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Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T: test / review

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Published on: 11-01-2021 / Modified: 28-04-2021
Xiaomi continues to launch many phones to the point of making their positioning difficult to understand. The Redmi Note 9T is a mid-range phone that comes in opposition to the Samsung Galaxy A51 and A52 (expected to be released in March/April).

Xiaomi has a component library that allows them to assemble phones with just a few differences between models. Last year the Redmi Note 8T was a declination of the Redmi Note 8 for the European market. The Redmi Note 9T has nothing to do with the Redmi Note 9, it is a slightly different phone.

The common points with the Redmi Note 9 are:
- size, weight, camera

The differences:
- 5G, 1Gb more memory, twice as much power, better finish
The test will probably reveal other differences.

I bought the Redmi Note 9T on Aliexpress (origin Europe) in presale at 185€. So take advantage of this offer because the price will increase to 229€! (click on the link where I bought it to benefit from this offer too).

Manufacturer web site:
https://www.mi.com
Site where I have bought the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_AtAcf3

Structure of my tests

I test the phones according to a pre-established structure (see below) to provide you with as much information as possible. Unfortunately, this takes a long time. Some tests like network performance tests take several days and for photo tests I sometimes have to wait until the weather is suitable to take pictures in good conditions. I am therefore obliged to publish the tests step by step, so I invite you to come back if the test is not complete at the time of your visit.

Price Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T

The list below shows the prices for the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T from more than 50 sites around the world. If you are not satisfied with any price, you can subscribe to a price alert to be the first to be notified when the price drops.

Timeline

11/01/2021 purchase of Redmi Note 9T in pre-sale on Aliexpress
19/01/2021 reception of Redmi Note 9T, start of the test

Why this phone?

The Redmi Note 9T is sold between 200 and 300€, it is in this price range that I buy the most phones. I was a bit disappointed by the Redmi Note 9 because its level of finish had deteriorated compared to the previous model and the quality of the photos was also less good. So I hope Xiaomi has corrected the situation with this new model which offers more power than a Poco X3 or Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite while remaining competitive in price.

The Redmi Note 9T is 5G compatible and with its price positioning, it is the cheapest 5G phone on the market (at the time of launch).

Unpacking

The Xiaomi boxes follow each other and look alike. I can see that Xiaomi is reusing to the maximum its large component toolbox, this is also seen for the boxes that were once all a little different. Today all the boxes are the same in terms of size, the visuals sometimes change but the content remains the same. The box contains the phone, a charger, a USB cable, a manual, a transparent shell and a needle to open the SIM drawer (which can hold 2 sim cards and a memory card).

First configuration

The configuration of MIUI 12 follows the same steps as other phones running the same operating system, however I notice a little subtlety each time to encourage you to sign up for the Xiaomi cloud. I repeat it each time but it's also because Xiaomi applies small changes that probably result in the accidental creation of a Xiaomi Cloud account.

Their latest trick? Towards the end of the configuration, you come across an untitled screen asking if you want to re-use your Google or Xiaomi account. This is a normal question in a configuration process except that here it has nothing to do with the phone's configuration. If you click on "Google" thinking about installing your Google account on the phone, you will involuntarily sign up to the Xiaomi cloud. If you ask to skip this step, the phone will ask you a second time if you are sure you don't want to register.

The move to a paid version of Google Photos in June 2020 will surely incite Xiaomi to try to get as many customers as possible, they are right but I think they should do it in a more transparent way.

Finish

In the last two years, Xiaomi has tried everything. I've seen phones in all colours, sometimes with matt plain surfaces, sometimes shiny, sometimes gradient, sometimes glass, sometimes metal, sometimes plastic, ... The Redmi Note 9T takes the textured surface of the Redmi 9C and adds a gradient effect. The phone is actually quite uniform in colour, but depending on the angle of the light, a gradient effect is obtained. The texture looks a bit like a pair of jeans trousers.

You should always take price into account when making judgements about finishes and colours. The Redmi Note 9T is a little bit better than the Redmi Note 9 in terms of price and I think it is indeed a little better designed. The back shell of the Redmi Note 9 would sink in as soon as you touched it and the plastic layer was so thin that I could feel the components inside the phone. This is no longer the case for this model, the texture used is also less fanciful and the whole thing is better controlled.

Xiaomi has visibly corrected a big finishing flaw in their entry-level and mid-range phones. The photo sensor usually comes out quite strong, this is not the case here, this is a clear improvement. Positioning the sensor in the middle gives the phone a better balance when placed on a flat surface.

The fingerprint sensor is ideally positioned to accommodate the right thumb, but the volume buttons are so well integrated into the phone that they are harder to locate when touching them, there is no separation between the volume up and volume down buttons.

All in all, the Redmi Note 9T offers a very classic configuration with the mono speaker at the bottom, the USB type C port, the sim drawer on the left (2 sims + memory card at the same time), the infrared sensor at the top and the sound sensors.

The level of finish is therefore quite correct for this price.

Specifications

The information below comes from the Device Info HW application. The application provides detailed technical information about the tested phone.I bought the 4Gb / 64 Gb version and you will find the detailed specifications in the following screens. The Redmi Note 9T uses a processor that I haven't seen on any other phone yet and I am also surprised to see that the photo sensor is a 12 Million pixel sensor. Even though Xiaomi applies the binning pixel, the technical specifications usually indicate the total number of pixels.

CPU / GPU Performance

The Redmi Note 9T is equipped with a Mediatek Dimensity 800U CPU. I have never tested this type of CPU before but in theory it can be measured against a Qualcomm 765G and if this is true in the test, it means that the Redmi Note 9T offers an excellent price/performance ratio.

For the graphics part, the Redmi Note 9T is based on a Mali G57 GPU. I have not yet tested other phones with the same GPU but the performance should be close to a Qualcomm Adreno 620.

On paper, this Redmi Note 9T offers a very good performance compared to its price positioning. In theory, it offers a performance equivalent to the Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G at almost €100 less.

Benchmark Antutu/3DMark

I scored 289,000 points with Antutu. The Redmi Note 9T offers comparable performance to the Redmi Note 9s, Redmi Note 8 Pro, Poco X2 or Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite.

With such a score, the Redmi Note 9T should feel like a helper for both everyday tasks and 3D games. The price positioning of the Redmi Note 9T compared to phones like the Mi 10 Lite will give the Redmi Note 9T a good price/performance ratio, which is one of its strengths.






Gaming

To test the performance in game, I download the mobile PUBG game and evaluate the in-game experience, graphics level and depth of vision. This game is quite demanding and should help you evaluating the performance of a phone.

PUBG Mobile is a game optimised for all types of phones, so you can use a low-powered phone as well as a higher-powered one. The difference will be noticeable in the gaming experience with the level of graphics or the fluidity of movements. The Redmi Note 9T is powerful enough to run PUBG Mobile in HD, so it offers a good gaming experience in terms of detail, animation and movement.

Network performance

Phones produced by Xiaomi in the last 6 months tend to follow the same type of configuration for 3G/4G/5G frequencies. The Redmi Note 9T stands out a little bit from the crowd as it offers a much wider frequency coverage. It covers 19 4G frequencies and 12 5G frequencies.

As 5G is not yet widespread and there are still many questions about which frequencies to use, Redmi Note 9T should give you greater certainty that the phone will work properly the day 5G is available everywhere.


Signal 4G (before december 2020)

The ability to pick up the network correctly is an essential element for a phone but it is only very rarely measured. To measure a phone's ability to pick up the network, I perform a large number of measurements on the same cells to be able to compare phones under similar conditions. The signal is measured in dBm, a value of -90dBm indicates a worse signal than -70dBm. These measurements are therefore taken under real conditions and not in a laboratory, they are not scientific but give a good indication of performance.



Signal 4G (from December 2020)

I decided to change the methodology for measuring the network because I noticed that the configuration of the mobile network changes over time. This makes it more difficult to compare phones because the conditions are no longer exactly the same.

To overcome this problem, I set up a device that captures 24 hours a day about ten parameters from the mobile network (ex: cell id, rssi, rsrq, snr, frequency,...). I then place the phone next to the device for 24 to 48 hours taking the same measurements so that I can compare them.

Overview of the phones tested with this methodology



If you read my tests regularly, you've probably noticed that Xiaomi has never been a champion in terms of network sensitivity. I recently tested the Poco M3 which ranked among the top phones in terms of network sensitivity and I now have the Redmi Note 9T added to the list.



The Redmi Note 9T gets a slightly better average signal than my meter, this is the second phone that manages to match the performance of my meter. The difference is not huge but compared to phones like the Poco X3, the difference is very large. The 4G signal is also quite stable and on the graph you can see that the Redmi Note 9T hits the maximum value more often than the reference device.

Download/Upload speed

To test the download speed, I have identified some 4G cells offering good performance where I test all my devices several times to see what download and upload speed they can achieve.

Wifi performance

To test a phone's ability to receive the network properly, I take measurements near my router and then remotely (and always at the same place). This gives me an average in dBm where a value of -90 dBm indicates poorer performance than a value at -30 dBm.


Wifi signal

I measured a -15 dbM signal near the router and a -63 dBm signal at a distance. These are above average values which indicates a good wifi sensitivity (in 2.4Ghz).



Download/Upload speed

To test the speed in Wifi, I connect to my router in 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz (if available) and use the Ookla application to measure the speed.

GPS performance

To test the quality of the GPS signal I use the Offline Maps application and I make the same train trip in pedestrian mode. Why? In pedestrian mode, the GPS does not artificially correct the signal to stick to the road, it has no markings, so you can see the actual position. I then use an application to measure the accuracy of the signal.

The Redmi Note 9T is equipped with a Mediatek CPU and this type of CPU is often synonymous with good GPS performance. This is indeed still the case as I obtained an accuracy of 2 meters in the open. I also wanted to check the frequencies used and it seems that the Redmi Note 9T only uses one frequency per network.

Battery range

I charged the Redmi Note 9T from 0% to 100% in 148 minutes, it is probably possible to go a bit faster with a suitable charger but with the charger I use for my tests, the Redmi Note 9T is one of the fastest. The first few minutes are particularly fast so you should be able to recharge a few percent quickly to help out if you need it.



I obtained an autonomy of 768 minutes with the screen at 100% brightness and 2054 minutes with 50% brightness. The difference is quite significant and this means that the screen brightness is not linear. At 100% the screen is almost 3x brighter than at 50%.

Photo camera test

To test the quality of photos produced by a phone, I do a technical test (resolution, sharpness, chromatic aberration,...) in studio (identical conditions) to evaluate the technical part objectively. From the second half of 2020, I built my own laboratory to take completely objective technical measurements. I then take pictures in real conditions to see how the camera performs. I then evaluate these photos according to my criteria but I publish the photos so that you can evaluate the result according to your criteria.

Hardware

The Redmi Note 9T uses the Samsung S5KGM1 sensor as the main sensor, which is probably the most widely used sensor in the Xiaomi mid-range. It can also be found in the Redmi Note 9, Poco M3, Redmi Note 8 or the Redmi Note 7 launched 2 years ago.

It is therefore not a new sensor and the quality of the photos varies quite strongly from one model to another. The photos taken by the Redmi Note 7 were good while those taken by the Redmi Note 9 were not good because of an unsuitable colour treatment.

This sensor is capable of producing good photos but the processing can sometimes degrade the quality of the photos. I hope that Xiaomi has corrected these errors with the Redmi Note 9T.

Default app

The default photo application of Redmi Note 9T is the same as on other phones running MIUI 12. This application has been simplified since MIUI 12 and is composed of the following options: photo, video, pro, portrait. It is then possible to customize the main inputs to add possibilities such as night mode or slow motion.

Photo quality

Photo test / studio



I have already had the opportunity to test this Samsung sensor in other phones with quite different results. However, I can already more or less predict the result because this Samsung sensor has some difficulties in finding the right exposure under artificial light. As you can see on this picture, the exposure is not very good.

Before running away and directing you to another phone, I would like to qualify this first result. The photo taken in this example was taken in normal mode and without any assistance (neither AI, nor HDR, ....), using these features can radically change a photo and this without too much effort because you just need to activate the AI or HDR mode according to your preference.

Here in HDR mode:


The result is not yet perfect but the exposure is much better. Playing with HDR and AI sometimes gives better results but I took the exercise a step further by taking a picture in pro mode (RAW file).


The difference with the photo in automatic mode is obvious, the exposure is much better and the colours are more vivid. So again I come to the same conclusion about the quality of this sensor, it is capable of producing good photos but it requires an effort to reach a better quality level. This is clearly not what a normal user would expect from a phone of this type.

I would just add that photos taken in the studio are not necessarily representative of the quality of outdoor photos. So I have to test the phone outdoors to be able to draw conclusions.



Photo test / sunny

Not yet available / tested

Photo test / cloudy



I tested the Redmi Note 9T in the winter, so the brightness is not ideal, it was quite dark and cloudy but that's OK, these are good conditions to see what a phone has in its belly.

The first photo of this example lacks a little light but for the rest I think it is quite good because the luminosity was not good, the sky was very cloudy and the vegetation had lost all its colours.

As for the studio test, I will show what HDR/AI processing is capable of delivering in the same conditions.

With HDR:

The result is already much better, the photo is generally better lit, the vegetation is less dark and some colours are now visible. The recomposition of the images works quite well because I don't see any ghost effect on the branches of the tree.

If I activate HDR and AI at the same time, I get results sometimes a bit surprising like this one:

This photo is so bright that it almost hurts the eyes. I also see chromatic aberration appearing on the branches. From a technical point of view this photo has some defects but I am sure that it could please by its very luminous side.

With the pro mode, I get interesting results like this one:

The luminosity was even less good than for the first photos, I took this photo one hour later than the other photos and yet with the pro mode, the phone is able to recover luminosity and even restore many details not visible with the other modes (HDR, AI,...). I notice some smoothing in the periphery but for the rest, the Redmi Note 9T captures enough information to improve the rendering manually.



Test photo / night


The Redmi Note 9T uses a Samsung photo sensor that I have had the opportunity to test in other phones and each time the result for the night photos was absolutely correct. The Redmi Note 9T has a night mode that works fine but oddly enough I got better results with AI or HDR modes. For the photos below I have each time used normal mode, AI mode, HDR mode and then night mode. Night mode emphasizes details but makes the photo look less natural, while sometimes HDR is able to do better.

The night photos produced by the Redmi Note 9T are quite good. The digital noise is almost invisible, the outlines are quite sharp, the level of sharpness is good even if it is sometimes a little forced. The halos of light are better controlled in night mode but on the other photos I find that the result is quite correct. Night mode and HDR are quite fast despite the need to have to capture multiple images. The center is always sharper than the periphery, it is often the case, we can see here that the tree branches on the periphery are often less sharp.

Video quality

Stabilisation



The Redmi Note 9T is capable of stabilizing images, and this option is enabled by default. Stabilization softens the shocks caused by walking, but does not completely absorb them. If I compare the result with what I've seen on entry-level phones, the effect of stabilisation on the Redmi Note 9T makes the video watchable but the stabilisation is not yet comparable to what is found in high-end phones.

Video normale conditions


The Redmi Note 9T is capable of shooting at 4k 30 fps. The quality of the video is in line with what the photo sensor is capable of producing. We also see here a slight underexposure and a rather cold colouring. Sharpness is good, exposure jumps are not very visible, the phone quickly recalculates exposure changes. The Redmi Note 9T is capable of producing good videos, the inherent qualities of the sensor are however much better highlighted when the sun is present. Cloudy weather may enhance the cold treatment of the colours.

Video low light



The Redmi Note 9T has difficulty finding the correct focus area, it is constantly looking for a place where it can focus. In the absence of movement, the focus is established correctly, but in motion it jumps constantly between the foreground and the background. Rapid movements are therefore not recommended. When the image is stable, the Redmi Note 9T is capable of producing average quality night videos. The sharpness is not sufficient, the edges are smoothed. Digital noise, on the other hand, is well mastered. This level of quality is normal for this price range.

Audio quality

To test the quality of the phone's audio output, I connect the device's audio output to a measuring tool, then play sounds on all frequencies and measure the differences between the original sound and the sound produced by the phone. In this way I measure the phone's ability to correctly reproduce all sounds.

Frequency Response

This test is intended to test the device's ability to correctly reproduce all frequencies. The white line in the middle of the graph is the ideal situation and the other colors come from tests on different phones. A deviation from the reference line indicates a deviation from the ideal situation. To see good sound at all frequencies, it is therefore necessary to get as close as possible to the reference line.

The Redmi Note 9T is capable of reproducing most frequencies more or less correctly but with some instability on certain frequencies. If I compare the test with the Poco X3, I see that the frequency coverage is better in the low frequencies but the curve is not linear like the Poco. The Redmi also stalls faster in the high frequencies.

Dynamic Range

This test is designed to test a phone's ability to play sounds at different volume levels. Here too, the phones must be as close as possible to the reference.

As I wrote above, the Redmi Note 9T produces a powerful sound and this can be seen on the curve if I compare the result with the Poco X3. The Redmi comes very close to the reference.

Noise Level

This test aims to identify if the device under test is able to reproduce sounds without too much noise. A high score indicates a low parasite rate, a lower score indicates a higher presence of parasites.

No he encontrado ningún problema de interferencias con el Redmi Note 9T, la curva se acerca bastante a la referencia y las desviaciones en las frecuencias no son muy importantes.

Screen quality

To test the screen, I use a colorimetric probe that measures the color accuracy of a screen, as well as other parameters to see if a screen is able to correctly reproduce an image. I also test the brightness level to determine if the screen will be able to display an image in full sunlight.

Colorimetry



By default, the Redmi Note 9T is not set correctly for colours, so switch to standard mode in the display settings. Once this mode is engaged, I get a good colorimetry with a dE of 2.8. White is particularly well controlled with a very low dE and an ideal colour temperature of 6500k. I note however a very important deviation on blue and cyan which are much more out of the norm, blue tends to deviate towards purple.



Brightness / Contrast

I measured a brightness of about 420 cd/m² when I push the screen at 100% but if I flood the sensor with a strong light source, I measured a brightness of 514 cd/m². The Redmi Note 9T therefore offers a good brightness that will allow you to use the phone in the sun (you need to activate the "sun" mode).

Biometry

Xiaomi has tried many placement possibilities for the fingerprint sensor and at the moment the most common choice is to place the fingerprint sensor on the side in the same place as the on/off button.

This is a choice that works quite well, I first saw it with the Redmi Note 9s and after a few variations on the position of the sensor I find that Xiaomi has found a good balance. The detection speed has also improved, the sensor is really fast.

Operating system

Encoutered bugs

Not yet available / tested

Accessories Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T

Compare Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T with the others

Test / Review conclusion

Xiaomi had launched the Redmi 8T as a European alternative for the Redmi Note 8, so the two phones were almost identical in every way. The Redmi Note 9T did not follow this logic, it does not have much in common with the Redmi Note 9, it is a phone of a different type. I was wondering what Xiaomi had wanted to do with this Redmi Note 9T because I found its positioning quite curious, I even wondered what it could be used for in the Xiaomi range. After having toured the phone, I better understand its positioning.

First there is 5G, this type of frequency is not yet widespread but the Redmi Note 9T is one of the cheapest 5G phones on the market. Next to 5G, the second interesting point about this Redmi Note 9T is its performance. This is the first time that I have tested the MediaTek Dimensity 800U, it is able to deliver a performance similar to some phones sold between 250 and 350 € while the Redmi Note 9T costs less than 200 €. The Redmi Note 9T therefore offers an excellent price / performance ratio, it clearly stands out from the Redmi Note 9 with a very similar starting price. Xiaomi has not brought any big news in the last 12 months, they have contented themselves with re-using existing components to recompose slightly different phones with an adapted price positioning. As a rule, Xiaomi keeps a common basis for a majority of components and they select two or three that will have to make the phone stand out from the competition. For the Redmi Note 9T, they chose 3 elements that stand out from the average: 5G (less than 200 €), performance (one of better price / performance ratio) and a large 5000 mAh battery.

I have not encountered any major problems with this Redmi Note 9T as it incorporates many good components used in other phones that have proven their worth. It therefore obtains an average score on most criteria with a little more on performance.

Strengths

5G for less than 200 €
Price / performance ratio
Good battery capacity
Good network sensitivity
GPS Accuracy

Weaknesses

Quite cold photo rendering (except in pro mode)
Video autofocus in night mode

Alternatives to this product

If I take the strengths of this phone (5G, performance, battery, ...) I cannot find any direct competition in this price range. There is on the other hand the Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite which also offers 5G, very similar performance with a better level of finish, a better screen and a better camera for around 120 € more. The price difference is therefore very important.

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