than the old Poco F5, but software-wise (both on HyperOS 3.x but on Android 15 and Android 16 respectively) and migration is easy (relatively, one app is keeping the old device still not reformatted, dang it, the banking application for which I need to go to the bank to push new codes for the new phone and even enable Google Pay on the new device so I do not need to call them to enable it).

From the original review I’ll keep specifications which I didn’t change or had any issues with, and even for that price back then in 2023 (500€) it was a higher-end mid-range device with Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2, glorious AMOLED display which I now even like on the new F8 Pro even more, reliable and maybe sometimes stingy fingerprint reader on the side, but those are quirks of these specs. And yes, later found that the Poco F5 had an 8/256GB model while I owned a 12/256GB model which for me and 3 years of usage is still enough, never filled it up as I regularly back up data, especially photos, videos, and important data off-site and on other media.

Now to the meat and potatoes of this review – how it was to use the device for three years, support, did you need to contact them, did you have any issues with the software?

Firstly let’s start with support from Xiaomi: I wasn’t expecting that this device would get 3 major Android updates as my previous phone, the Redmi Note 9, got only 2 major Android updates and 3 years of security (MIUI) updates, while this phone got 3 major Android updates and 4 years of MIUI and down the line HyperOS updates until May of 2026. Yup, the latest update that it got for my EEA/EU region had a security patch from May 2026, which for me is fine at the moment of moving to the new device.

Now to support regarding contacting them because of phone issues: didn’t have to do it, except to make reports using the Feedback application as one app had crashing and turns out that crashing was from the application, not OS based, and the software developer fixed it within a few days of contacting them with logs and screen recordings/screenshots so they knew what the issue was. As I wrote previously – if you can make photos, videos, logs etc., it can help so a fix can be deployed easier.

Software-wise issues I had, and that was from my side as I had “bricked” the device with unlocking the bootloader back in earlier days to install a Xiaomi.eu based firmware and when I found, oh no, the banking app doesn’t work, reverting to stock EU/EEA from MI (Global) it went first scheisse, cable issue too, phew, it was just the cable and the phone stuck in Recovery Mode 😅 After that escapade I’m waiting until I move all apps to the new device to try again with bootloader unlock and flashing some custom ROM to give a try, didn’t do it for a long period of time.

As for cameras – as I mentioned in the original review – they are fine in daily usage, photos, videos etc. Even front-facing camera. In night mode it can be a bit more difficult to make photos without a flashlight. I used it for all kinds of photos which include nature, car photos, random videos in various resolutions, and even making scans from photos in appropriate applications. Even with GCam mod it can make great photos as mentioned in original review. Some newer examples can be found here in the Gallery link.

And to end this long-term review, let’s just get the electric guitar, prepare riffs and edits of a song created just for this review using custom lyrics, proofreading, and helping out with some things using Proton Lumo+ AI, and for final release and sharing using Suno AI 5.5 Pro and Distrokid.

Let the lyrics say it all and a salute to the Poco F5:

Three years… damn it
Seems faster than it is
Three years… oh my
Three major Android updates, officially
And unofficially… even more

Got you as replacement
For my three-year-old Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro
My POCO F5
Bought you off contract, black as night
Price was fair and the color was — chef’s kiss
After issues with a Samsung on contract
And a service center nightmare
Buying phones off contract
Like my Redmi Note 9 Pro before ya
That’s my go-to now, yeah, that’s my way

No contract chains, no carrier game
Just me and my phone, a freedom flame

POCO F5, you mid-range beast!
Survived my daily usage for three years at least
GPS, Wi-Fi, 5G, Bluetooth too
Dark mode on and batteries pushin’ through
My daily device – ooo-ooo-ooo!

Specs-wise you were mid-range specced
But in my heart, you were flagship-killed
No need for latest and greatest hype
And for the price that I bought you
Wasn’t expectin’ three years of support
But you delivered – yeah, you delivered

POCO F5, you mid-range beast!
Survived my daily usage for three years at least
GPS, Wi-Fi, 5G, Bluetooth too
Dark mode on and batteries pushin’ through
My daily device – ooo-ooo-ooo!

Cameras? Man, you rocked in my usage
Photos, videos — top notch, no excuses
4K 30 with OIS smooth
1080p 60, no problems to prove
Front-facing cam? No problemos, señor
GCam mod? 64 megapixels, ¡claro!

POCO F5, you mid-range beast!
Survived my daily usage for three years at least
GPS, Wi-Fi, 5G, Bluetooth too
Dark mode on and batteries pushin’ through
My daily device – ooo-ooo-ooo!

Now after three years as my daily
Time to pass the torch, it’s not easy
Got a replacement, new Xiaomi phone
Partially flagship on paper
But in my heart — it’s a fully flagship killer too

Oh, new POCO F8 Pro
Battery beast – F5 gave me three and a half days
Hope F8 Pro gives me even more
From old to new, the torch is passed

POCO F5, you mid-range beast!
Survived my daily usage for three years at least
GPS, Wi-Fi, 5G, Bluetooth too
Dark mode on and batteries pushin’ through
My daily device – ooo-ooo-ooo!

Three years, damn it…
Thanks for everything, F5
You earned your rest
Now it’s F8 Pro time.

Full song on all music platforms including video can be found on the link here.

Editor’s note: the text of this review is proofread for grammar and flow check using Proton Lumo+ AI models. Cover picture is my own, shot on Xiaomi Poco F8 Pro.

Or better to be seen as: 3 months in, here’s a short and sweet review of this phone.

To start, let’s set the premise: I was considering using my now-old Redmi Note 9 Pro as my business device—that is, a phone for company apps, logins, and mail systems. But there was a hitch: this phone is now almost 5 years old, and the latest official Android version on it is Android 12. Even if I move away from older Android versions, what am I going to do—reflash a custom ROM on it again, just to end up with error messages because the phone is too limited for the apps I need?

Heck no, that got me researching cheap but decently powerful and solidly supported Android phones. My only rule was that it needed to be on at least Android 14 and have at least 2 years of security updates. Android version updates didn’t really matter, since I was still waiting for Android 15 to arrive on my Poco F5 with the official HyperOS 2.0 release. Besides, most updates these days are security-based, so that was my minimum requirement. The second thing was at least 4GB of RAM, and a brand I know can deliver both.

When choosing devices, I had a couple in mind: one was the older but still updatable to Android 15—Redmi 13C, base 4GB RAM model, which was on sale at the time. Another option was, again from Xiaomi and under 100€, the Redmi A3, but it wasn’t the 4GB RAM model and it came with Android 14 GO Edition, which was annoying. The next step up was this device, the Redmi 14C. This one was cool: I got the 8GB RAM and 256GB storage option for 110€ on sale, plus it runs full Android 14 (for now). Another option I looked at was the Honor X6b, but in the base configuration with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage for the same price as the Redmi 14C. So the choice was easy—more RAM and more internal storage (which I’ll probably never fill up, but who cares).

Now to the basics of the device: it’s rocking a Mediatek Helio G81 Ultra SoC, 4,6 or 8GB of RAM, 64,128 or 256GB of storage, a 6.88-inch TFT LCD 120Hz display, and much more. You can find more details on the Xiaomi site or GSMArena for full specs.

As for my usage, personally, I’ve had no issues with the phone—it works flawlessly. No, I’m not lying; I’m serious. It can run a few authenticator apps in the background, an AdBlock app, 3CX communicator for chats and checking business calls (especially handy during late night shifts when we mute the ringer for some peace). Of course, social media apps work great too, and it can handle low-powered games like Candy Crush Saga.

On the hardware side, the main 50Mpx camera is fine for quick photos you need to send, and from my tests in decent light, photos look great (here’s a small gallery of pictures in various lighting conditions, from day to night). Video quality is limited to 1080p, but that doesn’t matter since the phone is mostly used for chats and maybe the occasional video call, for which the front-facing camera is perfect. For security, it has a fingerprint scanner in the lock button, which is on par with my daily device, the Poco F5—nothing slower, nothing less precise if you set it up correctly.

Battery life is a champ. And I mean it. Even though in the box you only get the phone, another SIM removal tool, and a USB-A to USB-C cable (no charging brick), it can charge on my 67W Poco F5 charger from about 20% to 100% in 90 minutes if there are no notifications. In day-to-day use, it easily lasts up to 3 or even 4 days, depending on how much mobile chat I have or if I play something like Candy Crush Saga once in a while 😛 That’s how old I am now—testing easy-to-play games on phones, no Call of Duty Mobile or Genshin Impact for me 🤣

Now, for the downsides: yes, the phone is running Android 14 and HyperOS 1.0, but not the fully-fledged version, as some features are missing (possibly due to the SoC). Updates are on a quarterly basis, and in my 3 months of usage I’ve received my security patches. I’ve also enrolled the phone in the Mi Pilot program for beta releases to test Android 15 when it arrives (just like I’m testing it on the Poco F5, where I’ve been a Mi Pilot beta tester for Android 15 and HyperOS 2.0 from day one, without issues).

In conclusion: should I recommend this device, or its cousin with a different name but the same specs, the Poco C75? Yeah—especially if you’re not a heavy smartphone user or just need a backup device to separate your private and business life. And only if your max budget before tariffs is about 120€; otherwise, there are other devices from brands like Honor, Motorola, or even Samsung that might better suit your needs.

Oh, and a quick update as of June 21, 2025: Just a few days ago, this very device got the Android 15 update, now running on HyperOS 2.0. To be fair, it’s not the full-blown version of HyperOS 2.0—some features are still missing, probably because of the hardware—but hey, it’s nice to see Xiaomi sticking to their promise of regular quarterly updates, even for lower mid-range phones like this one. Security patches are still coming in as expected, so no complaints there.

Text was checked for clarity and proofread using Perplexity AI.

Cover image was shot on Poco F5.

After a period of bit reviewing and be devices, it’s time to review one of the devices at the moment, and currently, it is the best moment to review it. It took me a month of usage to carry out this real-world office review. Yes, office review as this device was given to me by my latest employer for my work.

For starters, let’s say a couple of things about me and my Samsung experience with OneUI after now 4 years of Xiaomi’s MIUI and HyperOS rocking on multiple phones – minor differences, same Dark Mode (thanks Android for it) and well – bit of updates after first time setting phone up onto WiFi.

It started with a few minor Android 13 updates still on OneUI 5.1 while later on the phone updated to Android 14 and OneUI 6.1 Core. I need to mention this as this is not a high-end device, it is a lower-end midrange device with specifications, from GSMArena it has two versions, I got the version with Mediatek chipset, 4GB RAM, and 64GB of storage which is fine as from the company we got shared storage on Dropbox which is used to backup data like phone recordings.

Now, speaking of the usage of the phone and size – with size it is similar to old Redmi Note 9 Pro and current Poco F5 and that is without a basic protective TPU case on it, and with the case is a bit thicker but that is a minor security thing for phone safety as it can get slippery with almost 6 hours of calls every day on it with call recordings using currently an app named Call recorder from SKVALEX (paid version too) as it has the best recording options plus it works flawlessly with this phone. Other recording applications like Cube ACR or even Talker ACR didn’t work great and even the stock recorder doesn’t work because of CSC which is only for Europe.

Speaking of comparing it with other devices let’s talk about security and biometrics – they are on the right side of the phone which is great, but it is limited because of OneUI Core only to 3 fingerprints and PIN/password, didn’t find other methods like face unlock or even Bluetooth paired device unlock. As well cameras, oh my. What shall I say except – they are fine in good lighting conditions, in low light forget about good shots no matter what, even the flashlight is bad :/. Didn’t have a phone with a bad flashlight since iPhone 6 days but that was a used device with hopefully scratched lenses etc. This was a brand new device out of the box for me, even I had to put a SIM card in it and made the first boot and first charge but not with the official cable, meh, used the best charger and cable – 67W brick and cable from Poco F5.

And now about cameras – as mentioned photos aren’t great, but are useful for my workflow. For videos, it is limited to 1080p 30FPS so didn’t try much as didn’t have some good shots to make, if I have it would be linked somewhere here in the post.

Lastly about the battery – with Poco F5 charger and cable it can take about 2 hours to charge it from about 15% to 100% every 2 days as it can survive 2 days on WiFi and 4G connected, plus with a lot of calls (mostly VoLTE these days) and a few background apps like Phone Recorder and AdGuard because everybody hates ads. And to note it can help as a hotspot with calls, had to use it one day as fiber optic internet that we had in the whole neighborhood went cack for like 4 hours so yeah, that was fun and it was in 2 days of usage without issue.

So in a nutshell, the phone is fine for my work as a Sales Manager for Business Customers at Telecommunications where the phone is mostly used for phone calls and messaging with clients. I would like something better with better CSC solutions for easy switching for integrated call recordings but who cares, this phone is perfect for this kind of usage, just like the combined Acer Aspire 3 laptop (AMD based).

Cover photo was shot on Poco F5, text was proofread using ChatGPT 4.0 in Microsoft Copilot Pro.

Update as of 01.01.2026: Removed Gallery as it had some private images.

So, this is something special in my mind, as this is my current review after 6 months of using Xiaomi’s solid midrange device. The hardware is impressive, especially for the price, which is “nice”.

Another note: I started writing this post a month and a half after using the Poco F5 on the same phone, but later, as I explored other options and drafted other posts, I’m finishing this on my new tablet with a basic wired keyboard connected through an OTG dongle.

Now, let’s start with an option: Why choose the Poco F5 when you had other options around the 500 Euro price point for a brand new phone? You could have switched brands, but Xiaomi offers the best value at that price. I could have upgraded to the Poco F5 Pro, but it was out of my budget as it was priced around 620 Euros on the day I purchased the Poco F5. I also considered other models like the Honor 90, Motorola Edge 40 (256GB version), and even the Samsung Galaxy A54 in the 256GB variant. I chose the Poco F5 because it seemed like the best option to last me the next 3 years.

Here are some quick specifications of the phone I bought: Snapdragon 7+ Gen2 SoC, 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, Bluetooth 5.3, a 5000mAh battery with 67W wired charging, an AMOLED screen, and 5G compatibility. It also supports WiFi 6, as my new ISP-provided router does. More detailed specifications can be found on the Poco official site.

The phone arrived with great packaging that included not only the phone, SIM eject tool, and some paperwork but also a clear TPU phone case and a charging brick with a cable. Even with this packaging, the device felt premium even before I moved the SIM card to the phone. The back of the phone is plastic but looks like glass, which is great. On the black model, you can’t see any smearing or dust. Plus, it came with a pre-applied screen protector from Xiaomi.

A major highlight is that the phone came with MIUI 14 and Android 13, and within the first month, I received an early beta HyperOS update with Android 14. This was a fast update for us Xiaomi Pilot testers who use almost every beta update for the OS. I won’t mention the short MIUI usage as it closely resembles HyperOS, which is lighter and easier on RAM usage. Otherwise, the interface is similar.

Now, to the meat and potatoes of the review: how it is to use the phone – it’s perfection. No issues so far within these 6 months. The fluidity of the 120Hz AMOLED HDR+ display is a step up from the old 60Hz IPS display of Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 9 Pro. Both displays are HDR compatible and can easily showcase HDR content on YouTube. The fingerprint sensor on the right edge in the power button is very convenient. With a simple touch to the power button, the phone is unlocked. With a double tap, I can quickly turn on the flashlight, a handy feature in dark places. And don’t forget – a classic double click on the power button opens the camera application.

The camera, a 64MP unit with 4K video recording, is impressive. Even with basic auto settings, the camera images are great. There’s no comparison with the Redmi Note 9 Pro as the camera sensors are completely different, providing superior night mode capabilities. I’ve tested it even with Pro Mode, which enables all sorts of camera tricks like White Balance, Focusing, ISO Exposure, and other DSLR-like features. 4K video recording is still at 30FPS, which is just fine for me, but others might want to have 4K at 60FPS, which can be achieved with a GCam mod not available in the official camera, but honestly, I really don’t care.

Camera shot examples are in the Gallery, while video examples can be found on a YouTube playlist created just for this review. It includes various situations from darker home environments to standard daily usage. And yes, almost forgot, there is OIS in the main camera, but I didn’t test it as most shots are from a moving camera (slow panning), where OIS might show its effectiveness.

For battery life, I’ll say one thing – it can survive 2 days easily even with 6+ hours of screen on time, which includes watching videos on YouTube, using the camera, and even GPS navigation, always on WiFi, 5G/LTE depending on location. With 67W charging, I can say confidently that my phone, from about 10% battery, can be charged to 100% within 40 minutes. At worst, the phone endured one day of heavier usage, almost 8 hours of screen on time with GPS navigation, switching between 4G and 5G, music playback, and some photography on location.

In conclusion, this phone is perfect. There’s even a vibrant unofficial custom ROM community plus official support for the next 3 years, which will include at least one more major Android update (from 14 to 15) and 2 more major HyperOS updates, hopefully on Android 14 and later on Android 15. Replacement phone cases and screen protectors can be found on AliExpress, Temu, and other sites. That’s where I bought one fake leather type case, one wallet type case, and another black classic TPU case.

The review was written on multiple devices, including Poco F5, my new Blackview Oscal Pad 10 tablet, and even a PC for some parts. Photos and videos are my own creations made with Poco F5 and Redmi Note 9 Pro, especially the cover image, which was shot on the old Redmi phone.

This text was proofread with the assistance of ChatGPT 4.0 model.

Just to start off, it’s been three years already since I began using Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 9 Pro which was midrange smartphone at the time as my daily driver and primary device. It took me this long to compile a genuine long-term review, so here we go.

As someone who has used phones from various brands, I must say I’m thoroughly impressed with this device. It has stood the test of my daily usage, making it one of the longest-lasting devices I’ve used to date. This might sound unusual, as I typically changed phones whenever my mobile provider contract was extended, averaging about two years per device.

One important note to begin this review: this will be the final month of using this phone as my daily driver, as I’ll be switching to a new phone within the next month. You can expect a review of the new phone after a month of use.

Now, let me emphasize that the original review still holds true throughout the entire time I’ve been using this phone. I won’t dwell on specifications, as everything was already covered in the original review. While I was particularly impressed with certain specs, given that my previous phone was the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) and I briefly used an iPhone 6, I can now share a few thoughts on specifications, having also used the Realme 6s as my primary device for a short period.

On the downside, the 60Hz display can be a bit frustrating, especially when I use the phone for various random reasons even today. Another drawback, from my perspective, was the limited 64GB of internal storage. Unfortunately, at the time in Croatia, it was hard to come by the 128GB model, and whenever I did find it, it was always in Tropical Green, not in the Interstellar Gray, which was my preferred color.

Moving on to the positives: three years of security updates. Nowadays, this may be the standard for phone support, but back in those days, especially for a midrange smartphone, it was above average. The phone received two major Android updates officially and four MIUI updates (starting with Android 10 and MIUI 11). The latest officially supported Android version is Android 12, running on MIUI 14. Unofficially, this phone even managed to run (bleeping) Android 14 with custom ROMs (check the image below to see me using PixysOS 7.0 Official Beta based on Android 14).

Another positive for me is the versatility with ports, including the 3.5mm headphone jack, IR blaster, and USB Type-C. Having transitioned most of my devices away from the microUSB port over the last two and a half years, I have to say, that port has become a nuisance for my old tablet (Meanit X10). The IR blaster has come to my rescue a few times while on vacation, as the original remote was glitchy and couldn’t make some necessary adjustments.

With all the positives, let’s circle back to some negatives: the battery capacity has dropped to about 65% of its original state. Today, the battery can barely make it through two days with light usage and just a single day with a bit more activity (it managed an entire day of navigation and music playback this summer from a 100% charge after an overnight charge, ending the day with 12% battery).

Now, onto another positive: the cameras. They’re still performing admirably for a midrange device, even for some random 4K recordings. I’ll say this – GCam and the MIUI Camera both work splendidly for me. I switch between the two depending on what I need from the camera. For night shots, it’s GCam; for everything else, it’s the MIUI Camera, including the Leica mods. Oh, you didn’t know? There are modified versions of the MIUI Camera with Leica options, and those have been fantastic for me especially on AOSP Custom ROM’s which support it.

You can check out some shots from last review in my Google Photos gallery here.

In closing, let me just say, thank you Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro for standing strong with me for the past three years. You’re a hero, enduring a few drops, long days of being my GPS and media player in the car, handling various camera tasks, enduring lengthy work calls, and even stepping in for video calls when my webcam wasn’t cooperating. Legends like you will always hold a special place in my life. You convinced me to fully adopt the USB Type-C connector, and the original cable from the phone still works perfectly for charging all my devices.

Again, thank you Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro for being my hero and daily, your days are almost over. Now it is time for Poco F5 to shine.

This text has been reviewed by ChatGPT for clarity and grammar.

All photos included in this review were taken by me using the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro except cover image which was taken on Realme 6s.

All external links provided are for educational or informational purposes only and are not endorsements or affiliations with any particular product or service. All affiliate and sponsors links are on Affilates and Sponsors page of this web site.

So, this will be short and creative review of Realme 6s which was bought from our mobile operator for super cheap.

Specifications of device can be found on GSMArena. There are few changes which aren’t noted in GSMArena are NFC which works (yeah, it works, tested it with Google Pay and Revolut Visa card and yes, it works fine).

Just to be clear, this was and still is my secondary device which I mostly use to watch some videos (pirated mostly and YouTube), play games on that smooth 90Hz refresh rate LCD Display and do some thing that I don’t wanna to do on my main Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro like test out new applications.

As a matter of fact, this device have separate Google Accounts and it is also set up to be used with old Xiaomi Mi Band 4 (and yes, don’t judge me but I’m using Mi Band 5 for few months now and I’m impressed how better detection’s are, but more about all of it later on or in next post.)

Device Specifications and nit pickings

So, yeah. I will note some exceptional specifications like 30W Super Dart/VOOC Charging (yeah, Realme is sub-brand of Oppo) and device charges in like a hour. It is powerful and chargers at 15W while connected through Xiaomi’s 33W Power brick.

Another nitpicking is that phone is sometimes bit sluggish with 4GB of RAM. That is from guy who use multiple devices and main one is Xiaomi with 6GB is RAM. And yeah, sometimes it looks faster then Xiaomi because of 90Hz LCD.

Cameras

Now for part which was tested a lot but lot of photos are private ones. Some examples can be found on Gallery. With main 48Mpx camera I can say that shots are fine. I mean, after 8 months of using crazy camera systems from main phone this was a well, bit of letdown.

Front facing camera is just fine, seriously my face looks horribly 😂. Examples are in Gallery.

Video examples unfortienatly didn’t created, or if it were created those are private ones.

On plus side, there is port of GCam, but it is created with config for Realme 6, not 6s (which have different camera systems, more differences about phones can be found on GSMArena.

Battery and Conclusion

As for battery life of this 4300mAh battery, I can say few words – it can survive my usage. Seriously, even when I put my main SIM Card in phone for a week with 4G, GPS, NFC, WiFi and brightness all way with Auto (as I was mostly outside or in early morning going to Driving School Lessons) it survived day and half mostly. I say mostly, as there was few days when battery did take me one day to melt it down to 10% from 100%. Other days battery can survive 2 or more days with SIM card in it and without 4G enabled but with lot of YouTube shenanigans. This means that battery can get in 6+ hours of Screen on Time, which is perfect.

In conclusion: device is fine, I mean, updates are sort-of regular (as of writing this device is still on Android 10 but with April 2021 patch) and it should be great second device. Or maybe somebody from who device break will get it, who knows what future do for it.

Cover image is shot on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro, this review was written on old tablet, current desktop and this device. All images and videos are from Realme 6s.

Revolut link is my affiliate link which supports my works.

Or as another title would be – from broken Android phone to iOS without any other choice.

This unwanted migration started while on second day of vacation when I accidentally broke my Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) which I was using at that time. Phone broke that even service center wouldn’t service it without paying almost 150€ for display replacement. And what was weird coincidence phone broke on Sunday, which really fucked me up for a about 30 hours until I got Apple iPhone 6. Thank God that I used prior to breaking device 4G and Hotspot feature were enabled to get 2 files on friends laptop from his Google Drive which helped me to connect on my laptop and get to search phone for 100€ or less (used devices market was TBH 💩 at that time and near place I was plus almost everybody wanted way more then phones are worth).

I got that iPhone 6 with original packaging, unused EarPods, original cable (which I had to replace with some off-brand braided cable as soon as I got home because it was bit broken which annoyed me), some case and screen protector (that 2 items got for free because I said to guy, I can pay you 500 Croatian Kuna for device if you can get it to me and he got to me and gave me new case and new screen protector as gift as I paid what he wanted).

On day that I got device, most of time using it was spent on installing apps and configuring them (at least some basic apps like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and banking applications). Thank God all apps that I use on daily basis were available on App Store.

During initial setup phone was still on iOS 11, but few days later and few gigabytes of mobile network later (because WiFi reception at another location where as family got to stay was really bad on all devices) it was updated to iOS 12.4.8 which is latest available version of iOS for this device.

Let’s talk about experience switching from Android 10 with OneUI 2.0 to iPhone 6 and iOS 12.4.8 – it was sort-of seamless. I mean, I have been using iPhone’s prior to this as work phones but only for brief periods of time (mostly weekends and once for a week while our Galaxy Note 8 got to Service Center). I missed few great features like Dark Mode and Android Back button, but not a big deal.

Now, let’s talk big fish in this sea – connectivity. It is fine for 4G (LTE), but for WiFi and Bluetooth is was horrendous. I mean seriously, with other phones I can get WiFi from my room where is router up to living room which is about 9m away with 2 walls between, but with iPhone I would need to use 4G just to get network in living room. Plus, even if I connected to sister’s AP (created as repeater for his room to have better network coverage) WiFi was horrible.

For a Bluetooth – well I had to be with receiver on (now old) SBox BT218 headset in visible positioning to iPhone otherwise it would be song – stop for a second (connection drop) – song for minute – move a bit to left with receiver and losing connection for a few seconds until I gave up and connected EarPods.

Otherwise stability of device was good, specs are perfect for this good old device.

Battery life wasn’t perfect but it was usable with Power Bank and cable near me at all times as device could survive about 7-8 hours with 1 to 2 hours of SoT with bit of 4G, photo shooting and regular calls. On plus side, still have original battery inside with 70% of Battery Life left in it.

In that week I shot almost 500 photos and got few videos too in 1080p 60FPS (which I enabled as soon as I got device, that was switch in smoothness from 1080p 30FPS that I used on Samsung).

Now, camera is just fine for normal shots in good lightning, I can’t say anything bad about it. But at night and darker situations it is, well, bit of dog 💩. Seriously, I had to edit photos later just to gain some brightness and ISO so photos can be shared to others from vacation.

Some examples of shots can be found in Gallery with few Videos in it.
(mix of daily shots and night shots).

Now here is conclusion in two parts – how it was to get back on Android and in part two I will say for what is now this device used.

Main conclusion is – this device served me well until I got Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro. Device despite age of it is still capable to be working phone for somebody who is careful with battery or replaced it. After switching back to Android I don’t miss any feature from iPhone to be honest.

And now, for what is now used after switching to Android phone back – it is used as music player and YouTube player prior sleeping. Yup, because of size it is perfect for those things at night.

Cover image is shot on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro, this review was written on iPhone 6 and all other photos and videos are from iPhone 6 and are my work.

Updated as of March 19th 2023 as test YouTube videos are removed from my now old YouTube channel and will be uploaded later on new channel.

Updated as of January 1st 2026 with new Gallery link with photos and some videos.

So, let’s premise this review with one important thing – I’m writing this review from this phone which I’m reviewing. Yes, I love it so much that I wrote it in Notes application and later on copied in Google Docs so it can be synced with PC from which it is published. What a perfect combination for writing review for Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro.

Now, why I bought this device and how it is to use it. Reason that I bought it for around 210€ (approximation of price from Croatian Kuna) in August of this year is that I had to move back to Android after a month with iOS (to be precise iPhone 6 running iOS 12.4.5). Plus I moved to iOS just because that was only option to buy when my Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) got broken while on vacation on Krapanj Island.

Here is a thing – I wanted to move from Samsung to Xiaomi right about this time because pricing of solid mid-range Samsung phones went nuts. But really nuts. For example on day when I bought my phone cheapest and really next stepping stone with solid phone was Samsung Galaxy A51 which was priced about 350€ (approximation from Croatian Kuna).

Battery and Specifications of Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro

For my budget (which was around 300€ at that time) this is perfect device. For starters, with specifications it is great for higher end of mid-range devices. For me it is higher end because it is having Gorilla Glass 5 on front and back and because of Camera Specifications. Basics for Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro are Snapdragon Qualcomm 720G which is based on 8nm process, 6GB of RAM, 64 or 128GB of storage which is expandable via microSD cards, 64MP + 8MP + 5MP +2MP Cameras on back with 16MP Camera in punch-hole design on 6.67 inch 2400 by 1080px LCD. More details about specifications can be found on GSMArena. As you might see, this is Global version of phone, just to note because there is same name for this phone for Indian market (and Indian model is for other parts of world known as Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S.

Some things that got me to this phone and not Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite which I could get in my budget are fingerprint reader in power button and expandable storage via microSD card.

Now to review – Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro is great device as you might not see until now. As I’m mostly mid to heavy duty user it can keep it up with my usage.

In start I have to note big battery – 5020mAh. This is major improvement in my phone collection. The biggest battery with Turbo Charging. Yes, charging. In box we got 33W Power Brick with USB-PD and Quick Charge Compatibility. This brick with original USB-C to USB-A cable can charge device in about hour. Seriously, once I got around 18% of battery charge in morning and I had to go to daily biking and after about hour it got charged to 100%.

As I’m talking about battery and charging – this brick of battery can survive in average for 2 and half days with full charge on my even heavier usage with average of 7+ hours of Screen on Time (SoT). My usage is WiFi, 4G (only when I’m not near WiFi), Bluetooth (for connection to Xiaomi Mi Band 4, Xiaomi Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic S and computer when near it), GPS (for sports tracking in Mi Fit and Google Fit) and finally NFC (as most of payments trough COVID-19 is with NFC and Google Pay connected to multiple cards).

As for other specifications, well I have nothing special to say. I’m experienced with mid-range specifications of phones, this Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro is snappy in day to day usage. Even for lighter gaming (tried with Call of Duty Mobile for few hours) it is all fine. Screen brightness isn’t like Sasmung Galaxy A7 (2018) which was rocking AMOLED display, but is readable even on bright sunny day.

Camera tests and shots from Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro

Now to major part of this phone and why I got it – cameras. Yes, I use phone cameras for almost all of my photos which are published online and which will be seen in Photography and Graphics Portfolio (when I finish design for it). Main camera is 64MP with f1.9 which is bit “worse” then previous camera on Samsung phone, but for me it isn’t big change. Camera shots from main camera sensor and make it 16MP in final form just to make file size smaller. And sensor is really great.

There is also 64MP mode which create big chungus of photos.

For night mode which is available in Camera application photos are solid. Most of them are shot from hand without any stand or tripod. Also for this phone is available Google Camera (GCam) mod which enables Astrophotography Mode. Those Astrophotography Mode shots are looking like it is mostly daylight and not freaking night.

Ultra-wide camera can create pretty much great shots just like old Samsung phone.

Macro camera is also fine, it can keep it up with details on nearby objects.

As for selfie camera, well I can say that is perfect in my honest opinion (as I can say myself 🤣).

All shots can be viewed in Gallery with all details as I backup all images at Original Quality.

Video quality is solid for a phone with this price. I can say that videos are better then on old device. In 4K recording mode it doesn’t have EIS, but in 1080p modes (30 and 60FPS are here) it is having EIS. There is no OIS, but EIS is just fine. Down below are few examples of 4K 30FPS, 1080p 60FPS and 1080p 30 FPS Shots created in this month of using it.

In conclusion of this brief review of phone which I’m using for a month now I can say few things and those are – man, I freaking love Xiaomi eco-system. Especially for somebody who prior to buying this phone had Xiaomi Powerbank 2C in 20000mAh Capacity and Xiaomi Mi Band 4 (prior to buying it I had some cheap clone of it which broke in less then a month of usage and battery was 💩). With this I will keep it up with Xiaomi devices in future which might get to me Xiaomi flagship phones in Mi Series, not like today in Redmi mid-range based phones. As big plus, I’m currently moving whole family to Xiaomi phones from their Samsung’s and Cubot’s.

All photos and videos are my property, and all (except cover image which is shot with iPhone 6) are created with Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro within this month of usage. All images are hosted on Imgur and Google Photos as they are too much for this server.

Updated as of March 19th 2023 as test YouTube videos are removed from my now old YouTube channel and will be uploaded later on new channel. Update as of January 1st 2026 – link to YouTube is removed, new Gallery updated. Updated as of 18th March 2023 as I removed old link to 64MPx Gallery URL as all images are in one Gallery URL from Proton Services.

So, in short for people who don’t want to read this post – phone is perfect mid-range device, cameras are great in daily shooting situations and in night based times shots are fine. Battery can support it for 2 days with mid to heavy usage patterns. Plus it is pretty much supported device which will get Android 10 with One UI 2.0.

OK, after TL;DR section let’s go to why I chose this device and how it is to use it for a almost a year with various patterns of usage. I used it pretty much heavy in start, lowered usage while on vacation and lately it is on mid usage.

Why I chose this device is one question – I decided to get it because our ISP and Mobile Operator here in Croatia in store where we went didn’t had Samsung Galaxy A50 or Nokia 6.1 Plus in Stock when we decided to move from another ISP to them. That was a bit, well, weird but yet – it was smaller store and that was fine for me. We head to buy 2 devices because we moved 2 phone numbers from another Mobile Operator to this one.

After few days of super heavy usage which included WiFi, Mobile Data, Dark Mode and Bluetooth on all time I saw that phone can survive for almost 2 full work days. That was nice. Later on while in lower time of usage phone survived for almost 3.5 days and then I disabled Bluetooth which I now use only when I want to connect to my Bluetooth Headset (Not so popular brand but it was cheap as f***). Nice one for 3300mAh Battery.

For specs of device I will provide it from GSMArena because device have various combinations of RAM and Storage. Our devices are 4GB RAM and 64GB of Storage version.

Screen is perfect size for my hands. It is perfect size, but well, I tried lately before this “human malware” some newer Samsung Devices from Operators Big Store and those are too big for my hands (note: those devices were Samsung Galaxy S20, Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip and Samsung Galaxy Fold).

Software is perfect, well, for me it is way better then Stock Android with some features like included Screen Recorder, scrolling Screenshot, double security with Knox etc. It is pretty much almost latest version of Android. Now it is on Android 9.0 with Samsung’s OneUI 1.0 with Security Patch for February of 2020. Yup, this device is pretty much up-to-date with Security Patches and with features which are perfect for daily usage I can’t explain anything else. Except that this device will get Android 10 with OneUI 2.0 later in 2020. ( April 2020. is time to get released in Europe), after old flagships get it. That would be great for user who used phones with max 2 update cycles and only got one (khm Huawei and Samsung in old days).

Now, it is big time – Cameras time. How are they in my usage?

Answer to question above is – perfect. I mean, really perfect. Only thing missing for me it is granular Pro Mode which had only Huawei P9 Lite (2016) but otherwise camera is great. Some shots are below in this gallery where all photos are uncompressed. For detailed informations about Photos check them out on updated Gallery .

As for video Quality I will refer to couple of videos linked below. All are in various forms which camera supports like Regular Mode, Time lapse mode and finally in Wide Angle camera mode.

As a conclusion I will say that this device is perfect for me, it will survive one more year of my usage and finally – it will be replaced with another mid-range device next year from A Series or maybe older flagship (hint: Galaxy S20).

Photos and videos in this review are my property.

Updated as of March 19th 2023 as test YouTube videos are removed from my now old YouTube channel and will be uploaded later on new channel and updated again on 1st January 2026 with new Gallery link which might include some videos.

Updated as of June 2024 with updated cover image, shot on Poco F5.