X

Xiaomi's Redmi 2 is a budget handset that punches above its weight (pictures)

Soon to be available globally -- in markets the Chinese company is currently in -- this affordable sub-$120 smartphone shows just how good low-priced phones can be.

Aloysius Low
Aloysius Low is a Senior Editor at CNET covering mobile and Asia. Based in Singapore, he loves playing Dota 2 when he can spare the time and is also the owner-minion of two adorable cats.
Aloysius Low
xiaomi-redmi2-01.jpg
1 of 10 Aloysius Low/CNET

Xiaomi's Redmi 2 was announced in January, but hasn't yet found its way outside of China.

xiaomi-redmi2-02.jpg
2 of 10 Aloysius Low/CNET

The sub-$120 -- 699 yuan or $112, £73, AU$139 to be precise -- smartphone may be cheap, but seems capable of punching above its price point.

xiaomi-redmi2-07.jpg
3 of 10 Aloysius Low/CNET

The phone runs MIUI 6, which is based on Android 4.4. Internally the phone runs Qualcomm's 64bit Snapdragon 410 processor that's clocked at 1.2GHz. That's pretty good, since Xiaomi could have used the even lower-end Snapdragon 210 processor instead.

xiaomi-redmi2-03.jpg
4 of 10 Aloysius Low/CNET

Sure, it may be clad in plastic, but the 4.7-inch phone feels just right in the hand.

xiaomi-redmi2-03a.jpg
5 of 10 Aloysius Low/CNET

The sides and rear are matte plastic, which gives its a non-slippery grip.

xiaomi-redmi2-03b.jpg
6 of 10 Aloysius Low/CNET

On the top you'll find the 3.5mm audio jack. No surprises here.

xiaomi-redmi2-06.jpg
7 of 10 Aloysius Low/CNET

The phone isn't the slimmest at 9.4mm, but it's not meant to be.

xiaomi-redmi2-04.jpg
8 of 10 Aloysius Low/CNET

The Xiaomi Redmi 2 comes with a rear 8-megapixel camera. Internally, it has 1GB RAM and 8GB of onboard memory. It also includes a microSD card support for up to 32GB of extra storage.

xiaomi-redmi2-05.jpg
9 of 10 Aloysius Low/CNET

Here's another look at the camera.

xiaomi-redmi2-08.jpg
10 of 10 Aloysius Low/CNET

The phone comes with a 2,200mAh battery and support for dual-SIM LTE. If you need a cheap travel phone, this could just be the thing.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos