Redmi Note 6 Pro Vs Redmi Note 5 Pro: What’s Changed?

The Redmi Note 5 Pro was launched earlier this year. It was a big hit among Indian consumers due to its value for money pricing. Xiaomi is now all set to launch the Redmi Note 6 Pro in the country on 22nd November. The specifications of the Redmi Note 6 Pro are quite similar to its predecessor. But, even with similar specifications, Xiaomi claims that it is a major step forward from the previous smartphone.

What’s The Same

Before we start talking about what is different, here are the similarities. The Redmi Note 6 Pro has the same 4,000 mAh battery as its predecessor. Even though the company has tweaked the performance of the new device with MIUI 10, it still runs on the same Snapdragon 636 chipset from the previous generation. Having the same chipset means that both devices have the Adreno 509 GPU.

The company might have bumped up the display size from 5.99-inch to 6.26-inch but the screen resolution and type still remains the same. The new phone still ships with a hybrid SIM tray while the competition like Realme 2 Pro has a dedicated slot for the second SIM. Even memory and storage options stay the same while other contenders in this price range offer up to 8 GB of RAM + 128 GB of ROM.

What’s Changed

Improved Camera Optics

As one cannot judge a book by its cover, the same is the case with camera performance on this smartphone. The Note 6 Pro has a similar camera setup with one 12 MP sensor and one 5 MP sensor. But, the company claims better real-world output from them. The sensor on the new phone features a larger f/1.9 aperture instead of the f/2.2 which was present on the previous model. The larger aperture we hope, allows it to absorb more light, therefore resulting in better lit pictures.

Additionally, the camera of the new smartphone has a 1.4 micron size pixel that will help in capturing better detail. The device also has AI scene detection capabilities that enable it to automatically choose the best scene from 32 different available options.

The Redmi Note 6 Pro has dual front-facing cameras with AI portrait mode and 12 scene detection modes. The front camera setup has a 20 MP primary sensor and a 2 MP secondary sensor for the depth effect. Xiaomi states that the 20 MP sensor is integrated with Super Pixel Technology which when combined with the 2 MP depth sensor produces results equivalent to a 1.8 micron size pixel sensor.

New Design & Corrosion Resistant Ports

The new Note 6 Pro now has a wide notch on the front. With an arc design on the back and a brushed metallic finish. The design not only looks good but, it also improves the grip of the device in the user’s hand.

With the Note 5 Pro, some consumers in coastal regions were left disgruntled. The 3.5 mm jack and charging port on their phone would corrode easily. The company noticed that it was an issue that was mostly faced by people living in coastal regions. Upon investigation, the company found humidity along with salt to be the reason behind the issue. To overcome the problem, Xiaomi now uses a corrosion resistant metal alloy to manufacture the ports for their devices.

P2i Coating

Xiaomi coats the innards of its Note 6 Pro with a P2i hydrophobic nano coating which makes it resistant to light splashes of liquid. However, It does not make the smartphone waterproof. But, the coating will allow the handset to easily survive those accidental liquid spills.

Bigger, Brighter Screen

The Note 6 Pro packs in a larger 6.26-inch display compared to a 5.99-inch on its predecessor. Xiaomi has managed to pack a larger display into the phone while retaining the footprint of its predecessor. Furthermore, the display panel on the new phone can reach up to 500 nits  of peak brightness. These high brightness levels allow for easy screen viewability even in harsh sunlight.

MIUI 10

The Note 6 Pro runs MIUI 10 out of the box which Xiaomi claims is highly optimised. According to the company, MIUI 10 significantly bumps up performance on the new device while still featuring the same Snapdragon 636 processor. The new MIUI 10 also has inbuilt support for gestures which makes navigation across the device’s menus a total breeze.