BackFace-off: Micromax YU Yureka Vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G
Micromax's YU has an ace up its sleeve, Xiaomi's latest phone is a Redmi Note 4G
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The quality of smartphones in the sub- ₹ 10,000 range has never been better. Phone manufacturers have realized that the next big wave of smartphone users will be considering affordable options, so that they can upgrade more often. Motorola, and now Xiaomi, have proved that powerful smartphones can be made and sold in this price bracket.
YU is a sub-brand of the Indian phone manufacturer Micromax. It works independently on software development for phones with YU branding, and uses the Android-based Cyanogen operating system (OS). Cyanogen is essentially a community of developers who work on Android to add features and modify the software to improve better performance and experience.
We compared the YU Yureka and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G.
u Software: different flavours of Android
The Yureka isn’t the first phone running Cyanogen generation (based on Android 4.4.4)—OnePlus One ( ₹ 21,999) gets that honour. The benefits of Cyanogen become apparent when you delve a little deeper into the options. The Privacy Guard (the user decides which apps get access to the contact list, the camera, etc.) and a Blacklist feature (to block calls from particular numbers, or any number not on your contacts list) are two examples of useful features. Enthusiasts would also appreciate the fact that this OS is modified by Cyanogen developers who may better understand what a phone is lacking.
Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 4G works on Android 4.2.2, without any changes to the basic software. But the interface is spruced up by the MIUI custom interface. This is the interface that is on the Mi3 and the Redmi Note. The stand-out element is the iOS-style icon layout across the home screens, negating the need for a separate application list. But there were a couple of instances when the interface felt momentarily sluggish.
It is too close to call. The default interface looks fresher on the Yureka, whereas the MIUI allows quicker access to your application icons.
u Performance: new hardware advantage
The Yureka packs in a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 octa-core 1.5 GHz processor, paired with 2 GB RAM. The advantage of a 64-bit chip is better memory optimization, and thus better performance, particularly during multitasking. The Redmi Note 4G is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core 1.6 GHz chip with 2 GB RAM.
With a newer-generation processor and an OS that doesn’t come pre-loaded with apps that you may or may not use, Yureka definitely feels snappier. App load times are similar, but switching between background apps is quicker. The Redmi uses a chip popular among affordable smartphones, and does a consistent job. But the Yureka responds quicker to commands, and feels more powerful.
u Design: personality and purpose
The Yureka is 8.5mm thick, the Redmi Note 4G, 9.45mm. On the back, the Yureka has a moonstone finish—something on the lines of what you will feel when running your hand over sandpaper—which gives it a good grip. The Redmi’s plain finish is rather slippery. Unless you slap a cover on this phone, grip levels are less than perfect.
u Display: big screen on a budget
Both phones have the same-size canvas—a 5.5-inch, with in-plane switching and 1,280x720-pixel resolution. The white colours are purer on the Yureka and the colours look more accurate, but the text reads marginally better on the Note 4G.
u Battery life: bigger doesn’t always mean better
The Yureka has a 2,500 mAh battery, while the Redmi Note 4G includes a 3,100 mAh pack. One would expect the latter to be much better but, in the real world, it isn’t. Fully charged at 7am, Yureka had 20% charge left by 7pm, while the Note 4G had about 25%.
u Camera: strictly for daytime use
There is a 13-megapixel primary camera, with the f2.2 aperture, on each phone. Yureka captures rich colour and a good level of detailing in bright light. The Note 4G’s camera suffers from shutter lag, and is finicky about the slightest hand shake. Both cameras disappoint when it comes to low-light photographs.
u Price: the choice is clear
The YU Yureka is priced at ₹ 8,999, and is available exclusively on www.amazon.in, whereas the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4G sports a price tag of ₹ 9,999 and can be purchased on www.flipkart.com, or from any Airtel store.
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