Poco and Redmi are two sub-brands of Xiaomi that often release models that complement each other. This trend has been followed for the past couple of years. For instance, when the Redmi A3 was launched in India, the Poco C61 was introduced shortly after. However, it appears that the purpose of launching C61 was to cover up the issues reported about Redmi A3.
Issues With Redmi A3
We have collected consumer feedback from e-commerce websites like Flipkart and Amazon to list out some of the issues faced by users of the Redmi A3 smartphone. As we have not used the device ourselves, we relied on the experiences shared by consumers who have been using the smartphone since its launch in February 2024. It appears that many users are not completely satisfied with the device.
A per the user reviews on Amazon, the device tends to slow down considerably after initial setup. Additionally, there have been complaints about the fingerprint sensor malfunctioning and the loudspeaker volume being too low to be useful, even for ringtones. Some users have also reported heating issues with the device.
Although some positive reviews exist, the overall rating for this device stands at 3.2 stars, which is generally considered poor and unacceptable. Similar sentiments are echoed in Flipkart reviews, where the device has a slightly better rating of 4 stars compared to Amazon. However, the reviews are still not too great, as most users report software lags and low speaker volume, which mirrors the reviews on Amazon.
Poco C61: A Cover Up?
The Redmi A3 was launched on February 14. However, more than a month later, on March 26, the Poco C61 was unveiled in India. It was essentially a rebranded Redmi A3. To make matters worse, the Poco C61 was released at a lower price than the Redmi A3 for the same specifications.
The Redmi A3 was offered in three variants with different storage and RAM configurations. The prices for the base model with 3GB RAM and 64GB storage was Rs 7,299, while the 4GB RAM and 128GB storage model was priced at Rs 8,299. The top-end variant, equipped with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, costed Rs 9,299.
On the other hand, the Poco C61 was launched in two variants, namely 4GB RAM with 64GB storage and 6GB RAM with 128GB storage. The prices for these models were Rs 7,499 and Rs 8,499 respectively. It’s worth noting that the 3GB RAM variant was not made available, possibly due to performance complaints associated with that particular model.
So what does it translate into? For just Rs 200 more, buyers can now get more RAM in the base model of Poco C61 as compared to Redmi A3. Additionally, the top-end model of both devices, which has 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, is Rs 1,000 cheaper in the case of Poco C61 over the Redmi A3. This means that customers who purchased the 6GB RAM model of Redmi A3 may feel frustrated that the same device, under the name of Poco C61, is available at a lower price just over a month later. It seems that the brand has taken Redmi A3 customers for a ride.
Xiaomi is known for releasing smartphones that provide good value for money, especially in the form of their Redmi Note series devices. However, the brand seems to be neglecting the quality in the budget segment, and there is definitely room for improvement in terms of the experience they offer their customers, particularly within the Indian market for budget smartphones.
