Great review!
I've been using a Redmi 9 as my daily driver since 2020.
Although the specs are not as good as the Note 8, many features are comparable.
Xiaomi tends to make good budget phones whose quality make them feel premium.
I bought the phone new at about ₦66,000 ($88 using the conversion rate you used in the post).
It's 2 years old and it still feels good.
My 2 year old Redmi 9
Since Xiaomi released the Note 8 series, I have observed some sort of decline in their specifications. I think that may be owing to the chip scarcity we experienced for a while. Nonetheless, they still manage to deliver well.
I have a cousin of mine (the guy in on the photos I shared in this post) that uses the Redmi Note 9 Pro. He saw how much value Xiaomi puts into Redmi phones while still ensuring affordability. He has ever-since loved it and never regretted his decision. He also is into photography and he takes really amazing photos with his phone.
These are good photos of your phone, and I love the feel I am getting from your wallpaper.
I think the 'decline in specs' is a general thing actually, though subtle in bigger brands.
Look at the Samsung Note 10 Plus and the S22 Ultra for example.
The base model for Note 10 plus has 12 gb RAM while that of S22 Ultra has 8gb RAM. Not really a problem but it is what is.
Thanks about the wallpaper. I use this automatic wallpaper carousel. So it changes from time to time.