Redmi K40 Gaming Edition launches in China: What does $300 get you?

Xiaomi regularly launches its gaming phones under its Black Shark brand. But today, the company is launching the Redmi K40 Gaming Edition in China.

Unlike Black Shark devices, surprisingly, subdued would be one way to describe the Redmi phone. Subtle vertical lines and other styling accents are present at the rear, including a lightning bolt-shaped camera flash. “Fighting” is strangely emblazoned in the center of the phone’s rear plate, but it’s nothing over the top, though.

RGB on the Redmi K40 gaming phone is mainly confined to two half-circles around the camera module. Sliding a right-hand side switches toggle the phone into gaming mode and subsequently light up the LEDs. Interestingly, these LEDs aren’t just for show, either. They provide practical benefits, too, alerting users to notifications or incoming calls. Yes, it took a gaming phone to reintroduce notification LEDs.

The Redmi K40 Gaming Edition comes with an IP53 rating and an 8.3mm thick body. It weighs 205 grams, too.

Redmi K40 gaming phone: What else do you get?

The Redmi K40 gaming phone also packs its fair share of notable features. Like the Black Shark 4, retractable magnetic shoulder buttons activate when the phone’s in gaming mode.

We’re also looking at a 6.67-inch 2,400 x 1,080 OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, 480Hz touch sample rate, and HDR10 Plus support. The K40 Gaming Edition also packs stereo speakers tuned by JBL, with Dolby Atmos support to boot. There’s no 3.5mm headphone jack, though.

A MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC powers the gaming phone — a notable departure from the other Snapdragon-powered Redmi K40 variants. The chipset’s cooled by Redmi’s heat dissipation system. The gaming model also packs a larger 5,065MAh battery with support for 67W charging. As for connectivity, 5G smarts, NFC, and Wi-Fi 6 also feature. Imaging comes courtesy of a triple camera setup at the rear, headlined by a 64MP camera. An 8MP ultra-wide and 2MP macro camera also feature.

Pricing and availability

The Redmi K40 Gaming Edition is limited to China, at least for now. Pricing starts at 1,999 yuan (~$308) for the 8GB/128GB model. The flagship 12GB/256GB model comes in at 2,699 yuan (~$416).

How does this compare to other gaming phones? The Redmi K40’s chief rival arguably stems from its own family. The Black Shark 4 starts at 2,499 yuan (~$385) and arrives with a Snapdragon 870 SoC and faster 120W charging. The Snapdragon 888-powered realme GT also comes in at 2,799 yuan (~$431).

There’s no word on global availability, but a more reserved gaming phone might prove popular among users beyond China, too. A Bruce Lee-inspired version, packing a black and yellow colorway, is also available for those who want something a little more striking.

But what do you think of the Redmi K40 gaming phone? Let us know in the comments below, or vote in our poll above!