Xiaomi is slowly moving to the top of the smartphone race, one device at a time. The Chinese company produces devices that offer the best hardware for every price. The only downside is the small presence of them in western countries. So, if customers want a Xiaomi device, they often have to go through importing websites if they’re not available in the local store. But, Xiaomi is trying hard to improve that, and your country probably has one company that imports them. Back to topic – the company recently announced a new Redmi lineup, and the Redmi Note 5 Pro is the beefier of the bunch. Let’s take a look at it!

Design

On first look, the Redmi Note 5 Pro looks similar to previous Xiaomi devices. The slightly rounded frame and aluminum body are still present, which is a good thing. On the front, you will find the 5.9” IPS display with 2160×1080 resolution and 18:9 aspect ratio. That makes the screen tall, as it has been the trend with all the smartphones in the recent period. Unfortunately, the larger screen didn’t shorten too much, but that didn’t bother us that much. The display has great viewing angles, excellent color accuracy and good sharpness. The larger screen means that the capacitive buttons have been replaced for software ones. Going to the back, you can notice a slight difference from previous Redmi devices. Namely, the camera setup has been moved to the left, in the same position as on the iPhone X. The fingerprint sensor is still in the middle, completing the device.

Features

Going inside the Redmi Note 5 Pro, we can observe all the pro hardware this device has. Starting with the chipset, the Note 5 Pro features the Snapdragon 636 processor. This is Qualcomm’s recently released chipset, making the Note 5 Pro the first smartphone to feature it. It is accompanied by 4 or 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. So, even the most notorious multitaskers can do work on this device without any slowdowns. Finishing with the battery, the Note 5 Pro features a 4000mAh one. Depending on your usage, it will easily last for a day and a half or even two.

Jumping to the cameras, the Redmi Note 5 Pro packs a dual camera setup on the back, with a single shooter on the front. Starting with the back, you’re getting a 12MP main sensor with f/2.2 and a 5MP secondary sensor with f/2.0. As you might have guessed, the second sensor is for the famous portrait mode shots, and it does that well. For regular shots, the camera does great – pictures have great color accuracy and dynamic range. The front 20MP shooter is more than enough for all your selfies.

Finishing with the software, the Note 5 Pro comes with Android 7.1.2 Nougat, behind the company’s own MIUI 9 skin. It is one of the most popular skins, and it packs in many features. It is sad to see that is based on Android Nougat, knowing that Oreo has been out for almost a year. Nevertheless, you’re getting a decent package, and Xiaomi promised an upgrade to Oreo in the upcoming months.

Pricing and availability

The Redmi Note 5 Pro is available for purchase through your local retailers or import websites. The 4GB version is $215, while the 6GB one is priced at $261.

So, there you have it – a detailed look at the Redmi Note 5 Pro. What are your thoughts on it? Share them in the comments below.