Xiaomi Redmi 3 official, features compact diamond-patterned metal body, huge 4,100mAh battery, costs just $105

Having been teased by the manufacturer a few days ago, the new Redmi 3 has finally been unveiled by Xiaomi. The company took to its Facebook page to announce the new phone this morning. As with all things made by Xiaomi, it punches well above its price-point, offering a premium look and feel combined with decent specs, at an affordable price…

The Redmi 3’s rear shell is made almost entirely from metal, with the familiar plastic panels on the top and bottom. The metal rear panel is curved slightly towards the edges and features a new “diamond-patterned” finish “made up of 4166 stars woven together to reflect a gorgeous arrangement of diamonds.”

Spec-wise, we’re looking at a phone which features a 5-inch HD (720p) display on the front, accompanied by three capacitive buttons. Inside, it’s powered by the Snapdragon 616 processor paired with 2GB RAM. There’s 16GB internal storage, which you can expand up to a maximum of 128GB extra via MicroSD card. Front and rear cameras are 5MP and 13MP respectively. It runs the latest version of Xiaomi’s MIUI software, based on Android.

With it being a more low-end phone, Xiaomi opted not to incorporate a fingerprint scanner, but it has put a huge battery inside. At 4,100mAh, the Redmi 3’s battery is undoubtedly one of the biggest batteries around for a phone this size, and with this screen resolution. That’s to say, you should expect to get at least 2 days of use from a full charge. Although there’s no Qualcomm Quick-Charge support, it does charge quickly using 5V/2A fast charging.

The Xiaomi Redmi 3 will be available to buy in China from tomorrow, January 12,at Mi.com and Tmall and will cost just RMB 699 (approximately $106). If the Facebook post is anything to go by, the manufacturer is at least considering launching it overseas too, although we wouldn’t advise holding your breath on that. Time will tell if the smartphone-maker will grow its presence internationally this year. Rumors have indicated that we’ll see an official US launch at some point, mirroring Huawei’s recent moves.