Redmi Note 5 Pro / A Comprehensive Review

Naya Note Aaya Hai!

We have got our hands on the new beast from Xiaomi: Redmi Note 5 Pro.

Let's Start the Review!

Edit: In August Update , We recieved Dual 4G feature ! 

Xiaomi has brought Redmi Note 5 Pro in India on February 22, 2018. Since then, millions of Indians are trying to get this phone through flash sales and pre-orders and now, we're bringing in-depth review.

Body

The phone is made out of Aluminium and Plastic, which gives a solid build quality. It isn't slippery and fits perfectly in hands. It weighs about 181 grams yet, it doesn't feel heavy at all. This phone is a slight departure from Xiaomi's trend of phones made from unibody aluminum finish.

Top

You can find the IR Blaster and a mic - usual entrant from its predecessors.

Bottom

Here it has a speaker and a secondary mic. We expected to have USB Type-C here but we have got a Micro-USB port and a 3.5mm audio jack.

Right

This side carries the volume rockers and the power button. We are extremely delighted to see some incredibly tactile buttons which feel very responsive.

Left

There is a Hybrid-Dual sim slot present, which resides undisturbed and makes the body seem fluid.

Display

Redmi Note 5 Pro boasts a 5.99" IPS LCD screen, bringing curved corners with 18:9 display which has Screen-to-Body ratio of 77.4%. Corning Gorilla Glass is said to be in power to protect your screen, yet its version is unspecified. It brings a crisp display with great viewing angles. This is the first phone in Note series to bring 18:9 taller display and bezels are thinner than its predecessor yet not the thinnest.

Connectivity

Redmi Note 5 Pro brings Hybrid-Dual sim approach, i.e., you can either put two nano sims or one nano sim and a microSD card. It comes with dual-band 802.11ac WIFI, Bluetooth 5.0 with FM Radio and also has IR Blaster for controlling devices like TV, Air-Conditioner, etc. It doesn't support dual 4G where both sims can run 4G network simultaneously. Yet we are expecting that we can get this in future through updates.

Memory

Note 5 Pro comes with 4GB/6GB LPDDR4X RAM variants and storage of 64GB for both. On our usage, we can say the 4GB variant is rapid enough to provide faster performance and lag-free experience. In the house, it has around 60GB of storage out of that 64GB provided. Also, it has a MicroSD Card which can be expanded up to 256GB.

Camera

Here, we have the Android version of iPhone X (just kidding!). On the front, we have 20MP selfie shooter of a f/2.2 aperture with face unlock abilities and LED Flash, and to be said, this brings really good selfies and portrait mode works well too.

The rear camera brings a dual setup of 12MP [f/2.2, PDAF] + 5MP[f/2.0, depth sensor] and brings dual-tone LED flash which is also used as the torch. The dual camera setup resembles the design iPhone X, yet its camera UI is different from that of the iPhone. It can capture videos of resolution of 1080p@30FPS and also has EIS(Electronic Image Stabilisation) with Slow-Motion and Time Lapse features.

Performance

This Redmi Note series has now brought new Game changer processor - The Qualcomm SnapDragon 636 which takes the performance to a whole new level which good amount of efficiency, bringing great on-screen time and battery performance. It is buttery smooth, in shifting between apps and loading time for apps is faster! In AnTuTu benchmarks, Redmi Note 5 Pro scores a massive 115205, which is all time high for Redmi Note Series. The SnapDragon 636 with 4000 mAH battery brings magical, long-lasting performance. We're convinced with the performance that we get at this price.

We played games like Player Unknown's Battlegrounds, Asphalt 8 and Hitman Sniper, it ran all the games in medium to high setting very well, giving an average of 30FPS. It doesn't heat at times when we played for more than an hour or so.  

Battery

We get a massive 4000 mAH in-house battery and for light to average users, it will run for a day and a half. The battery management is very nice and brings a good show. Even when the charge is less than 20%, it runs without any lag and lasts longer than usual. Compared to its competitor, Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 has a larger battery of about 5000 mAH, Note 5 Pro may seem less, but performance is well tuned and co-ordinated with the battery, such that we get great flow with no loss of work.

Security

We get fingerprint sensor at the back, and it is convenient to reach there. Placement of fingerprint sensor is the ideal place where Xiaomi generally brings in. It is quick and very responsive. Apart from that, we get the feature of face unlock through an OTA update and it does not work that well in low light areas this is because the hardware doesn't include any sensors that are actually used for any face unlock but it works fine in a well-lighted scene. Actually, it works fully through software. This brings huge hope that Xiaomi is bringing these high-end features in mid-rangers and helps the people having less budget for a smartphone, to get these features.

Additionally, we get a handy Security application which is designed to keep the phone at its optimal performance.

Operating System

Android-based MIUI powers up this beast. We get MIUI 9.2 initially out-of-the-box but the Oreo i.e., MIUI 9.5, is out too. You will get it through an OTA update. To be frank, MIUI is buttery smooth, we can easily swift between apps like a charm and some applications even have closing animations. Unstoppable software with SoC SnapDragon 636 makes up a pure beast at this price. 

It is also slated to receive the MIUI 10 within next few months. 

Real Time Usage

In real time situations, this phone works smooth. We have used it for more than a month and we can say, it didn't even lag a bit. After some intensive gaming for an hour and daily usage, still, battery brings in support for one and a half day. We are convinced by the performance of the phone and can assure this phone is worth for the price it is set for.

The Good

1. Snapdragon 636 - For a long time, we were getting mid-rangers powered by the SnapDragon 625 which is efficient yet outdated. Change of SoC has boosted this phone to reach new peaks.

2. 4000 mAH battery - By packing this massive battery, still it weighs light and brings longer screen time.

3. MIUI - Buttery smooth OS, skinned over Android, really brings great usage and consistent performance along with a lot of themes, animations, and great multi-tasking capability.

Could Have Been Better

1. Camera - The front 20MP shooter does the best work in a well-lighted scene but struggles in low light scenes but don't worry, Xiaomi has a solution for this - HHT. This special feature helps in low lighted images to enhance the dynamic range and bring better pictures to the table. We do get portrait mode in front and rear cameras, but at times it blurs some part of hair or ears. It's a minor issue and can be solved through future updates.

2. Hybrid Sim Slot - We get two nano sims or a nano sim + microSD card. This is not an apt choice for people using dual sims and wants to expand more storage via SDcard. Note 5 Pro's one big issue this time has been this, for Indian users, it is inconvenient. But if it had a slot for two nano sims as well as a microSD card, this will be a true winner. 

3. Price - Xiaomi has brought a great deal to the table, yet the price it is offering at, is higher than its competitors. It is available at ₹ 14,999 for 4GB+64GB variant and ₹ 16,999 for 6GB +64GB variant. While its competitor Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 brings 4GB+64GB variant at ₹ 12,999 and 6GB+64GB variant at ₹ 14,999. That's a difference of ₹ 2,000 for the specifications being almost same with software having quite different tweaks. Xiaomi had increased the price ₹ 1000 due to manufacturing and importing costs. Yet, it's a slight issue. Those ready to experience this beast, are open to buying it.

Conclusion

We have used this device for more than two months and we are convinced of its performance and standby duration. For the hardware provided inside, the software cooperates well to bring some great scores in benchmark tests. Though it's competitor Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 brings same hardware value within in a lesser price, we can say that for this price, Note 5 Pro is the pure beast and we will compare Note 5 Pro and Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 soon. Apart from some small drawbacks, Redmi Note 5 Pro brings huge value and performance to the Note Series and of course to the price.

Our Editor's Scoreboard

 1. Display - 09/10

 2. Camera - 08/10

 3. Performance - 10/10

 4. Network - 09/10

 5. OS - 10/10

 6. Battery - 09/10

 7. Security - 10/10

 8. Daily Usage - 10/10

Buy Redmi Note 5 Pro here -

 1. 4GB+64GB - Gold | Black | Rose Gold | Blue

 2. 6GB+64GB - Gold | Black | Rose Gold | Blue

We have brought the most honesty and true usage experience to this review and made this review, giving soul and heart to it. 

Thanks a lot, everyone for reading this and stay tuned to see more posts of topics: Smartphones, Technology, Laptops, PC Setups.

Have a nice day!