Redmi Smart Fire TV Review | Passable, Budget Entertainment For Casual Watchers
Understandably, a first-time TV buyer on a budget may be intimidated by TVs with complex interfaces, too many peripherals, or complex connection points. In an effort to offer quality entertainment at an entry-level price, The Hindu tested the 43-inch Redmi Smart Fire TV, which sells at INR 24,999, for a simple Plug-and-play experience.
This is what we found.
At first sight
The Redmi Smart Fire TV 43 is a good option for new buyers and casual viewers looking for a budget smart TV with an easy-to-use operating system.
Gamers, drinkers, sound connoisseurs and color perfectionists can do without this model.
Characteristics
- Size: 108cm
- Processor: A55 quad-core processor
- Screen type: 4K Ultra High Definition; HDR 10 and HLG support
- Sound: 24W speaker system; Support for Dolby Audio, DTS: Virtual X and DTS-HD technologies
- Operating system: FireOS
- Inputs: 3 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports, AV port and headphones
- Smart TV features: Alexa voice control; Switch between DTH TV channels and OTT programs via Redmi Voice Remote with Alexa
design
The Redmi Smart Fire TV is relatively lightweight and easy to lift. Although help protecting the screen and turning the main knobs is recommended, most adults can set up the TV themselves without much difficulty.
The edges of the TV screen are minimal, but not bezel-free, as shown in the company's product photos. The back of the device could be less angular and thinner, and the power cable could be longer. The TV is sturdy and stands up well on its own. I wish the two plastic TV stands were metal and seemed sturdier.
The overall design is neutral and the Redmi Smart Fire TV fits perfectly into different home and office aesthetics. The TV does not heat up even after many hours of operation, which is an indisputable advantage of an inexpensive device.
Rear view of Redmi Smart Fire TV | Photo credit: Sahana Venugopal.
Visual materials
Sometimes the Redmi Smart Fire TV is enough to watch a movie or an episode of a TV show. High-quality YouTube videos are nice to watch on the screen as every detail is captured accurately, but OTT movies and shows weren't as sharp. Even the icons of the streaming apps were not clearly visible on the screen.
The colors of the television mix. The blacks were very faded, approaching midnight blue in most cases. Although the blues and greens tended to be exaggerated, the saturation levels were strong and should appeal to most viewers.
The TV's bezels appear larger than shown in the company's product photos. Photo credit: Sahana Venugopal.
Motion smoothing, to give human characters a more fun and fluid effect on screen, is applied as part of some visual modes, but it's well balanced and can be adjusted again.
Redmi Smart Fire TV is very sensitive to light. Even when watching programs in a dark room with the blinds closed, the bright sunlight was enough to completely distract the viewer. The screen requires a much stronger reflective coating.
Xiaomi said that the new smart TV will come with a free one-year extended warranty. However, new TV buyers should remember that high-end products can last longer than their budget counterparts.
Audio
While the Redmi Smart Fire TV's audio is suitable for solo or family viewing, it's mostly one-way and lacks brightness. The sound elements could have been mixed more subtly. For the best experience, listeners sit next to the TV and turn up the volume. However, there are several sound modes that provide different listening experiences: standard, music, movies, clear sound, and enhanced bass.
Cinema mode is best for movies and shows with loud music, as it has a slight surround sound effect. On the other hand, Clear Voice mode makes dialogue-heavy content easier to understand by reducing the volume of background noise.
The TV's sound is generally satisfactory, but will not appeal to those who already have experience with mediocre TV sound.
Operating system and smart features.
Redmi made a smart decision by opting for Amazon's FireOS because the navigation is familiar and intuitive.
Since Redmi's offering is a smart TV, users can connect directly to the streaming apps of their choice without purchasing an Amazon Fire TV device. The Redmi remote control's Alexa voice commands work well at different volume levels. The voice command feature is accurate when it comes to English and Hindi movie/TV show titles. We found that it works well with Tamil too.
But using Alexa sometimes caused the TV to freeze. During this time, the device automatically muted all navigation sounds and we had to manually enter text on the screen until Alexa functionality was restored. This problem occurred more than twice in a few hours while testing the TV. The Redmi remote isn't as responsive as we'd like and there are occasional delays when using it quickly.
Judgment
The Redmi Smart Fire TV is an extraordinary entry-level smart TV product, best suited for buyers who want a simple plug-and-play device and don't worry too much about the visuals and audio of streaming TV content. The TV's slim design, affordable operating system, solid construction, and easy installation speak for themselves. However, film and TV fans who want high-end audio-visual processing that will remain in style for years to come can ditch this model in favor of budget offerings from Samsung, LG and Sony.
As part of a promotional offer, Redmi Smart Fire TV is available for ₹24,999 on Mi.com and Amazon India.
