Xiaomi Redmi 5/Redmi 5 Plus: Affordable “Full screen” smartphones priced under RM900

Xiaomi has officially announced its new Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus smartphones which offer a big screen experience at an affordable price. Featuring a tall 18:9 display aspect ratio, the screen takes up a larger viewing area while it maintains a compact footprint compared to a typical 16:9 display. What’s interesting is that the Redmi 5 series is very affordable with a starting price of just 799CNY (about RM493).

Both the Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus look rather identical with the biggest difference is in the size of the display. The Redmi 5 gets a 5.7″ display (1440×720), while the Redmi 5 Plus gets a 5.99″ Full HD+ (2160×1080) screen. Both displays have rounded corners for a more symmetrical look.

The Redmi 5 is powered by a 14nm Snapdragon 450 processor that comes in either 2GB RAM + 16GB storage or 3GB RAM + 32GB of storage. Meanwhile, the Redmi 5 Plus has better hardware under the hood with a familiar 14nm Snapdragon 625 processor. You get two options as well, with a base 3GB RAM + 32GB storage model and a high-spec 4GB RAM + 64GB storage option.

Powering the Redmi 5 is a 3,300mAh battery, while the Redmi 5 Plus gets a larger 4,000mAh capacity. Xiaomi reckons that both devices can provide a long battery life thanks to its frugal 14nm based processors that are paired with the power saving features of MIUI 9.

For imaging, Xiaomi has yet to reveal the camera specs but based on its TENAA listing, both Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus will come with a 12MP main camera while the front unit is a 5MP shooter. For better illuminated low-light selfies, both has its own selfie light.

For extra durability, both devices have reinforced structure at the corners which would help to reduce the chance of a broken screen. On top of that, Xiaomi has also applied a waterproof layer on the earpiece to protect it from sweat and dust.

In China, the Redmi 5 is priced at 799CNY (about RM493) for 2GB RAM + 16GB storage and 899CNY (about RM555) for 3GB RAM + 32GB storage version. Meanwhile, the larger Redmi 5 Plus is going for 999CNY (RM617) for 3GB RAM + 32GB storage and 1,299CNY (RM802) for 4GB RAM + 64GB storage.

A device that’s likely to be the Redmi 5 Plus was spotted in our local SIRIM database so there’s a chance that one will be dropping on our shores soon. Sales in China will start on 12.12 on Xiaomi’s flagship store at Tmall and JD.com.

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