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Redmi 17 or Redmi Note 17? The difference is the screen, not the battery

Same 45W charging, same main camera and an almost identical battery. What really separates the Redmi 17 from the Redmi Note 17, and when the difference is worth paying for.

AM Phone2 min read
Add us as a preferred source on Google(opens on Google, in a new window)Redmi 17 and Redmi Note 17 in black, each shown from the back and the front, on a light grey-purple background

Anyone looking for a cheap, good Xiaomi phone almost always ends up with the same dilemma: Redmi 17 or Redmi Note 17. Both have a nearly 7-inch screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, a 50MP main camera, 45W fast charging and a huge battery. The difference you feel every day is the screen, not the battery.

What is the difference between the Redmi 17 and the Redmi Note 17?

The Redmi 17 has an HD+ IPS LCD screen, and the Redmi Note 17 has a Full HD+ AMOLED screen. In practice, on AMOLED black is truly black, text is sharper and colours are more vivid, and it shows in WhatsApp, on YouTube and in your photos. That is the difference that justifies the extra cost.

Two more small differences: on the Redmi Note 17 the fingerprint sensor is under the screen, while on the Redmi 17 it is in the power button on the side. And durability: IP65 on the Note versus IP64 on the Redmi 17. Both are dustproof and protected against water splashes, and neither is meant to be submerged.

Which battery lasts longer?

There is almost no difference. The Redmi 17 has a 7,500mAh battery, and the Israeli version of the Redmi Note 17 has 7,700mAh. Both charge at 45W. If you choose the Note for its battery, you are paying for something that barely exists. Note that versions of the Note with a bigger battery are sold abroad, so figures from foreign reviews are not always accurate for the device sold here.

Redmi 17 4G or 5G?

The Redmi 17 is sold in two versions. The 4G version runs on a MediaTek Helio G91 Ultra processor, and the 5G version on a Snapdragon 4 Gen 5. The screen and battery are identical. The 5G version is faster and suits anyone planning to keep the phone for several years. The Redmi Note 17 comes only as a 5G version, with a Snapdragon 4 Gen 4.

Can you pay with them at the checkout?

Yes. According to the importer Hamilton's page, all three models support NFC and Google Pay payments. That is a real difference compared with other cheap phones, such as the Samsung Galaxy A08, which has no NFC at all.

So which one should you buy?

The Redmi 17 4G suits kids and anyone who needs a second phone: a big screen and a battery that lasts two days. The Redmi Note 17 suits anyone who has the phone in hand all day, because the screen is what you look at most. What else to check in the specs of a cheap phone is explained in the guide Cheap Android phone: four spec lines that matter more than the price.

Redmi 17 · Redmi Note 17

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