Phone Comparison: Nokia 3 vs Xiaomi Redmi 4

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The sleeping giant has woken up, and is raring to go. The ‘HMD-helped’ Nokia is entering the Indian smartphone market today with a fresh set of offerings – the Nokia 3, 5 and 6 handsets. Talking of the smallest (stature, feature and price-wise, that is) of the three, the Nokia 3, it is meant to be a budget outing by the Finnish company. (हिंदी में पढ़ें)

The release of the phone has set up an interesting premise for a ‘survival of the fittest’ kind of battle in the sub-10K range, with Xiaomi’s Redmi 4 being considered to be its nearest competitor.

Also Read: Nokia 6, Nokia 5, and Nokia 3 Launched In India – Everything You Need To Know

Let’s see how Nokia’s ambitious budget outing is stacked up against the current market leader (in that price range).

Nokia 3 vs Xiaomi Redmi 4 Specs Comparison:

Model Nokia 3 Xiaomi Redmi 4
Display 5-inch, HD(1280 x 720p), Corning Gorilla Glass 5-Inch, IPS LCD, HD resolution, 2.5D curved glass
Processor 1.4Ghz quad-core Mediatek MT6737 SoC 1.4GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 SoC
RAM 2GB 2GB/ 3GB/4GB
Internal Storage 16GB (expandable) 16GB/ 32GB/64GB (expandable)
Software Android 7.0 Nougat MIUI 8 based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Primary Camera 8MP, f/2.0 aperture, Dual LED flash, 1080p Videos 13MP, LED flash, PDAF, 1080p Videos
Secondary Camera 8MP, LED Flash 5MP, f/2.2 aperture camera
Battery 3000mAh battery 4,100mAH (non-removable)
Others 4G VoLTE, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, microUSB, 3.5mm Audio Jack, Hybrid SIM slot 4G VoLTE, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, microUSB, 3.5mm Audio Jack, Hybrid SIM slot
Price Rs. 8,999 Rs. 6,999/ Rs. 8,999/ Rs. 10,999

Here’s our detailed report when we delved into the details:

Design and Display

With the Nokia 3, the company has designed something very similar to the array of Windows-bearing range it had brought on years before. Though the metal back that the phone’s two elder siblings possess is absent here, the metal frame combines well with the polycarbonate rear panel to give off a very Nokia-ish robust feel.

The Redmi 4, on the other hand, takes its design cues from the recent tide of Xiaomi smartphones that have come this way, and sports a sturdy metal unibody itself.

When placed side-by-side, both emerge out as ultra-compact, well built devices, each with rounded corners and a design that is easy on the eye. More of a personal choice, this department.

Also Read: Phone Comparison – Nokia 6 Vs Moto G5 Plus

As far as the display is concerned, both the phones are pretty evenly stacked and possess the same properties. With each, a 5-inch HD display greets you with the same resolution and ppi density.

With such a stark similarity as this present in the two, you would not able to eke out a difference in the displays unless you place them right next to each other. Even then, we believe, the difference would be minuscule.

Software

This is where the major difference between the two phones pops up, with the Nokia 3 offering the very latest Android 7.1.1 (Nougat) as compared to the Redmi 4’s Android 6.0 Marshmallow-based MIUI 8.0.

Nokia has indeed taken a wise decision here by sticking to stock Android and the results are there for everyone to see. What we get is a clutter free OS that runs smoothly sans any bloatware. This also means prompt updates, and inbuilt features such as Google Assistant and Pixel Launcher are a welcome addition.

The near stock Android experience is what the Redmi 4 is missing as Xiaomi’s MIUI skin gets a bit cluttered and heavy to out liking. Also, with the Android O inn the fray now, Xiaomi should have opted for at least Android Nougat (due to arrive sometime in the future) here.

Nevertheless, the existing MIUI 8 features such as the Dual Apps, Quick Ball, One-handed mode, Scrolling screenshot and child mode are still there, intending the company’s refusal to bow down to the restricted price range and trim them down.

Performance

Clearly, the machinery of the Nokia 3 quad-core MediaTek chipset and 2GB of RAM is not meant for the ‘higher’ dosages of consumption, although it is a perfect fit for moderate usage. Which means it would not bode well for you if you are into high-end gaming, although it works decently for those looking to only stream videos and browse the net.

Same rings true for the Redmi 4, too. It provides right about the same level of performance as the Nokia 3 – perfectly average. Even in our testing period, the working of the phone was a bit slow, and although the heavy games were playable, this, by no means, is a gaming device.

For both the phones: they are decent performers, capable of handling light to moderate tasks well enough. But the machinery put inside isn’t just the type that meets the ‘excellent’ criteria.

Camera and Battery

Now, above average optics is something that has become a necessity these days, and both, the Nokia 3 as well as the Redmi 4, try to punch above their weights.

Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi 4 (2GB RAM) FAQ – All Questions Answered

The Nokia 3 makes of 8MP cameras, both on the front and the back, and manage to secure decent images. However, given the restriction that is the price range, the pictures so obtained are good enough and leave little reason to complain.

On the flip side, the Redmi 4 has a 13MP camera on the back with a f/2.0 aperture, something that is not common within this price range. Up front, there’s a 5MP camera put in place. The phone’s optics did exceed our expectations during testing, but the results cannot be counted as perfect (again, the price range is to be blamed).

On the battery front, the Redmi 4’s 4,100mAh battery dominates the proceedings against the Nokia 3’s 2,650mAh one. But, judging the low resolution display and RAM of the latter, the fitted power unit should keep it running for long.

Final Verdict

Both the phone target niche audiences, and hit the right notes in almost all the departments. This is surely going to be a exciting duel between the two.

You may want to go for the Nokia 3, if you want to experience a stock Android experience and hassle-free multi-tasking, combined with above average specifications.

Also Read: Phone Comparison – Yu Yureka Black vs Xiaomi Redmi 4

The Redmi 4 could be your calling if you prefer something that is big on the battery and has premium looks, but if you’re more into the 4GB variant of the phone, you might as well look at the Redmi Note 4.

Anurag SharmaAnurag Sharma
Passionate Storyteller, Occasional Writer. \m/ Journalism Undergrad. Trying to win at life one sentence at a time. Why so serious? Let's put a smile on that face. 8)

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