Redmi Note 9 Pro still remains one of the most talked about smartphones in the budget segment, despite the release of new models. The secret of popularity lies in balanced characteristics: a powerful processor Snapdragon 720G, high-capacity battery 5020 mAh, quad camera with main module on 48 MP - all this for a price that looks attractive even today. But is a smartphone really that good? Isn't it outdated morally and technically?

In this review we will look at Redmi Note 9 Pro in detail: from design and assembly to real-world performance in games and everyday tasks. We will pay special attention Overheating problem when charging, which has become a headache for many owners. We will also compare the smartphone with its current competitors - is it worth overpaying for new products or Note 9 Pro still the best choice?

Design and assembly: plastic vs glass - which is better?

The first thing that catches your eye is the massive body of the smartphone. Redmi Note 9 Pro weighs 209 grams, and the thickness reaches 8.8 mm. For comparison: modern smartphones with similar screens (6.67 inches) are often 1–1.5 mm thinner. The reason for this is a huge battery and a cooling system, which, alas, does not always cope with its task.

Housing materials - combination plastic back panel (with imitation glass) and aluminum frame. On the one hand, this makes the smartphone less slippery and more resistant to falls. On the other hand, fingerprints remain even on matte color options (Interstellar Black or Aurora Blue). By the way, the white version (Glacier White) collects dirt even more actively.

  • ✅ Design advantages:
    • Comfortable ergonomics despite large dimensions
    • Splash protection as standard IP53 (dust and light rain)
    • 3.5mm headphone jack (rare in 2026)
  • ❌ Cons:
    • Scandal with the “glass” back panel, which is actually plastic
    • The camera protrudes by 2 mm, which is why the smartphone “limps” on the table
    • The lock button is too high to press once with your thumb

The assembly is at a high level: there are no backlashes, all elements fit tightly. However, after a year of operation, many users complain about volume buttons are loose — they begin to fail when pressed. This is not critical, but it is unpleasant.

📊 Which smartphone case material do you prefer?
  • Glass
  • Plastic
  • Metal
  • Doesn't matter

Screen: 120 Hz vs 60 Hz - is there a difference?

Redmi Note 9 Pro equipped IPS screen 6.67 inches diagonal with resolution 2400×1080 (Full HD+). Brightness reaches 450 nits, which is enough for outdoor use, but on a sunny day you have to shade the screen with your hand. Contrast and color reproduction are at the level of mid-budget smartphones - not AMOLED, but not a blurry “porridge”.

The main trump card of the display is support refresh rate 120 Hz. In theory, this should ensure smooth scrolling and animations. In practice:

  • 🎮 In games, the difference from 60 Hz is noticeable only in dynamic scenes (for example, in PUBG Mobile or Call of Duty).
  • 📱 In the interface MIUI smoothness is evident when scrolling through social media feeds or swiping between screens.
  • ⚠️ But! When activated 120 Hz Battery life is reduced by 15–20%.

There are also pitfalls:

  • 120Hz only works at brightness levels above 50%. At lower values, the frequency is automatically reduced to 60 Hz.
  • In some applications (for example, YouTube or Netflix) frequency is fixed at 60 Hz.

Parameter Redmi Note 9 Pro Samsung Galaxy M32 Realme 8 Pro
Screen type IPS, 120 Hz Super AMOLED, 90 Hz Super AMOLED, 60 Hz
Brightness (max) 450 nits 800 nits 1000 nits
Contrast 1000:1 ∞:1 (AMOLED) ∞:1 (AMOLED)
Color gamut 96% DCI-P3 100% DCI-P3 98% DCI-P3
⚠️ Attention: If you plan to use your smartphone to view HDR content, please note that Redmi Note 9 Pro does not support HDR10+ or Dolby Vision. Maximum is the extended dynamic range in YouTube when manually enabling the option.

Performance: Snapdragon 720G in 2026 - is it enough?

Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G at the time of release (2020) it was one of the best in its class. Today it is obsolete, but is still capable of handling modern tasks. Let's look at real tests:

  • 📊 AnTuTu Benchmark (v10): ~280,000 points (for comparison, Snapdragon 680 in the new Redmi Note 12 gains ~350,000).
  • 🎮 Games:
    • PUBG Mobile: 40–50 FPS on “Balanced” settings (graphics - HD).
    • Genshin Impact: 30 FPS at minimum settings (heats up to 45°C when playing for a long time).
    • Call of Duty: Mobile: 60 FPS on high settings, but with occasional stuttering.
  • 📸 Photo/video processing: There is noticeable stuttering when shooting in 4K or processing RAW files.

In everyday tasks (social networks, instant messengers, watching videos) Note 9 Pro works without any complaints. However, when multitasking (for example, using Telegram, Chrome with 10+ tabs and Google Maps) freezes begin. The reason for this is everything 6 GB RAM (in 6/128 GB version) and aggressive optimization MIUI, which “kills” background processes.

Disable animations in developer options|Limit background application activity|Use lightweight shells (for example, Nova Launcher)|Clear cache regularly-->

⚠️ Attention: If you plan to use your smartphone for longer than 2-3 years, please note that Snapdragon 720G does not support Android 14 and new versions MIUI. Latest available firmware - MIUI 14 based on Android 13.

Camera: 48 MP on paper vs real photos

Main camera module - 48 MP (Sony IMX586) with aperture f/1.79. It sounds impressive on paper, but in practice the sensor covers photos up to 12 MP default (pixel binning). The difference between 12 and 48 MP is noticeable only with a strong zoom or printing pictures.

During the day the camera shows good results:

  • 🌞 High level of detail (small inscriptions on signs can be read).
  • 🎨 Colors are natural, without excessive saturation (unlike Realme or Oppo).
  • 🔍 The dynamic range is wide - the sky is not overexposed, the shadows are worked out.

Problems begin at night and indoors:

  • 🌙 Nocturnal mode It works slowly (shooting takes 3-4 seconds) and often overexposes the frame.
  • 📸 Noise reduction is aggressive - small details are lost (for example, the texture of hair or leaves).
  • 🎥 4K video is shot at only 30 frames, and stabilization works mediocre.

Additional modules:

  • 📐 8 MP (ultrawide): 119° viewing angle, but severe distortion at edges.
  • 🔍 5 MP (macro): useless without a tripod - the slightest hand shake ruins the photo.
  • 👁️ 2 MP (depth sensor): Only needed for portrait mode (background blur).

Examples of photos from Redmi Note 9 Pro

During the day: link (high level of detail, natural colors).

At night: link (noise, loss of detail in shadows).

Macro: link (blur when shooting manually).

Battery and charging: 5020 mAh - is it enough for a day?

Battery capacity in 5020 mAh - one of the main advantages Redmi Note 9 Pro. In moderate use mode (social networks, instant messengers, 2–3 hours of video), the smartphone will survive 1.5–2 days without recharging. However, there are nuances:

  • 🔋 With active use of 120 Hz and mobile Internet (4G), the operating time is reduced to 12–14 hours.
  • 🎮 Games eat up 15–20% per hour (for example, Genshin Impact drains the battery in 4–5 hours).
  • 📶 In standby mode (without use), the smartphone loses 3-5% of its charge overnight.

Charging is a different story. Redmi Note 9 Pro supports fast charging 33W, but the kit includes a power supply for 30W. A full charging cycle takes:

  • 0–50%: ~30 minutes
  • 50–100%: ~40 minutes

⚠️ Attention: Many users encounter smartphone overheating when charging (temperature rises to 45–50°C). This is due to an ineffective cooling system. To avoid problems, charge the device in a ventilated area and do not use it while charging.
💡

If your smartphone gets very hot when charging, try disabling the "Fast charging" function in the battery settings. This will increase charging time but reduce temperature.

Software: MIUI 14 on Android 13 - what has changed?

Redmi Note 9 Pro came out of the box with MIUI 11 based on Android 10. An update to MIUI 14 (Android 13), but with reservations:

  • ✅ Pros:
    • New design with “big icons” and smooth animations.
    • Function "Smart Assistant" to automate tasks.
    • Improved energy optimization.
  • ❌ Cons:
    • Lots of pre-installed software (including games from Xiaomi).
    • Advertising in system applications (for example, in Browser or Music).
    • No guarantee to update to Android 14.

How to remove ads and unnecessary applications:

  1. Go to Settings → About phone → MIUI version and tap the logo 7 times to activate developer mode.
  2. Return to Settings → Advanced → Accessibility → Developer Mode.
  3. Find the option Disable MIUI ads and activate it.
  4. To remove pre-installed applications, use ADB (instructions: link).

💡

MIUI 14 brought visual improvements, but did not solve the main problems: advertising and lack of long-term support.

Is Redmi Note 9 Pro worth buying in 2026?

Price Redmi Note 9 Pro Today it fluctuates within 15,000–18,000 rubles (for version 6/128 GB). For this money, the smartphone offers:

  • ✅ Pros:
    • Long battery life.
    • A good screen with 120 Hz (albeit with reservations).
    • Acceptable performance for everyday tasks.
  • ❌ Cons:
    • Outdated processor with no prospects for updates.
    • Problems with overheating when charging and playing games.
    • Average quality of night photography.

Alternatives in this price segment:

  • Redmi Note 12 (Snapdragon 680, AMOLED screen, but 5000 mAh battery).
  • Samsung Galaxy M34 (Exynos 1280, 6000 mAh, 4 years of updates).
  • Realme 10 Pro (Snapdragon 695, 5000 mAh, 67W charging).

Conclusion:

  • If you need inexpensive smartphone with long battery life and you don't play hard games - Redmi Note 9 Pro will do.
  • If important updates, camera or performance - better 看看 new items (for example, Redmi Note 13).

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about Redmi Note 9 Pro

❓ Does Redmi Note 9 Pro support 5G?

No, Redmi Note 9 Pro equipped with a modem Snapdragon X15, which only supports networks 4G LTE (up to 800 Mbit/s). For 5G you need to look at models Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G or newer.

❓ Is it possible to install custom firmware (for example, LineageOS)?

Yes, but with reservations:

  • Official support LineageOS no, but there are unofficial builds (for example, on XDA).
  • To install you need to unlock the bootloader (fastboot oem unlock), which will reset all data.
  • Cameras and some sensors may not work correctly.

❓ How to solve the problem with overheating when charging?

Try the following steps:

  1. Use original power supply 30W (not fast chargers from other manufacturers).
  2. Charge your smartphone in airplane mode or with the screen turned off.
  3. Disable fast charging in the battery settings.
  4. If the temperature exceeds 50°C, interrupt charging and let the smartphone cool down.

If the problem persists, contact a service center (the power controller may be faulty).

❓ How much does it cost to replace a screen?

Cost of replacing the display at official service centers Xiaomi amounts to 8,000–12,000 rubles (depending on the region). In unofficial workshops the price may be lower (5,000–7,000 rubles), but there is a risk of installing a non-original matrix with worse color rendition.

❓ Does NFC work for contactless payments?

Yes, Redmi Note 9 Pro equipped with a chip NFC, but with reservations:

  • In Russia the module supports Google Pay And SberPay.
  • To work you need to install the application Mi Pay (Not available in all regions).
  • Some bank cards may not be linked due to bank restrictions.