Xiaomi Redmi 6

As mentioned earlier, the Redmi 6 comes with a rear-facing dual camera setup that consists of a primary 12MP sensor and a 5MP secondary sensor, assisted by an LED flash module. In our time with the smartphone, we found that the Redmi 6 managed to take decent shots, though the phone was largely dependent on lighting conditions to produce good results.The default camera app offers various modes, including Portrait, Square, Panorama, and Manual. The manual mode essentially allows users to adjust the white balance and ISO levels to help them click pictures as per their liking.The Portrait mode, as you might have guessed, allows the handset to click pictures with a focus on the subject and blur the background to achieve a bokeh effect. Notably, this feature is available with both the front and rear camera setups. In our testing, the portrait mode did not produce particularly impressive results but someone who is looking for this feature at a pocket-friendly price, this is a welcome addition. You can also click pictures in HDR mode, with the option provided right up front in the camera app. At the front, you get a 5MP sensor with f/2.2 aperture lens and 1.12um pixels size. The pictures taken by the front camera were not particularly impressive in indoor conditions but the phone manages to take decent images outdoors.As you can see in the samples shared above, the images clicked by the Redmi 6 in low-light conditions had considerable noise and grain. Keeping in mind that we are talking about an affordable segment phone, we can give this particular aspect a pass. 

Xiaomi Redmi 6 runs Android 8.1 Oreo-based MIUI 9.6 out of the box. If you are familiar with the company's mobile software interface, you would find yourself just at home with the new handset. There are utility tools and some pre-installed apps but the platform comes across fairly clutter-free and without much bloatware.For security, apart from the fingerprint sensor, the handset provides a face unlock feature. We found this feature to be really quick to function. Additionally, the face unlock is also reliable as it does not unlock the handset if your eyes are closed. There are some other features like Full screen display and Second Space, which allow you to make use of gestures for associated functionalities and provide separate space for privacy, respectively.The smartphone is powered by a Helio P22 SoC, coupled with 3GB of RAM and either 32GB or 64GB of built-in storage. We did not face any issues with the performance offered by the Redmi 6 and there were no lags or hiccups navigating through the platform. Light apps and games were handled well by the smartphone but demanding games like PUBG and Injustice 2 posed difficulties for the Redmi 6, even at the lowest graphics settings.

We are usually impressed by the battery backup offered by the Xiaomi smartphones in general and the Redmi 6 continues this positive trend. Despite packing a not-so-massive 3,000mAh battery, the handset managed to last around 16 hours in our HD video loop test. However, it took us around three hours to charge the phone from zero to 100 percent. For those who are constantly on the go and fear running out of charge, the Redmi 6 can prove to be a worthy companion. In our daily use, we managed to go through a full day on a single charge with medium usage, but heavy users might have to find the charger before the end of the day.