- Redmi 5 range starts from Rs 7,999
- Redmi 5 sports a 5.7-inch HD+ (720x1440 pixels) display with 18:9 aspect ratio as compared to Redmi 4's 5-inch HD (720x1280) display
- Redmi 5 is powered by an upgraded Snapdragon 450 SoC clocked at 1.8GHz
- Redmi 5's 5MP front camera is assisted by a dedicated "soft-light" LED flash
- Redmi 5 comes with 'Face unlocking' feature
Xiaomi launched its latest entry-level smartphone, the Redmi 5, in India March 14. The "compact powerhouse" comes with an all-new thin-bezel design similar to that of the recently-launched Redmi Note 5 and the Redmi 5 Pro.
The Redmi 5, as the name suggests, is the successor of the popular Redmi 4 (REVIEW) that was launched last year.
The Redmi 5 was launched in China in December last year alongside the slightly bigger and better-specced Redmi 5 Plus. The Redmi 5 Plus was launched in India last month as the Redmi Note 5, and now the more affordable Redmi 5 has made its debut in the country. The Redmi 5 is essentially a slightly smaller version of the Redmi Note 5.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 review: A reliable mid-range phone
The new device will go on sale in India from March 20 and will be sold exclusively via Amazon India apart from Xiaomi's official e-store Mi.com and Mi Home offline stores.
The Redmi 5 has been launched in three storage configurations: 2GB RAM + 16GB storage, 3GB RAM + 32GB storage and the top-of-the line 4GB RAM variant with 64GB of internal storage.
Interestingly, Xiaomi has launched the Redmi 5 range with the exact same price tags as its predecessor. The Redmi 5 starts at Rs 7,999 for the 2GB RAM + 16GB storage model, the 3GB RAM +32GB storage variant is priced at Rs 8,999 and the 4GB RAM =64GB storage variant costs Rs 10,999.
The device will be available in four different colors — Black, Gold, Lake Blue and Rose Gold.
Xiaomi had a very good run in India last year with the success of the Redmi Note 4 and the Redmi 4, and it will be looking to repeat that with the Redmi Note 5 and the Redmi 5.
The company has already adopted the most happening trend in the smartphone industry — 18:9 aspect ratio displays — and the Redmi 5 is definitely a great step above its predecessor.
Redmi 5 vs Redmi 4 Specifications
The Redmi 5 sports a large 5.7-inch HD+ (720x1440 pixels) display with an 18:9 aspect ratio and 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass protection on top. The taller 18:9 aspect ratio means the Redmi 5 has very narrow bezels, which makes it easier to hold, despite the fact that it houses a 5.7-inch screen.
The Redmi 4, on the other hand, packs a 5-inch HD (720x1280 pixels) display with the conventional 16:9 aspect ratio.
Under the hood, the Redmi 5 is powered by an upgraded octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 chipset that clocks 1.8 GHz, along with an Adreno 506 GPU. The Redmi 4 is powered by a Qualcomm 435 octa-core processor, with a maximum clock speed of 1.4GHz, and an Adreno 505 GPU.
This means the Redmi 5 with the 1.8GHz Snapdragon 450 SoC and the upgraded Adreno 506 GPU will be faster than its predecessor.
Just like the Redmi 4, the Redmi 5 also comes with 2GB of RAM, 3GB RAM and 4GB of RAM coupled with 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB of storage, respectively. The internal storage on all variants is expandable via microSD card up to 256GB.
In the camera department, the Redmi 5 has a 12MP rear snapper, compared to the 13MP unit on the Redmi 4. Nonetheless, the Redmi 5's rear lens features 1.25-micron pixels, f/2.2 aperture, PDAF, HDR and LED Flash. In the front, there's a 5MP snapper, similar to that of the Redmi 4. However, the front camera on the Redmi 5 now comes with a dedicated soft-light LED flash. It also supports face-unlocking.
The Redmi 5 packs all the essential connectivity options, including 4GB VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS?A-GPS and a 3.5mm audio jack. Sensors on board the Redmi 5 include an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, gyroscope, proximity sensor and an infrared blaster.
The Redmi 5 looks strikingly similar to the Redmi Note 5 and has a similar rear camera setup and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor.
Xiaomi claims to have improved battery performance with the Redmi 5. However, on paper, the Redmi 5 has a smaller 3,300mAh battery compared to the 4,100mAh unit on the Redmi 4. But the smaller battery on the Redmi 5 explains the phone's thin profile. The Redmi 5 is just 7.7mm thick (the Redmi 4 is 8.9mm thick) and weighs 157 grams.
The Redmi 5 runs Android Nougat out of the box with MIUI 9 custom skin on top.
Will you be buying the new Redmi 5 or go for the Redmi Note 5, which is just a few bucks more and come with better Snapdragon 625 octa-core and 4,000 battery? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
