A complete review of xiaomi 5 plus. Packaging and equipment
The most affordable smartphone with a widescreen and frameless screen can now be bought for 10,000 rubles. In just a year, technology stepped forward and frameless phones became significantly cheaper and became available to the widest range of people. The website project team could not stand aside and tested the Xiaomi Redmi 5 smartphone with a 5.7-inch screen in a metal case. It is he who bears the title of the most affordable device in its class.
Xiaomi smartphones over the past couple of years have become synonymous with practicality and rationality. The devices of this brand are distinguished by a good price-functionality ratio. The same story happened with the new device Xiaomi Redmi 5. This is the most affordable device with a frameless design.
For their money, the user gets a perfectly assembled smartphone with a metal case and a 57-inch screen with an aspect ratio of 18:9. On such a display, more information is displayed, it is more comfortable to watch videos and photos, read and correspond. In addition, the device received a fingerprint scanner on the back. It can be used to quickly unlock devices. There is also a 12MP main camera and a 5MP selfie camera.
In terms of performance, the novelty is also in full order. The device runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 chip with a frequency of 1.8 GHz, versions are available with 2, 3 or 4 GB of RAM, 32 and 64 GB of internal memory for data storage. Xiaomi Redmi 5 received support for LTE Cat.6 with Russian frequencies, two SIM card slots, Wi-Fi, GPS / GLONASS navigator, infrared port. It remains to check in practice how the newcomer from Xiaomi works.
Specifications Xiaomi Redmi 5
id="sub0">Characteristic | Description |
Body materials: |
aluminium, glass, plastic |
Operating system: |
Android 7.1.2 Nougat, MIUI 9.2 custom skin |
diagonal 5.7 inches, IPS, resolution 720x1440 pixels, recognition of up to ten simultaneous touches, protective glass with 2.5D effect | |
CPU: |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 octa-core (8xCortex-A53), operating frequency 1.8 GHz |
GPU: |
Adreno 506 |
RAM: |
2/3/4 GB |
Flash memory: |
16/32 GB + microSD card slot |
SIM card type: |
two nanoSIMs, one of which is combined with a microSD slot |
Mobile connection: |
EDGE/GPRS/GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), WCDMA (850/900/1900/2100 MHz), LTE Cat.6 (800/1800/2600 MHz) |
Communications: |
single-band Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, microUSB connector for charge/sync, 3.5 mm headset, FM radio, infrared port |
Navigation: |
GPS, AGPS, GLONASS, BEIDOU |
ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass), fingerprint scanner | |
Main camera: |
12MP (f/2.2), LED flash, autofocus, Full HD 30fps video recording |
Front-camera: |
5 MP (f/2.2) |
Battery: |
non-removable, 3300 mAh |
Dimensions, weight: |
151.8x72.8x7.7 mm, 157 g |
Xiaomi Redmi 6 prices
id="sub1">Package contents and first impressions
id="sub2">Xiaomi Redmi 5 comes in a box made of orange hard cardboard. The name of the model is printed on the front of the package. Accessories from the kit are arranged in separate compartments. In the box, in addition to the smartphone itself, there is a cable for synchronization and charging with a microUSB connector, an adapter for the mains, a paper clip for opening the SIM card tray, a transparent silicone pad (bumper), instructions and a warranty card. Headphones are not included.
Pulling the smartphone out of the box, you notice that it is very similar to, only a little smaller. The same rounded side edges, a large screen in the entire front panel. Left and right edges reach only 2 mm, top and bottom - 5-6 mm each. Xiaomi Redmi 5 is very thin, it is comfortable to hold it in your hand. Dimensions - 151.8x72.8x7.7 mm, weight - 157 grams.
Thanks to its design, the Redmi 5 fits surprisingly well in the hand. It seems to be elongated in length (the aspect ratio of the screen is 18:9). Because of this, the width matches the classic 5-inch models. In the pocket of clothes, the device is also comfortably located.
Redmi 5 can be purchased in four color options: blue, black, gold and pink. I had a black machine at my disposal. This color looks very impressive.
Design and appearance
id="sub3">Xiaomi Redmi 5 received a monolithic body, the back of which is made of a sheet of aluminum sheet. There are plastic inserts on the top and bottom, they are slightly different in color from the metal. It is in these inserts that the antennas of the mobile network, Wi-Fi are located. GPS/GLONASS, Bluetooth. The design of the device is strict, but at the same time very stylish. The appearance echoes the general concept of the Xiaomi brand and devices of previous Redmi series.
The rounded edges of the screen are made using 2.5D technology and allow the smartphone to fit perfectly in the hand. In general, in the hands of the device is perceived as a very solid and expensive device.
Almost the entire front part is occupied by a touch screen with a diagonal of 5.7 inches. Given the small edges on the sides, it seems that the gadget has no frames at all. In addition, the top and bottom edges are also small - 5-6 mm each. It looks very impressive. The protective glass of the display has an oleophobic coating, fingerprints remain, but are erased quickly and easily.
Above the screen is a speaker for telephone conversations. Its volume is enough to communicate in a noisy room or on the road. To the right of the speaker there is a built-in LED indicator. It flashes when receiving incoming messages, phone calls, low battery. It can be disabled or reconfigured in the corresponding menu item. Here you can also see the front 5 megapixel camera. Horoscope, proximity sensors, lighting can be seen to the left of the speaker grille.
There are no buttons or other elements under the screen. It's just empty space. Function keys are fully integrated into the on-screen shell.
On the right side of Redmi 5 are the volume buttons, the power / lock screen key. The keys are pressed comfortably and with a clear stroke. No false positives were found during testing.
The tray for two nanoSIM-sized SIM cards is located on the left side surface. You can open it with a paper clip from the kit, or using a regular paper clip. One of the slots for SIM cards is combined with a slot for a microSD memory card. This configuration does not allow you to use two SIM cards and a memory card at once. This must be taken into account when using the device.
On the top edge you can see a microphone for noise reduction, an infrared port window (you can use smartphones as a remote control) and a 3.5 mm audio jack hole.
On the lower edge on the right there are speaker holes for external calls and music, on the left - a microphone. In the center is a microUSB port for connecting the phone to a computer and charging.
I would rate the work of the main speaker as a strong four. The sound is quite powerful and loud, although the detail is not the highest quality. However, the melodies do not wheeze or hiss. If the speaker is closed with a hand or finger, the volume drops by 90%. You should be aware of this fact when you put the device in a handbag or winter clothes. Thus, you can miss an important call.
On the back side you can see the 12 megapixel main camera lens. It protrudes 2 mm relative to the surface of the case. Not everyone likes this fact. The Redmi 5 camera takes autofocus shots and has a dual-tone LED flash.
A little lower in the center is a fingerprint scanner, which has a round shape. In addition to unlocking the device, you can use it to answer calls, turn off the alarm, view the list of open applications (swipe up on the sensor), open the notification panel (swipe down), and clear notifications (double tap on the sensor). Moreover, the user can create a secure area for storing confidential information and classified applications, which will be accessed by fingerprint.
The fingerprint sensor works quite quickly and, most importantly, accurately. During testing, he accurately recognized my fingerprints and did not react to strangers. A total of five prints can be stored in the device's memory.
Screen. Graphic features
id="sub4">Xiaomi Redmi 5 received a high-quality touch screen with a diagonal of 5.7 inches. The display is made using IPS technology with anti-reflective coating and no air gap. Resolution - 720x1440, aspect ratio 18:9 (2:1). Screen corners are rounded. For this reason, the interface becomes more interesting for the user. The only disadvantage of the display is that when watching a video, you will have to choose either to expand the picture to full screen, thereby cutting off part of the image from above and below, or to watch everything as it is, but with black stripes on the sides.
The picture on the display looks great. Viewing angles are maximum. Under direct sunlight, the image remains readable, the screen does not glare.
The brightness of the backlight is comfortable in most usage scenarios, plus auto-tuning works correctly. The gadget is equipped with a light sensor, thanks to which it can independently adjust the brightness level that is comfortable for working in given conditions.
The picture on the display looks good, clean and believable. The frame around the screen is quite narrow: about 2 mm on the sides and 5-6 mm on top and bottom. From my own experience, I can say that reading text from an elongated screen is much more convenient. On the other hand, reaching to the top of the screen is very inconvenient, and when watching a video, you will encounter black bars on the sides. Fortunately, the device has an automatic scaling mode, as well as the display of interfaces in the scale of standard 5-inch screens.
If we talk about the sensitivity of the screen, then it reacts to touch quickly and recognizes gestures without any problems. In total, the device supports up to ten simultaneous touches.
Redmi 5 has a proximity sensor that blocks the display when you bring the smartphone to your ear. Also, the user can configure the control of individual functions of the smartphone using gestures on the screen.
The device has an eye protection mode that reduces the level of ultraviolet radiation from the screen. This mode prevents eye fatigue when using the smartphone for a long time.
Hardware platform: processor, memory, speed
id="sub5">The 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 chip is responsible for the speed and operation of the Xiaomi Redmi 5 interfaces. All eight Cortex-A53 cores work at a clock frequency that reaches 1.8 GHz at the peak. The processor was built according to the modern technical process in 14-nm. The device received an Adreno 506 graphics coprocessor. Under load, the smartphone case practically does not heat up.
On sale you can find three configurations of the smartphone: 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal flash memory, 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory, or 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB of ROM. In addition, it is worth noting support for memory cards up to 128 GB, although the connector for them is combined with one of the SIM card slots. This means that you will have to use either a card or a nanoSIM.
If we talk about the operation of the interface, then during the test I did not notice any inhibition and various kinds of glitches in the work of Android 7.1.2 and the MIUI 9 user shell. The user shell itself is optimized, so lags and slowdowns were not observed.
All games from the standard test suite ran without problems. More productive ones also worked, but not without limitations, although in most cases all this was not critical. FullHD video is played without slowdowns, the browser is also stable. But 4K in regular players slows down terribly. Summing up the performance, I note that it is very, very sufficient.
Communication options
id="sub6">Redmi 5 users can use the device with two nanoSIM-sized SIM cards at once. However, one radio module is installed in the smartphone. This means that when any activity occurs on one of the cards, for example, an incoming call, the second one goes offline. Working with SIM cards is implemented in the simplest way: after installing both SIM cards in the device, the smartphone will offer to assign which one to call, send messages and access the Internet from.
A SIM card in any slot can work with 3G / 4G networks, but only one of them can operate in this mode at the same time. To change the assignments of card slots, you do not need to swap places - this can be done directly from the phone menu.
The smartphone supports all modern communication networks: 2G/3G and 4G Cat. 6 on Russian frequencies (4G TDD LTE: Band 38/40 and 4G FDD LTE: Band 1/3/7/8/20), confidently receives the signal and does not lose it for no apparent reason. Testing of the MTS 4G network showed speeds of about 30 Mbps.
Talking on the phone is comfortable. Redmi 5 was pleasantly surprised by the loud and clear elaboration of voices during calls - both the interlocutor and the owner. No complaints, complete comfort when communicating in any situation - effective noise reduction works.
The device can work with wireless networks Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (only 2.5 GHz), Bluetooth version 4.2. Modules work quickly and without failures. The microUSB connector supports connecting external devices in USB OTG mode. There is an infrared port with which you can control home appliances, such as LG and Philips home TVs. But there is no NFC in the device, for the same reason Google Pay does not work.
Of the additional communication tools, it is worth noting GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou (standard Google Maps is built into the smartphone). The navigation error radius during testing is about 5 meters, which is very small. The gadget perfectly copes with the role of a navigator.
Working time
id="sub7">The smartphone has a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 3300 mAh. Under test conditions, with the number of calls 30 minutes a day, browsing the Internet for about 1.5 hours via 4G, listening to an mp3 player through a headset for about 2.5 hours a day, the device worked for 46 hours. When watching a video, the gadget worked for 10.5 hours, in navigator mode - 4.5 hours. As a result, the device has to be charged every 2-3 days. If you use your smartphone in a less intensive mode, it will work for 3-4 days.
In terms of autonomy, Xiaomi Redmi 5 is good. In addition, in the power consumption settings of the device there is a power saving mode.
The battery is charged in about 2 hours.
User interface and operating system
id="sub8">Redmi 5 runs Android 7.1.2 Nougat operating system with MIUI 9.2 user interface.
In MIUI 9, developers have focused on speed, smoothness and stability. The entire menu is traditionally placed on the home screen with the possibility of personalization, themes, effects and custom animation. The system keys are virtual, which is unusual for Xiaomi products, but is unlikely to become an obstacle to comfortable use. In addition, the 2:1 aspect ratio of the screen allows you to arrange all the labels of interest in the widget environment.
The notification shade is rather classic for Android, with additional shortcut shortcuts and a long list of notifications. The dialer and QWERTY keyboards are standard OSes, as is the visual style of most basic applications.
Redmi 5 has a lot of pre-installed software, and this is not only an additional package for the Mi Community ecosystem and forum, but also a file manager with a selection of content by type. Among the pre-installed programs there are free Google programs, music player, browser, WPS Office, Microsoft office suite, Facebook client, FM radio, File Explorer, Xiaomi services.
MIUI 9 has an analogue of the Google Now function. For its output, a separate screen is used (the leftmost one by default). This screen displays a search bar, shortcuts to functions and applications, a step counter, a note widget, a calendar widget, transport tickets, promotions, a taxi service widget, and others.
In the settings, many irrelevant parameters and tabs are placed in the main list, while the items in demand, on the contrary, are hidden in additional parameters. Of the security elements, there is a fingerprint sensor setting that works extremely quickly and accurately. A number of functions can be configured to touch the sensor, and the bottom row of virtual keys can be made to automatically disappear when not needed.
Camera. Photo and video capabilities
id="sub9">The main camera of Xiaomi Redmi 5 received a 12 megapixel module with f / 2.2 aperture and dual flash. It uses an Omnivision OV12A10 sensor with a resolution of 1.2 µm. 5 megapixel front camera with fixed optics based on Omnivision OV5675 sensor. Of the chips, the front camera has only a flash, and the software for working with the camera is traditionally sharpened to automatic mode with a minimum number of settings, except that the exposure and focus lock is convenient and easily accessible.
In the daytime, daytime shots are good in quality and accurate in color tone. Indoors, photos are already on the verge of noisy artifacts, but the speed and detail of the frame are at a decent level. At night, the situation entirely depends on the manual adjustment of the metering. If you give the automation all the freedom, the result is smeared. Shooting close-ups with a flash is excellent, and certainly much more interesting than a shot without it.
Efficient algorithms for shooting in HDR allow you to achieve interesting and high-quality results where the hand of a professional reaches for photographing in raw RAW.
The front camera performs its tasks well. The flash works adequately, but does not work miracles.
Video recording is supported in 1080p resolution at 30 frames per second. In addition, the system camera has a timelapse and four times slow motion mode in HD resolution at 30 fps, in these cases the sound is not recorded.
Results
id="sub10">Xiaomi Redmi 5 left an extremely positive impression. It can be safely called one of the best widescreen smartphones for the money. The device has a decent appearance, metal body, well assembled. Pluses include compact size, excellent 18:9 display, pleasant sound in headphones and through the speaker, long battery life and a decent level of performance.
Of the controversial points, the work of cameras. They are quite budgetary in Redmi 5 and adequately shoot in good lighting. Video quality is average.
The disadvantages include a combined slot for a memory card and a second SIM card, as well as the lack of NFC and, as a result, the inability to use Google Pay contactless payments. It is also not clear why the manufacturer from the full support of dual-band Wi-Fi.
Advantages
Nimble interface and stable operation
Quality build
Great screen
Long battery life
Support for LTE cat. 6 with Russian frequencies
Flaws
There is no NFC support, and therefore Android Pay does not work
No support for 5GHz Wi-Fi band
The slot for a memory card is combined with a second SIM card (nanoSIM type)
At the end of 2017, Xiaomi introduced a line of new Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus phones. They have everything you need to be popular in the budget segment - good, as for their price, characteristics, a decent battery and a screen with an unusual aspect ratio. It makes the phone not only more convenient, but also has a positive effect on its design. The front side now looks much more modern. During the Xiaomi Redmi 5 review, we will try to comprehensively consider it and compare it with the older Plus version so that you understand whether it is worth overpaying for it.
Specifications:
- Qualcomn Snapdragon 450 - 8 cores at 1.8GHz
- Adreno 506 video accelerator
- Memory: 2GB+16GB or 3GB+32GB
- Screen: 5.7 screen diagonal, 18:9 aspect ratio, 1440 × 720 HD+ resolution, 1000:1 contrast ratio, 450 nit, 282 PPI
- Battery: 3300mAh
- Dimensions: Height:151.8mm, Width:72.8mm, Depth:7.7mm, Weight:157g
The bundle of Xiaomi budget devices does not change from year to year. The smartphone is delivered in a stylish red cardboard box, inside which you can find a charger with 5V / 2A parameters (Qualcomm QC 2.0 fast charging standard is supported), a MicroUSB cable, documentation, a paper clip and a silicone bumper, which will do for the first time. It is better to put on the cover from the first minutes, then you will be sure that your new gadget will not be damaged during use.
The younger version looks advantageous due to its more compact size, thanks to which it will be convenient to work with the phone with one hand. The screen, albeit only 0.2 inches smaller, is perceived as not so big. It received HD + resolution and minimal frames, which is a huge plus for the design. A sufficient amount of space was left under the screen, where one could easily place the navigation keys and a fingerprint scanner between them. But no, the place is simply empty, and they offer to use the navigation keys to control the smartphone.
The body is made of polycarbonate plastic and the back is made of metal, which makes the case more attractive and practical to use. The design is reminiscent of the Xiaomi Redmi 4X in many of its outlines, which received rave reviews from users.
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Note review showed that he received a 5 megapixel front camera, which, along with a standard set of sensors and a conversational speaker, are located above the screen.
The upper edge is occupied by an infrared port, a microphone included in the noise reduction system and a 3.5 mm audio jack for a headset.
At the bottom is a microphone, speaker and microUSB 2.0 port.
On the back side placed the main camera, a single-section flash and a fingerprint scanner.
The power button and adjustment rocker are on the right.
A hybrid tray for SIM cards was brought to the left side.
Xiaomi Redmi 5 pro review showed that in comparison with previous models in the series, the smartphone has become slightly larger, due to the increase in the diagonal of its display up to 5.7 inches. At the same time, the frames have become noticeably smaller, you hardly notice them during use. Not everyone will positively appreciate such changes, because it is becoming almost impossible to find a truly compact gadget these days. Smartphones are turning into true phablets, but it's not all bad, thanks to thin bezels, it feels like a 5.5-inch device.
A review of the Xiaomi Redmi 5 smartphone showed that the case lies well in the hand and do not be confused by the large diagonal of the display. Rounded corners and thin bezels make it very comfortable to use.
The screen has become one of the main changes in the new Redmi lineup. Xiaomi Redmi 5 uses a 5.7-inch display with HD+ resolution (1440x720 pixels), which gives 282 pixels per inch. If you want something more, then you should pay attention to the Plus version, which received FullHD + resolution and a diagonal of 5.99 inches. When you look at the numbers, the difference seems to be not great, but when you take both devices in your hand, you immediately understand that Redmi 5 is more convenient to use. The big disadvantage was the use of a lower resolution, individual grains can be seen point-blank, the picture lacks clarity. But in general, the situation is far from a disaster, it is no worse than most models with a similar cost. There is a positive side to this - low resolution improves autonomy and performance.
A review of the Xiaomi Redmi 5 phone showed that the screen has a solid margin of brightness. It produces rich colors that look decent at any viewing angle. Supports up to 10 simultaneous touches. The display is covered with a protective glass with rounded edges, on top of which a good oleophobic coating is applied. There is no air gap, so the image literally lies on the surface. Rounded edges add elegance to the design. Even despite its resolution, the screen looks decent in comparison with competitors. Although in terms of clarity, it is inferior to Honor 7X, which uses a larger display and increased FullHD + resolution. The frames of the smartphone are very thin, although it is still too early to talk about complete framelessness.
Xiaomi Redmi 5 smartphone performance
The updated screen and design are far from the only advantages of the new model, almost everything is good in it. Xiaomi Redmi 5 specifications are based on the new Snapdragon 450 processor, which is a simplified modification of the Snapdragon 625 - a chip that is considered one of the best in the budget segment. For this money, you should not expect a more powerful processor. It received 8 cores with a frequency within 1.8 GHz and was designed using a 14-nm process technology, so you can count on impressive autonomy results. The Adreno 506 is responsible for graphics processing, which is often paired with the Snapdragon 625.
Xiaomi Redmi 5 specs fully reveal themselves thanks to the low screen resolution, and this is the advantage of this approach. It will be easier for the processor to process information, which is a plus for performance. The smartphone pulls all the top games. For example, we managed to play Tanks at maximum graphics, while the game never crashed.
Synthetics
A full review of Xiaomi Redmi 5 introduces that there are two modifications of the device - 2 GB of RAM + 16 GB of internal or 3 GB + 32 GB. In any case, you can increase the volume with a flash drive up to 128 GB, but in terms of multitasking, the second version will be an order of magnitude better, 2 GB for MIUI will not be enough.
Wireless communications
In Redmi 5, you can install two SIM cards in nano format at the same time. To expand the amount of memory will have to sacrifice one of them. This is one of the shortcomings of the phone, because devices that provide a separate slot for microSD look much more advantageous.
With communication, everything is fine, the device received support for all modern communication frequencies, including LTE. Smartphone Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 review showed that, among other interfaces, everything is familiar - Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2. There is an infrared port, which is characteristic of almost all Xiaomi smartphones, which opens up the possibility of remote control of equipment. NFC is in no hurry to move to the budget segment, which is certainly upsetting. All navigation systems are supported, so you can easily get directions to your destination.
Sound
Xiaomi Redmi 5 3 32gb review pleasantly surprised by the sound quality. This applies not only to conversational, but also to multimedia dynamics. This is largely due to the new processor that supports Qualcomm Acoustic technology. Thanks to this, the sound is even better than in the Plus version. We get a loud, clear and rich sound. In its price category, it will be the best.
autonomy
Xiaomi Redmi 5 review in Russian goes to its battery, which received a capacity of 3300 mAh. In this regard, it is inferior to the Plus version, in which its capacity reaches 4000 mAh, but it should be borne in mind that the display resolution is lower here. Equally important is the use of an energy efficient processor. Thanks to these features, Redmi 5 is practically not inferior to Redmi 4X in terms of autonomy, despite the fact that the latter has a display diagonal of only 5 inches and a battery capacity of 4100 mAh.
On average, you should count on 1.5-2 days of use, but if you are an active user, then by the evening you will need to put the phone on charge. In games, autonomy is enough for almost 5 hours, in video playback mode - about 7.5 hours. The results are impressive, although if the manufacturer left the 4100 mAh battery, as it was in the 4th generation, they would be even better.
Formally, there is no fast charging, but the Xiaomi Redmi 5 smartphone does fine without it. In 30 minutes, about 30% of the charge accumulates, and it takes 2 hours and 20 minutes to fully charge.
Xiaomi Redmi 5 camera review
Xiaomi Redmi 5 camera review revealed quite a few positive changes. The manufacturer did not install a dual camera in a budget model, realizing that it is better to focus on a single module, but squeeze the maximum out of it, than to chase trends, but get nothing. It uses the OmniVision OV12A10 sensor with f / 2.2 aperture, which successfully proved itself in the autumn Mi A1. Compared to the 4th generation, you can get much better shots on the main camera.
The improvement in image detail is immediately noticeable. This is especially noticeable when photographing in good artificial or daylight. As the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 review showed, noises appear only on night shots. The colors look as close to reality as possible, the camera copes with its task perfectly, of course, if you do not go beyond the price category. The camera received phase focusing, electronic stabilization, digital zoom, HDR and other bells and whistles.
Xiaomi Redmi 5 18 9 review showed that it can shoot video in 1080p at 30 FPS. The quality is improved by electronic stabilization, which compensates for shaking hands. In its price range, something better will hardly be found.
The 5MP front camera is also built on a module from OmniVision. It is not as good as the main camera, so there is not much to praise it for. For its price, it takes good pictures, there is nothing more to say. The flash complements the capabilities of the front camera, it illuminates the face with a soft light, helping to take a picture in a dark environment. The video is saved in FullHD format at 30 FPS.
To be honest, we did not expect such photographic capabilities from a state employee, in terms of camera it is simply the best. If the manufacturer had installed a dual module, we would not have received such a result, in the budget segment it is used mostly to attract attention.
Conclusion
Our review of the Xiaomi Redmi 5 smartphone has come to an end, and what can we say in the end? We are offered a really successful device, the development of which took into account all the mistakes of the past. This is an affordable phone that, due to its many advantages, should take the top sellers. The screen diagonal has increased a lot compared to the previous generation, but thanks to the reduction of the frames, it is convenient to use it. The camera surprised me the most, it is too good for the budget segment. Build quality, screen performance, everything is good here, except for the lack of an NFC chip and the use of an outdated microUSB port.
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Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus has an aluminum body, an 18:9 aspect ratio screen and a high-capacity battery. The smartphone also has an infrared port, LED backlight for the front camera and support for shooting 4K video for the rear. In this Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus review, let's look at the pros and cons of a smartphone, one of the main advantages of which was an attractive price.
Together with Redmi 5 Plus, they announced a younger model - Redmi 5, which is inferior not only to the size and resolution of the "high" screen, but also to battery capacity, processor power, and, in addition, the amount of RAM and internal memory. However, the price of Redmi 5 is, of course, more modest. Recall that among Xiaomi smartphones, the flagship one (our review) previously distinguished itself with a display with a "non-standard" aspect ratio.
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus Review: Specifications
- Model: MEG7
- OS: Android 7.1.2 (Nougat) with proprietary MIUI 9.2 shell
- Processor: 8-core, 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 (MSM8953), two clusters of 4 cores ARM Cortex-A53, up to 2.0 GHz, DSP Hexagon 546
- Graphics co-processor: Adreno 506 (650 MHz)
- RAM: 3GB/4GB
- Storage: 32 GB/64 GB, microSD/HC/XC hybrid slot (up to 128 GB)
- Screen: 5.99 inches, IPS FHD + (2160x1080 pixels), aspect ratio 18:9, pixel density per inch 403 ppi, contrast ratio 1000:1, brightness 450 nits, 84% NTSC, protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 2.5D
- Main camera: 12 MP, 1.25 µm pixel size, 5-element wide-angle lens, f/2.2 aperture, phase detection autofocus, dual LED flash, video [email protected] fps
- Front camera 5 MP, aperture f/2.0, wide-angle lens
- Interfaces: Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz), Wi-Fi Direct / Wi-Fi Direct, USB 2.0 (OTG), IR port, 3.5 mm audio - CTIA connector
- SIM slot: nanoSIM (4FF) + nanoSIM (4FF)/microSD
- Network: 2G, 3G (HSPA+, up to 42 Mbps), 4G, LTE band (3, 7, 20…)
- Navigation: GPS/GLONASS/BDS, A-GPS
- Sensors: accelerometer, light and proximity sensors, gyroscope, Hall sensor, fingerprint scanner
- Battery: non-removable, 4,000 mAh, 5 V / 2 A adapter
- Color: black, blue, golden
- Dimensions: 158.5x75.45x8.05 mm
- Weight: 180 grams
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus review: design, ergonomics
The budget Redmi 5 Plus cannot boast of original design finds - the main design solutions here are among the "time-tested" ones. Three body colors are available in Russian retail - black, gold and blue.
The device in the last color, which I want to call, rather, turquoise, and we got to test.
The screen with rounded corners is protected by tempered glass Corning Gorilla Glass with 2.5D effect. By the way, the black front panel is found only in black, in all other cases it is white.
Radio-transparent inserts for antennas, slightly different in the shade of the main color, are provided at the top and bottom of the aluminum rear panel, from which they are separated by embossed strips. The case dimensions are 158.5x75.45x8.05 mm. Thanks to the 5.99-inch "tall" screen with an 18:9 aspect ratio, the Redmi 5 Plus is as wide as a 5.5-inch device with a classic aspect ratio display (16:9). The weight of 180 g is quite explainable by the presence of a high-capacity battery.
Above the display, around a small decorative grille "conversational" speaker, collected:
front camera lens and LED backlight for it, light and proximity sensors, as well as a charging / notification LED.
The icons of the touch control buttons "Back", "Home" and "Recent Applications" ("Menu") are on-screen here. In the settings, you can swap the "Back" and "Menu" icons. The bottom plate under the screen is empty.
On the right edge settled differing in size volume rocker and power / lock button.
The left edge is occupied by a hybrid slot with a dual tray, which can accommodate either two nanoSIM subscriber identity modules, or a microSD memory expansion card will take the place of the second one. A special tool for locking the combination tray ("clip") is included.
In addition to a hole for a second microphone and a 3.5mm audio headset jack, there is also an infrared port on the top end.
The microUSB connector for charging/syncing is framed by decorative grilles (five round holes each). At the same time, a "conversational" microphone is hidden under the left one, and a "multimedia" speaker is hidden under the right one (view from the side of the screen).
On the rear panel, just below the top radio-transparent insert, there was a place for a vertically located in the center - a rear camera lens, a 2-tone LED flash and a round capacitive pad of a fingerprint scanner.
The name of the company and the country of production of this model can be found from the inscriptions at the bottom of the panel, which is also decorated with the Mi logo.
The "high" style of Redmi 5 Plus, characterized by a moderate width of the case, allows you to comfortably handle this device with one hand.
Special options in the settings are designed to help in such management. It is worth noting that the kit includes a transparent clip-case that protects the perimeter and the back of the smartphone.
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus Review: Screen
The smartphone got a 5.99-inch screen with a resolution of Full HD + (2160x1080 pixels) and an aspect ratio of 18:9, which determines the density of pixels per inch at 403 ppi. The IPS-matrix used is characterized not only by wide viewing angles, but also by good contrast ratio (1000:1), as well as 84% NTSC color gamut.
The touch capacitive screen recognizes up to ten simultaneous clicks, which is confirmed by the results of the AnTuTu Tester program . According to the manufacturer, the maximum brightness level reaches 450 nits. It is worth adding that the adjustment range is very wide, which is especially important for reading, both in low light and on a sunny day. It is proposed to adjust the backlight of the screen either manually or automatically by activating the "Auto Adjust" switch. The corresponding option allows you to double-tap to turn on the backlight of the screen.
The "Screen" settings provide settings for the color tone (warm, natural, cool) and contrast (standard, increased, automatic). Stepwise adjustment of the size of text and icons on the screen is also offered. In turn, the scheduled reading mode is designed to reduce eye strain. The intensity of the blue filter can be adjusted independently. A fairly high-quality oleophobic coating is applied to the protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 2.5D.
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus Review: Cameras
For the rear photo module of Redmi 5 Plus, a 12-megapixel sensor with a pixel size of 1.25 microns was chosen. The wide-angle lens received a 5-lens optics, f / 2.2 aperture and phase detection autofocus. The photo module is complemented by a 2-tone LED flash. The maximum resolution is achieved with the classic aspect ratio of the frame 4:3 and is 4000x3000 pixels (12 MP). There is a possibility of widescreen shooting (16:9, 4000x2250 pixels).
The front camera is satisfied with a 5-megapixel sensor (2592x1944 pixels, 4:3) and a wide-angle lens with f / 2.0 aperture. For her, they stocked an LED backlight, which can be used not only for taking selfies, but also for videos.
The rear camera can record video in 4K mode (3840x2160 pixels, 16:9) at a frame rate of 30 fps. But 4 times slow-motion shooting is available only in HD resolution (1280x720 pixels). To shoot Full HD "time-lapses" it is proposed to choose an interval from 0.06 to 60 seconds, that is, to speed up the process from 2 to 1,800 times. The front camera has the best recording quality - Full HD (1920x1080 pixels, 16:9) at 30 fps. Content is stored in MP4 container files (AVC - video, AAC - sound).
In the proposed set of additional shooting modes, including panoramic, manual, night, etc., for some reason there is no portrait mode. On the main screen of the Camera app, you can activate the HDR option, select the appropriate filter, change the main camera to the front camera (or vice versa), decide on the flash and camera mode (photo / video), go to the additional modes screen. With the help of filters, "boring" photos can be somehow diversified. The photo/video format and quality are set in the settings accessed from the advanced modes screen. You can also assign an exposure metering mode (center-weighted, spot, average) there. In this case, one of the seven steps (from the lowest to the highest) are set for contrast, saturation and sharpness. Image brightness (exposure compensation steps from -2 to +2) is changed by vertical swipes (down or up) next to the focus circle on the viewfinder. In manual mode, you yourself have to decide on ISO and white balance.
For the front camera, selfie beautification tools are provided, while among the additional modes there are only timer shooting and voice control. When the face detection option is enabled, an attempt is made to determine the gender and age of the subject (the glasses will most likely have to be removed).
In the presence of a mustache and beard, the male fixation was not particularly surprising, and a solid bonus in age even a little amused. It is possible that, with an eye on the female sex, the years are "twisted" intentionally.
When shooting in sunny weather, there are no particular problems, but in the dark it all depends on the lighting. You can see examples of photos from the rear camera.
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus review: sound
The pre-installed applications include the Music audio player with support for high-resolution audio formats (WAV, FLAC). The "multimedia" speaker at the end of the case is quite loud, but the quality is rather average. For headphones (in advanced settings), it is proposed not only to automatically improve the sound by deciding on a specific type of wired accessory, but also to use a 7-band equalizer with presets.
In the Voice Recorder application, you can select the appropriate recording quality (high, standard, low) in MP3 format. The FM tuner, which requires a wired headset (or headphones) as a shortwave antenna, allows you to record online broadcasts (MP3).
Review of Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus: filling, performance
The basis of the Redmi 5 Plus smartphone was the energy-efficient SOC (system on a chip) Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 (MSM8953), made in compliance with the design standards of 14 nm. The clock speed of eight 64-bit ARM Cortex-A53 cores can reach 2 GHz. The MSM8953 chip supports 4K video recording (AVC and HEVC codecs) and cameras with sensors up to 24 MP. The X9 LTE modem provides LTE Cat.7/13 data transmission (300/150 Mbps) and works with Wi-Fi networks of the "ac" standard. The Adreno 506 graphics accelerator can handle screen resolutions up to 1900x1200 pixels at 60 frames per second. In addition, the MSM8953 chip has built-in support for Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging. Redmi 5 Plus RAM can be 3GB or 4GB (LPDDR3).
TestingXiaomiRedmi 5Plus. Results in the AnTuTu benchmark
TestingXiaomiRedmi 5 Plus.GeekBench results
The strong "middling" Snapdragon 625, supplemented by large RAM, predetermines the average results of the tests.
Depending on the amount of RAM - 3 GB or 4 GB - the size of the built-in storage varies - 32 GB or 64 GB, respectively. This value can be increased by installing a microSD / HC / XC memory card in the combo slot (up to 128 GB). Recall that it takes the place of the second nanoSIM (4FF) subscriber identification module. If necessary, it is quite easy to connect a regular USB flash drive through a USB-OTG adapter to Redmi 5 Plus.
Both SIM-cards are connected to one radio module and operate in DSDS (Dual SIM Dual Standby) mode. But if one of them supports 2G/3G/4G networks, then the other only supports 2G/3G. It is important to note that Redmi 5 Plus smartphones offered in official Russian retail have not only FDD-LTE Band 3 (1800 MHz) and Band 7 (2600 MHz), but also Band 20 (800 MHz) in the 4G frequency band set. ).
Other wireless communications worth noting are Bluetooth 4.2 interfaces and 2-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz). The presence of an infrared port, supplemented by a corresponding proprietary application, makes it easy to turn a smartphone into a remote control for household appliances. The lack of an NFC interface is regrettable as contactless payments become more popular.
GPS, GLONASS and BDS satellite systems are used for positioning and navigation. A coordination mode over cellular and Wi-Fi networks (A-GPS) is also available.
Review of Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus: autonomy
The non-removable battery capacity of Redmi 5 Plus is 4,000 mAh. Interestingly, with such a voluminous battery and support for the Quick Charge 3.0 standard by the Snapdragon 625 chip, only a 10-watt adapter is included with the smartphone (output voltage and current 5 V and 2 A, respectively). Thus, it will be possible to fill the most discharged battery "under the neck" in at least 2 hours.
The AnTuTu Tester app rated the battery capacity of the smartphone at an impressive 15,590 points. The manufacturer promises that with a 100% full battery, you can stay in standby mode for up to 17 days. In addition, the accumulated charge is enough for 165 hours of music playback, or 15 hours of video playback, or 9 hours of games. At the same time, a test set of videos in MP4 format (hardware decoding) and Full HD-quality at full brightness spun continuously for about 10 hours.
In the "Battery and performance" settings, it is proposed to take care of reducing battery consumption, including by limiting the activity of applications, as well as turning off irrelevant consumers (for example, Wi-Fi, GPS, mobile Internet).
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus Review: Software Features
The Redmi 5 Plus smartphone runs on the Android 7.1.2 (Nougat) operating system, the interface of which is hidden by the proprietary MIUI 9.2 shell, known for its additional features.
So, in the advanced settings there is an option that makes it easier to control the smartphone with one hand. The so-called "sensory assistant" - a translucent ring - serves the same purpose. Tapping on it opens a menu with icons for emulating control buttons, as well as taking a screenshot and locking the smartphone. In addition, the buttons of the smartphone (for example, by holding them for a long time) can be used to activate additional functions.
The capacitive fingerprint scanner not only allows you to lock the screen, but also protect your personal data and applications.
Among the options in MIUI 9, it is worth noting, for example, the division of the screen between two applications, the definition of a time period for silent and do not disturb modes, as well as advanced image editing functions right in the Gallery.
Useful tools collected in the folder of the same name allow, for example, scanning a QR code or making a screencast (recording a video directly from the smartphone screen). No less interesting was the ability to quickly switch to the IR remote control and "flashlight" (rear flash) modes, to activate which you must first perform a horizontal swipe along the bottom of the locked screen.
Review of Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus: purchase, conclusions
The new smartphone worthily continues the Redmi series, products in which are usually associated with a successful combination of modern technologies and attractive prices. So, one of the main advantages of Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus was its high-quality display with an aspect ratio of 18:9. An undoubted plus can be considered the installed high-capacity battery, which provides good autonomy. In addition, it is worth noting such filling options as LED backlighting for the front camera, 4K video shooting with the rear camera, as well as the presence of an infrared port.
On the other hand, the presence of an NFC interface and a fast charging adapter would not hurt the smartphone at all. For the sake of order, mention should also be made of the conflict that arises when trying to install a second nanoSIM and a microSD card at the same time.
At the start of sales for Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus, they asked for only 13,990 rubles. Such a price, of course, turned out to be one of the main trump cards of this smartphone. Among state employees with a "high" screen in the same configuration (3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory), for the same money (13,990 rubles) you could buy, for example, a 5.7-inch Oppo A83, and adding another thousand (14 990 rubles) - 5.65-inch (our review). But the Oppo A83, whose "chip" is SelfieTune technology, lacks a fingerprint scanner, has a worse screen resolution (HD +, 1440x720 pixels) and a smaller battery capacity (3,180 mAh). True, the design of the slot allows you to install two SIM cards into this device simultaneously with a microSD memory expansion card. As for it, right out of the box it runs on the Android 8.0 operating system, seasoned with the capabilities of the EMUI 8.0 shell. In addition, in its arsenal are duets of rear and front cameras, as well as the presence of an NFC interface. However, unlike the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus, it does not boast a high-capacity battery (only 3,000 mAh), an infrared port, 4K video shooting, and it does not have a 5-GHz Wi-Fi range either.
The results of the review of the smartphone Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus
Pros:
- "High" bright screen
- High capacity battery
- Front camera LED light
- Shooting 4K video
- Availability of infrared port
- Attractive price
Minuses:
- Alternative installation of nanoSIM or microSD memory card
- No fast charging
- No NFC interface
Weak growth in smartphone sales in early 2016 forced Xiaomi to release a new top-end Mi 5, which many were wary of. In fact, we got a light, thin, powerful and very inexpensive flagship that can easily bypass most of the "classmates".
Equipment
The delivery set cannot be called rich. In a small compact box we find a smartphone, a USB Type-C cable, a SIM card ejector, a charger, an adapter for an outlet (sometimes it may not be), documentation.
Design and ergonomics
Usually flagship smartphones have rather big dimensions, but Xiaomi can be praised – Mi 5 turned out to be light, compact for its class, more convenient than most other competitors. This is really a real premium smartphone - stylish, pleasant to the touch.
If you follow the smartphone market, you probably often heard that manufacturers copy some design elements from competitors. Therefore, there is no doubt that the Mi 5 tried to copy the look of the Galaxy S7. Here, almost identical shape of the frame, which narrows to the sides and expands to the ends of the case. Even the hardware mechanical button under the display has the same shape.
The aluminum frame turned out to be matte, and the front and back glass panels are smooth and non-slip, with a special oleophobic coating. Fingerprints will not appear on the frame or on the glass.
The case of this flagship is monolithic, the rear panel is conditionally non-removable. However, if desired, the back cover can be unfastened and the battery replaced.
The SIM card slot is located on the left side. Unfortunately, the SIM card tray is not hybrid and it will not work to put a microSD instead of a second SIM card.
On the right side we see the usual set of buttons - power and volume control. They were specially made large, protruding high from the body, so that it was easy to find by touch. The height of the buttons is average, the return is palpable.
The back panel received a protective glass Gorilla Glass 4, with a noticeable rounding on the sides. Therefore, the shape of the hull is a bit like a boat. The camera module is in the top left corner along with the dual LED flash. The camera does not protrude from the case, it is convenient to use the smartphone when it lies on the surface.
We usually saw Xiaomi smartphones with 2.5D front glass. The same flagship received a simple flat glass panel.
Above the display is the entire set of sensors - proximity and lighting, as well as a front camera module, a notification LED and a mesh earpiece. The operating mode of the LED indicator can be changed in the settings.
Below the display is an oval-shaped physical button with a built-in fingerprint scanner. The selected Qualcomm 3D Ultrasonic module does an excellent job of recognizing fingerprints. Also on the sides are two touch buttons, indicated by dots with a milky backlight.
The main speaker is located at the bottom of the case. Although there are two grilles, there is only one speaker. Exactly in the middle is a USB Type-C connector with USB OTG support.
On the top there is a standard minijack for a headset, an additional microphone, and an infrared port to support the media device control function.
The connectors do not have plugs, so the smartphone must be used carefully. Although it does not scratch much, it does not have any protection from dust or moisture.
Xiaomi Mi 5 is available in three colors: white, black and gold. The premium version of the flagship came out with a ceramic case.
Display
Xiaomi Mi 5 received a 5.15-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1080p. It is protected by tempered glass Gorilla Glass 4. On the sides of the screen, the frame is about 2 mm thick, so Mi 5 cannot be classified as a “frameless” smartphone. The touch screen supports up to 10 touches at the same time.
The light sensor copes with the task perfectly, so you can constantly use the automatic brightness mode. After measurements, it turned out that the brightness margin is a third more than that of its predecessor - Mi 4. Xiaomi claims that their display is brighter than the screens of all other competitors - the reason is to install the backlight on 16 LEDs (usually 12-14 are installed). The screen will be perfectly readable in bright sunlight, and at night the backlight is so weak that you can read books before going to bed without the slightest discomfort. You don't even have to turn on a special reading mode.
The installed LCD IPS screen has a high contrast ratio of 1500:1, deep blacks. The only remark to the screen is that at large angles a slight color inversion appears.
Performance
Xiaomi Mi 5 turned out to be the first smartphone to hit the market with a Snapdragon 820 processor. Qualcomm has decided not to increase the number of cores for now and has returned to Kryo 14nm FinFET cores. As a result, the quad-core Snapdragon 820, according to official data, turned out to be twice as fast as the previous processor, and 40% faster in graphics processing.
It is worth noting that Xiaomi Mi 5 is available in two versions: with 3GB and with 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM. The maximum frequency of 64-bit Kryo cores in the Mi 5 version with 3GB of RAM is limited to 1.8 GHz. The older model with 4GB of RAM has a processor with a frequency of up to 2.2 GHz. The Snapdragon 820 is paired with the Adreno 530 graphics accelerator. In the version with 3 GB of RAM, 1.9 GB is available for applications.
As for the choice of Mi 5 in terms of internal memory, there are models with 32GB, 64GB or 128GB. The last two options are only offered with 4GB of RAM. UFS flash memory installed.
The processor performs equally well in specialized and complex tests. As for graphics processing, there are practically no equal Mi 5. In all graphics tests, it is clear that Snapdragon 820 easily outperforms its predecessor, as well as the best processors from MediaTek and Huawei.
Video - performance of Xiaomi Mi5 on the example of the game World Of Tanks
All games can be run at maximum settings. Even in WoT, the frame rate does not drop below 60 fps. So playing all the games on Xiaomi Mi 5 is a great pleasure. The flagship turned out to be very powerful, with a huge margin for the future.
Xiaomi Mi 5 test results:
- AnTuTu v6.0.1 (depending on the modification of the smartphone and the version of the program) - from 100,000 to 136,000 points
- Geekbench 3 - 1897/4664 points
- AnTuTu HTML5 Test - 23191 points
In terms of connectivity, the Mi 5 supports 802.11ac Wi-Fi with MU-MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.2 and LTE. The smartphone works with LTE (3 and 40), TD-LTE (38, 39, 40, 41) and FDD-LTE (1, 3, 5 and 7).
Specifications Xiaomi Mi 5
Manufacturer | Xiaomi |
Model | Xiaomi Mi 5 |
Announcement date | 2016, January |
Network support | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
- 2G | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 and SIM 2 |
- 3G | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 |
- 4G | LTE |
Bluetooth | v4.1, A2DP |
WiFi | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot |
Dimensions | 69.2 x 144.5 x 7.25mm |
The weight | 129 grams |
Accumulator battery | Fixed, Li-Po 3030 mAh |
Display | 5.15 inches |
- permission | 1080 x 1920 pixels |
CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 |
- CPU frequency | Quad-core 2.2 GHz and quad-core 1.8 GHz |
- graphic arts | Adreno 530 |
Memory | 32/64/128 GB, 3/4 GB RAM |
USB | Type-C 1.0 reversible connector |
- main | 16 MP, autofocus, OIS, dual LED flash |
- frontal | 4 MP, 1080p |
Operating system | Android OS, v6.0 (Lollipop) |
Camera
Xiaomi Mi 5 has two cameras - the main 16-megapixel Sony IMX298 with f / 2.0 aperture and dual LED flash, PDAF phase detection autofocus and four-axis image stabilization, as well as a 4-megapixel front camera with f / 2.0 aperture, but without autofocus.
The autofocus of the main camera works quickly. Optical stabilization always works, that is, it cannot be turned on / off in the settings. The LED flash is bright.
A manual camera setting mode is available, in which you can manually set the white balance, ISO level, shutter speed, clarity, contrast, saturation. There are several additional modes for those who like to experiment - panorama, fisheye, night, etc.
The main camera of Xiaomi Mi 5 - an example photo
Xiaomi Mi 5 front camera - sample photo
You can view photos in their original size and download the ones you like from the MailRu cloud by clicking on the link.
An example video from the main camera of Xiaomi Mi 5 in 4k
Sample video from the front camera
Video can be shot at resolutions up to 4k, there is a Slow-motion mode at 120 fps and 720p resolution. At the maximum resolution, the camera does not make videos of the best quality, stabilization does not cope, the picture twitches noticeably, strange artifacts appear. All this is noticeable even under good shooting conditions. The sound is recorded in stereo, medium quality, without depth.
Noise cancellation is mediocre.
Xiaomi Mi 5 cameras are difficult to rate as a solid five, but even among other flagships, you can get photos and videos of the worst quality.
Battery life
The capacity of the non-removable battery is 3000 mAh. On the one hand, a little, in comparison with the company's phablets. However, it is worth considering the compact size and everything falls into place. Given that the new Snapdragon 820 demonstrates excellent power efficiency, we get excellent battery life. It's even amazing how such a powerful flagship outperforms almost all of its competitors both in tests and in real life.
Here is the time of Xiaomi Mi 5 in tests:
- in reading mode - 18 hours 45 minutes;
- in video playback mode - 13 hours;
- in game mode - 6 hours 30 minutes.
In reading mode, the brightness was set to the minimum level. The video was viewed via Wi-Fi on YouTube, the video resolution is 720p.
Xiaomi Mi 5 is not just the first smartphone with the powerful Snapdragon 820. This flagship was also the first to support Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging. With a standard charger, the battery takes 1 hour 20 minutes to fully charge (1.75A, 9V).
Another coming hit. Review of Xiaomi Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus
Xiaomi is unstoppable - the Chinese company bakes more and more new smartphones like grandma pies with jam for the New Year. At the very end of 2017, the Asian manufacturer announced inexpensive Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus models, which will surely displace the current leader in the face of Redmi 4X from the budget Olympus.
Photographing devices, frankly, it doesn’t matter. At the slightest hint of twilight, the phone can not be reached at all. The result is smeared and dark pictures - a complete surrender to the evening and night.
With conventionally daytime photos, the situation is better, but it is still far from ideal. Lots of noise, not clear
The worst thing is the focus. A more or less clear picture of this big New Year's ball turned out only on the eighth attempt. The rest of the time, the smartphone gave out a mess. The problem, most likely, is of a software nature, and, perhaps, in future firmware, the quality of the shooting will be corrected. But so far, the photo capabilities of new products are more disappointing than encouraging.
This is what the first seven attempts looked like
Attempt #8 was finally crowned with relative success
You are so ordinary
And here is the second, after the display, a serious, at first glance, difference between Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus. Why at first glance? Because it really wasn't that important.
It's about iron. The younger model is based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor, while the older one received a slightly more advanced Snapdragon 625. The graphics chip is the same in both cases - Adreno 506. The amount of RAM and internal memory, as is the case with Xiaomi, can be completely different. We, for example, visited Redmi 5 with 3 GB of RAM and a 32 GB drive. At the same time, Redmi 5 Plus received 4 GB and 64 GB, respectively.
Despite significant differences, in everyday work, both smartphones behave identically. Probably, the higher display resolution of the Redmi 5 Plus is affecting, which just absorbs additional resources compared to the regular Redmi 5.
Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus performance in benchmarks
Even the results in benchmarks are not much different. In games, Redmi 5 even seemed a little faster. In general, you can play normally without friezes and brakes on one or the other device. But there is no groundwork for the near future. In modern top-end projects, smoothness is a little lacking, and the graphics at high settings do not always pull.
With the battery, the situation is similar to what we observed with performance. The younger smartphone has a battery capacity of 3300 mAh, the older one has 4000 mAh, but this practically does not affect the actual battery life. Both devices are stable for 24 hours and a few more hours on the second day. In general, you need to recharge daily.
Of the surprising oddities, we note the lack of a 5 GHz Wi-Fi band on the Redmi 5, while the Redmi 5 Plus does.
You are so competitive!
We don’t know yet how much new products from Xiaomi will cost in Belarusian retail, so it’s not so easy to answer the question about competitors. But let's fantasize. It is known that in China, Redmi 5 with 3 GB of “RAM” and 32 GB of internal memory costs about $140, and Redmi 5 Plus with 4 GB and 64 GB, respectively, costs $200. Well, we think that in domestic realities these prices can be safely multiplied by 1.5.
If we can buy Redmi 5 for $210-220 in equivalent, then we see only one model as a competitor - a Chinese clone of the Galaxy S8 called