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Which one is better?

Do you have a use for NFC? If you do, and the Mi 9 is compatible with the app you want to use NFC with, then that would be a clear push in that direction. If you don't, and you are sure you won't, then it's irrelevant (I don't use phone payment apps myself, so NFC is the first thing I turn off on any phone - your requirements may be the opposite of mine).

Otherwise, the Mi 9 is a far more powerful device. You are comparing a flagship to a mid-ranger, which is why there's a price difference. The question is, do you need the extra power? The other obvious difference when I look at the specs is that the Redmi has a microSD slot and the Mi 9 does not, so your options may depend on how much storage you require (particularly for media, since microSD is not a replacement for internal storage when it comes to apps).
 
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You might find it helpful to look at this direct comparison of hardware specs between those two models:
https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=9521&idPhone2=9507
Look through the various aspects and see if one stands out as the better choice to match what you want. The Mi 9 does have a more robust CPU and GPU but it's not a matter where the Note 7 is lacking in system resource capacity. Just compare each feature one at a time and list which are important to you -- the Mi 9 has slightly more cellular frequency support, something that might be an advantage if you switch carriers (emphasize 'might') and an AMOLED display, but the Note 7 has a higher capacity battery, a consideration if you plan on using your phone a lot between charges and an IPS LED display; the Mi9 has better cameras (main and selfie) and a front fingerprint sensor but the Note 7 has a head phone jack and a rear fingerprint sensor; etc.
 
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Do you have a use for NFC? If you do, and the Mi 9 is compatible with the app you want to use NFC with, then that would be a clear push in that direction. If you don't, and you are sure you won't, then it's irrelevant (I don't use phone payment apps myself, so NFC is the first thing I turn off on any phone - your requirements may be the opposite of mine).

The thing is that I don't really know. I've never used NFC, but I see how others do it and it seems to be a cool feature. It is also used for a better connection with the bluetooth headphones. Anyway, for me, it is the only feature that is critical, because there are no models with NFC in Redmi lineup (or am I missing something again?)

You might find it helpful to look at this direct comparison of hardware specs between those two models:
https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=9521&idPhone2=9507
Look through the various aspects and see if one stands out as the better choice to match what you want. The Mi 9 does have a more robust CPU and GPU but it's not a matter where the Note 7 is lacking in system resource capacity. Just compare each feature one at a time and list which are important to you -- the Mi 9 has slightly more cellular frequency support, something that might be an advantage if you switch carriers (emphasize 'might') and an AMOLED display, but the Note 7 has a higher capacity battery, a consideration if you plan on using your phone a lot between charges and an IPS LED display; the Mi9 has better cameras (main and selfie) and a front fingerprint sensor but the Note 7 has a head phone jack and a rear fingerprint sensor; etc.

Thanks for the info. I took a look and it seems to me that Note 7 fits me better. The only decision I have to make now is if I need that NFC or not.
 
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The thing is that I don't really know. I've never used NFC, but I see how others do it and it seems to be a cool feature. It is also used for a better connection with the bluetooth headphones. Anyway, for me, it is the only feature that is critical, because there are no models with NFC in Redmi lineup (or am I missing something again?)

Yeh, I'm pretty that that no Redmi series phone has NFC.

I think NFC is mostly used for contactless payments, mainly Google Pay. Which is something you're either going to use or your not. Myself, I only use NFC for the Beijing Subway sometimes, instead of a card.
 
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NFC doesn't give a "better connection" to bluetooth headphones, it's just used as a quicker way of pairing. That might be an advantage if you are constantly having to re-pair the headphones (e.g. they can only be paired with one phone and you use them with two), but I'd expect that most people pair them once and that's it, in which case it will save you maybe 30 seconds.
 
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