Xiaomi's Redmi Note series has so far been a compelling line of affordable phones, including some of the best budget powerhouses we've ever seen. Looking at them, it's easy to understand why they have been so well received - big displays, decent performance, and reliable batteries, ensuring they nail the basic necessities that consumers look for.With the Redmi Note 9S, Xiaomi seems to be moving up the price ladder to provide a more premium experience, with the slightly cheaper Redmi Note 9 landing for people who still want a very cheap smartphone.

It's worth pointing out that the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9S is basically exactly the same phone as the India-only version of the Redmi Note 9 Pro, which itself is different in a few ways to the Redmi Note 9 Pro sold globally. That's pretty confusing, we're aware, but suffice to say the Note 9S is different to the Note 9 Pro in the regions where both are available.This review is based on a unit of the Redmi Note 9 Pro in India, but as that's the same phone as the Note 9S, our experiences will match what you can expect from the Redmi Note 9S.The Redmi Note

 9S is best seen as a successor to the Redmi Note 8 Pro from 2019, which made strides in terms of the performance, bat

tery capacity, and display size. Interestingly, those remain the key areas of improvement with the Redmi Note 9S, almost as if Xiaomi has figured out what aspects matter the most.