Xiaomi Hongmi (Red Rice). The most affordable MIUI smartphone. Xiaomi Hongmi: “red rice Smartphones xiaomi red rice
The Chinese company Xiaomi, which has a good reputation among certain buyers, has released a new smartphone model based on the Android operating system, which is priced at only $ 130 (99 euros or 4,300 rubles)! Let's see what we get for this money.
First of all, earlier the communicator had the code designation Red Rice, but it entered the market under the name Hongmi, which means “red rice” in Chinese.
The new device has almost 2 times less price than its predecessor Mi-2A for $ 240, which was previously considered the most budget smartphone of the company.
The Xiaomi Hongmi smartphone is equipped with a 4.7-inch display. This is the largest screen among all models of this manufacturer. It is worth noting that the top-end Mi-2S has a 4.3-inch screen, while the mid-range Mi-2A has a 4.5-inch screen. It turns out that the size of the display increases by saving on the "internals" of the devices.
Discussing the screen of Xiaomi Hongmi, it is worth adding that it has HD-resolution (720p) and is protected from scratches by Corning Gorilla Glass 2. The processor of the smartphone is a 4-core 1.5 GHz MediaTek MT6589 on an ARM Cortex-A7 microchip. The device has 1 GB of RAM and 4 GB of internal memory, which can be further expanded with a microSD card. The front camera is 1.3 MP, the main one is 8 MP with 1080p video capture.
The new smartphone Xiaomi Hongmi has simultaneous support for 2 SIM-cards, and the 3G network is present on both.
The out-of-the-box version of the operating system is Android Jelly Bean with MIUI 5 proprietary shell.
The battery of this model is removable (hurray!) 2000 mAh.
The affordable Xiaomi Hongmi smartphone will be available starting August 12 in red, black and gray body colors. Additionally, removable rear panels will be sold in blue, green and yellow.
The perfect combination of price, performance and specifications is the Xiaomi Red Rice 1S. It just so happened historically that if a smartphone is made in China, then this is far from the best choice. But now this situation has changed dramatically. One of the most striking examples is this device, which has copies with poorer filling and lower quality.
Equipment
The package bundle Xiaomi Red Rice 1S raises some complaints. First of all, this is documentation. as usual there is. But the user manual made of a cardboard sleeve is rather modest. For experienced users this is not a problem, but for beginners it can be an unpleasant surprise. Also missing is one of the accessories - headphones. They will have to be purchased separately for an additional fee. Also worth noting is the box of the device, which is made of recycled paper. This results in less damage to the environment. The rest of the package is quite common:
- Smartphone.
- 2000 mAh battery.
- MicroUSB - cord.
- Charger.
Smartphone hardware
A 4-core performance platform is at the heart of this gadget. We are talking about the MCM8228 chip from the company - developer "Kualkom", which belongs to the "Shapdragon 400" family. Its peak frequency can reach 1.6 GHz. This decision by the Chinese development engineers brings the Xiaomi Red Rice 1S to an excellent level of performance. A review of the complete documentation indicates the presence of a graphics adapter - "Adreno 305". Based on all of the above, we can confidently say that its hardware platform is sufficient to solve any task. All programs, including the most demanding games, will run without problems on this device.
Graphics and cameras
4.7 inches is the diagonal of the screen of this smart phone. Its resolution belongs to the class "HD", that is, 1280 x 720. It is also capable of handling up to 10 touches to the touch surface at once. It is difficult to say in what cases such functionality may be needed, but it is nevertheless implemented in this device. The matrix that underlies the display is made according to one of the best technologies for today - "IPS". Now about the cameras that are installed on Xiaomi Red Rice 1S. The overview of the technical parameters of each of them is impressive. The sensor element of the main camera is based on an 8 megapixel matrix. There is an automatic image stabilization system, autofocus and LED flash. All this ensures the impeccable quality of the photos. The second camera is brought to the front of the device. She has a more modest matrix of 1.6 megapixels. But its capabilities are quite enough for making video calls. The quality of the transmitted image raises no objections.
Memory subsystem
The ideal memory subsystem for Xiaomi Red Rice 1S. The smartphone is equipped with 1 GB of RAM standard DDR3. This is enough to run any programs. The built-in drive has a capacity of 8GB, of which about 2GB is occupied by the pre-installed software. The rest can be used by the user for his own needs. If this is not enough for you, then you can increase this volume up to 64 GB. You just need to install an external flash card. The MicroSD format is supported, and the corresponding slot is located next to the places where SIM cards are installed.
Appearance and usability
Despite the rather impressive dimensions (137 x 69 mm), the device does not look like a shovel in hand. All buttons are well grouped. Some of them are displayed on the right edge of the gadget (switches and swings for adjusting the sound), and some harmoniously fit under the screen (three classic touch buttons). The front panel is made of 2nd generation "Gorilla Eye" tempered glass. This material is resistant to scratches and there should be no problems with maintaining its appearance. The sides are made of plastic with a matte finish. So that your smartphone does not quickly lose its original appearance, you need to buy an additional accessory such as a cover. Xiaomi Red Rice 1S is such a popular smartphone model at the moment that this should not be a problem.
But what about autonomy?
The weak point is the battery of the Xiaomi Red Rice 1S. A review of its technical characteristics says a battery rating of 2000 mAh. Let's be objective: for such a diagonal and similar hardware resources, this capacity will not be enough. If you use your smartphone only for calls, then one charge will last for 2 days. In reality, with more intensive use of the device, it is only 8-10 hours. The problem can be solved either by using an external reinforced battery, or by using a second internal similar battery. In any case, you need to buy an additional accessory to increase the autonomy of the device. Otherwise, it can be discharged at the most inopportune moment for this. Moreover, the most practical solution is an external battery, which can be connected to the MicroUSB connector at any time.
OS and other software
The Xiaomi Red Rice 1S has a rather difficult situation with the system software. Initially installed firmware only includes English and Chinese. Accordingly, to Russify the gadget, you will have to install additional software. At least this is true for smartphones purchased in China. Domestic stores sell devices with Russian language support. But the indisputable advantage of this device is the proprietary MIUI shell from Xiomi. In addition to the usual set of utilities from Google and social services, it includes many programs: antivirus, a set of browsers and a text editor. In general, right out of the box, this smartphone is ready to go.
Communications
The set of communications from Xiaomi Red Rice 1S is impressive. It has everything you need and there is nothing superfluous. To exchange data with the global web, it is best to use "Wi-Fi". It is suitable for all situations, from humble startups and social networking to movies and online videos. If necessary, it can be replaced by a 3rd generation mobile network. Of course, the speed will be slightly lower, and the tariffs of cellular operators are not entirely modest, but it also allows you to work with any amount of information. If the smartphone works in the ZhSM network, then the speed will be much lower (up to 0.5 Mbit / s), and this will only allow you to communicate on social networks or view small sites on the Internet. There is also "Bluetooth", the main task of which is to transfer small files to smartphones or mobile phones. An excellent situation with this device with the navigation system. There are all standards: A-ZhPS, ZhPS and GLONASS. Moreover, they work clearly and their functioning raises no objections. This device provides support for only 2 wired interfaces: MicroUSB and 3.5 mm for the speaker system.
Xiaomi Red Rice, known in China as Hongmi (with a whale - red rice), is in many ways an iconic smartphone. Firstly, this is the first official MIUI smartphone based on the Mediatek chipset and at the same time with support for two SIM-cards, secondly, Red Rice has set a new bar for the lowest price in its class, and thirdly, for Xiaomi Red Rice has become the first a step in the entry-level segment. And judging by the sales results, it is a very successful step.
Xiaomi Red Rice Specifications:
Official price: 799 yuan ($ 130)
Dual SIM support (TD-SCDMA + GSM)
ROM MIUI V5 based on Android 4.2
4-core processor MT6589T with a frequency of 1.5 GHz
4.7-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, Gorrila Glass 2
4 GB ROM + memory card slot up to 32 GB
Rear camera - 8 MP (F2.2, Full HD video recording), front - 1.3 MP (HD video recording)
Optional: GPS + AGPS, Bluetooth BT4.0LE + BT3.0HS, WIFI Direct
Sensors: gyroscope, light, gravity, distance, electronic compass
Connectors: microUSB (OTG), standard 3.5mm audio output
Battery: 2000mAh
Dimensions: 137 x 69 x 9.9mm
Unfortunately, we got a review of the Xiaomi Red Rice version with support for 3G networks of the TD-SCDMA standard. This 3G standard is mainly widespread in China, and in our area another version of Xiaomi Red Rice is more relevant - with support for 3G WCDMA. But this will not affect the objective assessment of the device, because all other characteristics are identical.
Equipment
Typically, Chinese manufacturers complete entry-class smartphones to capacity. But Xiaomi Red Rice received a very modest kit, like all other phones of this brand, including the top-end Xiaomi Mi3. This is a good sign, as the company has confidence in its product and is not trying to enhance its appeal with a rich set of mediocre quality.
Red Rice is packaged in an eco-friendly cardboard box that has already become a classic for Xiaomi smartphones. It is made from recycled waste and features a minimalist design. Her main feature is that she is very strong and capable of supporting the weight of two adult men.
The kit includes a charger box, data cable, one 2000 mAh battery and Chinese documentation.
The charger box has a non-standard plug. Output current 1A, full charge time about two hours. The smartphone is also charged via a single data cable through any power source (computer, power bank, etc.), but for much longer.
High quality accessories.
Design and ergonomics
Many people criticize Xiaomi Red Rice's nondescript design, especially its wide bezels. In principle, design is a matter of taste, but Red Rice really looks rustic, as if it was done on purpose, so that it is more in line with the status of a “budget”. But it should be noted that live wide frames are not as striking as in the pictures.
The smartphone looks massive. If desired, its dimensions of 137 x 69 x 9.9 mm can easily accommodate a 5 "display, and not currently installed 4.7". In addition, the weight of the smartphone is well felt, which according to its characteristics is 158 g. For those who have large hands, the dimensions of the smartphone will fit perfectly, it will be convenient to operate with one hand. Below in the photo is my hand, it is medium in size. For me, the dimensions of Red Rice are quite convenient, but a slightly smaller smartphone would be ideal.
Red Rice's design may be simple, but practical. To further protect the display, the Red Rice edge has a border. The display itself is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 2.
The front camera and light and distance sensors are located in the left corner of the upper part of the bezel. Both sensors are working properly. A voice speaker is located in the center behind them. The quality is excellent, the interlocutor is heard clearly and loudly enough.
At the bottom of the front panel there are three red touch buttons - “Settings”, “Home” and “Back”. It is interesting that the buttons are not backlit, but in good lighting it seems quite the opposite, perhaps this is a property of paint. As a result, in good lighting the buttons are visible perfectly, but in poor lighting you need to navigate from memory. But the event indicator has a seven-color LED backlight.
Actually, in the photo below, exactly what I'm talking about - the buttons are not backlit, but they look exactly the same as the red LED indicator.
The back panel is made of regular plastic. It looks good, does not slip and is pleasant to the touch. Fingerprints remain, but not critical.
The smartphone has two microphones, one is the main one, which is traditionally located on the bottom, and the other is a noise canceling microphone, it is on the back, just above the rear camera. The camera itself protrudes slightly outside the body, but this does not affect the overall picture. Directly below it is a single LED backlight, the power is good.
It's worth noting that the main speaker is at the top of the rear panel, on the right edge. This is somewhat unusual, but Xiaomi is not the first time to experiment with the location of the speaker (remember the same). As for a “budget”, the sound is not bad and moderately loud.
The volume rocker and the power button are located on one end (on the right). This placement is comfortable and makes the smartphone more ergonomic. The buttons are comfortable, made of aluminum. At the same end you can find a hook for removing the cover, it is at the very bottom. This is another plus to the ergonomics of the device, for example, the Xiaomi Mi2 / 2S / 2A series does not have this and many users have difficulties removing the back cover. There is nothing on the left side.
On the offsite, Xiaomi praises Red Rice as a smartphone with good sound quality. In principle, the sound is not bad, a lot depends on the headphones, but it does not reach the top-level smartphones. He also lacks volume, for example, it is already difficult to hear in public transport.
The standard 3.5 mm audio output is on the top, the main microphone and microUSB connector on the bottom. There is OTG support.
The assembled Red Rice is excellent, no backlash, gaps or squeaks. The cover fits snugly and can be easily removed. Under the hood is a battery, two regular-sized SIM slots and a micro SD card slot.
Display
Red Rice received a 4.7-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels and a protective glass Gorrila Glass 2. Despite the budget status, the display pleased with its quality: the picture is clear, good color rendering, viewing angles and brightness are high. Feels like it is in no way inferior to its counterpart on the JiaYu G4.
It is worth noting the good work of the touchscreen, while the display boasts a multitouch for 10 touches, which is rarely found even in higher-end smartphones.
Hardware part
The heart of Red Rice is the MT6589T chipset from Mediatek. This chip is well known to fans of Chinese smartphones, it is based on 4-core Cortex-A7 (28 nm) with a frequency of 1.5 GHz and a PowerVR SGX544 graphics processor. Other specs include 1 GB of RAM and 4 GB of internal storage, which can be expanded by an additional 32 GB using microSD cards.
In Antutu, Red Rice showed 16,171 points, which is almost on par with the Nexus 4 and close to the result of the Samsung Galaxy S3.
I would like to draw your attention to a wide range of different sensors, which is also not typical for budget companies.
In operation, the smartphone is quite smart, its performance is quite enough for comfortable work. Red Rice easily plays videos of popular formats in the 1080p standard, has no restrictions on the Internet and supports most modern games, although not always at maximum settings. The pluses also include the fact that the smartphone does not heat up as much as counterparts on top-end chips. Actually, this is the merit of the MT6589T platform, which is famous for its optimal ratio of performance and energy efficiency.
As you can see, Red Rice is very good in performance, has good multimedia capabilities and is well equipped with sensors, as if it were not an entry-class smartphone at all. The Red Rice stuffing may well compete with many mid-range smartphones.
Battery
Xiaomi Red Rice is equipped with a 2000mAh battery. By modern standards, this is not much, but if the smartphone is used mainly as a dialer, then this is quite enough for 3 days. But if the device is used actively, count on one full day. Personally, my smartphone lives on average for two days, mainly calls, music, web surfing and a reader.
It is worth noting that such indicators were achieved not least thanks to the special Xiaomi software. The battery saver application has a number of settings and ready-made operating modes. The user can either use one of them or customize their own. I recommend digging into this program, it really helps to increase the "life" of a smartphone from one charge.
Battery test in Antutu.
Communications
The voice quality of Xiaomi smartphones has always been at a very high level, Red Rice is no exception. The device perfectly catches the network and keeps the signal stably. Microphones and a voice speaker are also of good quality, the interlocutor is heard perfectly.
Today, there are two versions of Xiaomi Red Rice on sale, both smartphones support two SIMs, but one works only with the Chinese 3G TD-SCDMA standard, and the second with 3G WCDMA standard, which, in particular, is presented here. Unfortunately, the quality of 3G WCDMA connection in Ukraine leaves much to be desired. The only operator that supports 3G WCDMA communication in Ukraine has significant coverage problems, while the main operators do not support it at all. Therefore, for most of us, it doesn't really matter which version of Xiaomi Red Rice to choose, because they will still use the GSM + GSM combination.
I was pleased with the work of GPS. Out of the box, the navigation of the Xiaomi Red Rice is better than that of most smartphones based on MTK chips. A similar situation is observed with. If, for example, a cold start for most of the “Chinese” at the ITC takes up to 3 minutes, then here - seconds. Also Red Rice sees satellites better. True, it falls short of the quality of navigation of the "big brothers" Xiaomi Mi2 / 2A / 2S on Qualcomm chips.
Outdoor GPS test.
Indoor GPS test (one-story house).
Cameras
Red Rice received two cameras - 8 megapixel rear and 1.3 megapixel front. The quality of the cameras is average.
The most that the front camera will do is video communication. You can record HD videos, but a good self-portrait won't work. At the same time, the rear camera has some potential. Even a very good photo can be taken under good conditions. The camera has autofocus, LED-backlight with good power, F2.2 aperture and is capable of recording Full HD video. The main disadvantage is that in low light, the quality of video and images drops noticeably, however, like most cameras on smartphones.
Example photo on the rear camera:
The originals of the photos can be downloaded here: (Downloads: 311)
Sample 1080p video:
But the camera application is made at the highest level, it no longer depends on the class of the smartphone, since this is the basic ROM MIUI program. The camera is highly customizable and comes with useful built-in functions. For example, the camera can automatically detect the QR code.
Software
One of the main advantages of all Xiaomi smartphones is the official ROM MIUI support. Today MIUI is one of the most popular firmwares in the world, and there are objective reasons for this.
Unlike stock Android, on which it is based, MIUI has significantly more functionality and at the same time offers an alternative design where there are no desktops. After meeting MIUI, many users no longer want to return to stock Android, arguing for a more convenient and thoughtful interface. It is also important that MIUI has top-level support - the system is updated every Friday. You can read a detailed MIUI review.
Red Rice uses MIUI V5, which is based on Android 4.2.1. This version only supports English and Chinese, but if you wish, you can find a Russian-language version on the Internet. Out of the box apps are enough to get you started, and most of them are of better quality than stock Android counterparts. For example, you can select audio and video players, a task manager, a camera, which has already been mentioned, a browser, and more. In addition, MIUI has an excellent security system, a full-time antivirus, traffic control and personal data protection tools, and much more. MIUI is a firmware for the lazy, where everything is there, while everything is working properly and stably.
Since the smartphone has two SIM cards, an additional SIM button has been added to the voice call application. As you can see, the interface is very simple, intuitive and beautiful at the same time.
It should be noted that by default, MIUI does not have Google services preinstalled, in particular, there is no GooglePlay market. Instead of GooglePlay, the Xiaomi branded store is used, which, unfortunately, is in Chinese. But if you wish, all Google applications can be downloaded, moreover, from the same Xiaomi store.
As for the quality of MIUI work on Red Rice, everything is predicted well here. The system works quite fast. If we compare with top-end Xiaomi smartphones, then in terms of performance Red Rice, of course, is inferior to them, but not critical, it is comfortable to work with it.
Output
Well, after itself Xiaomi Red Rice left a pleasant impression, of the minuses - only the design, which stands out for its roughness. Otherwise, this is the best phone in its class, while it can compete even with devices at a higher level. Of its closest worthy competitors, only the JiaYu G4 comes to mind. In real retail, these smartphones have almost the same price, with a slight advantage Xiaomi, which in China today costs an average of $ 200. But on the other hand, the JiaYu G4 has a better battery and it is more attractive, albeit rather big.
In general, there is plenty to choose from. One thing is clear - any of these smartphones have not become a hit for nothing.
low price
high-quality display
high-quality assembly and materials
good performance
wide functionality
official MIUI
rough design
The device for review and testing is provided by the online store xiaomi-buy.com.ua
Xiaomi Red Rice 1S is a 4.7-inch smartphone with 2 SIM cards. The first budget smartphone of the popular company Xiaomi in China.
"Three tape recorders, three movie cameras
foreign, three silver cigarette cases,
suede jacket ... Ik ... three jackets "(c)
Something like this it all looked like when, after spending almost a year's test drive of the first version of Xiaomi Red Rice, on the device bought by my grandmother in 2013, the family council decided not to procreate entities, and to update the fleet of phones of the younger generation, from the “same stable”. Since there were as many as three offspring in a large family (a girl, a boy and ... a boy), the same number of new gadgets was planned.
For a year of peaceful coexistence with a thrifty pensioner, the founder of the line of "red rice" did not suffer at all, and showed himself to be a rather nimble workhorse. He did not differ much in his temper (except for a couple of bouts of nostalgia for his homeland, and spontaneous rollbacks to the Chinese language), and he assimilated well in our network.
The next, updated version of "rice" received the refinement 1S to its name, and remaining in the previous dimensions and weight (137 mm x 69 mm x 9.9 mm and 158 g, respectively), significantly expanded its capabilities. Getting a brand new, 1.6 GHz Snapdragon MSM8628 400 quad-core processor from Qualcomm, increasing the internal memory of the phone to 8 GB, and learning to support MicroSD up to 64 GB, Xiaomi's new brainchild has taken a solid place in its price segment.
In general, Xiaomi Red Rice 1S (or née Hongmi 1S), compared to its progenitor, began to look something like this:
Display size | 4.7-inch | 4.7-inch |
Display type | IPS display | IPS display |
Resolution | 1280 x 720p HD | 1280 x 720p HD |
CPU | 1.5 GHz MediaTek M | 1.6 GHz Snapdragon 400 MSM8628 |
Quad core cPU | Quad core cPU |
|
Imagination PowerVR SGX544 | ||
Inner memory | ||
MicroSD expansion | ||
operating system | ||
OS version | Android 4.2 Jelly Bean | Android 4.3 Jelly Bean |
Main camera | 8 MP with LED flash and autofocus |
|
Front-camera | ||
Yes, with GLONASS |
||
Battery | ||
137mm x 69mm x 9.9mm | 137mm x 69mm x 9.9mm |
|
So, after waiting for the promised August "sale" on AliExpress, and the fall in the price of the selected gadget, to quite acceptable $ 120, the coveted purchase was made.
At the time of this writing, the devices have been in playful children's hands for about two months, so the initial crash tests can be considered complete.
First impressions or "two months, the flight is normal"
In conditions of increased load, the phones show good endurance. While all three are alive. The glasses are intact, the buttons are in place, the sockets are not loosened. Just for the sake of fairness of the comparative analysis, we admit that, for some reason, the proximity sensor, which is responsible for turning off the screen during a conversation, did not work right away on a yellow, girlish device. He turned it off quite in good faith, but basically forgot to turn it back on. The conversation was forced to end the interlocutor of the hostess of the obstinate, since the screen stubbornly remained black and did not show pictograms with handsets.
As a result, the problem was solved by calibrating an irresponsible element in engineering mode (our people, for such trifles, do not bother with warranty service).
So far, this is the only roughness in the relationship with the "newbies", and that, for sure, is an accident.
Now, in more detail, about everything:
Equipment
In a rather laconic recycled cardboard box, only a minimal dowry is included with the purchase. Namely - instructions, warranty card, cable and plug. Neither headphones nor other bonuses that have already become customary in Chinese packages were found.
On reflection, we came to the conclusion that this is good. There is no point in paying for "free" headphones that die in a month, since Xiaomi produces a fairly extensive line of good additions to its devices - from quite budget ones to the Gold class.
Design
The shape of the phone is simple, the back cover is slightly rounded, due to which it fits comfortably in the hand.
On the "front" of the device there is a 4.7-inch screen, a front camera, an earpiece, three traditional sensors - "menu", "back" and "home", the notorious proximity and lighting sensor.
From the rear, the body is equipped with a main camera, LED flash, an additional microphone and an external speaker slot. There is also the manufacturer's logo - stylized letters "MI".
The left side of the phone is pristine, on the right are the power button, volume rocker and a notch for removing the cover. By the way, when you remove it, the buttons remain with it, and not on the front.
A 3.5 mm headphone jack was found at the top end, a spoken microphone and a microUSB connector at the bottom (OTG function is supported).
|
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What's inside?
When opened, in the bowels of the earth, two connectors for SIM cards, a microSD slot and a 2000 mAh battery are found. The stated battery weight is 40 g.
Really, charging is enough for a day (taking into account users - young gamblers). The battery charges from the computer in about 4 hours. Apparently, when using the phone in a more gentle mode, the charge could be refreshed a couple of times less often.
Camera
Since the presence of professional photographers, God has bypassed our family, and for the meaning of the phrase "achromatic aberrations" we go to the omniscient Google, there will be a terry IMHO from the user with a small letter.
There are cameras. There are two of them. And they work. The front camera with a resolution of 1.6 megapixels makes it possible to identify an opponent with a sufficient degree of probability during a video call. The back, "working", 8 megapixels is produced by Samsung, and shows excellent results in our non-professional opinion.
In the preset camera settings, there are four types of focusing - Auto, CAF, Macro and Infinity. You can also set the focus yourself by touching the desired point on the viewfinder with your finger.
In mid-2013, Xiaomi presented its first budget smartphone to the public - Xiaomi Red Rice (Xiaomi Hongmi). Due to the frenzied popularity of the device, almost a year later, the company decided to release an almost identical device only with a different processor - Red Rice 1S. At the heart of Xiaomi Red Rice 1S is a 4-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400.
Features Xiaomi Red Rice 1S
Appearance and assembly of Xiaomi Red Rice 1S
The appearance of the smartphone is not of particular interest. The black front panel has a protective coating (according to some data AGC Dragontrail Glass, according to others Corning Gorilla Glass 2). The screen has an oleophobic coating, which allows you to achieve good sliding of your fingers. Thanks to this coating, fingerprints are easily rubbed off. Under the screen are three touch-sensitive keys "menu", "home" and "back". The touch keys are not backlit. Above the screen is a 1.6MP front camera, earpiece, light and proximity sensors.
Of the shortcomings, I would point out a huge, at the present time, framework. Despite the fact that the diagonal of the smartphone is 4.7 inches, it is similar in size to 5-inch smartphones. Despite the large case size and solid thickness, the device is equipped with a battery of only 2000 mAh.
The back cover is made of matte plastic, but all dirt and fingerprints are clearly visible on it. At the bottom of the back is the company logo, and at the top is the main 8MP camera and a single-section flash.
Above the main camera is a hole for a second microphone, and on the right is an external speaker grill.
On the right side there is a power key and paired volume buttons. The left side is left empty.
On the upper end, the manufacturer has placed a headset connector, and on the bottom - a connector for charging and connecting to a microUSB computer and the main microphone.
The LED indicator is located under the center home key, and in the settings you can choose one of seven colors for each event.
The device fits well in the hand, however, despite the 4.7-inch screen diagonal, it cannot be called compact. The dimensions of the device are 137 x 69mm with a thickness of nearly 10mm and a weight of 158 grams.
The package is standard: smartphone, charger and microUSB cable. However, due to the popularity of the model, in Chinese online stores and on the aliexpress site, you can find a huge number of all kinds of replaceable covers, covers and bumpers for this device.
Xiaomi Red Rice 1s Screen
The smartphone uses a matrix with a diagonal of 4.7 inches and a resolution of 1280x720 pixels. The screen quality is not bad, although it has a number of drawbacks. The maximum screen brightness may not be sufficient in sunny weather. The screen is not made using OGS technology, therefore, the image is not always read well from a large angle. Among the advantages of the display, it is worth noting a good oleophobic coating: the finger glides well on the glass, and prints are easily rubbed off.
In the display settings, you can select the color temperature of the image. Multi-touch supports up to 10 simultaneous touches.
Performance and benchmarks Xiaomi Red Rice 1S
The original version of Xiaomi Red Rice used a 4-core processor from Mediatek MTK6589T. The Hongmi 1S version is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 400 chip. At the heart of this chip is a 4-core Cortex-A7 processor with a frequency of 1.6 GHz. Adreno 305 is used as a video accelerator. Despite the fact that this processor is a mid-range solution, it is quite enough for even the most demanding games. For the tests, the popular Real Racing 3 races and the beautiful shooter Modern Combat 5 were taken. Both games run flawlessly and slow down.
Memory and OTG Xiaomi Red Rice 1S
The volume of the built-in storage is 8GB, and about 6GB is available to the user. The smartphone supports microSD memory cards up to 32GB. Connection to a computer is possible either as a media device or as a camera. The smartphone supports connecting external devices using an OTG cable. 
Xiaomi Red Rice 1s Battery
The battery capacity is 2000 mAh, which is a rather modest figure. However, the small screen size, coupled with not the most powerful processor, allow the smartphone to live for quite a long time. At maximum load with Wi-Fi on, a single charge lasts 3.5 hours. With an average intensity of use of the device (about 2 hours of screen operation), the smartphone will last for 2 days. I also want to note the excellent power consumption optimization in the MIUI firmware. During the night, the smartphone was discharged by only 2%, which is an excellent indicator.
Xiaomi Red Rice 1s Sound
The main speaker of the smartphone is located in an unusual place - to the right of the rear camera. The sound quality is good, the volume is quite enough even for a noisy room. There is no distortion of sound at maximum volume. The sound in the headphones is good, the detail is good, although a good player is certainly not a substitute for a phone.
Xiaomi Red Rice 1s software features
The smartphone runs on Android 4.3 with the MIUI branded shell. MIUI is rightfully considered one of the most user-friendly user interfaces. The main difference from pure Android is the lack of sections with installed applications. After installation, all program shortcuts go to the desktop, and removing the shortcut from the desktop removes the program. In general, the interface is user-friendly and works smoothly.
Communications and GPS Xiaomi Red Rice 1s
Unfortunately, there is no LTE support in the smartphone, so we can only be content with one SIM card slot with WCDMA support and one 2G slot.
The smartphone supports GPS and GLONASS, the search for satellites takes 15-20, the navigation is stable - Qualcomm is still.
Xiaomi Red Rice 1s Camera
The main 8MP camera was a pleasant surprise. Despite the budget level of the smartphone, the picture quality is decent. Even the smallest details can be seen in macro mode. HDR mode allows you to take brighter pictures in cloudy weather or when there is insufficient light. The camera app has simple and advanced modes. In the simple mode, we have access to shooting modes, and in the advanced mode, we can make fine adjustments and adjust the sensitivity, white balance and exposure.
Sample HDR shots:
Front camera testing:
conclusions
Xiaomi continues to maintain a high level of quality. Xiaomi Hongmi 1S, although considered a budget device, compared to Mi3 and Mi4, will satisfy the needs of most users. The performance of the smartphone is enough for any daily tasks: calls, checking mail, reading, surfing. However, there will be no problems with the most modern and demanding games either.
Loud and high quality speaker
+ Good camera quality
+ The popularity of the model (a huge selection of accessories)
No OGS screen, no headroom
- Wide bezels around the screen
- Lack of key illumination
