Xiaomi Redmi K30 review

Wrap-up

Well, who better than Xiaomi or Realme to offer the high refresh rate screen to the masses, don't you agree? While others like Apple and Samsung are thinking of adding it to their most expensive offers, Xiaomi and Realme are already selling mid-rangers on the cheap with such screens. And the Redmi K30 is the first 120Hz bearer for Xiaomi, the harbinger of change if you will, as we suspect this sort of screen will become a standard for the upcoming Mi and Redmi phones.

But the 120Hz display isn't the only treat you get with the Redmi K30. The phone is the first to run on Android 10 with MIUI 11 out of the box; it also comes with one large battery with a 27W charger bundled in the box, and also improves the quad-camera we saw premiere on the Redmi Note 8 Pro.

It's not all peaches and roses. The Redmi K20 users may have some hard time accepting a notched screen, an LCD at that. And the zoom camera is be gone for good, too, while the macro camera is not enough to compensate.

But the buttery smooth MIUI and the overall experience, along with the larger screen and battery should help balance the scales.

The competition

The Redmi K30 is only available officially in China for now, though various gray imports have spread it worldwide with the so-called Global ROMs pre-installed. We suspect Xiaomi is holding off the global K30 release until the Mi 10 reveal, so it could then push it as Mi 10T or similar.

Still, the Redmi K30 has no real competitor, but its 5G model running on the Snapdragon 765 chip will be facing a fierce fight from the Realme X50 - same chip and screen. The Realme does have a dedicated telephoto snapper, and it still offers a 2MP macro shooter! And it's also topping the K30's selfie setup with an actual 8MP ultrawide camera as a secondary to the 16MP primary selfie shooter.

So, if you are after 5G models, the Redmi K30 5G and Realme X50 5G will be something you'd like to check out. If not, until Realme release a regular X50, then the Redmi K30 will surely make more sense.

Or, if you don't care about the 120Hz screen, you can always revert to previous offers such as the Redmi Note 8 Pro. It's pretty much the same phone, but with a smaller notch and regular 60Hz screen.

Or, the Redmi K20/Mi 9T can offer you a 6.39" Super AMOLED screen without any cutouts, the same chipset, and a similar camera but instead of macro, you'd be getting a telephoto shooter.

Xiaomi Redmi K30 5G • Realme X50 5G • Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro • Xiaomi Redmi K20

The verdict

The Redmi K30 is one of those phones we love to meet, review, and even own - a combination of flagship-worthy features, excellent execution across the board, and absurdly low price.

Having Realme breathing down Xiaomi's neck has turned out for the better - while they fight - we all win. And the Redmi K30 is an obvious winner even if it's limited to China for now. With that screen, performance, camera, battery, and $300 or so price - it's impossible to lose. Until non-5G Realme X50 arrives, that is. Then it could be a tie. But that's a topic for this one future article.

Pros

• Large LCD screen with high brightness, HDR 10
• 120Hz mode is a feast for the eyes, where achievable
• Excellent build and design, despite the notch
• Superb battery life, speedy charging
• Well-equipped for gaming and whatnot
• The photos from all cameras, day and night, are great
• Excels in video quality, too
• Android 10, MIUI 11
• Has microSD slot (hybrid), 3.5mm jack, FM radio, IR blaster

Cons

• Not certified for HD content from streaming services like Netflix
• No zoom camera (though you can "zoom" photos by other means)
• Ads in MIUI
• Officially available only in China, more markets coming soon

Special thanks to HonorBuy for providing the review unit.