Xiaomi unveiled three Redmi K40 phones earlier this week. Or did you do it? If you only look at the screen and the camera, there is only one phone. If you look at the chipset, there are two phones. And if you look at the cameras, there are three phones.
It might seem like a magic trick, but a quick tour of the specs should clear things up.
Redmi K40 series highlights features and differences in infographic form
All three K40 phones use the same 6.67-inch Super AMOLED display (an E4 panel). It impresses with a 360Hz touch sample rate (one of the fastest we’ve ever seen) and 120Hz refresh rate (not the fastest, but still cool).
And it delivers peak HDR10 + brightness and 1300 nits with a perfect A + score from Display Mate. 1080p + resolution and the relatively old Gorilla Glass 5 aren’t as impressive, but are these factors for you?
E4 AMOLED panel with DCI-P3 and HDR10 + • S870 for the K40 • S888 for both pros
All three models use the same 4,520mAh battery, which can be fully charged using the supplied 33W charger in 52 minutes. It’s pretty fast, almost as fast as some 65W chargers based on Xiaomi’s tests.
Now things are starting to diverge. Both Pro versions are powered by the Snapdragon 888 chipset, the vanilla K40 gets the Snapdragon 870 (an overclocked 865).
Where the Redmi K40 Pro + really shines is the 108MP main camera, a 1 / 1.52 ”Samsung HM2 sensor with 9-in-1 binning for 2.1 µm pixels. The K40 Pro is in the middle with a 64MP 1 / 1.7 ”sensor with 1.6 µm of pixels after 4-in-1 binning. The Vanilla K40 is at the bottom with a 48MP sensor.
Main camera comparison: K40 Pro + with 108MP, K40 Pro with 64MP and K40 with 48MP
The remaining camera modules are the same, including the 8MP 119 ° ultra-wide camera, 5MP macro telephoto, and a 5MP selfie camera. Yes, all three are very similar, so it all comes down to the chipset and the main camera.
And the price, of course, here’s how much each phone will cost. They will be available in China from March 4 and could go global under the Poco brand.
| 6/128 GB | 8/128 GB | 8/256 GB | 12/256 GB | |
| Redmi K40 Pro + | – | – | – | 3 700 CNY |
| Redmi K40 Pro | 2,800 CNY | 3,000 CNY | 3 300 CNY | – |
| Redmi k40 | 2,000 CNY | CNY 2,200 | 2,500 CNY | 2,500 CNY * |
| * special edition (pre-order only) | ||||
Let’s take a look at the potential competition. If you are looking for a Snapdragon 888 and a 108MP camera, most of the alternatives are either Xiaomis or high-end Samsung phones.
The Mi 11 (4000 CNY for 8/128 GB), for example, has a higher 1440p + resolution display and slightly faster charging – 55W fills the 4600mAh battery in 45 minutes. Not a huge difference from the K40’s 33W charger, is it? The upcoming Realme GT (March 4) would bring a Snapdragon 888 chipset at a price of CNY 3000, which could increase competition.
Xiaomi Mi 11 • Realme X7 Pro • Motorola Edge S • Realme GT 5G
What if you’re willing to settle for a lower resolution main camera? Well, you’ll find that most devices under $ 600 / € 500 use Snapdragon 700 series chips and their displays typically cap at 90Hz.
Something like the Realme X7 Pro (2200 CNY for 6/128 GB) could divide the difference between the K40 and the K40 Pro. It has a 120Hz screen and a 64MP camera, plus its 65W charger is significantly faster (35 minutes at 100%). However, the Dimensity 1000+ is not on par with the Snapdragon 870, let alone the 888.
The Moto Edge S is another option. This one has a Snapdragon 870, but the screen refresh rate drops to 90Hz (and that’s an LCD screen). Still, not bad for a CNY 2000 (6/128 GB) phone.
Without a 1440p + display, telephoto lens, or 5G mmWave, the K40 trio is not a flagship. But they cost half as much as a flagship product (or even less). Looking at the high-end to mid-range segment, the K40 doesn’t have a lot of competition. Did Xiaomi win the segment or do you have better options in mind?
