Not too long after launching the Redmi 2, Xiaomi has released a mid-lifecycle refresh called the Redmi 2 Prime. The new release, which is more of a variant than a whole new model, brings a slight but significant bump to the spec sheet which will help the company fend off fresh competition. The Redmi 2 is sticking around at its recently reduced price of Rs. 5, 999 which allows the new Redmi 2 Prime to step in at its predecessor’s original launch price of Rs. 6, 999.
Xiaomi continues to use publicity shots of the Redmi 2 Prime with different coloured rear shells, but the phone is only available for purchase in white or grey. The front is plain black either way, with the capacitive button labels printed in red adding a little personality. The status LED is in an unusual location right on the bottom, beneath the Home button.
The power and volume buttons are on the right, the 3.5mm audio port is on top, and the Micro-USB charging and data port is on the bottom.
The camera lens bulges slightly from the upper middle of the rear, with the flash, loudspeaker and secondary microphone arranged around it. There are two Micro-SIM slots and a microSD card slot beneath the rear shell. You’ll have to pop the battery out in order to swap SIMs.the screen is still a 4.7-inch 720x1280 fully laminated panel. There’s an 8-megapixel camera on the rear capable of 1080p video recording, and a 2-megapixel one on the front.4G is supported on the Indian 2300MHz band on both SIMs, and there’s also the usual Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and FM radio.The battery lasted 11 hours, 25 minutes in our video loop test which was actually a drop from the Redmi 2’s score of 12 hours, 18 minutes.
The Xiaomi Redmi 2 Prime is one of the strongest contenders in its price band, offering 4G, an impressive camera, and solid performance.