Redmi K40 Gaming Edition Launched in China
2021 has seen Xiaomi aggressively dominating all segments of the smartphone market with the launch of the Mi 11 Ultra, Mi 11 Lite, Redmi Note 10 Pro and Mi Mix Fold.
Now Xiaomi is back in the headlines with the launch of its Redmi K40 Gaming Edition in China. The Redmi K40 Gaming Edition is a gaming-centric phone and it is evident in its design, hardware and software build.
Processor
The Redmi K40 Gaming Edition is powered by a MediaTek 1200 chipset and features the Mali-G77 MC9 GPU. For comparison, the MediaTek 1200 chipset is comparable to the Snapdragon 865 chipset that is used in most flagship phones in 2020.
In validation of its performance, the device is received a respectable 724,495 points in the Antutu V9 benchmark test. The device is capable of maintaining an average frame rate of 50fps even when running game titles like Genshin Impact.
Design
The design of the K40 Gaming Edition is brilliant. Built with a metal frame and a glass back panel, this device feels sturdy and durable to the touch.
Despite being a gaming-centric device, Xiaomi has opted to tone down on the design to make the device more appealing for everyday usage. The device features LED lights around the rear camera and lights up when receiving notifications.
Lastly, in terms of design, the team has also worked on reducing the overall bulkiness and weight of the device. The device weighs in at only 205g with a thickness of 8.3mm.
Additional Gaming-Centric Features
Aside from its processor, the Redmi K40 Gaming Edition also comes complete with additional features that allows the device to compete in the gaming mobile phone space.
1. Three-dimensional cooling system
The device features a three-dimensional cooling system. Multi-stacked graphite layers combined with super-large vapor chambers cover all the major components of the device, enabling strong gaming performance.
The cooling system also adopts a new aerospace-grade heat dissipation material with a built-in “white graphene” layer, which not only efficiently dissipates heat for the charging chip, but also offers good insulation to reduce its impact on nearby antennas.
2. Mechanical Gaming Triggers
The device is equipped with two mechanical game triggers. Currently, these triggers are not programmable for other shortcuts and can only be used when gaming.
These triggers also have a lock switch to prevent these buttons from accidentally being pressed when not in use.
3. Display and Audio
Though nothing to boast about, the K40 Gaming Edition does offer a 6.67″ OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 480Hz touch sampling rate.
It definitely isn’t the most impressive display but it does get the job done!
In terms of audio, the device is equipped with stereo speakers which have been tuned by JBL. The device also possesses 3 microphones to ensure that all voice chat is clearly captured when gaming.
Pricing
As an entry-level gaming phone, the Redmi K40 Gaming Edition is launched at an attractive price of ~RM1,270 – ~RM1,715.
- 6GB RAM + 128GB storage – CNY 1,999 (~RM1,270)
- 8GB RAM + 128GB storage – CNY 2,199 (~RM1,400)
- 8GB RAM + 256GB storage –CNY 2,399 (~RM1,525)
- 12GB RAM + 128GB storage – CNY 2,399 (~RM1,525)
- 12GB RAM + 256GB storage – CNY 2,699 (~RM1,715)
Final thoughts
It is important to note that the Redmi K40 Gaming Edition is currently only available in China. At launch, the device does not support Google Mobile Services (GMS).
To resolve this major flaw, it is rumoured that the K40 Gaming Edition could be rebranded as a Poco phone for international markets.
At only RM1,200++ this device is indeed an impressive entry-level gaming phone that is value for money. We do hope that the device will become widely available in Malaysia soon!
Until then, perhaps the Redmi Note 10 Pro and Mi 11 Lite remains the king of budget phones for gaming.
Quick Specs:
| Redmi K40 Gaming Edition | |
| Processing platform | MediaTek 1200 |
| Storage | LPDDR4x + UFS 3.1 |
| Heat dissipation | VC LiquidCool technology + white graphene |
| Network support | 5G SA+NSA 丨Dual 5G standby 丨 5G carrier aggregation |
| Screen | 6.67’’ OLED 丨 2400 x 1080 丨 120Hz refresh rate 丨 480Hz touch sampling rate |
| Rear Camera | 64MP main camera 丨 8MP ultra-wide angle camera 丨 2MP tele macro camera |
| Front Camera | 16MP |
| Battery & Charging | 5,065mAh battery丨 67W fast charging 丨 42mins to 100%1 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Audio | Dual stereo speakers丨 Dolby Atmos丨 JBL certified |
| Motor | X-axis linear vibration motor 丨 support PUBG HQ in-game vibration |
| Unlock | Side-mounted fingerprint reader |
| System | MIUI 12.5 based on Android 11 |
| Available Color | Black, Sliver, White |
| Dimension & Weight | 8.3mm 丨 205g |
| Variant | 6GB+128GB 丨 8GB+128GB 丨 8GB+256GB 丨 12GB+128GB 丨 12GB+256GB |
Watch the launch:
