Xiaomi’s Redmi A4 Phone Has A 5G Problem That You Should Know: Here's Why

Last Updated:November 26, 2024, 10:19 IST

Redmi is using the new Snapdragon chipset which offers 5G but with a technology that has some limits.

Redmi A4 5G phone is only 5G if you use this network

Xiaomi launched its new Redmi A4 5G phone in India recently, which offers many segment-first features in the sub-Rs 10,000 bracket. Buying an affordable 5G phone under Rs 10,000 has been a challenge but Qualcomm and Xiaomi have a solution thanks to the new Snapdragon chipset.

The new Redmi A4 5G phone has a 120Hz refresh rate screen, and an appealing design too. But the 5G aspect of the Redmi A4 5G phone comes with a big asterisk. The product page for Redmi A4 5G mentions that the phone can only run standalone 5G networks in the country which is limited to one operator for the time being.

Redmi A4 5G Phone Faces This Snapdragon Issue

The Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 chipset has launched with a lot of fanfare and interest. After all, this is the first Qualcomm chipset to offer 5G in the sub 10K segment in India. But the downside of having this chipset on the Redmi A4 5G means you cannot use Airtel 5G in most parts of the country. Yes, you will need to be on the standalone Jio 5G network to take advantage of the high-speed support available to the device.

This is not shocking news per se, but the launch of the Redmi A4 5G has brought the discussion about the hardware and 5G back into the spotlight. The use of a standalone 5G network means you are running on a full-fledged 5G network which Airtel also offers but most of its network is still based on the non-standalone or NSA 5G network.

Does It Matter?

Airtel has been using its existing 4G networks and making them support 5G which refers to the non-standalone networks. The operator is not going to solely rely on this technology for long and is already testing its SA 5G network in select regions.

However, people looking to buy the Redmi A4 5G or any other Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 powered phone in the near future will have to be mindful about this big difference. And in case, they are happy to port to another operator, the whole downside of this chipset will be taken out of the picture.

The Redmi A4 5G has launched for a starting price of Rs 8,499 for the base model and comes with Android 14 out of the box. The phone has an appealing design and features that have been a rarity in this range.

Delhi, India

News tech Xiaomi’s Redmi A4 Phone Has A 5G Problem That You Should Know: Here's Why