You’ve probably read enough posts here explaining Xiaomi’s mission, so I won’t bother you with that. We all know the release great devices with excellent hardware and design, while remaining the low price. Redmi is the branding for some of their most affordable smartphones, and today they got a new member of the family. The Redmi Note 5 is an excellent device that offers big performance while not hurting your wallet that much. Let’s see the details about it!

Design

Starting with the design, the Redmi Note 5 is a gorgeous looking device. It hasn’t changed much from the Redmi Note 4, and it can even look like the same device – if you look it from the back. The difference between them is on the front, with the Note 5 sporting the current trend in smartphones – a tall screen. The device is featuring a 5.99” Full HD+ IPS display, packing in 1260×1080 resolution and 18:9 aspect ratio. It is very bright, and the viewing angles are great. With the taller screen you’re getting smaller bezels, but I wish they were even more smaller. On the back, you will find the camera setup in the middle of the top, with the fingerprint sensor right under it. It has a metal finish, which makes it feel like a premium device when you’re holding it in the hand.

Features

Like I said at the beginning, the Redmi lineup is the budget offering of the company that packs great hardware. The Redmi Note 5 is not excluded at all, and it is currently one of the best devices in the Redmi family. Starting with the chipset, the Note 5 features the Snapdragon 625 processor which will handle most of the tasks you throw at it. Going on to the memory, you have the options for 3GB or 4GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of internal storage, respectively. As expected, many will go for the 4GB version, but both versions are great. Finishing with the battery, the Redmi Note 5 is going to be powered from the 4000mAh battery. And depending on your usage, it could easily last you for two days on a single charge.

We’re sad to see that Xiaomi decided to skip on the dual camera trend and stick with a single lens. The rear 12MP shooter with f/2.2 aperture is taking great pictures. They have good color accuracy and decent dynamic range. Just don’t expect any miracles in the night, as with many other smartphones. On the front, the 5MP camera with f/2.0 aperture is good for the casual selfie on social media networks. Both cameras can record in 1080p resolution, which is a nice bonus.

The Redmi Note 5 is going to feature Android Nougat 7.1.2, with Xiaomi’s own MIUI skin on top of it. This could be one of the main things that drive people away from Xiaomi smartphones, as the skin can feel a bit overwhelming at first glance. But, it is packing some nice features, and with the newest version, it is much faster.

Pricing and availability

The Redmi Note 5 is available through official resellers and markets globally. Prices start at $160 for the 3/32GB version, with the 4/64GB being around $190.

So, what do you think of the Redmi Note 5? Share your opinions in the comments below.