Two more new smartphones for India are just about to arrive and both of these have received plenty of interest. The Xiaomi Redmi Note is riding on the success of the Redmi 1S and Xiaomi Mi3 while the Microsoft Lumia 535 is the first Lumia handset to lose the Nokia branding. They are close in price and so today we have a Redmi Note vs. Lumia 535 Dual SIM India contest.

Both of these devices have been officially launched for India recently. The Lumia 535 will be available from November 28 (tomorrow!) while the first flash sale of the Redmi Note 3G on Flipkart takes place on December 2nd with registrations already open. The Redmi Note is coming in 3G or 4G versions, but for this specs comparison we’re considering the 3G model, which is a dual SIM handset.

Processors
The Redmi Note has a 1.7GHz MediaTek MT6592 octa-core processor with Mali-450MP4 graphics. The Lumia 535 Dual SIM has a 1.2GHz Snapdragon 200 quad-core processor and Adreno 302 GPU.

Display
The Redmi Note has a 5.5-inch IPS LCD display with resolution of 1280 x 720 and 267 ppi. The Lumia 535 has a 5-inch IPS LCD display with 960 x 540 resolution resulting in 220 ppi.

RAM and Storage
The Xiaomi phone has 2GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage that’s expandable via microSD to 32GB. The Microsoft Lumia handset has 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage, this time expandable to 128GB.

Camera set-up
The Redmi Note is equipped with a 13-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, LED flash and 1080p video capture, as well as a 5-megapixel front-facing unit. The Lumia 535 has a 5-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, LED flash and 480p video capture, plus a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.

Battery
The Redmi Note has a removable 3200 mAh battery while the Lumia 535 has a removable 1905 mAh battery.

Connectivity
Both phones support 3G, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPRS, EDGE, and microUSB 2.0. The Redmi Note also features WiFi hotspot and WiFi Direct while the Lumia 535 features WiFi hotspot and DLNA.

Operating System
This is a major distinguishing factor between the two. The Redmi Note runs MIUI version 5 based on Android Jelly Bean. The Lumia 535 runs Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim.

Dimensions and Weight
The Redmi Note measures 154mm x 78.7mm x 9.5mm and weighs 199g. The Lumia 535 measures 140.2mm x 72.4mm x 8.8mm and weighs 146g.

Price
Both handsets are priced competitively for the affordable end of the market. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3G launched at Rs. 8,999 and the Microsoft Lumia 535 Dual SIM launched at Rs. 9,199, so there’s very little between them.

Much of any decision between these two may come down to a preference of operating platform, so if you are an ardent Android or Windows Phone device fan it’s pretty clear cut. However, on specs alone the Xiaomi phone appears to have all of the advantages. The Redmi Note has a faster processor that’s also an octa-core, a larger display with higher resolution, more RAM, better camera capabilities, and a higher capacity battery.

However, it’s worth pointing out that the Lumia 535 has a higher level of expandable storage, and is a more compact phone with a lighter weight. As well as this we should consider that Lumia handsets are generally readily available across India, but that the Redmi Note is likely to be in hot demand and is only available through flash sales. If the story of the Xiaomi Mi3 and Redmi 1S is repeated then it could be very hard to get hold of.

When deciding between these two phones you will also want to take into account features, designs and after-sales service. It’s always good to hear from our readers in India, so we’d like to know if you will choose the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3G or the Microsoft Lumia 535 Dual SIM? Do send us your comments.