Ready for more Xiaomi-induced confusion? Yes? Good. Here’s a new Redmi K90, called Ultra. Let’s recap. There’s the K90, K90 Pro Max, and K90 Max. This makes the Redmi K90 Ultra the fourth K90. The model naming couldn’t be more confusing because there isn’t a Pro between the K90 and Pro Max, but somehow there’s a Max. Ugh.
Anyhoo, at this point, I am not even going to pretend I’m trying to tell the differences because there are only a couple of real changes from the K90 Max, so let’s dive into the highlights before getting to the key specs.
First and foremost, this Redmi doubles down on the active fan cooling introduced on the K90 Max with the same setup, but this time, it gets a redesigned intake grille that looks like Xiaomi’s HyperOS branding, which is significantly sleeker than the drainage grate-style intake of the Max.
The dimensions are identical, too, and so is the 6.83-inch 165 Hz 1.5K AMOLED display with its 480 Hz touch sampling rate. Even the placement of the IR blaster, speakers, flash, microphone, and everything else remains unchanged.
The real change with the K90 Ultra [CH] is the chipset, which is… brace yourself… the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Yes. You heard that right. It is not the newer Gen 5. It feels like a downgrade from the Dimensity 9500 in the K90 Max. Though it still benefits from the AI Gaming Display Chip D2.
Even though it is a last-generation flagship chip, I wouldn’t write it off just yet. Qualcomm has proven time and again that its flagship SoCs stand the test of time.
The rest of the specs are practically identical. You know, like, it could be the same phone, if not for the one spec change and the one design change. Seriously, I kid you not. You still get the same 6.83-inch AMOLED panel with up to 3,500 nits peak brightness, Xiaomi Qingshan Eye Protection 3.0, LPDDR5X memory, UFS 4.1 storage, and the massive 8,550 mAh Xiaomi Jinshajiang battery with 100 W fast charging, 22.5 W reverse wired charging, and Bypass Charging for powering the phone directly while gaming.
The cameras also remain familiar. Around the back is a 50 MP main camera with an f/1.68 aperture and OIS, joined by an 8 MP ultra-wide camera, while selfies are handled by a 20 MP front-facing camera. Chances are, if you liked the K90 Max’s imaging, you’ll feel right at home here. Then again, if you already have the Max, you will not be looking at this.
Cooling is every bit as over-the-top as before. Along with the active cooling fan and 6,000 mm² ultra-large cooling pump, the K90 Ultra packs Xiaomi’s Surge T1+ signal enhancement chip, plus IP66, IP68, and IP69 ratings. It also ships with Xiaomi HyperOS 3 right out of the box.
Like the Max, it boasts symmetrical stereo speakers tuned by BOSE. Perfect for folks who enjoy gaming without headphones, binge-watching movies, or simply blasting music straight from the phone. But seriously, don’t do that when you are in public places. It’s annoying.
Why Redmi felt the need to create yet another K90 that is this close to the K90 Max is beyond me. Aside from the redesigned cooling grille and the Snapdragon 8 Elite, the two phones are practically twins. Perhaps it aims to capture more users because the Ultra is actually cheaper, starting at 2,999 yuan [CH]. Even crazier, both the 12 GB + 256 GB and 16 GB + 256 GB models cost exactly the same.
Images: Xiaomi [CH].