Redmi Note 4: Best Value Phone Under €100
The Redmi Note 4 defines value-for-money under €100, outperforming €400 brands. Key features and risks explained.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Mid-range for €100: The Redmi Note 4 and its rivals
For €600 you can buy an LG G6, while the Redmi 5A costs just €81. Between these extremes lies the battle for the best budget smartphone, a contest where major brands struggle to compete: half the price covers almost all essential needs. The initial query was typical: an old LG slim model with a small screen and full storage, a budget around €100, and suspicion that phones have become too expensive recently.
The first response mapped the landscape. Around €100, carrier offerings are low-end; true mid-range devices cost €200-€250 in Spain, or €120-€150 if imported from China. The question wasn't just what to buy, but how much risk the buyer was willing to take.
Which phone to buy for about €100?
With this cap, names appear that no carrier sells. The Xiaomi Mi A1, the 4a —bought for €89 with case and tempered glass— or the Redmi 5A, found at €81 after a sale and €73 as a gift purchase. The prevailing recommendation is the Global version of the Redmi Note 4: 5.5-inch screen, expandable 32 GB memory, and a price that hovered around €145 with shipping from Spain.
For specific needs —large screen and ample storage— the obvious step up is the 64 GB unit, acquired for €180 in China with two-day delivery. Similar specs from mainstream brands skyrocket the bill. Global versions also come with English packaging and European chargers, avoiding adapters and software surprises.
Why the Redmi Note 4 became the benchmark
The specs explain the fame: 3 GB RAM, 32 GB storage, 5.5-inch FullHD screen, 13-megapixel camera with Sony or Samsung sensor, and a 4,100 mAh battery that delivered nearly eleven hours of screen-on time under heavy use. The Snapdragon 625 processor rounds off a set that ages well.
The comparison hurts. A Moto G5 Plus, with less screen, smaller battery, and same processor, cost €280; a Samsung, Nokia, LG, or Sony with similar antiestéticatures runs €350-€450. At the other end, a discounted LG G6 at €380 takes photos in another league, and those who compared it to an iPhone 6 claim sharper images.
Here lies the gap. Some argue this Xiaomi is the best value phone today; others remind us that lifelong photo quality remains in a higher price bracket. Even the term lonchafinista (value-for-money) has interpretations: for some it's measured in euros, for others in lasting performance.
Customs: Why you pay sometimes and not others
It's a lottery nobody explains clearly. Same seller, same shipping type, different outcomes: one order passes without charge, while a second device, a €73 Redmi 5A, incurs customs fees. Retention happens arbitrarily, regardless of declaring gifts or keeping marked prices below exemption limits.
One path eliminates the problem: stores operating with warehouses in Spain. Buying through this channel avoids customs and delivers in 48 hours, albeit with a shorter catalog.
Risks of buying cheap from China
Not all savings are equal. Frequent criticism targets shops that modify software before shipping and the real cost of repairs: between travel to China, repair, and return, buyers may be without a phone for over six weeks. Some prefer paying €40 more for peace of mind with warranty, while others mitigate risk by using PayPal to avoid dispute hassles.
Two warnings repeat. First, avoid MediaTek processors, which leave devices stuck on old Android versions. Second, distrust brands with poor support history. Battery capacity also deceives: more mAh doesn't always miccionan more autonomy; a well-optimized 4,000 mAh device often outperforms an unupdated 10,000 mAh one.
Xiaomi pushes, mainstream brands respond
The Chinese maker isn't idle. It announced a physical store in Madrid, bringing budget phones closer to those avoiding import hassle, and its devices continue receiving new Android versions long after launch.
The ecosystem is so competitive that options like the Lenovo Vibe P2 —dual SIM, fingerprint reader, 4 GB RAM, 5,000 mAh battery for €170— or the Xiaomi Mi A1 with pure Android under €180 leave little argument for those still paying €600 out of habit.
At these prices, the question isn't whether a cheap mid-range phone is worth it, but what extra you're paying in every carrier bill.
For €600 you can buy an LG G6, while the Redmi 5A costs just €81. Between these extremes lies the battle for the best budget smartphone, a contest where major brands struggle to compete: half the price covers almost all essential needs. The initial query was typical: an old LG slim model with a small screen and full storage, a budget around €100, and suspicion that phones have become too expensive recently.
The first response mapped the landscape. Around €100, carrier offerings are low-end; true mid-range devices cost €200-€250 in Spain, or €120-€150 if imported from China. The question wasn't just what to buy, but how much risk the buyer was willing to take.
Which phone to buy for about €100?
With this cap, names appear that no carrier sells. The Xiaomi Mi A1, the 4a —bought for €89 with case and tempered glass— or the Redmi 5A, found at €81 after a sale and €73 as a gift purchase. The prevailing recommendation is the Global version of the Redmi Note 4: 5.5-inch screen, expandable 32 GB memory, and a price that hovered around €145 with shipping from Spain.
For specific needs —large screen and ample storage— the obvious step up is the 64 GB unit, acquired for €180 in China with two-day delivery. Similar specs from mainstream brands skyrocket the bill. Global versions also come with English packaging and European chargers, avoiding adapters and software surprises.
Why the Redmi Note 4 became the benchmark
The specs explain the fame: 3 GB RAM, 32 GB storage, 5.5-inch FullHD screen, 13-megapixel camera with Sony or Samsung sensor, and a 4,100 mAh battery that delivered nearly eleven hours of screen-on time under heavy use. The Snapdragon 625 processor rounds off a set that ages well.
The comparison hurts. A Moto G5 Plus, with less screen, smaller battery, and same processor, cost €280; a Samsung, Nokia, LG, or Sony with similar antiestéticatures runs €350-€450. At the other end, a discounted LG G6 at €380 takes photos in another league, and those who compared it to an iPhone 6 claim sharper images.
Here lies the gap. Some argue this Xiaomi is the best value phone today; others remind us that lifelong photo quality remains in a higher price bracket. Even the term lonchafinista (value-for-money) has interpretations: for some it's measured in euros, for others in lasting performance.
Customs: Why you pay sometimes and not others
It's a lottery nobody explains clearly. Same seller, same shipping type, different outcomes: one order passes without charge, while a second device, a €73 Redmi 5A, incurs customs fees. Retention happens arbitrarily, regardless of declaring gifts or keeping marked prices below exemption limits.
One path eliminates the problem: stores operating with warehouses in Spain. Buying through this channel avoids customs and delivers in 48 hours, albeit with a shorter catalog.
Risks of buying cheap from China
Not all savings are equal. Frequent criticism targets shops that modify software before shipping and the real cost of repairs: between travel to China, repair, and return, buyers may be without a phone for over six weeks. Some prefer paying €40 more for peace of mind with warranty, while others mitigate risk by using PayPal to avoid dispute hassles.
Two warnings repeat. First, avoid MediaTek processors, which leave devices stuck on old Android versions. Second, distrust brands with poor support history. Battery capacity also deceives: more mAh doesn't always miccionan more autonomy; a well-optimized 4,000 mAh device often outperforms an unupdated 10,000 mAh one.
Xiaomi pushes, mainstream brands respond
The Chinese maker isn't idle. It announced a physical store in Madrid, bringing budget phones closer to those avoiding import hassle, and its devices continue receiving new Android versions long after launch.
The ecosystem is so competitive that options like the Lenovo Vibe P2 —dual SIM, fingerprint reader, 4 GB RAM, 5,000 mAh battery for €170— or the Xiaomi Mi A1 with pure Android under €180 leave little argument for those still paying €600 out of habit.
At these prices, the question isn't whether a cheap mid-range phone is worth it, but what extra you're paying in every carrier bill.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (139 replies).
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