Redmi K30 vs Redmi K20: What’s the Difference

Redmi K30 has been launched as the latest entrant in the Redmi K series that debuted in May. The new Redmi phone is the successor to the Redmi K20 that had a pop-up selfie camera module to deliver a full-screen experience. It also comes in two distinct variants -- 4G and 5G. Featuring a 120Hz display, the Redmi K30 is claimed to deliver smooth graphics. The smartphone also flaunts a quad rear camera setup that is designed to capture ultra-wide-angle and macro shots. Further, the Redmi K30 comes with a 3D curved glass body. The Redmi K30 5G also pack 30W fast charging support.

In this article, we compare the Redmi K30 with the Redmi K20 to detail all the key differences between the two phones.

Redmi K30 vs Redmi K20: Price

The Redmi K30 price is set at CNY 1,599 (roughly Rs. 16,100) for the base 6GB RAM + 64GB storage variant, while its 6GB RAM + 128GB storage option is priced at CNY 1,699 (roughly Rs. 17,100). The handset also has the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage model at CNY 1,899 (roughly Rs. 19,100) and 8GB RAM + 256GB storage option carries a price tag of CNY 2,199 (roughly Rs. 22,100). It comes in Deep Sea Light, Flower Shadow, and Purple Jade Fantasy colour options.

The Redmi K30 5G price starts at CNY 1,999 (roughly Rs. 20,100) for the base 6GB RAM + 64GB storage variant. The smartphone also comes in 6GB RAM + 128GB storage option at CNY 2,299 (roughly Rs. 23,100) and 8GB RAM + 256GB storage option at CNY 2,599 (roughly Rs. 26,100), whereas its top-of-the-line 8GB RAM + 256GB storage model carries a price tag of CNY 2,899 (roughly Rs. 29,100). The handset has Deep Sea Light, Time Monologue, Flower Shadow, Purple Jade Fantasy colours.

In contrast, the Redmi K20 was launched in China in May with a price tag of CNY 1,999 (roughly Rs. 20,100) for the 6GB RAM + 64GB storage variant. The smartphone also has the 6GB RAM + 128GB storage option at CNY 2,099 (roughly Rs. 21,100) and 8GB RAM + 256GB storage model at CNY 2,599 (roughly Rs. 26,200). The Redmi K20 debuted in India in July with a starting price of Rs. 21,999 for the 6GB RAM + 64GB storage option, while its 6GB RAM + 128GB storage model is priced at Rs. 23,999. Moreover, the phone comes in Carbon Black, Flame Red, and Glacier Blue colour options.

Redmi K30 vs Redmi K20: Specifications

The Redmi K30 and Redmi K20 both have dual-SIM (Nano) support. The smartphones run Android with Xiaomi's custom MIUI on top. The Redmi K30 comes preloaded with MIUI 11, while the Redmi K20 has MIUI 10 by default, though it's also upgradable to MIUI 11. On the display front, the Redmi K30 features a 6.67-inch full-HD+ (1080x2400 pixels) display with HDR 10 support, 20:9 aspect ratio, and 120Hz refresh rate. The display panel also has a hole-punch design that matches the display of the Samsung Galaxy S10+. This is notably unlike the Redmi K20 that had a 6.39-inch AMOLED full-HD+ (1080x2340 pixels) display with 19.5:9 aspect ratio and 60Hz refresh rate -- without any cutout or hole-punch design.

Under the hood, the Redmi K30 5G variant is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SoC, paired with 6GB and 8GB LPDDR4x RAM options. The Redmi K30 4G option, on the other hand, comes with Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G SoC. On the other hand, the Redmi K20 uses Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 SoC, paired with 6GB and 8GB RAM options. The India variant of the Redmi K20 comes with only 6GB RAM, though.

In terms of optics, the Redmi K30 has the quad rear camera setup that includes a 64-megapixel primary Sony IMX686 sensor, paired with an f/1.89 lens. The camera setup also consists of an 8-megapixel secondary sensor with an f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle lens that has a field-of-view (FoV) 120 degrees, 5-megapixel sensor with a 2cm super macro lens that has an f/2.4 aperture and a 2-megapixel depth sensor with an f/2.4 lens. The Redmi K30 4G variant distinctly includes a 2-megapixel macro lens sensor in place of a 5-megapixel one available on the 5G model. Whereas, the Redmi K20 packs a triple rear camera setup that includes a 48-megapixel primary Sony IMX582 sensor along with an f/1.75 lens, a 13-megapixel secondary sensor with a wide-angle lens, and an 8-megapixel tertiary sensor with an f/2.4 lens.

For selfies, the Redmi K30 has a dual selfie camera module that sits on top of the hole-punch design and includes a 20-megapixel primary sensor and a 2-megapixel secondary sensor. The Redmi K20, on the other hand, houses a pop-up selfie camera module that includes a 20-megapixel sensor.

Both Redmi K30 and Redmi K20 are offered in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB UFS 2.1 onboard storage options.

Connectivity options on the Redmi K30 included 4G VoLTE, 5G (optional), Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v5.1, GPS/ A-GPS, NFC, USB Type-C, and a 3.5mm headphone. The Realme K20 also had a similar list of connectivity options -- sans NFC and 5G support.

The Redmi K30 and Redmi K20 both come with an in-display fingerprint sensor. Other sensors on both phones are also quite similar, including accelerometer, ambient light, and gyroscope among others.

Xiaomi has provided a 4,500mAh battery on the Redmi K30. The 5G variant has 30W fast charging support, while the 4G model comes with 27W fast charging. However, the Redmi K20 included a 4,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support.

The Redmi K30 measures 165.3x76.6x8.79mm and weighs 208 grams. In contrast, the Redmi K20 measures 156.7x74.3x8.8mm and weighs 191 grams.

Is Realme X2 better than Redmi Note 8 Pro, Redmi K20? 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.