Aug 23, 2018 02:07 PM
1001 Views
The Redmi 5 is not a game-changer. Its more of an evolution than a revolution. Its a simple budget phone which tries to punch above its weight & offers a compelling package to those who want the best bang for their buck.
Yes the Note 5 is priced very close & yes that's a better phone in terms of specs. Not the pro - just the note 5. If you have the extra cash - then the short answer is - get the note 5 instead of redmi 5. So then, what made me go for this phone instead of the note 5?
I wanted to get it for my Mom & size was a concern. Getting a senior citizen to move from 5" screen to 5.5 is already a stretch. This was 5.7"
The exchange offer on Amazon was excellent. Got 50% exchange value for my older Redmi 4A while upgrading to Redmi 5
I wanted the 64gb version since I plan to use it in dual sim mode. Which means no room for memory expansion. 64gb was available when I bought it. Got that for 8k after exchange:)
The note 5 is always hard to get & seems perpetually always out of stock.
Redmi 5 is lighter by almost 25-30 grams. The weight distribution is better(in hand feel is even lighter) & the footprint is smaller. Makes it perfect for my Mom
Specs which - SD 450 vs SD 625 are very similar. The difference being just 0.2GHz speed bump & 720p vs 1080p screen support. Honestly, 720p screens are plenty dense for day-to-day use. Notice both have the same graphics processor(Adreno 506). Also, the SD625 supports Slo-mo & higher resolution video recording. If that's important for you, then you might want to look at the note 5 instead.
I needed a daily driver with decent battery life. Nothing fancy for gaming etc. The Redmi 5 is plenty powerful for that. 4GB RAM also works well. Nothing feels sluggish or slow. Apps open smoothly, ample RAM to keep the show running smoothly. MIUI resembles iOS & works fine.
Never heats up. No matter how much I use it. SOT(screen on time) is generally 6+ hours for me. Impressive considering that its just a 3300mah battery. Also - using a 2A charger tops up the battery quickly.
What I did not like:
Screen brightness: The note 5 has a better screen which is more legible in sunlight. The Redmi 5 is dimmer & has a yellowish tinge. However, you can only notice this if you put them side-by-side. Else you get used to it quickly.
While the battery life is well over a day. I do wish Xiaomi retained the 4000mah battery. This would have been a stellar budget phone then.
The camera is average but then this is a budget phone. It can take usable photos - it's not something to write home about. Low light shots will be grainy & socially non-useable. The occasional video will come out shaky. Photos in well-lit conditions will come out fine & with a little bit of editing, will look great on social media. Selfie shooter is just about adequate to say the least. But it is sufficient. If you are a selfie addict, then you might be disappointed.
In the end, this is a budget phone. And it does just about everything right given its price. Stick with the 32gb or 64gb model & you have a phone which will last for next 2 yrs easily as a daily driver. If you are an avid gamer or photographer, this is not for you. Best save a bit more & get the Note 5 or even the Pro.
For the rest - this is a great phone. The screen size is great for media consumption & surfing the web / youtube. Lower 720p or HD+ resolution also means that the phone's hardware is working relaxed - leading to less heat & more power efficiency.
The phone's built quality is also excellent & feels well worth the price. Out of the box, around 52.8gb is free & usable in the 64gb model. Reliance JIO 4G works absolutely fine & speeds are also very good. Call quality is well above average & probably great considering the price point.
