In 2019, the world was buzzing with pop culture moments—Avengers: Endgame saved the universe, Game of Thrones left fans fuming, and an egg became Instagram’s most viral photo. For tech enthusiasts in India, the anticipation for the Poco F2 was sky-high, but instead, Xiaomi delivered the Redmi K20 Pro, a smartphone that punched way above its price tag. Even in 2025, this device holds a special place in the hearts of many, including mine. In this article, we’ll dive deep into whether the Redmi K20 Pro is still worth using in 2025, how it holds up against modern smartphones, and if it’s a practical choice for everyday use. Let’s take a nostalgic trip back to 2019 and see if this classic can still keep up.
Design and Build: A Timeless Beauty
The Redmi K20 Pro’s design is a standout, even by 2025 standards. With Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on both the front and back, sandwiching a sturdy aluminum frame, this phone feels premium. Unlike many mid-range phones today, like the Pixel 9A, which rely on plastic builds, the K20 Pro exudes quality. Weighing just 191 grams, it’s lightweight and comfortable, with a curved glass back that fits snugly in your palm. The Glacier Blue and Flame Red color options, paired with an accented red power button, give it a unique flair that’s hard to find in modern phones.
One of the most iconic features is the pop-up selfie camera. While not the fastest, it’s still functional after six years, complete with ambient lights for added charm. Many believed pop-up cameras would fail mechanically, but the K20 Pro proves otherwise. The absence of a notch or punch-hole camera results in a clean, uninterrupted display—a rarity in 2025. The headphone jack, another feature that’s nearly extinct, adds to its nostalgic appeal. Overall, the K20 Pro’s design feels like a love letter to an era when manufacturers prioritized creativity and user experience.
Display: Still Impressive, But Not Perfect
The Redmi K20 Pro sports a 6.39-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display, crafted by Samsung. In 2019, this was a big deal, and even today, the panel holds up remarkably well. There’s no visible grain or burn-in, which speaks to its quality. However, the 60Hz refresh rate feels dated compared to the 120Hz or 144Hz displays on modern budget phones. Fun fact: tech enthusiasts discovered that the K20 Pro’s display could be overclocked to 81Hz, a quirky feature that made it stand out alongside another 2019 phone (hint: it was the OnePlus 7 Pro).
The display supports HDR on platforms like YouTube and Netflix, a feature not all budget phones offer even today. However, its brightness is a letdown. With a peak of 450 nits in High Brightness Mode (HBM) and 600 nits with HDR, it struggles under direct sunlight. If you’re outdoors often, you’ll find yourself squinting to read the screen. Despite this, the vibrant colors and deep blacks of the AMOLED panel make it a joy for media consumption indoors.
Performance: Surprisingly Capable for 2025
Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, the Redmi K20 Pro was a beast in 2019, rivaling the more expensive OnePlus 7 Pro. In 2025, it still handles day-to-day tasks with ease. Scrolling through Instagram, posting on X, or using apps like Snapchat feels smooth. To test its limits, we ran Geekbench 6 and AnTuTu benchmarks, and the results were comparable to modern mid-range chips like the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 or 6S Gen 3. This is impressive for a six-year-old phone.
Gaming, however, is a mixed bag. Casual games run fine, but demanding titles like Genshin Impact push the K20 Pro to its limits. While it can technically run the game, the experience is far from smooth, and the phone heats up quickly. The 4,000mAh battery, which was decent in 2019, now feels small. After six years of degradation, it drains fast—10 minutes of Genshin Impact consumed 10% of the battery. Thankfully, the 27W fast charging (Quick Charge 4.0) tops it up in about 75 minutes using a 30W charger. If you plan to use the K20 Pro in 2025, a power bank is a must.
Cameras: Decent in Daylight, Struggling in Low Light
The Redmi K20 Pro features a versatile triple-camera setup: a 48MP Sony IMX586 primary sensor, a 13MP ultrawide, and an 8MP 2x telephoto lens. The 20MP pop-up selfie camera completes the package. In 2025, the camera performance is a mixed bag. In good lighting, the primary camera takes decent photos with acceptable detail and color accuracy. The ultrawide and telephoto lenses are handy for creative shots, but their quality doesn’t match modern standards.
Low-light photography is where the K20 Pro struggles. Even with night mode, images are noisy and lack detail. HDR performance is another weak point, as the phone fails to balance highlights and shadows effectively. The AI toggle, a popular feature in 2019, often overprocesses images, resulting in unnatural colors and overly bright skin tones. Portrait mode is hit-or-miss, with poor edge detection. On the plus side, the primary camera can shoot 4K 60fps video, and the quality is surprisingly good, with decent stabilization for casual recording.
The selfie camera is average at best. Skin tones appear unnatural, and portrait selfies suffer from the same edge-detection issues. If photography is a priority, the K20 Pro’s cameras will disappoint in 2025. You’d be better off carrying a dedicated camera for important moments.
Software: A Classic MIUI Experience
The Redmi K20 Pro shipped with Android 9 and MIUI 10, later receiving updates to Android 10 and MIUI 12. In 2025, this software feels dated. MIUI 10 was packed with features but also riddled with ads and bloatware. While custom ROMs like Pixel Experience were popular among enthusiasts, unlocking the bootloader on newer Xiaomi phones running HyperOS is a hassle, limiting customization options.
Security is a concern, as the K20 Pro no longer receives updates. This makes it vulnerable to potential exploits, so it’s not ideal for sensitive tasks like banking. If you’re comfortable with custom ROMs and want a more modern experience, you can breathe new life into the K20 Pro. Otherwise, the software is functional but far from cutting-edge.
Additional Features: The Little Things That Matter
The K20 Pro includes features that were ahead of their time. It supports both LHDC and LDAC Bluetooth codecs, ensuring high-quality audio streaming with compatible earbuds. The in-display fingerprint scanner, while slow by today’s standards, was a novelty in 2019. The mono speaker is a letdown, producing average sound quality, but the headphone jack saves the day for wired audio fans. Haptic feedback is another weak point—vibrations feel unrefined, as if Xiaomi included the motor without tuning it.
Specification Table
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.39-inch Full HD+ AMOLED, 60Hz (overclockable to 81Hz), 450 nits (HBM) |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 |
| RAM/Storage | 6GB/128GB, 8GB/256GB (varies by region) |
| Rear Cameras | 48MP (primary, Sony IMX586), 13MP (ultrawide), 8MP (2x telephoto) |
| Front Camera | 20MP pop-up selfie camera |
| Battery | 4,000mAh, 27W fast charging (Quick Charge 4.0) |
| Operating System | Android 9 (upgradable to Android 10), MIUI 10 (upgradable to MIUI 12) |
| Build | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (front and back), aluminum frame, 191g |
| Additional Features | Headphone jack, LHDC/LDAC Bluetooth codecs, in-display fingerprint scanner |
Is the Redmi K20 Pro Worth Using in 2025?
The Redmi K20 Pro is a fascinating case study in how well a budget flagship can age. Its premium design, vibrant AMOLED display, and capable performance make it surprisingly usable for basic tasks in 2025. The pop-up camera and headphone jack are nostalgic touches that remind us of a time when manufacturers took risks. However, its cameras, battery life, and outdated software hold it back from being a practical daily driver.
Should You Buy It?
If you already own a Redmi K20 Pro, it’s worth keeping as a secondary device for casual use, especially if you’re a fan of custom ROMs. However, buying one in 2025 isn’t advisable. The lack of software updates, mediocre cameras, and limited battery life make it a risky investment compared to modern budget phones like the Poco X7 or Realme 12 Pro, which offer better performance and longevity for a similar price.
Who Is It For?
The K20 Pro is perfect for tech enthusiasts who love tinkering with older devices or collectors who appreciate its unique design. If you’re a casual user looking for a reliable smartphone, newer options will serve you better. For nostalgia-driven users willing to carry a power bank and overlook camera shortcomings, the K20 Pro can still deliver a satisfying experience.
Why Redmi Should Revive the K Series
Using the Redmi K20 Pro in 2025 highlights how far Xiaomi has come—and how much it’s lost. The K series was known for offering flagship-level features at budget prices, a formula that made the K20 Pro a fan favorite. Today’s Redmi phones, while capable, often prioritize incremental upgrades over bold innovation. A refreshed K series with modern specs, a pop-up camera, and a headphone jack could recapture the magic of 2019 and win back fans.
Conclusion
The Redmi K20 Pro is a testament to Xiaomi’s ability to create affordable yet powerful smartphones. In 2025, it’s not a practical daily driver, but its design, display, and performance make it a nostalgic gem. If you’re tempted to revisit this classic, temper your expectations—carry a power bank, avoid heavy gaming, and don’t rely on its cameras. For everyone else, the K20 Pro serves as a reminder of a time when budget phones dared to dream big. What do you think of the Redmi K20 Pro’s revival? Share your thoughts, and let us know which retro gadget you’d like to see tested next!
