Launched in India just a couple of weeks ago, we managed to spend some time with the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro at MWC 2018. Although it looks quite a bit like the recently launched Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus, the Redmi Note 5 Pro actually has a couple of interesting differentiators, including a newer chipset and dual-camera system.
If it does come to our market, the Redmi Note 5 Pro could potentially be the mid-range smartphone to beat – especially if it’s priced competitively.
It’s worth noting that the Redmi Note 5 Pro is one of the first smartphones to be powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 chipset, which promises even better performance than the Snapdragon 625 SoC found in the Redmi 5 Plus. On top of that, the Note 5 Pro’s 12MP + 5MP dual-camera system also enables shooting options not available on its predecessor.
Other specifications of the Note 5 Pro include a 5.99-inch 18:9 Full HD+ display with minimal bezels, up to 6GB of RAM, 64GB of expandable storage, as well as a generous 4,000mAh battery.
Despite packing a large 4,000mAh cell, the Redmi Note 5 Pro feels surprisingly thin. Measuring 8.05mm thin, it’s quite impressive how Xiaomi managed to fit a battery of this capacity into the phone’s slim metal chassis. Weighing 181g, the phone doesn’t feel too heavy either.
Like many noteworthy phones in the market now, the Note 5 Pro comes with an 18:9 display with pretty minimal bezels. The display is bright and vibrant, and viewing angles are good too. In fact, I’m quite impressed with the display quality – especially for a mid-range smartphone.
Performance should be the Redmi Note 5 Pro’s strong suit too. As mentioned, the Snapdragon 636 chipset promises even better performance than its predecessor, and it’s really quite a capable chipset. Packing the same Kryo 260 cores found in the higher-end Snapdragon 660 SoC – albeit at a lower clock speed – the Note 5 Pro feels really speedy and responsive. I’m quite interested to see just how the phone would perform in everyday usage.
When it comes to camera performance, the Redmi Note 5 Pro’s dual-camera shows quite a bit of promise. The camera interface is fast enough, the image quality is quite good, and it can capture some really interesting bokeh shots. Even the 20MP front-facing camera can simulate bokeh effect pretty well.
Currently, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro is only available in India, but we were told by Xiaomi that a global variant of the phone will be coming very soon. If that’s the case, there’s a very good chance the phone will make its way into Malaysia, and that’s very welcome news.
Retailing from 13,999 Indian Rupees (that’s only about RM840), the Redmi Note 5 Pro carries a very compelling price tag. If Xiaomi can maintain the same price range for our market, the Note 5 Pro may very well be the mid-range smartphone to beat in Malaysia.
