News & Reviews:   Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G

The recent release of the Huawei Honor 3C Lite and Honor 4x smartphones have brought out another rumour regarding the Huawei Honor 3C. According to rumours from an anonymous source, the RM499 priced Huawei Honor 3C could get a successor next year by a device with some refreshed tech specs. These features and tech specs include a 5.5-inch display, 64-bit processor, 13MP rear camera and 4G LTE connectivity. What is even more interesting is that all of these mid-range features would be available around the same Malaysia pricing as the Honor 3C which was priced at RM499. Rumours also say that it could be priced even lower, which would make it a direct contender for the recently released Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G which retails for RM589 with similar tech specs. No details yet on Malaysia release dates but we expect it to arrive sometime in early 2015.

Big thanks to Mr. Anonymous!

In the next few days, Xiaomi Malaysia is going to launch a number of discounts and bundle offers on its upcoming devices. The company has announced two sale dates – 11 December 2014 and 16 December 2014 when it will sell its three new devices; the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G smartphone, the 16000mAh Mi Power Bank and the Mi in-Ear headphones. These devices can be ordered after exactly 12PM on the said dates. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G model can be purchased separately for RM589 on both these dates, however, if you want to purchase any of Xiaomi's accessories, you'll have to purchase one of the two bundles which will be available on those days. For example, the Power bundle adds a Xiaomi PowerBank with the Redmi Note 4G. There are three different variants of the power bundle available, each with a different power bank. They are listed as below:

• Bundle 1: Redmi Note 4G + 5200 mAh Mi Power Bank - RM614
• Bundle 2: Redmi Note 4G + 10400 mAh Mi Power Bank - RM625
• Bundle 3: Redmi Note 4G + 16000 mAh Mi Power Bank - RM668

If you were waiting for the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G variant, mark your calendars as Xiaomi Malaysia just announced that the device would be available for sale in the country from 11 December 2014. The news comes almost three weeks after Xiaomi announced the device back in Singapore. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G supports 4G TDD-LTE network unlike the regular 3G version. However, this isn't the only difference between the two devices. For example, the regular Redmi Note runs on a Mediatek processor unlike this variant which features a Snapdragon 400 Quad Core processor. The battery is smaller on the 4G version, 3100 mAh instead of 3200 mAh capacity and it weighs 10 grams less too. Also, the new device is expandable up to 64GB via MicroSD as opposed to 32GB on the Note 3G. Xiaomi has also removed the dual sim card slots in the 4G model. Other than these, tech specs and design are the same. You have a 8GB internal storage, 5.5inch IPS 720p display, 13MP  f/2.2 rear camera and a 5MP front camera. The Redmi Note 4G will be available to purchase for a retail price of RM589. Meanwhile, check out the detailed comparison between both the devices using our tech spec comparison tool.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G is finally here in Malaysia. Featuring tech specs that include a 1.6GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 2GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, a 5.5-inch display and 4G LTE support, the phablet is going for RM589. Other tech specs remain the same with a 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera and a 3100 mAh battery. The only differences are the 4G LTE enabling processor, no dual-SIM support and of course the price tag, with the original 3G only Redmi Note retailing for RM509. In line with the release, Xiaomi Malaysia are offering a Redmi Note 4G Pop Quiz from 17 November 2014 to 1 December 2014 to win a new Redmi Note 4G smartphone. It also looks like the original Redmi Note is no longer on sale, at least at the Xiaomi Malaysia site.

The Huawei Ascend G6 4G is the refresh of the Huawei Ascend G6 with new 4G LTE connectivity. Originally designed to provide a more affordable midrange offering of the former flagship Huawei Ascend P6, the Ascend G6 features the same look and feel with a slightly smaller 4.5-inch screen and a thicker 7.9mm thin chassis. Does it still offer enough punch for today's users? Check out our full review of the Huawei Ascend G6 4G below to find out.

Xiaomi has officially announced the 4G LTE capable version of their Xiaomi Redmi Note phablet. Like a few others who have followed this method, it means that the 1.7GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6592 processor in the Redmi Note has been replaced with an LTE capable 1.6GHz Snapdragon 400 processor. The new Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G is currently priced at 999 Yuan (RM519) which is about RM10 more than the RM509 the current 3G capable Redmi Note is going for. No news on Malaysia release dates or pricing just yet, but it seems quite likely that the pricing will be just RM519, especially if Xiaomi Malaysia want to maintain their value-priced momentum. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G tech specs are listed below:

• 1.6GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 (MSM8928) processor
• 2GB RAM
• 8GB storage + up to 64GB microSD
• 5.5-inch display (720 x 1280 pixel resolution)
• 13MP rear camera (LED flash) + 5MP front camera
• Supports 4G LTE (1900/2300/2600MHz), Single SIM, WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0 LE
• 3100 mAh battery