In the quiet arithmetic of everyday affordability, Xiaomi places the Redmi A7 into Malaysian hands at RM469 — a number chosen with care, sitting just beneath the threshold where budget becomes aspiration. Arriving September 15th, this entry-level device carries a 6.88-inch 120Hz display and a 5,200mAh battery, specifications that would have seemed generous on a mid-range phone not long ago. It is a reminder that technology's democratisation moves steadily downward, even if the compromises along the way remain honest ones.