Redmi 4A Vs Redmi 3S: What would you prefer to buy ?

Redmi 4A: Rs 5,999
Redmi 3S: Rs 6,999
In an event in New Delhi, Xiaomi has launched the first phone in Redmi 4 series, Redmi 4A. It is an entry-level smartphone with decent hardware under the hood. The device is priced at Rs 5, 999 and will available for purchase starting from 23rd March on Amazon.in. At this price point, there is only one worthy competitor, Redmi 3S, which is priced at Rs 6,999. In this article, we will see how Redmi 4A stacks up against Redmi 3S.

 

Design

Both the phones have a similar design language. However, the back side on Redmi 3S is more curved which may provide good grip while holding the device. The Redmi 3s is made out of aluminium, but the Redmi 4A has a plastic build with metal coating on top. The speakers on Redmi 4A are slightly elevated that may help in preventing blocking of the speakers while holding the device. Altogether, the design shouldn't be a deal-breaker.

Performance & Storage

Redmi 4A is powered by 1.4 GHz, Quad Core, Qualcomm MSM8917 Snapdragon 425; whereas, a marginally more powerful 1.4 GHz, Quad Core, Qualcomm MSM8937 Snapdragon 430 powers Redmi 3S. The GPU on Redmi 4A is Adreno 308, and GPU on Redmi 3S is Adreno 505. Overall, Redmi 3S performs better compared to Redmi 4A, especially while gaming.

In the storage department, both phone pack 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage that can be expanded via microSD card.

Display

Both phones sport a 5-inch HD (720 x 1280 pixels) IPS LCD panel. There isn't any visible difference between the screens, and both look decent for the price.

Camera

Even in camera segment, both phones house similar hardware. They come with a 13MP f/2.2 system with LED flash on the back and 5MP f/2.2 system on the front. While Redmi 3S camera is assisted with PDAF, Redmi 4A camera is aided by autofocus. Both cameras can do Full HD recording. Though we didn't thoroughly explore Redmi 4A camera, our initials impressions suggest it is similar to Redmi 3S camera.

Software

Both phones run on Android 6.1.1 Marshmallow with MIUI 8 on the top. MIUI 8 offers some handy features like app lock, dual app, scrolling screenshot, etc. No information regarding the update to Android 7.0 Nougat is available at the time of writing this article.

Connectivity & Sensors

On the connectivity front, both devices support dual SIM, 4G LTE, GPRS, 3G, 2G, GPS/A-GPS, Glonass, Bluetooth 4.1, and microUSB for data transfer and charging.

Both phones come with the same set of sensors: accelerometer, gyro, proximity, and compass. Xiaomi did a commendable job by including gyro sensor in a Rs 5999 phone.

Battery

A non-removable 4100 mAh battery fuels Redmi 3S; whereas, a non-removable 3120 mAh battery fuels Redmi 4A. Redmi 3S is famous for providing excellent battery life so that you can expect at least an above average battery life on Redmi 4A.

Which one to buy?

In a nutshell, performance, battery life, and price should be the prominent deal breakers that should decide your purchase. If budget is not your concern, you should opt for Redmi 3S. Nevertheless, Redmi 4A is not a bad choice either. Also, be advised that Redmi 3S is currently out of stock with no ETA.