Redmi Go vs Redmi 6A: Comparing Xiaomi’s Most Affordable Phones

In January, Xiaomi dabbled into the Android Go ecosystem with its new Redmi Go smartphone. The smartphone was unveiled in China first, and was later made available in Philippines in February. Now, the Redmi Go phone has launched in India and its key highlights, apart from the stock Android experience, are the HD display, over 20 languages support, a 3,000mAh battery, and a dedicated microSD card slot. The Redmi Go, like all other Android Go phones, is placed in the budget segment.

If you're wondering whether you should opt for the Redmi Go, or the almost similarly priced Redmi 6A, here's a quick comparison between the two to help you assess.

Redmi Go vs Redmi 6A price

The Redmi Go price in India has been set at Rs. 4,499 for the sole 1GB RAM/ 8GB inbuilt storage variant. It will be made available in two colour variants - Black and Blue. The phone will be made available via Flipkart, Mi.com, and Mi Home stores from 12pm (Noon) IST on March 22. Redmi Go launch offers include up to Rs. 2,200 Jio cashback and up to 100GB free.

Redmi Go First Impressions

After a recent price cut, the Redmi 6A is now available at a price of Rs. 5,999 for 2GB RAM/ 16GB storage variant and the 2GB RAM/ 32GB storage variant is priced at Rs. 6,999. The smartphone is available via Amazon India and Mi.com, and is often sold at further reduced prices for a limited period.

Redmi 6A Review

Redmi Go vs Redmi 6A specifications

Possibly the biggest difference is that the Redmi Go runs Android 8.1 Oreo (Go edition), while the Redmi 6A runs MIUI 9.6 atop Android 8.1 Oreo out-of-the-box. Both support dual-SIM (Nano) slots with dedicated microSD card slot for memory expansion. The Redmi Go sports a 5-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) display, whereas the Redmi 6A has a slightly larger 5.45-inch HD+ (720x1440 pixels) panel. Both sport considerable chins at the top and bottom portions of the display.

The Redmi Go is powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 SoC, and the Redmi 6A is powered by the MediaTek Helio A22 SoC. The Redmi Go packs 1GB of RAM and the Redmi 6A comes with a larger 2GB RAM option. Furthermore, the Redmi Go only offers 8GB RAM, while the Redmi 6A offers 16GB and 32GB storage options.

The Redmi Go features an 8-megapixel rear camera with 1.12-micron pixels, an f/2.0 aperture, and a single LED flash module. The company is also touting full-HD video recording, apart from HDR features, real-time filters, and smart scene detection. On the front, the Redmi Go bears a 5-megapixel camera, with 1.12-micron pixels and an f/2.2 aperture. HDR features for the front camera were also touted - said to be a feature that's new for the entry-level segment.

The Redmi 6A, on the other hand, bears a single 13-megapixel rear camera sensor with PDAF and f/2.2 aperture. There is a 5-megapixel camera sensor on the front for selfies and video calling.

The Redmi Go measures 140.4x70.1x8.35mm and weighs 137 grams. The Redmi 6A is slightly heavier at 145 grams, and its dimensions are at 147.5x71.5x8.3mm. Both the phones pack a 3,000mAh battery, a Micro USB port for charging, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

Can Redmi Go Be the affordable smartphone that kills feature phones? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.