Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus Launched: Price, Specifications And Review

If we talk about the one thing that Xiaomi has mastered over the years, it has to be ‘giving out the best for the least’. While the year 2017 has witnessed a couple of premium launches from the Chinese manufacturer, their main focus, as far as the Asian markets are concerned, has been on strengthening their roots in the entry-level and mid-budget segment.

These two also happen to be the fastest growing and highest selling segments and here comes Xiaomi Redmi 5 and Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus, for keeping up the pace of growth for the company. To be true to ourselves, since there had been a lot of leaks regarding these two devices, the actual launch has nothing awe-inspiring to offer but the one thing that we must highlight, is the fact that Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus has turned out be a rather impressive device.

The bezel-less screen, a highly efficient processor, and huge battery backup make Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus a formidable mid-budget smartphone and when we take its competitive pricing into consideration, Xiaomi seems to have a clear winner here, at least from the cover.

Moreover, with being the higher-end version out of the two, the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus will be subjected to more scrutiny and here we are, stacking it against the competitors like Honor 7X and Micromax Canvas Infinity.

Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus Specifications

• 5.99-inch (2160×1080) Full HD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio, 1000: 1 Contrast Ratio
  2.5D curved glass, 450 nits Brightness, 84% NTSC Color Gamut, 403 PPI, and Corning Gorilla Glass protection.

• 2GHz Octa-Core Snapdragon 625 SoC coupled with Adreno 506 GPU

• 3GB RAM/32GB storage and 4GB RAM/64GB storage options, expandable up to 128GB via microSD

• Android 7.1.2 Nougat out of the box with MIUI 9

• Fingerprint sensor, Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano / microSD) and Infrared sensor.

• 12MP rear camera with f/2.2 aperture, PDAF, 1.25μm pixel size and dual-tone LED Flash

• 5MP front camera with fixed focus, f/2.0 aperture and LED flash

• 4000mAh battery with Quick Charge Support

• Dimensions: 158.5 x 75.45 x 8.05mm and Weight: 180g

• 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4GHz + 5GHz), GPS + GLONASS, Micro USB Type-C and 3.5 mm headphone jack.

Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus Price And Availability

Available in Light Blue, Black, Gold and Rose Gold color options, the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus is priced at 999 yuan (Rs. 9,745 approx.) for the 3GB RAM+32GB storage variant and 1299 yuan (Rs. 12,675 approx.) for the 4GB RAM+64GB storage variant.

On the other hand, the non-Plus Redmi 5 is priced at 799 yuan for the 2GB/16GB version and 899 yuan for the 3GB/32GB versions. The Redmi 5 comes with a 5.7-inch display, SD 450 processor, and a smaller 3300mAh battery while rest of the specifications remains the same as that of Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus.

While both devices will go on sale in China from December 12th there has been no word on their availability in India. Moreover, since the Redmi 5A has been recently launched in India, we expect Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus to be launched earlier next year in the country.

Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus Review (First Impressions)

• Since Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus is the company’s first offering with edge-to-edge display at this price point, it had to be special. Despite the huge size, the viewing angles are great and brightness levels are enough for outdoor usage. In short, expect Xiaomi Mi A1-like results pooping out of the screen, just a little bigger though.

• Snapdragon 625 SoC is one the most tried and tested as well as an efficient processor for smartphones in this range, and coupled with 3GB (min) RAM and Adreno 506 GPU, it makes for a commendable performance package for gaming and multitasking.

• With MIUI 9 on top, Android Nougat offers almost stock UI-like experience and the interface feels less cluttered while being easier to get used to.

• While the 12MP rear camera lacks OIS, if you can manage a steady hand, you might get the perfect shot out of the sensor. What we really like about this updated camera is its performance in exposed conditions as does a great job of capturing almost-real-time colors with no grains of any sorts.

• On the other hand, the 5MP front camera does need some tweaks for under low-lighting shots but the LED flash comes handy while clicking a selfie.

• The whole package is backed by a dependable 4000mAh battery which offers enough juice for a day, even for heavy users.

Conclusion

All we can say is, ‘when it’s a Xiaomi, it has to be great’ and this is the type of confidence Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus endows. From a metal built to a sleek design, it belongs to a higher segment while the specs-sheet is something its competition will find it hard to match.