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Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro review: King of the hill

Xiaomi built its entire business model on offering great value for money — and as the sales numbers indicate, the strategy has paid off handsomely for the brand. But following up on the Redmi Note 4 is a tough act, as there wasn't much wrong with the device.

That's why with its 2018 budget phone, Xiaomi is focusing on core upgrades in all the major areas. The Redmi Note 5 Pro introduces an 18:9 display, a dual camera at the back and a 20MP front camera with LED flash, a Snapdragon 636 chipset, and up to 6GB of RAM. Xiaomi led the category for battery life last year, and things aren't any different this year — the Redmi Note 5 Pro has a 4000mAh battery.

With the competition also fielding increasingly powerful phones, does the Redmi Note 5 Pro have what it takes to further Xiaomi's cause in India? It's time to find out.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro review Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Specs Operating System MIUI 9.2 based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat Display 5.99-inch 18:9 FHD+ (2160x1080) IPS LCD panel 403ppi pixel density 450nits maximum brightness SoC Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 Eight Kryo 260 cores up to 1.8GHz 14nm GPU Adreno 509 RAM 4GB/6GB Storage 64GB/64GB microSD slot up to 128GB Rear camera 12MP with 1.25um pixel size and f/2.2 lens + 5MP with 1.12um pixel size and f/2,0 lens PDAF, LED flash 1080p video recording Front shooter 20MP with LED Selfie light 1080p video recording Connectivity LTE with VoLTE Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, GLONASS Micro-USB, 3.5mm audio jack, IR blaster Networks LTE: 1/3/5/40/41 GSM: 2/3/5/8 WCDMA: 1/2/5/8 Battery 4000mAh battery Fast charging (5V/2A) Fingerprint Rear fingerprint sensor Dimensions 158.6 × 75.4 × 8.05mm Weight 181g Colors Gold, Rose Gold, Blue, Black About this review I (Harish Jonnalagadda) am writing this review after using the Redmi Note 5 Pro for over two weeks in Hyderabad, India. The device is a pre-production unit provided by Xiaomi India and is running a nightly build of MIUI 9 (9.2.2.0). I tested the phone on Airtel and Jio's 4G networks in Hyderabad.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro review Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Design The Redmi Note 5 Pro marks Xiaomi's foray into the 18:9 form factor in the budget segment. The brand led the way for bezel-less panels with the Mi Mix and the Mi Mix 2, and while the effect isn't anywhere as striking on the Redmi Note 5 Pro, you do get a taller 5.99-inch display with significantly reduced bezels when compared to last year's Redmi Note 4.

The switch to an 18:9 panel also means there's an all-new design up front. The capacitive navigation buttons have made way for on-screen keys, and you can change the orientation of the back and overview buttons from the settings menu.

Round back, things are more familiar. If you ignore the camera module, the Redmi Note 5 Pro is identical to the Redmi Note 5, which in turn shares the same design aesthetic as the Redmi Note 4. The Redmi Note 4 had an iterative design that was nearly identical to the Redmi Note 3, so what we have here is a design language that's three years old.

Like previous years, the antenna inlays at the top and bottom of the device are made out of plastic, but feature a metallic finish. There's a minor variance in color between the inlays and the metal back, particularly on the gold version. It isn't as noticeable on the other color options of the device.

While the aesthetic has evolved over the last three years, the design at the back is starting to look stale. The design works for the Redmi Note 5, which starts off at ₹9,999, but it would've made more sense for Xiaomi to differentiate the Redmi Note 5 Pro from the standard variant.

Talking about lack of differentiation from the Redmi Note 5, the Note 5 Pro also comes with a microUSB charging port. The standard is becoming outdated, and the onus is now on Xiaomi to make the switch to USB-C in the Redmi series. That said, the IR blaster is intact, as is the 3.5mm jack. The volume and power buttons offer a decent amount of tactile feedback as well.

The 18:9 panel up front is one of the best in the budget segment.

The fingerprint sensor at the back is identical to what Xiaomi has used in the past, and it is quick to authenticate and the positioning is just right. The sensor is located in the top one-third section and is right next to the natural resting position of your index finger. There's also a more prominent curve where the back meets the mid-frame, leading to better in-hand feel.

Coming to the display, the 5.99-inch LCD panel is one of the best in this segment. Xiaomi has made a habit of offering vibrant displays in this category, and the same is true for the Redmi Note 5 Pro as well. The panel offers a resolution of 2160x1080, which is becoming the standard for the 18:9 form factor.

Colors out of the box are excellent, and you can tweak the settings to your preferences by going into the settings. The phone also comes with a blue light filter that can be configured to automatically kick in from sunset to sunrise. If you're one to use your phone a lot during the night, you should enable the feature as it reduces strain on the eyes.

For better or worse, the camera sensor — with the lenses arrayed vertically and the flash tucked in between — is identical to that of the iPhone X. It protrudes from the back as well, which makes the phone wobble when laid on a flat surface like a table.

Overall though, the build quality as well as fit and finish are all top-notch, with Xiaomi undertaking stricter quality control measures. At 181g, the Redmi Note 5 Pro is heavier than its predecessors, and the taller panel doesn't make it conducive to use one-handed.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro review Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Hardware Xiaomi is regularly in the first wave of manufacturers to roll out Qualcomm's latest hardware. We've seen that in years past, and that's the case with the Redmi Note 5 Pro as well, which is the first device to be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 636 mobile platform.

The Snapdragon 636 is interesting as it introduces Kryo cores to the budget category. The Snapdragon 660 did the same for the mid-range segment last year, but a majority of the phones powered by the chipset — the OPPO R11 and the Xiaomi Mi Note 3 — were limited to the Chinese market.

The Snapdragon 636 features eight cores in total, with four performance cores complemented by four energy-efficient cores. We've seen that same combination in use in the Android space for a few years now, and it strikes the ideal balance between performance and energy efficiency.

The four high-performance cores are based on ARM's Cortex A73, one of the fastest cores available today. The energy-efficient cores are based on the Cortex A53, a mainstay in the budget segment over the last two years. Qualcomm has offered fully custom cores in the Kryo platform before, but it is leveraging the "Built on ARM Cortex Technology" licensing agreement to build semi-custom cores.

The Redmi Note 5 Pro is on par with flagship chipsets from just a few years ago.

The license allows Qualcomm to take off-the-shelf Cortex cores and make modifications to tweak the overall performance. We've seen Qualcomm go down this road with the Snapdragon 820, 821, and the 835, and the chip vendor is now doing the same for the downstream Snapdragon chipsets. Going with a Cortex license has several benefits as it gives Qualcomm the ability to go to market faster — it doesn't need to design a core from the ground-up — while retaining a competitive advantage.

Coming back to the Redmi Note 5 Pro, the Kryo cores make a tangible difference in terms of overall performance. You're looking at anywhere from a 15-20% increase in CPU speeds and a 10% uptick in GPU performance. As we've seen in the benchmarks, the Snapdragon 636 is an underclocked version of the Snapdragon 660, which delivers performance equivalent to flagship chipsets from just a few years ago.

The performance on tap with the Redmi Note 5 Pro is nothing short of extraordinary, and it's safe to say that this is the fastest phone in the budget segment by some margin. The GPU performance means that the phone can now handle visually intensive games as well, which was a limitation with last year's Redmi Note 4.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro benchmarks

The Redmi Note 5 Pro is also decked out with LPDDR4X RAM, which thus far has been limited to the high-end segment. It would've been great had the device offered UFS storage as well, but the global demand for storage meant it wasn't viable for Xiaomi to include it in the Redmi Note 5 Pro. The phone instead features eMMC 5.0 storage, and with both variants offering 64GB of internal memory, you're not going to run out anytime soon.

Also new with the Redmi Note 5 Pro is Wi-Fi ac as well as Bluetooth 5.0, with both features limited to the Pro variant and not available in the standard version. Talking about connectivity, the Redmi Note 5 Pro had no issues with calls, and the speaker at the bottom is astonishingly loud. In short, if you're looking for the most bang for your buck in the budget segment, this is the phone to get.

Battery life Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro review Xiaomi prioritized the battery segment last year, introducing a 4100mAh battery in the Redmi Note 4. The huge battery combined with MIUI's optimizations allowed the Redmi Note 4 to run rings around its rivals. A year on, that hasn't changed. While the Redmi Note 5 Pro has a marginally smaller 4000mAh battery, you're guaranteed the same great class-leading battery life.

You'll easily get a day-and-a-half worth of usage from that battery consistently, even if you're a power user and rely on your mobile primarily for your entertainment needs. In my usage, I averaged nine hours of screen-on-time spread over two days.

My main issue with the battery on the Redmi Note 5 Pro is the lack of fast charging. With the battery easily lasting more than a day on average, more often than not you'll be looking to top up your device in the middle of the day, and that poses problems as the bundled charger maxes out at 5V/2A. The phone itself is not compatible with fast charging, taking an agonizing two hours to get from zero to a full charge.

Fast charging isn't a big deal on a device with such great battery life, but the lack thereof is one of the few areas where the Redmi Note 5 Pro is behind the competition.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro review Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Software On the software front, it's business as usual. The Redmi Note 5 Pro comes with the latest version of MIUI 9, but if you were hoping for Oreo, get ready to be disappointed. The phone is still based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat, with an Oreo update slated for sometime later this year.

Furthermore, with the Redmi Note 5 Pro being the first to run the Snapdragon 636, there are odd glitches along the way. My unit is on the nightly 9.2.2.0 build, and the stable 9.2.4.0 update is scheduled to make its way to the phone shortly after its release. The stable build should iron out the kinks and allow the phone to take full advantage of the Snapdragon 636.

Optimization could also be the reason why Xiaomi stuck with the Snapdragon 625 for the standard version of the Redmi Note 5. The manufacturer has been optimizing the chipset for well over a year now, to the point where it runs with nary a lag or stutter. It'll take a few weeks at least to get the Redmi Note 5 Pro to the same level, following which we'll hopefully see the Oreo update make its way to the device.

MIUI is a ROM that needed a visual refresh yesterday.

Apart from the lack of Oreo, the user experience on offer with the Redmi Note 5 Pro is similar to Xiaomi devices released over the course of the last twelve months. There's a ton of customization options and more features than you'll end up using, but that's one of the main draws of MIUI. Xiaomi has invested considerable resources in building out features, and MIUI 9 has plenty to offer in the form of quick replies in the notification window, an all-new Mi Video app, native split-screen functionality, and much more.

Then there's older features like Dual Apps — which let you run two instances of an app simultaneously — and Second Space, through which you'll be able to create a separate profile on your device. The SMS app has been tailored for Indian customers, taking the information from a ticket confirmation SMS and automatically creating a card with all the relevant details highlighted.

MIUI 9: Nine new features you need to know

As I said last year, MIUI is never going to adhere to "pure" Android in terms of a visual layout, and that's because a majority of its users are in China. The unregulated nature of the Chinese app market is what led to features like a dedicated Security app and granular control over autostart permissions.

But with usage vastly increasing in markets like India, we may see a wholesale change heading to MIUI in the coming years. The retooled notification pane is definitely a step in the right direction, but the interface as a whole is in need of a refresh to make it more modern. The recents menu, for instance, hasn't changed from the KitKat era, and if you need an app drawer, you'll need to look to a third-party launcher. Xiaomi will hopefully address these issues and make much-needed changes to MIUI sooner rather than later.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro review Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Camera If you ignore the fact that the dual-lens arrangement at the back is identical to that of the iPhone X, there's plenty to like in the Redmi Note 5 Pro's camera. The phone features a 12MP primary camera that's joined by a secondary 5MP depth camera, and up front you get a 20MP camera with LED flash.

The Redmi Note 5 Pro does a stunning job in daylight conditions, with images offering plenty of detail and accurate colors. HDR is off by default, and while the mode was more of a hindrance in past Redmi devices, it's actually usable in the Redmi Note 5 Pro. Finally, the phone does a decent job in low-light conditions, which is a huge deal seeing as how most budget phones struggle in this area.

The camera on the Redmi Note 5 Pro beats other phones in this category by a country mile.

I put the phone to the test by using it as my daily driver during Xiaomi's launch event earlier this month, and came away impressed with the overall results. I normally rely on either the Pixel 2 XL or the Note 8 for launch event coverage as the lighting at these venues isn't ideal, but the Redmi Note 5 Pro did an admirable job.

The dual camera setup also enables portrait mode, which we've seen in the Mi 6 and more recently the Mi A1. The background blur effect is more conservative this time around, but as Xiaomi pointed out at the launch event, its edge detection algorithm is spot-on.

1 / 12Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro camera On the video front, you get electronic image stabilization, but miss out on 4K recording. It's unclear why the feature was removed as the Snapdragon 636 can handle 4K video, and as good as the Redmi Note 5 Pro is at taking photos, videos aren't the device's forte.

Sure, the Redmi Note 5 Pro won't blow the Note 8 out of the water, but you have to remember that the phone is available for less than one-fourth the price of Samsung's flagship.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro review Should you buy it? Absolutely The Redmi Note 5 Pro is Xiaomi's strongest showing in the budget segment in the last two years, and puts the brand in a great position as we head into the launch cycle for 2018. The 18:9 display is a much-needed change to keep the device competitive, and the Snapdragon 636 ensures class-leading performance for the foreseeable future.

This is the first Redmi device I'd consider using as my daily driver.

The Redmi Note 5 Pro is the first phone in the Redmi series I'd consider using as my daily driver. Previous phones in this series weren't short on power, but the camera was the one area where Xiaomi lagged behind.

The phone is offered in two variants — a model with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, and a version with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The 4GB model retails for ₹13,999 and is on sale, and the 6GB version is available for ₹16,999. The phone should be making its way to Xiaomi's offline partners shortly after its launch, and head to the 22 Mi Home stores in the country.

The Good 18:9 display Class-leading camera Powerful hardware Two-day battery life Unmatched value for money The Bad Availability No Oreo 4.5 out of 5     With the Redmi Note 5 Pro, the manufacturer is taking the lead in the budget segment, and once again setting the benchmark for the rest of the field to follow. If you're in the market for a budget phone, the Redmi Note 5 Pro should be at the top of your list. The combination of sheer hardware combined with the great camera, two-day battery life, and 18:9 panel makes the Redmi Note 5 Pro the device to beat in this category.

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Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Review: Good Smartphone

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 is the newest version of the popular affordable lineup, which has gotten big updates this year. Unlike previous models, not only the innards were changed (new processor and RAM), but also the overall design. Here we have the new 18:9 screen and dual camera with AI! So, is it any good? Let’s take a closer look.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 The Redmi lineup and overall the larger models like Note have always drawn my attention. They have their certain magic which grows rare in modern age of consumerism and dry marketing. It seems impossible that there is a really good smartphone that costs only $200.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

Usual pros of Redmi Note – good specs, nice screens and battery life – are all here. There has only been only one big issue – really bad cameras. But the day Xiaomi puts an end to it is here: here you have a phone that has all that was good about the predecessors plus a dual camera with AI. A camera that can compete with much more expensive flagships.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

I was stunned. I didn’t believe Xiaomi, but still I had to check if there was some truth in their words. I ordered the phone on GearBest, choosing the cheapest black model with 3 GB of RAM and 23 GB of storage.  The device costed me about $200 and after a month of active use I can finally say was it worth it or not.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

What’s in the box In the bright orange cardboard box we have the phone, a microUSB cable, a 5V 2A charger, SIM eject tool and a good opaque silicone case, toned black.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5Xiaomi Redmi Note 5Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Xiaomi Redmi Note 5Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 The case is thin and won’t really protect your device if you drop it, but it makes the phone less slippery and improves the grip.

Design and materials The design is ordinary, and the phone looks a lot like the previous Redmi Note devices. But at the same time, the appearance is a lot different.  First, of course, is the new 18:9 screen. There is no notch here, but there are large enough bezels on top and bottom. Side bezels, too, are noticeable. In any case, while maintaining the overall dimensions of the classic 5.5-inch smartphone, Xiaomi increased the screen size to to 5.99", thus expanding the work area. This is very good news.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

Also in Redmi Note 5 the manufacturer moved away from the central location of the camera above the fingerprint scanner and opted for a protruding vertical block of the dual camera on the left. We know all too well who inspired them. I can only say that lots of companies did exactly the same.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

The front panel is made of glass, the back panel is metal with plastic frame and edges on top and bottom. Very similar to Note 3, except that the height of plastic parts is not so large, and the metal is predominant.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5Xiaomi Redmi Note 5Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Redmi Note 5 looks nice and feels good in hand. The metal is slippery, so thank the maker for the case.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

I tested the black model. You can also buy gold, rose, blue and red variations

Key Features:

Dimensions: 158.6 x 75.4 x 8.1 mm Weight: 181 g Elements’ Configuration and Ergonomics On a large area above the display we have all the traditional elements – an earpiece speaker, front camera, flash (!) and light and proximity sensors. There’s nothing below the screen.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5Xiaomi Redmi Note 5Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Power buttons and volume control are on the right. On the left there’s a hybrid slot for two SIMs  (nano) or one SIM card and memory card.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5Xiaomi Redmi Note 5Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 On the bottom are a speaker, a microUSB port, a microphone and a 3.5 mm jack. On top is the second microphone and the infrared port. A dual camera unit with a dual flash and a round fingerprint reader are located at the back.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Due to streamlined shape and slight curvature at the edges of the back, the smartphone comfortably lies in the hand. The buttons and the scanner are conveniently located under the fingers. It's difficult to use the smartphone with one hand, but it's possible if you have long fingers.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

Matte back surface is hardly a fingerprint magnet – especially if your hands are dry.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

Corning Gorilla Glass (version unknown) is installed on the front part and boasts excellent oleophobic coating – even some flagships have it worse. The prints are wiped off easily.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

In general, the ergonomics of the smartphone is all right. If you are used to the 5.5-inch classics, then Redmi Note 5 will feel familiar.

Screen Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 has a usual IPS screen of medium quality. It has a good range of brightness. The maximum level slightly falls short of modern flagships. The minimum brightness is slightly overstated, but not critical. The viewing angles are fine. The color rendering of the matrix is close to natural, although is a little to “cold” for my taste.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5Xiaomi Redmi Note 5Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 In the screen settings there are simple tools for adjusting the color and contrast; you can choose the three color tone options (warm, natural, cold) and contrast (automatic - depending on the lighting, higher, standard). Fine color adjustment is nonexistent.

xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-8xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-9xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-11xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-12 There is also a reading mode (similar to the night mode with blue filter), which is activated either manually or according to a schedule, but also completely automatically - after sunset. How exactly it works is not entirely clear. There’s another neat feature: wake the smartphone with a double tap on the screen.There's no support for using the phone with gloves.

Auto brightness adjustment works correctly, but always tries to lower the current level. I never liked how it works.  Fortunately, you can adjust this moment by using the slider in the notification bar and the system will gradually remember your preferences for different levels of lighting.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

Key Features:

display diagonal: 5.99 " type of matrix: IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen aspect ratio: 18:9 resolution: 1080x2160 pixel density: 403 ppi the ratio of the screen area to the frontal part: 77.4% Performance In terms of speed, everything is predictable. For the comfortable Android experience the new Snapdragon 636 is more than enough. The smartphone works quickly, but there are nuances associated with the flaws in the software shell. Namely a new way to use the smartphone with gestures (I'll talk about it later). When you activate it, the animation starts lagging. If you control with the traditional on-screen navigation buttons  this does not happen. Most likely this bug will be fixed in the future.

Key Features:

Processor: Qualcomm SDM636 Snapdragon 636, 8-core, 4 × 1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Video Accelerator: Adreno 509 Memory versions: 64 GB, 4/6 GB RAM or 32 GB, 3 GB RAM, support for memory cards up to 256 GB Multitasking in Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 directly depends on the amount of RAM on board. The device with 3 GB of RAM can keep running only 3-4 simple applications, which is quite enough for the average user. If you are more demanding, then it’s better to look at the smartphone with 4 and 6 GB of RAM.

In general, opening applications and switching between them is not instant, but quick enough. You don’t feel like you’re using a cheap device. Of course, it’s not as fast as some of the flagships. But there’s no reason for such comparisons.

As for games, everything is okay here. The phone is powerful enough to run virtually any game from Google Play. Of course, some heavy titles require you have to lower the graphics intensity. In the specialized 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme test the results are not impressive. But we must understand that tests in complex synthetics have little in common with real games and rather show the potential of a graphic subsystem. There’s no real potential here. But in the "old" Ice Storm test, which corresponds to the current level of graphics of modern games, the smartphone earns the maximum result. Yes, the benchmark writes: "This test is too easy for your smartphone." Overall, you can play on Redmi Note 5 no problems, but this is clearly not flagship level.

In any case, Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 is at the moment the most powerful smartphone of the lineup. Before it was Redmi Note 3 Pro with Snapdragon 650. The current phone is about 1.5 times more powerful.

Cameras AI in a budget phone is a big deal, and the marketing team made sure we know it. Allegedly, AI selects the best shooting parameters that correspond to the current scene. In practice we can’t understand whether it really works it not, because the AI ​​does not show itself in the camera software, as it happens with the other devices with similar functionality, where at least there's an icon corresponding to the currently applied preset of artificial intelligence. Actually, the user also can not influence  automatic mode in any way. And yes, in the settings there is no way to disable the AI in order to see the difference, if there’s any. How good is AI and whether it’s actually there we cannot know. It’s a mysterious and magical camera, and let’s leave it at that.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

If we forget about this AI nonsense and just judge the photos for what they are, the results are great. This is arguably the best smartphone camera for this price. That’s to be expected with the module like that. This is very unlike the previous models.

Key Features:

The speed of the camera is average. There is a way to start the camera from sleep mode using the volume button. Also the volume key works as a camera shutter button.

As for the camera features, there is Auto HDR. Focusing methods are: phase and Dual Pixel. The autofocus is fast. Also there is PRO mode, although it’s not very serious since you can adjust only ISO and white balance.

When making video, electronic stabilization is available. The maximum video resolution is 1080p @ 30fps. Quality is average.

The front camera has a resolution of 13 MP, f/2.0, pixel size of 1.12μm. There’s LED-flash for selfies and advanced face beautifiers. But let’s not dwell on that.

Battery life Beginning with the third generation Redmi Note smartphones started getting good batteries. The current device also has a 4000 mAh lithium-polymer battery.

In combination with an energy-efficient processor, we get an excellent result. Good battery life is the most obvious pros of the phone. More than 12 hours of continuous work with an active screen is a possibility. In real life, of course, no one will use the device for as long. Therefore, depending on your perseverance, Redmi Note 5 will work a day, two or three on one charge. 7-8 houts of active screen is pretty good. And all of that if you do not bother with the settings of energy saving and background processes. If you want, MIUI has such built-in tools to further prolong the battery’s longevity.

xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-68xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-69xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-70 Redmi Note 5 supports fast charging (Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0), although Xiaomi decided to cut costs, and bundled the usual 5В 2А  charger with the global version of the device. Want fast charging - buy a compatible adapter separately. Remind you of anyone?

Nevertheless, even with this shabby charger, the smartphone charges quite quickly. Here is a listing of charging from 15%:

00:00 - 15% 00:15 - 24% 00:30 - 38% 00:45 - 55% 01:00 - 68% 01:15 - 80% 01:30 - 90% 01:45 - 95% 02:00 - 100% Sound Curiously, Redmi Note 5 sounds great. I was pleasantly surprised: too often companies completely ignore sound in affordable devices. The main speaker here is loud with wide frequency range. Be sure, you won’t miss any notifications. It’s more than enough for movies and games as well. There’s no stereo, but that’s to be expected.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

The earpiece speaker is of a flagship level; the sound is clear and very nice.

Let’s talk a bit about sound in headphones. First, there’s a 3.5 audio jack that’s located in a very convenient place on the lower edge. Second, the sound quality is very good, and it can even be better with the help of the built-in MIUI utility that allows you to choose the type of headphones. What it does is it selects presets of the equalizer and panoramas. Better find one that suits you. There's also manual adjustments of the equalizer. All of this helps archiving a very good result.

xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-59xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-61xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-60 Communications There are no issues with cellular network. Same goes for WiFi - even 5 GHz support is there. Bluetooth functions normally, just like GPS. As a bonus, there’s an infrared port for controlling household appliances.

There are two disadvantages in communication aspects: absence of NFC module and microUSB port. microUSB is  annoying, but understandable, but the absence of contactless payments is a much bigger issue. If you’re not already used to it, then it’s probably not a big deal for you. Personally, I feel somehow uncomfortable without NFC. But again, I understand people who do not need it.

Key Features:

Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, WiFi Direct, hotspot Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE Location: GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS FM radio Port: microUSB 2.0 Firmware and software Here we have the traditional MIUI, which is both loved and hated by many. Personally, I am not a fan of the shell, but I know it well, I understand many aspects of architecture, accept it and can safely use it without righteous anger.

I started using the smartphone on stable version 9.5, but then installed MIUI 10 Beta - just to see what's new. I did not see much. Of the visible changes - a new notification bar (looks like something I saw 5 years ago), multitasking menu in the form of tiles and indicators of volume control.

xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-31xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-29xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-30 xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-67xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-54 xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-52xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-55xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-57 Both 9.5 and 10 work satisfactorily fast, with smooth animations. There is customization with themes and many different functions and built-in tools for setting up the system and optimizing its operation.

xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-71xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-72 The main motto of the shell at the moment is "infinity", that is, working with large screens using gestures. You can turn off the onscreen navigation buttons and use gestures from the edges of the screen; swipe from the bottom and go to the desktop and multitasking menu, if you hold your finger at the end of the gesture. Swipe on the right and left in the lower half of the screen to go back, and if used with a delay to switch to the previous application. Swipe in the upper half of the screen to call the application menu.

xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-63xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-65xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-64xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-66 In general, it is convenient, and at first I was delighted, but there are several moments. Firstly, when returning to the desktop, the animation noticeably lags. This happens only when you use gestures. Secondly, I, for example, use the Gboard keyboard with continuous input and when I want to start inputting a word that starts with the letters closest to the screen edge, the system often perceives this as a gesture "backwards". It is necessary to get used to this feature; sometimes stuff like that is bound to happen.

Even MIUI 10 has a bug that just refuses to go away. This is a problem with displaying Cyrillic in the curtain when using standard font. There is a workaround - to install a custom font in the system through the theme manager, but to be honest, I did not find anything normal. In addition, in many cases it becomes even worse and the letter "И" turns into an "N". So if you’re using Cyrillic font, be prepared for some nastiness.

xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-4xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-58xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-2 In general, I recommend to stay on MIUI 9.5 and not rush to upgrade to 10, especially to a weekly beta. In addition, there can also be problems with rollback. There are rumors that when you roll back from MIUI 10 to 9, the device turns into a brick. I have not completely figured out whether it will happen in the transition between stable and development branches. So I did not take risks.

A bit about the fingerprint scanner. It works flawlessly. It is quick, and in addition to unlocking the screen the scanner is used for authorization in applications and password-protected partitions of the file system. There is no other type of biometric unlocking in the smartphone. There’s no trendy face recognition onboard.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

In general, the firmware is alright, especially the stable MIUI 9.5. Bugs of version 10, of course, should not be taken into account. The firmware is stable, performs all its functions fast.

But there is a moment that I do not understand at all. I am talking about the non-removable leftmost desktop screen with a limited set of widgets. This peculiar clone of Google Now is some kind of a half-assed dashboard, which nobody needs, but cannot deactivate. Be prepared to just never go there. I recommend that you turn off all the widgets so that they do not burn the battery. Or adapt and use this "tool". Still, this is very lame and something Xiaomi needs to work on.

xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-32xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-33xiaomi-redmi-note-5-screen-38 Verdict I see no real reason to not recommend Xiaomi Redmi Note 5. With this price, it’d be a great purchase for anyone. You can easily use it on a daily basis. It’s a massive upgrade for anyone who uses cheaper or older devices. 2-3 year old flagships aren’t really better that this.

In fact, the more I was using it, the more I though that modern flagships aren’t really worth the price and are quite overrated. Sure, when the euphoria is gone, you see lots of differences, but for usual buyer this smartphone is a rare find. A real hit from Xiaomi. Only another Redmi device can beat it.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

Among the pros: sturdy plastic/metallic body, good build quality, decent 18:9 display, fantastic battery life, all communications, infrared port and stable firmware. And the main thing is a camera with AI. There’s no better camera for that kind of money.

And cons: no NFC, no face recognition software, old-fashioned microUSB and, well, firmware, which is also a pros. MIUI is great for most of the users, but it’s not for everyone. The phone��s also not dust- and water-resistant, and doesn’t support wireless charging, although that’s not really a minus – even flagships don’t always have that.

[itsredminote5review-blog]

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 review: A budget phablet that swings above its weight

While there are plenty of good reasons to stick with locally-certified and available smartphones, the rise of online tech resellers in recent years has made it easier and easier - and more and more tempting - to experiment with smartphone brands that aren’t usually available for Australian consumers.

One such brand is Xiaomi.

Sometimes called “China’s largest startup”, Xiaomi grew out of a business model initially focused almost-exclusively on online flash sales and razor-thin hardware margins (with a profit usually later made up for by software revenues). While they’ve yet to officially launch into Australia, Xiaomi are a pretty major player in overseas markets with a reputation for not just offering cheaper alternatives to established brands like Apple and Samsung but also bringing their own innovations to the space. For example, their recent Mi Mix 2 relocated the front-facing camera to the bottom edge of device to pave the way for a slick bezel-less (and notch-free) upper edge.

The blueprint for Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 isn’t quite as creative but it lives up to the company’s reputation nevertheless. It’s a budget-grade device that packs in a lot of value, particularly if you’re the kind of user who favors a larger screen and isn’t too fussed about camera quality.

Specs Display size:  5.99-inch

Display type: FHD (2160 x 1080), 18:9 aspect ratio,

Processor:  Snapdragon 636

Weight:  158.6 x 75.4 x 8.05mm

Dimensions: 181g

Operating System: Android 8.0 with MIUI 9

Fingerprint Sensor: Yes

RAM:  3GB

Storage: 32GB, MicroSD slot

Durability: N/A

READ MORE Xiaomi Mi Note review: The phablet form factor, perfected Ports: Micro USB, 3.5mm headphone jack

SIM:  Dual SIM

Battery: 4000mAh

Connectivity: Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 5,

Rear Camera:  12 MP (f/1.9) + 5 MP (f/2.0), dual pixel phase detection autofocus, dual-LED flash

Front-Facing Camera:  13 MP (f/2.0), LED flash,

Colors:  Black, Gold, Rose Gold, Blue

Price:  $269

Read more: Australian smartphone reviews 2016

Where to buy You can nab the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 through GearBest and Amazon.

Design In terms of design, the Redmi Note 5 doesn’t exactly break the mold but it does boast an impressively-high level of build-quality for what is, by comparison to local brands, a pretty low asking-price.

For about $250, we’re talking about a smartphone with 5.99-inch FHD display, 18:9 aspect ratio, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 636 processor and a hefty 4000mAh battery. On paper, Xiaomi are offering a lot of phone for a not a lot of money here.

Then, in terms of the look and feel of the thing, the Redmi Note 5 boasts a classic aluminum unibody that comes off as very comparable to what Oppo and OnePlus have put out in recent years. Sure, it doesn’t feel quite as luxurious to hold as a Samsung Galaxy S9 or Huawei P20 Pro - but for a fifth of the price, it more holds its own.

Better yet, despite the price-tag, the Redmi Note 5 rarely feels like you’d expect a budget device to. It’s got a fingerprint sensor on the back but also boasts a fast and reliable version of the face-unlock feature found in other smartphones. It also proved surprisingly scuff-proof.

Read more: Xiaomi Mi4 review: Xiaomi's best yet

Part of this appeal comes down to the sheer polish of the MIUI Android skin. As someone who hasn’t really messed with Xiaomi’s take on Android before, I came away really impressed. It was immediately-understandable, usable and easy to customize - coming off like a tasteful middle ground between Oppo’s often-overwhelmingly friendly ColorOS and Huawei’s more utilitarian EMUI.

Performance What’s more, despite the absence of a flagship processor like the Snapdragon 835 and 845, the Redmi Note 5 ran like a dream. Apps loaded and closed fast, and it felt like we rarely ran into a situation where we got bogged down by multitasking. Even games like The Elder Scrolls: Legends and Paladins: Strike ran surprisingly-well on this thing, with the usual caveats that high-intensity mobile experiences are subject to some pretty hard limits (even on the best hardware).

In terms of everyday performance, the Redmi Note 5 delivers in all the ways you want (and expect) a phone will - even if the differences between the performance here is well-below what you’d get out of a flagship with overkill specs.

When it came to benchmarks, the Redmi Note 5 continued to deliver competitive results and continued to swing well above its weight when it comes to price-tag.

We initially tried to compare it to the Huawei Y5, Moto E4 and 2017 Nokia 6 but quickly found it outpaced those devices so easily that it honestly doesn’t seem that crazy to compare it to mid-tier fare like the Xperia XA2 and HTC U11 Life.

READ MORE Xiaomi is finally coming to Australia While the Redmi did consistently lag behind the Oppo R11s, it delivered the goods across the board otherwise. It’s a device that embodies the continued closing of the gap between what’s on offer to high-end and low-end smartphone users at its best.

Camera Though the Redmi Note 5 excels when it comes to performance, it’s photographic potential is held captive by a lot of the same hard limitations faced by other budget smartphones. If there’s any area of the device that struggles, it’s this.

It’s impressive that Xiaomi have managed to pack so many camera features into the Redmi Note 5, and the HDR function on the camera does delivering some-often sizzling results, our overall verdict on the Redmi Note 5’s camera was one of disappointment.

This might be budget smartphone photography at its best, but it’s still budget smartphone photography.

READ MORE Xiaomi Mi Mix 3: Full, In-Depth, Australian review As you’d expect, low light images fared poorly and made for a stark contrast to some of the other smartphones we’ve recently reviewed.

It’s possible to capture some decent outdoor shots with this thing but it's impossible to put it in the same league as some of the heavy hitters out there in the 2018 smartphone landscape. If you’re the kind of user who cares about their smartphone camera, the compromises being made here will likely sour you on this one.

Battery Life In terms of every day battery-life, we’d easily make it through the usual 9-5 work day and often into a second day of active use as well. Even if we accidentally forgot to leave the device on charge overnight, we’d still plenty of juice left to work with.

We’re talking fourteen or more hours of average use here, though - as always - your mileage may vary. Particularly, if you watch or film a lot of video content or crank the brightness way up.

The Redmi Note 5 boasts Quick Charge 2.0 fast charging but no wireless charging.

The Bottom Line All things considered, the Redmi Note 5 Pro is an impressively compelling piece of budget tech - as long as you’re happy to settle when it comes to the camera.

Between the solid material design and build-quality, performance that swings above its price-bracket and slick software experience, the Redmi Note 5 is a smartphone that’s very easy to recommend. What’s more, even with the usual caveats surrounding importing smartphones, it’s priced low-enough that, should you be looking for a low-risk introduction to the Xiaomi brand, this is probably the place to start.

[itsredminote5review-blog]

Xiomi Redmi note5 review

Redmi Note 5 price and release date Xiaomi's Redmi Note 5 was launched in India on 14 February. The phone is Flipkart exclusive and is available in two variants starting from Rs 9,999 for the 3GB/32GB variant and Rs 11,999 for the 4GB/64GB variant.

Design

When we first unboxed the phone and held it in our hands, it didn't feel any different from the Redmi Note 4. It isn't that much different from the older version - at least from the back.

The Note 5 has a slimmer and a lighter profile when we compare it with last year's Note 4. One can argue that there wasn't anything wrong with the design so they didn't upgrade it, but using the same design language again is a bit of a bummer considering it's being portrayed as an ‘upgrade’.

The rear panel of the phone is made out of aluminum while the top and bottom ends are plastic, accented by antenna bands. The phone is 8.1 mm thin and weighs just around 180 grams. The Note 5 has got some weight to it which makes it feel sturdy. The fingerprint sensor on the rear panel is fast, which is nice.

There's a camera protrusion which wasn't present in the earlier version but is something users will have to deal with on the Note 5.

The biggest difference, however, comes when you look at the front of the Redmi Note 5. Gone are the thick bezels and with them, the capacitive navigation buttons. As minimal bezel display becomes a norm for smartphones, letting go of dedicated navigation keys is an absolute must.

If it hadn't been for the front, differentiating Redmi Note 5 from the Note 4 would have been a difficult task. Regardless, the Note 5 feels solid and is well worth the asking price.

Display

The Redmi Note 5 comes equipped with a 5.99-inch, 18:9 aspect ratio display which has a FullHD+ resolution (2160x1080 pixels) and a pixel density of 403ppi. The display is one of the most predominant changes there is in this version. Xiaomi jumping the bandwagon on bringing 18:9 aspect ratio displays to the mid-range segment speaks volume about this recent shift in the smartphone market.

In our usage, we found the display to be bright and crisp with good viewing angles. It is a bit on the warmer side of things but that is very negligible and users won't face any problems.

Sunlight legibility is fairly good when it comes to readability. It's not the best, but for the price, it's more than justified.

Reproduction of images on the screen and colors are accurate but because of a slightly warmer tone in the display we noticed earlier, some colors looked washed out.

Overall, consuming content on the Note 5 - such as watching videos - shouldn't be a problem for a general user.

[itsredminote5review-blog]

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Review

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 full review If you're looking for a sub-£200 Android phone with a decent-size screen, good battery life and usable all-round performance and features, this could be it. Very similar to the Mi Max 3, but with a smaller 5.99in display, the Redmi Note 5 is a worthy upgrade over the Note 4 with improved performance, photography and design.

Since we originally wrote this review Xiaomi has entered the UK smartphone market, making it much easier to obtain its smartphones here. The Redmi Note 5 is now available from the likes of Amazon for £229.

A special Cyber Monday deal knocks a further £69 off the price, with the Redmi Note 5 available for just £159.99. (See more Cyber Monday deals.)

Previously we've had to import review samples from China, and this Redmi Note 5 was supplied by GearBest, where current pricing is £182.39. When there's no Cyber Monday sale on at Amazon this makes it the cheaper deal, but know that when importing from China to the UK you are liable for import duty, charged at 20 percent of the value printed on the shipping paperwork.

This is the Global version of the Redmi Note 5, which comes with all Google services preinstalled along with MIUI 9. It supports all 4G LTE bands used in the UK, too, which can be a problem with some Chinese handsets.

Also see: Best Xiaomi Deals

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Also see: Best budget phones and Best budget Chinese phones

When is a Redmi Note 5 not a Redmi Note 5? Xiaomi's phone naming scheme can be incredibly confusing if you're not familiar with it, but we think more so with the Redmi Note 5 than any other. That's because the Redmi Note 5 that launched in China and is sold globally is not the same phone as the Redmi Note 5 that launched in India.

The Redmi Note 5 available in India has a single-lens camera at the rear and some lower-spec hardware, including the Snapdragon 625 processor. It has the new 18:9 5.99in display, but in other respects is not a huge departure from the Redmi Note 4. And that explains why some reviews of the Redmi Note 5 are less complimentary than others.

Also available in India is the Redmi Note 5 Pro, and that's (almost) the phone you see here rebranded as the Redmi Note 5. It has a dual-lens camera at the rear and runs the Snapdragon 636.

But in India the Pro also has a 20Mp selfie camera and up to 6GB of RAM, while this Global version's front camera is rated at 13Mp and has either 3- or 4GB of memory.

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If you're worried about purchasing the wrong version of the phone then fear not - we couldn't even find the Indian models for sale in the UK. But we'd recommend double-checking the spec before you buy. Better yet, just click this link.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 What's new in Redmi Note 5? There are some key design changes in the Redmi Note 5 over its predecessor, but also a return to the Redmi Note 3's part plastic build - the antenna lines at the rear of the Note 4 have been replaced with plastic end caps - and 4000mAh battery, which is still pretty generous, but 100mAh down on Redmi Note 4.

More impressive is the new 5.99in Full-HD+ IPS display, not only larger than the 5.5in previous example but also taller, adopting the 18:9 aspect ratio that has become fashionable in today's market. It helps the phone look more on-trend, and also allows for a larger screen without infringing on usability - the Note 5 is only 7mm taller than its predecessor, and fractionally narrower and slimmer.

The phone's chin has also been reduced, with navigational buttons now appearing onscreen. And an update to MIUI 10 is available, which gives you the option to use swipe gestures to go home or back, removing these buttons from the display.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Sponsored Links Central And Western District: New WiFi Booster Stops Expensive Internet Central And Western District: New WiFi Booster Stops Expensive Internet Next Tech Running out of options, Hong Kong protesters dig in Running out of options, Hong Kong protesters dig in Nikkei Asian Review Find the best wines offered by regions listed here Find the best wines offered by regions listed here Shop Vivino Wine Recommended by Also see: Best Xiaomi phones

There are some tweaks found along the edges, too. While the Redmi Note 5 still features a mono speaker, it no longer attempts to hide this fact with a set of drilled holes lying either side of its Micro-USB port. Instead you'll find just one, and on the other side the headphone jack has moved down from its previous position at the top of the device.

The rear-mounted fingerprint sensor has not moved, but where the single-lens camera previously sat above it Xiaomi has now added a second lens and moved this to a new position at top-left. It did lie flush; now it juts out a tad.

And naturally there have been hardware changes, which result in a boost to performance. Gone is the deca-core Helio X20 chip with Mali T880 graphics, and in comes the Snapdragon 636 with Adreno 509. There's a new 4GB RAM, 64GB storage model, too (that's what we're reviewing here).

Redmi Note 5 Design & Build Despite the aforementioned sprinkling of plastic parts, Redmi Note 5 is a very good-looking phone at this price. Moreover, it feels sturdy, and very well-made.

The new screen and taller aspect ratio is a blessing for usability, and though it's still a bit of a stretch for your thumb to reach the top corner it is operable in a single hand - especially when you take advantage of one-handed mode, which shrinks the display area.

It's an IPS panel, which bodes well for quality, with realistic colours and good viewing angles. We can't find any official reference to the Note 5 using Gorilla Glass protection, but thanks to a metal rear it is only the one side of this smartphone you need to keep safe. You'll also find a silicone case in the box, which is handy.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 We measured the maximum screen brightness at 427cd/m2, which is very good for a sub-£200 phone. Being able to ramp up the brightness so high also makes the screen easier to see outdoors.

The display has a full-HD+ resolution of 2160x1080, which results in a pixel density of 403ppi. It's sufficiently clear, and also no higher in resolution than even Xiaomi's flagship phones.

We're disappointed to see an old Micro-USB port at the bottom, especially given that it won't charge any faster than at 10W. There is a charger supplied in the box, but it has a two-pin EU plug, so if you're purchasing this phone in the UK you'll need to supply your own adaptor.

Naturally at this price there's no support for wireless charging, which has so far been seen only on the Mi Mix 2S.

On the up side, Xiaomi has retained the IR blaster on the Note 5's top edge. It's incredibly rare to find such a feature in phones these days.

There's also the fingerprint scanner at the rear, which works well - but if you're interested in mobile payments be aware there's no support for NFC.

Connectivity is otherwise pretty good, with dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS and GLONASS, and a hybrid SIM slot that can either accept a single SIM and a microSD card for storage expansion or two SIMs that work in dual-standby mode.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Redmi Note 5 Hardware & Performance Powering the show here is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 chip clocked at 1.8GHz, with integrated Adreno 509 graphics. It's paired with 4GB of memory.

That's the same setup as in the Mi Max 3, and as you'll see in our chart below performance is on par.

As we said for that phone, the Redmi Note 5 is not a speed demon. However, it offers usable performance for most users for daily tasks, and we didn't spot any sign of lag when navigating the interface and launching apps.

You can play casual games and watch movies, provided you don't throw anything too intensive at it.

Battery life is very good, and you'll easily get at least a full day's life from the 4000mAh cell - maybe more, depending on your usage.

In Geekbench 4's battery test it scored 5390 points, and kept churning through its task list for 8 hours 59 minutes.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Redmi Note 5 Cameras & Photography It might sound like a similar setup as found on the Mi Max 3, but the Redmi Note 5's camera is inferior with no AI mode. It also maxes out at 1080p video recording.

Still, it's an improvement on the Redmi Note 4's 13Mp rear camera and 5Mp selfie camera. This new model has a 12Mp + 5Mp dual-lens camera at the rear, with dual phase-detection dual-focus and 1.4um pixels. At the front is a 13Mp selfie camera.

Aside from the missing AI button at the top, the camera app looks the same as on any other Xiaomi phone, with options to turn on/off/auto the flash and HDR mode, and to select real-time filters. At the bottom you swipe between video (and short video), photo, portrait, square, panorama and manual shooting modes.

Portrait mode is what's used to create those funky blurred background shots that help your subject to stand out, aided by the second camera lens.

Overall we were very impressed with the quality of our test shots (below in Auto and HDR modes). Those pictured below appear a little dark, though it was an overcast day when they were shot. They show plenty of detail but are perhaps a little over-sharpened.

Redmi Note 5 Auto

Redmi Note 5 HDR In low-light the Redmi Note 5 did a fantastic job. There is some noise but overall blacks are well rendered, text is largely fuzz-free, and the scene is adequately lit without requiring aid from the flash.

Redmi Note 5 Low Light

Redmi Note 5 Software The Redmi Note 5 runs MIUI 9 out of the box but an upgrade is available to MIUI 10. This is still based on Android Oreo rather than the more recent Android Pie (which will be coming in time), but includes some nice new features such as full-display gesture support, a redesigned quick access panel and volume controls, plus the addition of Picture in Picture and Autofill.

It won't be immediately recognisable as Android if you've not picked up a Xiaomi phone before, and the lack of an app tray means the shortcuts all spill out over the home screens (but can be tidied into folders). The Settings menu also looks completely different, and there are some Xiaomi-specific apps here too.

Because this is the Global ROM version of the Redmi Note 5 it is preinstalled with Google services; were you to buy the Chinese ROM version you would need to install these yourself from the Mi App Store. That's because Google services are not used in China.

Other things we like about MIUI include the aforementioned One-handed mode, plus Second Space and Dual Apps.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

Redmi Note 5 Verdict It's not infallible, but the Redmi Note 5 is a great all-rounder and will be hard to beat under £200. It benefits from a very good and well-sized screen, and has a decent camera and usable performance.

[itsredminote5review-blog]

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Smartphone Review

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 not only convinces with its affordable price but also its dual-camera, its metal case and its capable SoC. Find out in this review whether the Redmi Note 5’s performance is as impressive as its price.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Xiaomi smartphones are becoming increasingly more popular in Europe, particularly the Redmi series. Redmi devices have always combined good quality at a reasonable price. The Note 5 is a phablet with a 5.99-inch display, a mid-range SoC, fast Wi-Fi and a dual-camera all for under €240 (~$277).

For reference, our review unit is the M1803E7SG. This is also known as the Redmi Note 5 AI Dual Camera. It is neither the Redmi 5 Plus, which is listed as the Redmi Note 5 on Xiaomi's Mi website, nor is it the Redmi Note 5 Pro either. All three devices are powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 SoC, but they feature different camera hardware and memory options among other differences.

We have chosen to compare the Note 5 against the Motorola Moto G6 Plus, the Huawei Y7 2018, the Maze Alpha X and the Honor 7X. Find out in this review how the Note 5 compares with similarly priced competitors and whether it continues the Redmi series ethos.

good (86%) Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Qualcomm Snapdragon 636Qualcomm Adreno 509 Smartphone - 06/25/2018 - v6 Test device courtesy of notebooksbilliger.de Download your licensed rating image as PNG / SVG Working For Notebookcheck

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Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 (Redmi Series) ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 636 Graphics adapterQualcomm Adreno 509 Memory3072 MB   Display5.99 inch 2:1, 2160 x 1080 pixel 403 PPI, Capacitive touchscreen, IPS, glossy: yes Storage32 GB eMMC Flash, 32 GB   , 24 GB free Weight180 g ( = 6.35 oz / 0.4 pounds), Power Supply: 61 g ( = 2.15 oz / 0.13 pounds) Price239 Euro Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications. see all specifications

[+] Add to comparison» Compare devices 0 Lenovo IdeaPad S540-15IWL Review: A great all-rounder with only one real weakness 85% Lenovo IdeaPad S540-15IWL Review: A great all-rounder with only one real weakness MSI GL75 9SEK Laptop Review - An average mid-range gaming laptop with loud fans 83% MSI GL75 9SEK Laptop Review - An average mid-range gaming laptop with loud fans Dell Latitude 3400 Laptop Review: An affordable business laptop with long battery life 83% Dell Latitude 3400 Laptop Review: An affordable business laptop with long battery life Test AVM FritzBox 7590: Operation and functional range are the trumps Test AVM FritzBox 7590: Operation and functional range are the trumps Next Page ⟩ Case

The Note 5 is available in Lake Blue, Black, Gold and Rose Gold. Our test device is the Rose Gold variant, which has a white front. The Note 5 has a metal case, which proved to be stable during our tests. Our test device did not react to pressure applied to the back of the case, while light pressure on the display causes slight waves in the LCD. Our test device withstood our attempts to bend and twist it, with hardly any creaks or cracking noises when doing so.

The design is not exceptional, but it is stylish. The metal back is sandwiched between color matching plastic areas designed to improve the reception quality. The display is flush with the case but for a slight edge. This is deliberate though and is a relatively smooth edge. The Note 5 weighs 180 g (~6.3 oz) and measures 158.5 x 75.4 x 8.1 mm (~6.2 x ~3 x ~0.32 in). This weight and dimension help the device to feel good in the hand. The rear-facing camera array protrudes slightly from the case, so the Note 5 is slightly unstable on flat surfaces.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Top 10 Laptops Multimedia, Budget Multimedia, Gaming, Budget Gaming, Lightweight Gaming, Business, Budget Office, Workstation, Subnotebooks, Ultrabooks, Chromebooks

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Size Comparison      Motorola Moto G6 Plus       Xiaomi Redmi Note 5       Huawei Y7 2018       Maze Alpha X       Huawei Honor 7X 160 mm / 6.3 inch 75.5 mm / 2.97 inch 8 mm / 0.315 inch 167 g 0.3682 lbs 158.5 mm / 6.24 inch 75.45 mm / 2.97 inch 8.05 mm / 0.3169 inch 180 g 0.3968 lbs 158.3 mm / 6.23 inch 76.7 mm / 3.02 inch 7.8 mm / 0.3071 inch 155 g 0.3417 lbs 156.4 mm / 6.16 inch 74.6 mm / 2.94 inch 8.1 mm / 0.3189 inch 210 g 0.463 lbs 156.5 mm / 6.16 inch 75.3 mm / 2.96 inch 7.6 mm / 0.2992 inch 165 g 0.3638 lbs Add an additional device (search by model, GPU, CPU, storage)

Connectivity The Surface Laptop 3 comes with a custom AMD Ryzen Microsoft Surface Edition Zen+ APU. (Source: AMD) AMD Ryzen 5 3580U and Ryzen 7 3780U with an extra CU constitute the semi-custom AMD Ryzen Microsoft Surface Edition series A 5G variant of the Galaxy Tab S6 is enroute. (Source: Samsung) Galaxy Tab S6 to get 5G variant, will be first 5G tablet on the market Windows 10 X comes with a redesigned Start menu and is tailored for dual-screen devices. (Source: Microsoft) Windows 10X — A 'Lite' version for Windows 10 for dual-screen devices sans live tiles The new The supposed Motorola One Macro shows up in a new evleak Next Page ⟩ Our test device has 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage. There is also a 64 GB/4 GB option, which we would recommend over our test device as they are currently equally priced online. The Note 5 is a Dual-SIM device and supports microSD cards up to 256 GB. MicroSD cards can only be formatted as external storage, which means that app data can only be stored on the 32 GB of internal storage. Incidentally, the card tray has only two slots, so you can either use two nano-SIMs or one SIM and a microSD card.

The Note 5 features an FM radio, Bluetooth 5.0 and a fingerprint sensor. There is even an IR remote that can be used as a remote control. Unfortunately, there is only a microUSB port instead of a USB Type-C port. The microUSB port is only USB 2.0, albeit this supports USB OTG.

Right-hand side: Power button, volume rocker Right-hand side: Power button, volume rocker Left-hand side: Card tray Left-hand side: Card tray Underside: 3.5 mm jack, Microphone, Micro USB port, Speaker Underside: 3.5 mm jack, Microphone, Micro USB port, Speaker Bottom side: Infrared sensor, Microphone Bottom side: Infrared sensor, Microphone Software The Note 5 ships with Android Oreo 8.1, which has been customized with Xiaomi’s MIUI. Our test device is running MIUI Global 9.5 and Android security patch level March 1st  2018, which was about six weeks old at the time of writing. MIUI looks different than the UI on many other Android smartphones, with Xiaomi implementing numerous changes from stock Android. MIUI should not take Android users too much time to adapt though. Frustratingly, we could not change the screen timeout as the button to confirm the change is missing. Equally frustrating is the energy-saving features, which are overly restrictive. Runtastic, for example, ran correctly only after changing numerous settings.

The Note 5 comes with many additional apps, most of which are by Xiaomi. Fortunately, there is little bloatware except for one social network app.

Communication & GPS The Note 5 is equipped with fast IEEE 802.11 ac Wi-Fi, which is rare for a €240 (~$277) device and one that will make many users happy. While the Note 5 cannot match the Motorola G6 Plus in terms of Wi-Fi performance, the Note 5 is faster than all our other comparison devices. We calculated this performance using our Linksys EA8500 reference router. Our test device loaded websites quickly when we were close to the router, but we did have to wait for some images to load. The Note 5 still had full Wi-Fi reception when we took the device around ten meters (~33 ft) away from the router with three walls between the two devices. Websites loaded just as fast as they do when we tested the Note 5 with it close to our reference router.

The Note 5 supports seven LTE bands, which is rather paltry in comparison to other devices. In practice, this means that you may struggle with connecting to an LTE network in more exotic countries. Our test device had good mobile network reception on the German D2 network. We still had good reception even in buildings in built-up areas.

Phone Functions & Call Quality The Note 5 uses Xiaomi’s phone app, which is much like Google’s standard phone app. Launching the app brings up the keypad and a list of recent calls. There is a small search window in which you can search directly for contacts. Alternatively, you bring up your contact list by clicking the contacts tab. The phone app has numerous settings such as a phone number blacklist and call recording among other features.

The Note 5 has good call quality. Our call partner sounded clear and without any background noise. Our test device reproduced our voice well, but the microphone distorted if we spoke too loudly. The opposite is true over the speakerphone, where the microphone struggled to pick out our voice if we spoke softly. Our counterpart is still easy to understand, albeit there is some mild background noise during quieter moments.

Cameras Example photograph using the front-facing camera Example photograph using the front-facing camera The Note 5 has dual rear-facing cameras, one 12 MP and one 5 MP. The secondary camera is only used to help create depth of field bokeh effect photographs and it cannot be used as a standalone camera. Photos taken with the main camera have fewer details than those taken with more premium smartphones, with some areas coming out particularly muddy and lacking definition. Our test device gets the exposure right in dark areas in good lighting and there is even some detail in very bright areas. Low-light performance is surprisingly good, but there is a clear blue tint to the photos. The Apple iPhone X captures night shots more accurately, but the latter costs practically five times as much as the Note 5. Overall, the Note 5 has an impressive rear-facing camera array given its price.

The main camera can record videos in up to 1080p at 30 FPS. The video quality is passable, although bright areas are often underexposed, while dark areas lack detail. Recordings are sharp though. There is a 120 FPS slow motion feature, which is recorded at 720p.

The Note 5 has a 13 MP front-facing camera, which in theory could make the Note 5 a selfie star. While the Note 5 does well for a more affordable device, it does not come close to more premium smartphones. Dark areas are exposed well, but bright areas often dominate a photograph. Sharpness is rather average too, but the front-facing camera reproduces colors well.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3 click to load imagesXiaomi Redmi Note 5Apple iPhone XOnePlus 5TSony A77 The Note 5 does not fare much better under controlled lighting conditions either. Sharpness is passable, with our test device reproducing text against a colored background well. Transitions between colors appear pixelated, but this is still ok for a device at this price. Generally, images are overly dark, particularly color reproduction.

Photograph of our test chart Photograph of our test chart Our test chart in detail Our test chart in detail ColorChecker: The reference color is displayed in the lower half of each area of color ColorChecker: The reference color is displayed in the lower half of each area of color Accessories & Warranty The Note 5 comes with a quick charger, a USB cable, a SIM tool and a protective cover. Xiaomi does not offer any dedicated accessories on its website.

The Note 5 does not come with a manufacturer’s warranty in Europe seeing as Xiaomi are a Chinese company. You will get twenty-four months warranty if you buy through an EU supplier though. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices & Operation Xiaomi has installed Google GBoard as the Note 5’s default keyboard. Other keyboards are available from the Google Play Store.

The Note 5 has a touchscreen that has a slick, smooth surface. Touch inputs are precise even at the corners and at the edges of the display. There is a fingerprint sensor on the back of the device that quickly and reliably unlocks our test device. The fingerprint sensor does not have any special gestures or configurable commands like we have seen on other devices, such as the ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro. There is a software-based quick ball which displays selected links when you click on them. This feature is less functional than using the standard on-screen navigation buttons though. Whereas opening a link with the quick ball takes a total of two clicks, using the standard navigation buttons takes just one click. A supplementary input method should increase functionality and ease of use in our opinion, rather than further complicate matters.

The hardware buttons can be found on the right-hand side of the case. These feel premium, are easy to use and have a clear pressure point.

The keyboard in portrait mode The keyboard in portrait mode The keyboard in landscape mode The keyboard in landscape mode

Display Sub-pixel array Sub-pixel array The Note 5 has a 5.99-inch display with a 2:1 aspect ratio. The display has a 2,160x1,080 native resolution, which results in a pixel density of 403 PPI. Our test device has an impressively bright display, which averaged 532.2 cd/m² using X-Rite i1Pro 2. Only the Motorola Moto G6 Plus has a brighter display of our comparison devices, with the Honor 7X scoring just slightly lower than the Note 5. The Moto G6 Plus is an outlier in this respect though with its 723 cd/m² average maximum luminosity. This is incredibly bright for a device at this price. The Note 5 has 94% display uniformity too, which is at least 4% better than the best of our comparison devices. In practical terms, this means that the large areas of color look uniformly bright. It is worth pointing out that we achieved this level of luminosity with the device on charge and with the brightness sensor turned off. Measuring our test device either on battery or with the brightness sensor turned on results in a lower average maximum brightness value.

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Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation) ℹTo dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether. Screen flickering / PWM detected 2358 Hz ≤ 20 % brightness setting The display backlight flickers at 2358 Hz (Likely utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 20 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 2358 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

In comparison: 51 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 9378 (minimum: 43 - maximum: 142900) Hz was measured.

The Note 5 has a 0.23 cd/m² black value that is both notably good and significantly better than our comparison devices. This low black value helps our test device achieve a laudable 2,252:1 contrast ratio that is leagues ahead of our comparison devices. This helps make colors pop and gives black tones a rich quality to them.

We subjected our test device to our spectrophotometer and CalMAN software to get a more detailed look at the display. The results highlight a significant blue tint to the display, which results in light blue and orange tones looking noticeably different than the sRGB reference color. The color space coverage is good overall, but the blue tint is one downside.

Unfortunately, the Note 5 uses pulse-width modulation (PWM) to regulate luminosity at and below 20% brightness. We notice a flicker to the display when the brightness is at this level, which we measured at 2,358 Hz. This frequency should be high enough for those who are PWM sensitive not to feel any ill effects, although this cannot be guaranteed.

The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.9 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 83 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (39.7 ms). The Note 5 has a relatively bright display, which helps when using the device outdoors. We could still see screen content with brightness set to maximum if we were not in too bright an area. The display has a glossy finish though, so reflections cannot be avoided.

The Note 5 has an IPS display, which helps to give the device strong viewing angles. There are slight brightness and color shifts at acute viewing angles, but these are picked up more by the camera than they are noticeable by the naked eye.

The Note 5 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 SoC, a mid-range SoC that Qualcomm announced late last year. The Snapdragon 636 has an octa-core Kyro 260 CPU that clocks up to 1.8 GHz. The Snapdragon 636 is a significant improvement on its predecessor, the Snapdragon 630 that powers the Moto G6 Plus. The Snapdragon 636 helps the Note 5 to typically perform around 20% faster than the G6 Plus in benchmarks. Equally, the Note 5 feels snappy in practice, with our test device not slowing down even when we have numerous programs open in the background.

The Snapdragon 636 integrates a Qualcomm Adreno 509 GPU that supports DirectX 12.1, OpenGL ES 3.2, OpenCL 2.0 and Direct3D 12. This support for modern graphics APIs should ensure that the Note 5 is future proofed at least in terms of graphics. While the Note 5 has faster GPU performance than our comparison devices too, the gap is not as great as in our CPU tests.

AnTuTu v6 | AnTuTu v7 | PCMark for Android | BaseMark OS II | Geekbench 4.4 | 3DMark | GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 | GFXBench 3.0 | GFXBench 3.1 | GFXBench AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value) Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 92672 Points ∼95% Maze Alpha X 63989 Points ∼65%-31% Motorola Moto G6 Plus 71635 Points ∼73%-23% Huawei Honor 7X 62810 Points ∼64%-32% Huawei Y7 2018 45687 Points ∼47%-51% Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 (92015 - 125213, n=10) 98051 Points ∼100%+6% Average of class Smartphone (5600 - 293444, n=489) 87523 Points ∼89%-6% Legend

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Qualcomm Snapdragon 636, Qualcomm Adreno 509, 32 GB eMMC Flash Maze Alpha X Mediatek Helio P25, ARM Mali-T880 MP2, 64 GB eMMC Flash Motorola Moto G6 Plus Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, Qualcomm Adreno 508, 64 GB eMMC Flash Huawei Honor 7X HiSilicon Kirin 659, ARM Mali-T830 MP2, 32 GB eMMC Flash Huawei Y7 2018 Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Qualcomm Adreno 505, 16 GB eMMC Flash Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 Average of class Smartphone Add an additional device (search by model, GPU, CPU, storage)

The Note 5 performs better than our comparison devices in browser benchmarks too. Our test device even outperformed slightly more expensive devices. Complex HTML 5 websites like Google Interland are displayed fluidly, which is reflective of our real-world use. While the Note 5 is not as fast at loading websites as premium smartphones, it is sufficient for general web browsing.

JetStream 1.1 | Octane V2 | Mozilla Kraken 1.1 | WebXPRT 2015 JetStream 1.1 - Total Score Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 (44.2 - 51.5, n=10) 45.4 Points ∼100%+2% Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 (Chrome 67) 44.322 Points ∼98% Average of class Smartphone (10 - 300, n=520) 40.5 Points ∼89%-9% Huawei Honor 7X (Chrome 63.0.3239.111) 31.299 Points ∼69%-29% Motorola Moto G6 Plus (Chrome 66) 27.971 Points ∼62%-37% Maze Alpha X (Chrome Version 64) 27.463 Points ∼60%-38% Huawei Y7 2018 (Chrome 66) 17.86 Points ∼39%-60% * ... smaller is better

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The Note 5 is on par with our comparison devices in terms of microSD card performance. We tested the Note 5 with our trusted Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 reference microSD card. The Note 5 is equipped with eMMC memory, which is faster than the average of devices that we tested with 32 GB of eMMC memory. eMMC memory is no match for faster UFS memory though. The Note 5 even struggles against the Moto G6 Plus, which is also equipped with eMMC memory.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Maze Alpha X Motorola Moto G6 Plus Huawei Honor 7X Huawei Y7 2018 Average 32 GB eMMC Flash Average of class Smartphone

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Games The Note 5 is suitable for relatively simple mobile games. 60 FPS gaming is possible in less demanding titles like “Shadow Fight 3”, but the Note 5 struggles when we tested it against more demanding titles. “Arena of Valor”, for example, only averaged 31 FPS, while “PUBG Mobile” averaged 25 FPS. This is still high enough for stable gaming though. We would recommend looking at more expensive devices if you want to plan the most cutting-edge mobile games at 60 FPS as the Note 5 is not powerful enough for that. The Note 5 is perfectly suited for games like “Shadow Fight 3” and “Angry Birds 2” though.

The Note 5 has a single speaker on the underside of the device, the maximum volume of which we measured at 76.9 dB(A). This is not particularly loud, but the sound quality is fine. High tones are rather overbearing at maximum volume, but the speaker sings when the volume is turned down slightly. The speaker struggles with reproducing deep mid-tones, while we struggled to pick out individual instruments too. Overall though, the Note 5 has an impressive speaker for its price, albeit with a few caveats.

The Note 5 is equipped with a 3.5 mm headphone jack and Bluetooth 5.0. There are currently only a few headphones and speakers that take advantage of Bluetooth 5.0, but fortunately, the new standard is backwards compatible with all previous Bluetooth standards. The sound quality is good for both outputs. The Note 5 has an inbuilt equalizer to tweak the sound over headphones too, but you will need Xiaomi branded headphones to enable this feature.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Huawei Honor 7X Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices) Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 audio analysis (±) | speaker loudness is average but good (76.9 dB) Bass 100 - 315 Hz (-) | nearly no bass - on average 26.1% lower than median (±) | linearity of bass is average (9.2% delta to prev. frequency) Mids 400 - 2000 Hz (+) | balanced mids - only 3.4% away from median (+) | mids are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency) Highs 2 - 16 kHz (+) | balanced highs - only 4.5% away from median (+) | highs are linear (3.9% delta to prev. frequency) Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz (±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.4% difference to median) Compared to same class » 23% of all tested devices in this class were better, 12% similar, 64% worse » The best had a delta of 13%, average was 25%, worst was 44% Compared to all devices tested » 51% of all tested devices were better, 9% similar, 40% worse » The best had a delta of 3%, average was 21%, worst was 53%

Huawei Honor 7X audio analysis (±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78.73 dB) Bass 100 - 315 Hz (-) | nearly no bass - on average 26.3% lower than median (±) | linearity of bass is average (8.5% delta to prev. frequency) Mids 400 - 2000 Hz (±) | higher mids - on average 6.1% higher than median (±) | linearity of mids is average (9.3% delta to prev. frequency) Highs 2 - 16 kHz (±) | higher highs - on average 11.5% higher than median (±) | linearity of highs is average (11.1% delta to prev. frequency) Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz (-) | overall sound is not linear (34.1% difference to median) Compared to same class » 94% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 4% worse » The best had a delta of 13%, average was 25%, worst was 44% Compared to all devices tested » 95% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 3% worse » The best had a delta of 3%, average was 21%, worst was 53%

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Battery Life Power Consumption The Note 5 is a relatively inefficient device, with the big display, high screen brightness and the modern but powerful SoC all taking their toll on power consumption.

The Note 5 is relatively efficient when off and on standby, with our test device consuming 0.06 W and 0.2 W respectively. The Note 5 consumes more power than our comparison devices when the display is on though. The Note 5 is anywhere between 12% and 38% less efficient than our comparison devices overall. This is particularly true at maximum load, where our test device consumes 8.2 W. This is not only significantly higher than our comparison devices, but it is also 19% higher than the average of Snapdragon 636 powered devices that we have currently tested.

It is no surprise then that Xiaomi has incorporated aggressive background app management to keep power consumption under control. This degree of aggressiveness can lead to problems that need to run in the background though. We had to tweak the settings for Runtastic to work properly, for example.

Power Consumption Off / Standby darklight 0.06 / 0.2 Watt Idle darkmidlight 1 / 2.6 / 2.9 Watt Load midlight 5 / 8.2 Watt color bar

Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 4000 mAh Maze Alpha X 3900 mAh Motorola Moto G6 Plus 3200 mAh Huawei Honor 7X 3340 mAh Huawei Y7 2018 3000 mAh Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 Average of class Smartphone

Power Consumption 21% 38% 12% 19% Idle Minimum * 1 0.9 10% 0.5 50% 1.02 -2% 0.9 10% Idle Average * 2.6 2.14 18% 1.78 32% 2.46 5% 1.9 27% Idle Maximum * 2.9 2.18 25% 1.81 38% 2.51 13% 2.3 21% Load Average * 5 3.96 21% 3.3 34% 4.16 17% 4.7 6% Load Maximum * 8.2 5.81 29% 5.14 37% 5.87 28% 5.7 30% * ... smaller is better

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Battery Life The Note 5 has a large 4,000 mAh battery, which helps our test device score impressive runtimes in our battery life tests despite the relatively high power consumption. Our test device lasted fourteen hours and thirty-two minutes in our Wi-Fi battery life test, during which we run a script that simulates the load required to render websites. This runtime is considerably longer than our comparison devices, thanks to the Note 5’s additional battery capacity. Our test device lasted thirty hours at idle, which indicates that the Note 5 should last for two working days with moderate use and even longer if you use infrequently use smartphones. Conversely, the Note 5 should last a full day if you use the device a lot, with our test device lasting four hours and eighteen minutes in our continuous stress test.

Xiaomi provides a 10-W quick charger in the box, which fully recharges the Note 5 in under two hours.

Battery Runtime Idle (without WLAN, min brightness) 30h 24min NBC WiFi Websurfing Battery Test 1.3 14h 32min Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p 15h 02min Load (maximum brightness) 4h 18min Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 4000 mAh Maze Alpha X 3900 mAh Motorola Moto G6 Plus 3200 mAh Huawei Honor 7X 3340 mAh Huawei Y7 2018 3000 mAh Battery Runtime -16% -0% -29% -21% Reader / Idle 1824 1624 -11% 1846 1% 1111 -39% 1305 -28% H.264 902 542 -40% 687 -24% WiFi v1.3 872 603 -31% 702 -19% 664 -24% 624 -28% Load 258 240 -7% 404 57% 199 -23% 245 -5% Add an additional device (search by model, GPU, CPU, storage)

Pros + plenty of CPU and GPU power for the money + good call quality + long battery life + bright and high contrast display + Bluetooth 5.0 and 802.11 ac WiFi + reasonable surface temperatures under load + current version of Android + no throttling Cons - relatively high power consumption - strong blue tint to the display - the microphone is frequently too sensitive - the OS is sometimes restrictive for apps Verdict

The Redmi Note 5 is the epitome of Xiaomi’s ethos of releasing affordable but high-performance devices and demonstrates why many are longing for a European wide launch of their devices. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 is an affordable smartphone that has plenty of power, good battery life, fast 802.11 ac Wi-Fi, and a bright and high-contrast display for under €240 (~$277). The Note 5 has a good speaker too, while call quality is decent and the Quick Charge support is handy. The modern SoC gives the Note 5 relatively fast LTE speeds, Bluetooth 5.0 and should future proof it for the foreseeable future.

There are some drawbacks though. The color temperature and a blue tint to the display are not great, and neither is the relatively high power consumption despite the impressive battery life. MIUI employs aggressive app management to its detriment too. This can lead to problems with apps that need to run in the background, but it does help to reduce power consumption and lengthen the battery life. The camera is the only area where the Note 5 is clearly a mid-range device, but photos are adequate overall. Surface temperatures are ok too, albeit they could be better under load.