Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro specification and prices

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro is an impressive smartphone that would have been better with Android Oreo out of the box. It's a big misstep for what is without a doubt the top budget performer right now.

FOR

• Fast
• Impressive battery life
• Large screen, but ergonomic

AGAINST

• Still runs Android Nougat

Much like any "updated" smartphone today, the Redmi Note 5 Pro exists because it has to. This isn't a true upgrade to the Redmi Note 4, but it's certainly the best budget smartphone on the market right now. You get a good camera, dependable performance and incredible battery life. It would truly be the perfect budget smartphone, had Xiaomi provided Oreo out of the box.

Positives:

+ Bright, vivid display
+ Solid build quality
+ Terrific front camera
+ Great value for money

Negatives:

- Running Android Nougat out of the box
- No fast charger bundled
- No USB Type-C

After the massive success of the Redmi Note 4, Xiaomiplayed safe with the Redmi Note 5 to sustain momentum without rocking the boat.But the real upgrade to the last year’s device is Redmi Note 5 Pro… one thatoffers plenty of reasons to spend that extra bit of money over the Redmi Note5.

If you’re lookingfor an affordable smartphone with a good set of cameras and powerful innards,the Redmi Note 5 Pro is one of the top options on the table. Of course, you’llalso want to keep other options open because it’s notoriously hard to buyanything in Xiaomi’s flash sales, where stocks are sold within a few secondseach week.

If the Pro upgradeshere aren’t enough to convince you they’re worth paying extra for, keep theRemi Note 5 with 3 GB of RAM in mind for ₹9,999 (~$156) and the 4 GB versionfor ₹11,999 (~$187).

Despite the positive parts of the Redmi Note 5Pro’s rear camera, some others still need some work. I’m hoping upcoming softwareupdates will take care of my concerns, but there’s no guarantee of that. Thelack of Android Oreo or a Type-C port are disappointing misses and the designis slightly dated (even though the build quality is top notch), yet at a priceof ₹13,999 (~$215) in India, the 4 GB variant of the Redmi Note 5 Pro is agreat value-for-money smartphone and a compelling device for power users. The 6GB variant at ₹16,999 (~$261) though is likely a bit of overkill for most usersthough.

Coming to the display, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro has a 5.99-inch screen with a FHD+resolution of 2160x1080p. The display comes with features such as Reading mode,which reduces the blue light emissions; Schedule that lets you customize theperiod of this reading mode; Contrast and colour selection and text sizeoptions. The images were quite sharp and we did not see any pixelization. Thesunlight legibility is not one of the best suits of the device and we also feltthe display looks slightly dimmer, when viewed from a certain angle.

Overall,we can say we did not have any complaints with the slim body design and isdefinitely going to grab some attention, even if it’s just for the rear camerapanel.

TheXiaomi Redmi 5 Pro is backed by a 4000mAh battery that easily lasted us formore than a day of average use that included playing games and browsing socialmedia apps, with Wi-Fi turned on.

TheXiaomi Note 5 Pro is hands down a great phone. It has a powerful processor anda good camera, not just on paper but in experience as well. The FHD+ display inan 18:9 aspect ratio is an added perk. The device comes in two storage variantsof 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage at Rs 13,999, which is dirt cheap for thekind of specs it offers.

There is also a 6GB RAMvariant that comes at Rs 16,999, making it the first Xiaomi Note phone to have6GB RAM variant. Personally, we feel, 4GB will be enough for a casual user, butfor those who want extra, even this variant doesn’t qualify as over-priced.