Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 available internationally for $172

John Cusack

November 30, 2015

Xiaomi last week launched the brand new Redmi Note 3 and Xiaomi Mi Pad 2, both devices with surprisingly low prices and future-proof specs. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 constitutes the company’s efforts of creating a smartphone that manages to keep up with daily requirements even from power users, all the while providing interesting and useful features in an affordable package. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 was launched in China and while we didn’t expect it to be internationally available quite so soon, it is.

If you find yourself wondering if you should pay more than $500 for a smartphone that might not even last that long or risk on the Redmi Note 3 but invest less than half of that money, this deal might help you make a decision. Everbuying has opened pre-orders for both the 2 GB RAM and 16 GB ROM and 3 GB RAM 32 GB ROM variants of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3. The former costs $172 unlocked with coupon code 16Note3, while the latter costs $200 with the coupon code 32Note3. Seeing as the Redmi Note 3 price puts it in the mid-range segment, it’s very interesting to see how many features the handset actually offers.

First off, Xiaomi finally put a fingerprint sensor on the handset, a security feature many fans of the company have been asking for for a long time now. With a fingerprint sensor embedded on the back of the metal design surrounding the Redmi Note 3, Xiaomi is confident it has at least grabbed the attention of the international community. They say the tech they used in the fingerprint sensor makes it as accurate as sensors on devices like the Galaxy S6 and iPhone 6S. Since we haven’t tested it yet, we can’t vouch for that claim. Nonetheless, it’s comforting to see that you can get some extra security even at a low price point.

The two variants of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 are the same inside and out, save for the amount of RAM and internal storage that they house. With 5.5-inch FHD panels and Helio X10 chipsets, Android 5.0 Lollipop with MIUI 7 on board, 13 MP wide-angle cameras on the rear with fast autofocus and dual-tone flash, 5 MP front cameras, 4000 mAh batteries and metal bodies, the duo is quite interesting.

Considering that you will have to pay a couple of extra dollars when your package arrives from China (customs, shipping, VATs), you will still end up with a price that your pocket can handle much better than the price of an iPhone, Samsung flagship or even an LG flagship like the LG V10. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 boasts with specs pertaining to flagship smartphones, yet we can buy it for a price that is almost suspiciously low.

I’m definitely over the moon with this launch, but I will withhold judgement until I get to review this handset for myself. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 looks promising and debuts with new hardware in the form of the Helio X10 and the fingerprint sensor on the back. Demonstrating new aesthetics and a newfound affordability to its devices, Xiaomi launched a phone that might become an example of how Android should feel like for everyone. We just have to wait for the reviews to come in.