Xiaomi Hongmi K30 Pro (Source = IT Donga)
However, this year is likely to be the first year of diversification of 5G phones. This is because several manufacturers are planning to introduce various types of 5G smartphones. Xiaomi's Redmi K30 Pro is a high-performance Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor with four rear cameras covering wide-angle to telephoto macros, and is stored inside without occupying a portion of the screen. It is the latest 5G smartphone equipped with interesting features such as a pop-up front camera that pops out only when it is used. For reference, the Hongmi K30 Pro, which we looked at this time, is for domestic use in China
■ Clean design, advanced video security standards are also supported
The Hongmi K30 Pro has a 6.7 inch size and 2400 x 1080 resolution OLED-based screen. In terms of size, it is similar to Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Note 10+ or Galaxy S20 + models, but the screen is slightly inferior. However, the full HD level (1080p) is also a good enough picture quality, so there is no regret.
There is no space occupied by the camera at the top of the screen, so it feels neat. Also, it is a flat screen because there is no edge (processing the edge of the screen as a curved surface) that is often seen on Samsung smartphones. The overall color, brightness, and viewing angle are also acceptable. It also supports HDR technology, so if you use the HDR support service, you can enjoy images with improved contrast ratio (light and dark) and color expression.
In addition, as a result of checking through the DRM Info app, it supports advanced video security standards such as Widevine DRM (Widevine DRM) L1 and HDPC 2.3. This means that content provided by Netflix and others can be viewed in high quality without deterioration. Many old Chinese branded smartphones or entry-level smartphones do not support this function, and the quality of video is deteriorated when using some streaming services.
■ Where is the front camera?
On the back of the product, the surface is treated with a subtle gloss to give a luxurious feel, and you can choose one of four colors: gray, purple, white, and blue. The rear camera was placed in a circular frame with a quad (plus 6 million pixels), a telephoto macro (5 million pixels), and a wide-angle (13 million pixels) filming plus one for depth measurement (2 million pixels).
Although it is a considerable level in terms of the number of pixels and the number of cameras. Unfortunately, it does not support the Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS) function. Also, the so-called ‘Katuk Ttu’, where the camera part protrudes 1.5mm from the surface of the body, is a little annoying. Instead, let's comfort the point that it is possible to shoot 4K (2160p / 60fps) and 8K (4320p / 30fps) super-high-definition video beyond the normal full HD level (1080p).
The one that stands out above the rear camera is also the front camera. The front camera is normally hidden, and when you start shooting, it pops up automatically from the top of the main body, and enters again when shooting is complete. The composition is unique, and the specifications of the front camera itself are 20 million pixels, so the shooting quality is good. Unlike regular smartphones, the front camera does not cover a part of the screen, so satisfaction is high when viewing various contents.
When you shoot, you can switch between normal taking a phto (1x) and wide-angle taking a photo (0.6x) that can cover a wide area, and telephoto (2x) mode for taking a photo distant objects with little deterioration as a smartphone with multiple cameras. have. With digital zoom, you can magnify up to 10x, but in this case there is some quality degradation, which makes it unsuitable for night photography or taking important photos.
For reference, in addition to the general model introduced in this review, the Hongmi K30 Pro also has a Redmi K30 Pro Zoom model that enhances the range shooting function. It is equipped with an 8-megapixel telephoto camera capable of 3x optical zoom instead of a 5-megapixel telephoto macro camera, although most of the specifications are almost the same as those of ordinary models. In addition, the overall camera function has been upgraded, including support for optical image stabilization (OIS), which is not supported by the standard model. For this reason, it should be noted that the price is also 20 ~ 30% more expensive than the normal model.
■ Large capacity battery in heavy body
There is not much dissatisfaction with the size, but the thickness and weight are a bit disappointing. Its body thickness is 8.9mm and its weight is 218g, which is 1mm thicker than other brands such as Galaxy Note 10+ and S20 +, which have similar screen sizes, and weighs about 10% more. It is similar to the heavyweight Galaxy S20 Ultra or iPhone 11 Pro Max. Consumers who like thin and light phones will have some trouble.
Some gained instead of taking heavy weights. It is a battery. The Hongmi K30 Pro is equipped with a 4700mAh capacity battery, which is the highest level among recently released smartphones. In fact, when I continuously played streaming video in 100% of charging, 50% of screen brightness, and Wi-Fi connection, even after about 8 hours and 30 minutes, I checked the remaining battery capacity of 60% or more. Of course, the battery consumption may vary depending on the surrounding environment, the type of the installed app, and the type of work, but it still cannot be denied that the battery capacity of this product is level.
In the case of the charging system, it uses the USB (2.0) Type C port, and it also supports the fast charging function of Qualcomm Quick Charge 4+ and USB-PD standards. However, the wireless charging function is not supported. And the 3.5mm earphone jack, which is gradually disappearing these days, is mounted on the top of the body. The speaker built in the main unit is a mono standard, but the sound quality is good and above all, it is useful because the maximum volume is large.
■ High performance based on Snapdragon 865 and good heat generation
Looking at the internal specifications, Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor is installed, and depending on the model, the system memory is 6GB or 8GB, and the storage space is 128GB or 256GB. It is expected to have high performance comparable to Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S20 series, which has similar specifications. The product used for the review is the 8GB + 128GB specification.
However, the function to expand the storage space through a separate memory card (SD card) is not supported. Instead, it supports the dual SIM function, which allows two carriers to use the service of two carriers as a single terminal. When traveling abroad, it is possible to use both domestic and local sims. The SIM slot is a structure in which one SIM is inserted on both sides of a SIM tray.
When I ran Geekbench, which measures and measured processor performance, it scored 941 points on a single-core basis and 3409 points on a multi-core basis. In the Antutu benchmark, which mainly measures content driving ability, 591743 points out. This is the highest level of performance among Android smartphones sold as of April 2020.
The game driving ability is also satisfactory. When I ran Battle Ground Mobile, I confirmed that it was possible to run smoothly without slowness or interruption even when the graphic option was set to the highest quality (Ultra). After playing for about 30 minutes, the temperature on the back was measured with a digital thermometer, which was a little over 30 degrees Celsius. It can be seen that the internal structure for cooling is also good.
■ Overseas specification model, inconvenient to use in Korea
For reference, the Hongmi K30 Pro used in this review is a product for domestic use in China. And, although it is based on the Android 10 operating system, it does not have Google services such as Google Play, Gmail, YouTube, etc., so you have to install the app through Xiaomi's own app store. This is also because it is a product for domestic use in China.
Components of Hongmi K30 Pro (Source = IT Dong-A)
If you are looking for a Hongmi K30 Pro, it is recommended that you select a product that is equipped with an international (global) version of firmware and Google services.
For reference, it is possible to install Google Play with a separate installation file (APK) even for domestic use. It is recommended that you install Google Play, Gmail, YouTube, etc., as Xiaomi's own app store provides installation files for Google Play.
When a domestic SIM is inserted into a smartphone of an overseas specification, it is sometimes incompatible.
■ The product itself is fine
Xiaomi Hongmi K30 Pro is a high-quality 5G smartphone with excellent internal specifications, good external design, and excellent battery efficiency. There are some unfortunate points, such as heavy weight and thickness, and not supporting wireless charging, but it has a lot of other advantages, so it is offset enough.
Product prices are based on the Chinese version: 6GB + 128GB (system memory + internal storage) model: 2999 yuan (about 450dollar), 8GB + 128GB model 3399 yuan (about 500dollar), 8GB + 256GB model: 3699 yuan (about 545dollar). Considering that the Samsung Galaxy S20 series of similar specifications starts 833dollar, it is clear that the 'cost ratio' is good. However, the key is whether to overcome the domestic consumer's preconceptions about Chinese brand products.