Xiaomi unveils its new Mi 5S and Mi 5S Plus flagship smartphones

Barely a month since Apple introduced its iPhone 7 duo, Xiaomi has responded with not one but two new flagships smartphones. Following the release of its Mi 5 flagship earlier this year, the Chinese company has introduced an updated version with the Mi 5S. For those longing for a Mi Note replacement, they have also launched a Plus model that comes with a 5.7″ display.

Mi 5S

The Mi 5S runs latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor clocked at 2.15GHz which is a notch above the Snapdragon 820 that’s powering the Mi 5. The base model gets 3GB RAM and 64GB of storage while the higher spec variant gets 4GB RAM and 128GB of storage. Instead of a glass back, the Mi 5S now gets an all metal body with brushed finish that curves subtly to the edges. There are noticeable antenna lines that looks awfully familiar.

The front display is a 5.15″ Full HD unit similar to the Mi 5 but the higher-spec variant gets additional pressure sensitivity. Imaging is one of its key highlights with a 12MP f/2.0 Sony IMX378 camera that boasts a larger 1.55-micron pixel size. It can capture 4K videos at 30fps and 1080p videos up to 120fps. For the front, it still maintains the good old 4MP f/2.0 “Ultrapixel” camera that has a larger 2-micron pixel size.

Keeping the lights on is a larger 3,200mAh battery that supports QuickCharge 3.0 via a USB Type-C interface. Another new feature is its fingerprint sensor. Unlike other phones that has a separate fingerprint module, the Mi 5S uses an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor that scans from underneath the front glass panel. This is basically Qualcomm’s 3D Sense ID technology which enables better security while maintaining a seamless design. With its upgraded spec and materials, the Mi 5S is slightly bulkier than the standard Mi 5.

The Mi 5S is priced at 1,999CNY (about RM1,234) for the base 64GB model and 2,299CNY (about RM1,419) for the higher 128GB storage option.

Mi 5S Plus

Meanwhile the Mi 5S Plus is the bigger sibling with a larger 5.7″ screen that does Full HD resolution. It runs on a 2.35GHz Snapdragon 821 processor with either 4GB or 6GB of RAM, which are accompanied with 64GB and 128GB storage respectively. Xiaomi boasts that the 6GB RAM variant is able to score over 160,000 points on Antutu which is just below the iPhone 7.

It also gets an all metal build and it comes with a standard rear-mounted fingerprint scanner plus a pair of 13MP main cameras. Similar to the Huawei P9 series, one sensor shoots in monochrome while the other shoots in colour. Selfies however, are still handled by the same 4MP front camera. With a 3,800mAh battery on board, it weighs 168 grams and has a thickness of 7.95mm.

Despite being a larger device, Xiaomi likes to point out that it has a smaller footprint compared to the iPhone 7 Plus. The Mi 5S Plus is priced at 2,299CNY (about RM1,419) for 4GB RAM + 64GB storage and 2,599CNY (about RM1,604) for 6GB + 128GB storage.

Both Mi 5S and Mi 5S Plus will be released first for the Chinese market and based on the past launches, it would probably take a while before it reaches our shores. Of course, you can always rely on our grey importers to offer them locally in the months or even weeks to come.

Mi 5S/Mi 5S product video and images