Micromax successfully made a comeback to the Indian smartphone market yesterday with the ‘In Note 1’ and ‘In 1b’ devices. Before the launch, Micromax received a lot of flak on social media for putting the anti-Chinese sentiment instead of talking about the phones. However, the company managed to impress everyone on the pricing front. Since India is a price-conscious market, it is good to see Micromax betting on that aspect. The Micromax In Note 1 goes directly against the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 that was launched in July this year. Both the phones rock identical specs like Full HD+ screen with punch-hole cutout, MediaTek Helio G85 SoC, 5000mAh batteries and a 48MP quad-camera setup is present on the rear side of both the phones. In this article, we compare the on-paper specifications of both the newly launched Micromax In Note 1 and the popular Redmi Note 9 from Xiaomi.
Micromax In Note 1 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 9: Design and Display
Both the Micromax In Note 1 and Redmi Note 9 are constructed out of plastic. The In Note 1 has an X-shaped gradient design on the rear panel similar to the Honor 9X. The Redmi Note 9 has a glossy back panel and comes in a host of colour options- Aqua Green, Arctic White, Pebble Grey, Scarlet Red and Shadow Black. The camera module layout is different on both the phones; The In Note 1’s quad-camera array is on the left corner side of the rear and the fingerprint scanner is located on the centre of the rear panel. The Redmi Note 9’s quad-camera setup is located on the top centre of the back panel along with the fingerprint scanner. To the front, we are looking at a 6.67-inch Full HD+ display on the In Note 1 with a centred punch-hole. The Redmi Note 9 sports a 6.53-inch Full HD+ with the same punch-hole cutout placed to the left corner side of the screen.
Micromax In Note 1 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 9: Hardware and Software
Both the smartphones are powered by MediaTek’s Helio G85 chipset. However, the differentiator here is the RAM and storage. The In Note 1 comes in two configurations- 4GB+64GB and 4GB+128GB, whereas the Redmi Note 9 can be picked up in three variants- 4GB+64GB, 4GB+128GB and 6GB+128GB. Both the phones offer a microSD card slot for storage expansion.
Micromax sprang up a surprise by saying the In Note 1 and In 1b will run stock Android 10 out of the box. The company also promises two major software updates which is a good thing to see. With Xiaomi moving away from the Android One segment, consumers can look out for Micromax In Note 1 in the budget segment for a stock Android smartphone. The Redmi Note 9 also runs Android 10, but it has MIUI 12 layered on top.
Micromax In Note 1 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 9: Cameras and Battery
The In Note 1 has a quad-camera setup on the back comprising of 48MP primary sensor, 5MP wide-angle shooter and a couple of 2MP sensors. To the front, it has a 16MP shooter. On the flip side, we have the Redmi Note 9 with the same 48MP primary shooter, 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, 2MP macro lens and a 2MP depth lens. The phone also sports a 13MP shooter on the front. Lastly, moving onto the battery segment; The Micromax phone is backed by a 5000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support. The Redmi Note 9 has a 5020mAh battery with 22.5W fast charging support. However, Xiaomi is bundling an 18W fast chafer inside the retail box of the Redmi Note 9.
Micromax In Note 1 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 9: Pricing in India
Micromax has launched two variants of the In Note 1 in India- 4GB+64GB at Rs 10,999 and 4GB+128GB model at Rs 12,499. The Redmi Note 9 is already available in India in three variants- 4GB+64GB at Rs 11,999, 4GB+128GB at Rs 12,999 and 6GB+128GB model is retailing for Rs 14,999. Xiaomi is selling the Note 9 with Rs 500 discount for a limited period. The Micromax In Note 1 will be available for purchase starting November 26 in India.
