It’s finally time for you to get a new phone. You think about the options that you have in front of you. iPhone X, Samsung Galaxy S8, Google Pixel 2, or the Samsung Note 8. You take a look at the price tag and realize you’re about to drop close to a $1000 for a new phone. You contemplate if it’s worth dropping this kind of money on a phone.
What many people don’t realize is that you don’t have to drop a ton of cash for these flagship phones. While many revel in being up to date with the latest technology, others just need a solid phone that works. News flash! You can find great phones for a fifth of the cost of these flagship phones. The reason you don’t hear about these budget phones is because they don’t get the kind of marketing that iPhones and Pixels get.
Xiaomi is a Chinese electronics company that sells quality smartphones with reduced costs. Xiaomi just recently revealed its new Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus. Let’s take a look at the specs.
Redmi 5
- Price: Starts at $120
- Display: 5.7-inch, 18:9, HD+ (1440 x 720 pixels)
- Chip: Qualcomm Snapdragon 450
- RAM: 2 GB / 3 GB
- Storage: 16 GB / 32 GB
- Battery: 3,300 mAh
- Rear Camera: 12 MP
- Front Camera: 5 MP
- Dimensions: 151.8 mm x 72.8 mm x 7.7 mm
- Weight: 157 grams
Redmi 5 Plus
- Price: Starts at $150
- Display: 5.99-inch, 18:9, Full HD+ (2160 x 1080 pixels)
- Chip: Qualcomm Snapdragon 450
- RAM: 3 GB / 4 GB
- Storage: 32 GB / 64 GB
- Battery: 4,000 mAh
- Rear Camera: 12 MP
- Front Camera: 5 MP
- Dimensions: 158.5 mm x 75.45 mm x 8.05 mm
- Weight: 180 grams
The Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus feature a modern design that has minimal bezels and rounded corners. The fingerprint scanner is located on the back of the phone similar to the Google Pixel. It’s amazing that you can get a smartphone for under $200 with a 12 MP camera. The color options come in blue, gold, rose gold, and black.
The features that stand out the most are the battery and display. Xiaomi claims that the phone will have a two day battery life and a standby time of 12 days. As an iPhone user, the idea of having my phone’s battery life last two days is mind-blowing.
The 18:9 aspect ratio on a 5.7-inch and 5.99-inch screen offers an immersive widescreen experience that is perfect for playing games or watching your favorite shows.
Another feature to note is that the Redmi 5 still uses a micro-USB port to charge the phone, which means the millions of micro-USB cables that you have collected over time still have use. Also, if you have 3.5 mm headphones, you’re in luck. Xiaomi kept the 3.5 mm headphone jack on the Redmi 5 so you can live a dongle-free life.
The Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus are set to be available for purchase in China on December 12th. Stay tuned to see updates for when it will be available in the U.S.