Xiaomi Redmi 5 Launched: Should You Upgrade?

[Toshi Tandon]

Xiaomi launched another mid-range smartphone Redmi 5 in the Indian market. After a gap of 3 months, the Chinese electronics giant launched this budget device for Indian Redmi lovers. Starting at ₹7,999, Redmi 5 has got 3 variants and will be exclusive to Amazon India and Mi.com

Apart from the online retail partners, the new successor to Redmi 4 will also be a part of Mi Home Stores. It seems Xiaomi is making the full of Indian online retailers. Redmi Note 5 is exclusive to Flipkart. The new handset will be on sale from March 20th and is exclusive to Amazon India. A wise strategy!

Xiaomi Redmi 5 Specifications:

Regarding the Redmi 5 specifications, the handset sports a 5.7-inch 720x1440 pixels HD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio. The screen has got 282-pixel density and an eye protection mode with 450-nit peak brightness. With a metal body and reinforced tapered edges, the smartphone provides a good grip and a comfortable feel in hand.

On the front, there is an upgrade and the back you will not find any major difference. Powered by octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 Soc and Adreno 506 GPU, the Redmi 5 is available in 3 different variants 2GB RAM 16GB ROM, 3GB RAM 32GB ROM, and 4GB 64GB ROM. Remember, the inbuilt storage option is expandable via microSD card.

Redmi 5 Now Packs LED Selfie Light:

Imaging wise, there’s a big upgrade. The selfie lovers will be happy to find LED selfie light, face recognition and Smart Beauty 3.0 app. The handset features the same 1.25µm pixel sensor as Redmi Note 5 to capture brighter photos. It features a 12-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front camera. Camera wise, it’s a big upgrade.

Also Read: Xiaomi Mi A1, the Flagship Android One Phone with Dual Camera at ₹14999

When it comes to battery, Xiaomi has downgraded it to 3300mAh. However, the new chipset architecture with dual pyrolytic graphite sheet enables optimal temperature and better battery life that can easily last for a day. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 SoC is a better chipset and one can take it for granted.

Connectivity wise, the Redmi 5 provides dual SIM with 4G VoLTE and other necessary options including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, 3.5mm audio jack etc. IR Blaster is another addon. Redmi 5 runs on MIUI 9 based on Android Nougat and is available in 4 colour variants Black, Gold, Lake Blue and Rose Gold.

Sticking to its commitment, Xiaomi Redmi 5 is purely a Made in India product. As mentioned the price starts from ₹7999 (2GB RAM). The other two variants cost ₹8999 and ₹10999 respectively.

RAM	Inbuilt Storage	Price in ₹
2GB	16 GB	₹7999
3GB	32 GB	₹8999
4GB	64 GB	₹10999

What’s Your Opinion?

Undoubtedly, Xiaomi is known for better specs with an affordable price tag. The company claims Redmi 5 as a successful successor to Redmi 4. However, our version is mixed. If you are already using Redmi 4 then it is better to purchase Redmi Note 5 or else the beast Redmi Note 5 Pro.

In case, you are straight away looking for a mid-range phone then Xiaomi Redmi 5 is a decent option and you will not go wrong with it.

Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Launched Starting at ₹9999 - 100% Made in India