The Redmi Turbo 4 is turning heads as one of the first exciting smartphones of 2025. At just $280, it’s packing features you’d normally expect in phones that cost way more. This phone is all about giving you great performance, solid design, and some really nice extras without emptying your wallet.
Design and Build Quality
The Redmi Turbo 4 takes design and build quality seriously, setting a new standard for mid-range smartphones. Redmi has paid attention to the little details, resulting in a phone that looks far more premium than its $280 price tag suggests. Starting with the back, the Turbo 4 features a sleek 2.5D glass panel that gives it a polished and high-end look. The glass has a soft matte finish, which feels smooth to the touch and resists fingerprints better than glossy surfaces. The standout design element here is the red accent line running along the side, which adds a bold touch without being overwhelming.
Then there’s the camera module. Unlike many phones in this price range that slap on unnecessary cameras for the sake of numbers, Redmi keeps it clean and functional with just two lenses. Surrounding the cameras is a dual-ring LED light strip, which doubles as a notification light, charging indicator, and even a gaming aesthetic enhancer. It’s a cool throwback to notification lights of the past, but done in a modern and customizable way.
Another detail worth mentioning is the minimalist branding. Redmi has kept its logo placement subtle, letting the design speak for itself. The phone comes in multiple colors, but the white version with the red accent is particularly eye-catching—it’s the one that will likely grab the most attention.
While the frame is made of plastic, it doesn’t feel cheap. Redmi has used high-quality materials and a matte finish that gives the frame a solid grip. It’s also lightweight, which makes the phone easier to hold despite its large 6550mAh battery. The edges are slightly curved, so it feels comfortable in the hand, and the transitions between the glass back and the frame are smooth and seamless.
When it comes to size, the phone strikes a good balance. It’s neither bulky nor slim, with dimensions that make it easy to hold for long periods. Weighing around 203.5 grams, it feels solid but not overly heavy, thanks to smart weight distribution. Redmi also managed to fit all these features into a body that’s just 8.06mm thick, which is impressive given the massive battery inside.
One thing I really appreciate about the design is how functional it is. The power button and volume rocker are on the right side, and they’re easy to reach. The buttons have a nice clicky feel to them, which adds to the overall premium feel of the phone. On the bottom, you’ll find the USB-C port, a speaker grille, and a SIM card tray. There’s no headphone jack, which might be a dealbreaker for some, but it’s a trade-off we’ve come to expect in modern smartphones.
Regarding durability, the Turbo 4 shines with its IP68 water and dust resistance rating. This means it can survive accidental splashes, rain, or even a quick dunk in water. Having such robust protection is a rare and welcome feature for a phone at this price. It also includes Gorilla Glass protection on the front, ensuring the screen can handle minor scratches and everyday use without too much worry.
Display Quality
The display on the Redmi Turbo 4 is a standout feature, and for good reason. At its $280 price point, Redmi has delivered a screen that feels way more premium than you’d expect. Let’s start with the basics. With a 6.67-inch OLED panel and a 1.5K resolution (2712 x 1220 pixels), it is a sweet spot for mid-range devices. It’s sharper than traditional Full HD but doesn’t stretch the phone’s hardware like a 4K display might. This results in crisp visuals; the text is sharp, images are detailed, and colours pop in just the right way. At 446 pixels per inch (PPI), it’s hard to spot any pixelation, even when looking closely.
Color accuracy is another area where this screen performs well. Out of the box, it supports a wide color gamut with near-accurate representation of sRGB and DCI-P3 colors. You get a professional primary color mode if you prefer natural tones, or you can tweak the display settings to make colors punchier if that’s your style.
The 120Hz refresh rate is another big win for the Turbo 4. Once you experience a high-refresh-rate display, it’s hard to go back, and Redmi ensures you won’t have to miss out, even on a budget. Paired with a 480Hz touch sampling rate, this phone is super responsive to touch inputs, which gamers will especially appreciate.
Brightness is another area where the Turbo 4 shines—literally. The display can hit a peak brightness of 3200 nits, making it one of the brightest screens in its class. Also, it supports HDR10+, so streaming videos on platforms like Netflix or YouTube looks stunning. Colors are vivid, blacks are deep (thanks to the OLED panel), and the overall contrast is excellent. Watching movies on this phone is a treat, with scenes looking closer to what the director intended.
Redmi also focuses on eye comfort with the Turbo 4. It features Xiaomi’s Qingshan Eye Protection Solution, which uses DC dimming and a 1920Hz PWM hybrid dimming technology. This reduces flicker at low brightness levels, making the display easier on your eyes, especially in dimly lit environments. The phone has even passed multiple certifications for low blue light and flicker-free performance, so you can use it for long periods without worrying about eye strain.
Now, let’s talk about the bezels. Redmi has done a decent job here. The side and top bezels are thin, giving the phone a modern, edge-to-edge look. The chin (bottom bezel) is slightly thicker, but it’s not a dealbreaker, especially considering the price. The front camera is tucked away in a small punch-hole cutout, which doesn’t distract from the immersive viewing experience.
Performance and Gaming
The Redmi Turbo 4 punches well above its weight, offering flagship-like power at a fraction of the price. This device’s heart is the MediaTek Dimensity 8400-Ultra chipset, which debuts with this phone. Built on TSMC’s second-generation 4nm process, the Dimensity 8400-Ultra combines power efficiency with raw performance. The chipset features a full-core design with eight ARM Cortex-A725 cores: one clocked at 3.25GHz for peak performance, three at 3.0GHz for demanding tasks, and four at 2.1GHz for everyday efficiency.
Paired with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage, the Turbo 4 is blazing fast. Apps launch instantly, switching between multiple tasks is seamless, and large files transfer quickly. In AnTuTu, it scores around 1.81 million points, which is seriously impressive for a mid-range device. For comparison, that’s close to what some Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones achieve. On Geekbench, it scores around 1645 in single-core and 6606 in multi-core tests. These numbers might not mean much to the average user, but they translate to real-world speed and responsiveness.
Gaming Performance
The Turbo 4 truly shines when it comes to gaming. Redmi has fine-tuned this device to deliver a top-notch gaming experience, and it shows. Popular titles like Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile, and PUBG run at high settings with consistently smooth frame rates. The phone leverages its Mali-G720 GPU, which shares the same generation architecture as flagship GPUs, ensuring excellent graphical performance and stability.
In testing, the Turbo 4 maintained an average frame rate of 58-60 FPS in Genshin Impact on high settings, with only minor dips during intense battles or heavy scene rendering. Even demanding games like Naraka: Bladepoint and Honor of Kings performed exceptionally well, with average frame rates hovering near their maximum limits. The GPU handles detailed textures, dynamic lighting, and fast-paced movements effortlessly, making the gaming experience immersive and enjoyable.
One of the standout features for gamers is the Hypercore and Rage Engine integration. These AI-powered systems optimize performance by dynamically managing CPU and GPU resources based on in-game demands. This means smoother gameplay, reduced lag, and better thermal management, even during long gaming sessions.
Speaking of heat, the Redmi Turbo 4’s cooling system deserves a mention. With a 5000mm² 3D ice-sealed liquid cooling chamber, the phone stays remarkably cool even under heavy gaming loads. In extended sessions of Genshin Impact, the back of the device only reached a peak temperature of around 45°C, which is impressive for a phone in this price range.
AI-Powered Gaming Tools
Redmi’s AI Game Wizard further enhances the gaming experience. It provides real-time game analysis, strategy tips, and even automated actions like map running or resource collection in compatible games. For example, Genshin Impact can help optimize routes or even pick up items automatically, making gameplay smoother and more efficient.
Software and Features
The Redmi Turbo 4 runs on MIUI 14, based on Android 13. The phone offers a blend of customization, optimization, and AI-driven features. MIUI 14 is known for its rich feature set and clean design, and the Turbo 4 delivers the best of Xiaomi’s software. The interface is smooth and intuitive, with easy navigation through apps, settings, and menus.
Customizability is a big win here. MIUI lets you tweak almost every aspect of your phone, from themes and widgets to notification styles and gestures. Want a sleek, minimal look? Or perhaps a colourful and dynamic home screen? MIUI gives you the tools to make it your own.
One area where MIUI continues to face criticism is bloatware and occasional ads in the UI. While Redmi has reduced the amount of pre-installed apps, you’ll still find some unnecessary ones that you may want to uninstall. Additionally, ads in areas like the app store or file manager can be a minor annoyance, but they’re easy to disable in settings if you’re willing to spend a few minutes tweaking the phone.
Camera Capabilities
The Redmi Turbo 4’s camera setup may seem modest compared to the multi-lens arrays you often find in smartphones today, but it’s clear that Redmi has chosen to focus on quality over quantity. The main camera is a 50MP Sony LYT-600 sensor with a large 1/1.95-inch sensor size, f/1.5 aperture, and OIS (Optical Image Stabilization). This setup is designed to capture detailed, bright, and stable photos in various lighting conditions. The secondary camera is an 8MP ultra-wide lens with a 120-degree field of view, perfect for group shots, landscapes, or any scene where you want to fit more into the frame.
Daylight Photography
The 50MP main camera shines in well-lit conditions. Photos come out sharp, with plenty of detail and natural color reproduction. The large sensor and wide aperture allow the Turbo 4 to capture vibrant images with good dynamic range. You’ll notice that highlights and shadows are well-balanced and minimal overexposure in bright scenes.
Close-ups are another strong suit. Thanks to the large sensor, the Turbo 4 achieves excellent background blur (bokeh) for macro shots and portraits without needing a dedicated depth sensor.
Low-Light Performance
When the lights go down, the Turbo 4’s main camera continues to deliver. With the wide f/1.5 aperture and OIS, the camera can take in more light, reduce noise, and stabilize shots for better clarity. Night mode further enhances low-light photography by combining multiple exposures, resulting in brighter, more detailed images with reduced blur. Street lights, neon signs, and dimly lit interiors are captured with impressive sharpness and color accuracy for a phone in this price range.
Ultra-Wide Photography
The 8MP ultra-wide lens is functional but less impressive compared to the main sensor. While it does a good job capturing expansive landscapes or wide group shots, you’ll notice a drop in detail and dynamic range, especially in low-light conditions. However, for casual photography, it gets the job done, and the wider perspective adds versatility to the camera setup.
Portrait Mode
Portrait mode on the Turbo 4 utilizes AI to detect edges and blur the background, simulating a DSLR-like depth-of-field effect. The results are generally impressive, with accurate subject isolation and a natural blur. While it sometimes struggles with fine details like hair, the overall effect is pleasing and works well for social media-ready shots.
Video Recording
For video enthusiasts, the Redmi Turbo 4 offers 4K recording at 30fps with the main camera. The OIS helps to stabilize footage, reduce shake, and make handheld videos look smoother. The colors are vibrant, and the dynamic range is decent, although some users may miss the lack of advanced video features like 60fps recording or cinematic modes. The ultra-wide lens also supports video recording, though the quality is noticeably lower, particularly in low light.
AI and Software Enhancements
Xiaomi’s AISP 2.0 (AI Scene Processing) greatly enhances the Turbo 4’s photography capabilities. The AI automatically adjusts settings based on the scene, whether you’re shooting landscapes, portraits, or food. Features like Live Photo, In-Sensor Zoom for 2x optical quality, and image restoration add extra functionality and convenience.
Selfie Camera
The front-facing 20MP camera is solid for selfies. It captures sharp, detailed images in good lighting, with natural skin tones and minimal overprocessing. Portrait mode is available for selfies too, and it does a decent job of blurring the background, though edge detection isn’t as accurate as the rear camera. In low light, the selfie camera relies heavily on software enhancements, sometimes leading to softer details and a slight loss of clarity.
Battery and Charging
The Redmi Turbo 4 is a powerhouse regarding battery life and charging capabilities. Let’s talk numbers first. With 6550mAh under the hood, this is one of the largest batteries ever in a Redmi device. On paper, it’s impressive, but what about in real-life use? In tests, the Turbo 4 easily lasts through a full day of heavy usage, which includes gaming, streaming, social media, and photography. It can even stretch into a second day without breaking a sweat for lighter use.
Here’s a breakdown of battery consumption in common scenarios:
- 1 hour of 4K video playback: ~8% drain.
- 1 hour of high-quality gaming (e.g., Genshin Impact): ~12% drain.
- 1 hour of social media browsing: ~6% drain.
When it’s time to recharge, the Turbo 4’s 90W fast charging steps in to save the day. The charger included in the box (a nice touch, given the current trend of omitting chargers) can power the phone from 1% to 100% in just under 50 minutes. Here’s a quick charging timeline:
- 5 minutes: ~19% charge.
- 15 minutes: ~41% charge.
- 30 minutes: ~69% charge.
What’s more, Redmi claims that the battery can retain over 80% of its capacity even after 1600 charge cycles, equivalent to about four years of daily use. This longevity is achieved through advanced technologies like SEI membrane self-healing tech and high-strength copper foil, ensuring the battery doesn’t degrade quickly over time.
Final Verdict
For budget buyers who still want a taste of flagship-level features, Redmi Turbo 4 is an easy recommendation; they can start using it in 2025 because one of the biggest selling points is its price. This phone offers incredible value at just $280 for the base variant, delivering features that often belong in higher price brackets. Redmi’s goal with the Turbo 4 is clear: to provide a mid-range smartphone that punches far above its weight in terms of performance, design, and overall experience.
Of course, it’s not perfect. The lack of wireless charging, a headphone jack, and a better secondary camera might be dealbreakers for some. However, these omissions are minor when considering the overall package Redmi offers.
The Redmi Turbo 4 starts at $280 for the base model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. For those needing more, a higher-end version offers 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, which remains affordable compared to competitors in its class.
