Xiaomi Mi 9T/Redmi K20 Review

Design, build and controls

A pop-up camera, sleek glass body, stunning patterns on the rear shell, full-screen on the front with an in-display fingerprint sensor - the Xiaomi Mi 9T/Redmi K20 sure hits all checkmarks for the fans of modern good-looking smartphones. The company already has a proven record of being the creator of new design categories and patterns. With the Mi 9T, it hits that sweet spot that Samsung aims with its Galaxy A series - flagship features that are toned down so the sum of it will equal a significantly more affordable price tag. So let's check in detail the design of the Mi 9T/Redmi K20. The front of the Xiaomi Mi 9T/Redmi K20 is covered with a 2.5D curved Corning Gorilla Glass 5. It protects the display that takes up the impressive 86.37% of the total front surface of the handset. That's even better than the Mi 9, which has 85.5%. The side bezels are 1.6 mm thick. The top and bottom bezels are as thick as those on the Galaxy S10/S10+ - 2.5 mm on the top and 4 mm on the bottom. Nothing hinders your full display experience as there is no notch or punch hole - the front camera resides in a pop-up mechanism. The receiver is an elongated and very thin unit tucked between the display and the frame. The distance sensor is very tiny and is placed on the top bezel, just off the right end of the receiver. The ambient light sensor is positioned below the right half of the top bezel, under the display. The navigation bar is on-screen only and MIUI offers plenty of ways to customize it. If you prefer, you can switch on gestures navigation. The back panel has a 3D curved glass cover of an unspecified brand. Xiaomi did a great job once again in creating dazzling rear shell designs. The model is available in three colours - Carbon Black, Flame Red, Glacier Blue. We are reviewing a Carbon Black unit with a carbon fibre pattern. The other two are really mesmerizing with a truly unique pattern reminiscent of icicles. The three cameras on the back are vertically aligned in the centre of the top half of the body. The first camera is the 8MP telephoto one. It has a fuchsia coloured ring around it, a 48MP inscription to its left and an "AI triple camera" inscription to its right. Right below it, the main+wide camera module resides. The upper unit is the 48MP unit and the lower one is the 13MP wide camera. The dual-LED flash is positioned below them. At the bottom, you will see the MI logo, model name and CE certification logo. The frame is made of aluminium alloy and is coloured in the handsets colour with a glossy finish. The top frame is where you will find the pop-up front camera module, the 3.5 mm jack and a microphone hole. They are adjoined by a visible antenna band. The camera module has a small ring for a notification light. It lights up in red when the device is charging and blinks when notifications are received. The bottom frame houses the hybrid, dual-SIM tray, the USB Type-C port, the second microphone hole and the single speaker. The left frame is bare with one visible antenna band on it, while the volume and power buttons are on the right frame. The power button is coloured in red. Both buttons provide an excellent tactile experience. Smartphones with a 6.39-inch display and a 4000 mAh battery have very similar widths that vary from 74.26 mm to 75.01. With its width of 74.3 mm, the Mi 9T/Redmi K20 is one of the narrowest smartphones in this display and battery size class. Moreover, these models are the shortest among the competition with a height of 156.7 mm. This means the handset is compact and comfortable to hold with one hand. For a more secure grip, we do recommend using the case as the glass body makes the Mi 9T/Redmi K20 slippery. At the same time, these models have an average thickness with an 8.8 mm profile. They also happen to be the heaviest in this size class with a weight of 191 g with the exception of the Black Shark 2, which weighs 205 g.