It's getting harder and harder to keep track of all the new phones powered by Qualcomm's state-of-the-art Snapdragon 865 processor, especially when taking into account China or India-first releases from brands that might be largely unknown to US or even Western audiences in their entirety.
But we may have found the cheapest such device announced to date, and perhaps unsurprisingly, it comes from the same company that just took the wraps off an incredibly affordable handset with a Snapdragon 720G SoC, a beautiful hole punch display, and a massive battery.
We're talking about Redmi, and if that name doesn't sound familiar, you should know the Xiaomi sub-brand crucially contributed to the exceptional global sales numbers of its parent company in the last few years. Redmi actually started off as a budget-friendly line of Xiaomi-branded phones way back in 2013, operating as an independent entity since early 2019. While its products are still very reasonably priced, the freshly unveiled Redmi K30 Pro is certainly no pushover.
We could go so far as to consider this bad boy a decent alternative for Samsung's Galaxy S20 roster at a fraction of the price, although that's unfortunately only true for the Chinese market right now.
The best chipset in the world paired with 5G support and a beautiful AMOLED display
There are a lot of things to like about the Redmi K30 Pro, but the highlight of this puppy's spec sheet is undoubtedly a Snapdragon 865 SoC that the entire Galaxy S20 lineup also uses, alongside a growing number of flagship devices from most major smartphone brands. The processor is not just insanely fast, supporting 5G connectivity as well thanks to an external Snapdragon X55 modem that resides under the K30 Pro's hood.
Of course, such power-hungry chips need a fittingly impressive battery to keep the lights on for a respectable amount of time between charges, and the Redmi K30 Pro seems to check that box too, at a 4,700mAh capacity.
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Meanwhile, the 6.67-inch AMOLED screen is a definite head-turner, sporting razor-thin bezels and no notch or cutout of any sort, but at the same time, its somewhat modest (by ultra-high-end standards) 2400 x 1080 pixel count and 60Hz refresh rate should further boost your confidence regarding the single-charge endurance of this big and beautiful phone with a shiny glass back. What's even better is that hefty aforementioned battery also supports top-notch 33W charging speeds.
A versatile rear shooter system and a pop-up selfie camera
It shouldn't come as a surprise that the (nearly) bezelless, notchless, and holeless front design of the Redmi K30 Pro is made possible by a hidden selfie shooter that pops out mechanically whenever you want to actually use it. Said front-facing camera is equipped with a 20MP sensor, while the circular quad camera setup at the back is composed of a 64MP primary snapper, a 5MP macro lens for extreme close-ups, a 13-megapixel ultra-wide shooter, and a 2MP depth sensor.
For reference, the "regular" Redmi K30 that saw daylight just a few months ago came with the same 64MP primary rear-facing camera in tow, as well as a slightly less impressive 2MP macro shooter and 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens while also settling for a humbler Snapdragon 730G SoC and a perforated 6.67-inch IPS LCD panel with dual selfie cameras.
There's also a third main K30 variant aptly named Redmi K30 Pro Zoom unveiled today with, well, enhanced zooming capabilities powered by an 8MP telephoto lens replacing the 5MP macro sensor of the K30 Pro.
Pricing and availability
Available in 128 and 256GB storage configurations with your choice of 6 or 8 gigs of memory, the Redmi K30 Pro is priced at a frankly unbelievable 2,999 yuan and up in China, which roughly equates to a measly $425. Unfortunately, we know full well not to expect Xiaomi to officially release any of its products (self of Redmi-branded) in the US, although this incredibly compelling K30 Pro is most likely headed for India soon and could also hit select European countries at some point in the not-so-distant future.
The Redmi K30 Pro Zoom costs the equivalent of around $565 in the world's largest smartphone market with a generous 8GB RAM count and 256 gigs of local digital hoarding room, which seems like a quality/price ratio that very few handsets in the US could ever rival.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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