Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus were recently launched in China. These handsets come with 18:9 aspect ratio screen and priced under Rs. 13,000. Here is the Redmi 5 Plus review that will give you a better idea about the product, performance, camera and battery life.

This is the first handset from Xiaomi with a 18:9 aspect screen ratio with a budget price tag. Once you use any 18:9 screen smartphone, you are not going to like the other normal screen smartphones. The Redmi 5 Plus gives an extended viewing experience.

Snapdragon 625 does a pretty good job, even when it comes to gaming. Hardware does not heat up much and the battery life is pretty awesome, almost the same you get on the Redmi Note 4. Camera quality is above average.

Redmi 5 Plus review

Redmi 5 Plus features, specifications

Inside the box (Unboxing the Redmi 5 Plus) : Handset, user guide, silicon case, data cable (USB to micro USB), SIM ejector PIN and travel charger 5V/2A
Body : Metal body, curvy design, very comfortable to hold and use, though a little slippery. Better use the silicon case
SIM Type : Nano + Nano / Micro SD (Hybrid slot)
Screen  :  5.99 inches, 2160 x 1080 pixels resolution – FHD+, viewing angles, touch response and color reproduction are very good, 2.5D curved glass
Connectivity :  4G, VoLTE, WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth
Sensors : Accelerometer, Proximity, Gyro and Magnetic and Ambient Light sensor
Security and Extra : Finger Print sensor on back and IR blaster
LED Notification : Yes
OTG : Yes supported
RAM : 3GB (about 1.4GB free on first boot)
ROM : 32GB (about 23GB free on first boot)
OS : MIUI 9 (Chinese ROM) based on Android Nougat 7.1.2

Redmi 5 Plus 5.99 inch 18:9 aspect screen with 2160 x 1080 pixels resolution.

Redmi 5 Plus Performance

CPU :  Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 (MSM8953), 64 bit octa core @ 2.02GHz
GPU :  Adreno 506
Heating : Medium
Max Battery Temperature : 36 degrees

Smooth performance, no lags, MIUI 9 is a delight gives a unique more premium Android experience. Hardware can play high end games with ease.

Redmi 5 Plus camera on the back panel

Redmi 5 Plus Benchmark

Antutu : 76636 / 12637
NenaMark3 :  59.4fps (3-3)
Multi Touch : 10 points
Disk Speed :  219 MB/s read  and 142 MB/s write

Redmi 5 Plus Gaming Review

I played MC5 Modern Combat 5 and the Asphalt 8 and both games played really well, no issues at all. Check the video review for gaming action.

Redmi 5 Plus Camera  Review

Rear Camera : 12MP, auto focus, LED flash
Front Camera : 5MP
Video Recording : 4K resolution

The camera quality is above average. Day light shots turned out great and the low light shots were pretty decent. Do check the samples below. This handset can shoot 4K videos.

Redmi 5 Plus camera on the back and finger print sensor

Camera Rating : 4 out of 5

Redmi 5 Plus Camera samples

Redmi 5 plus camera sample hydrant Redmi 5 plus camera sample flower Redmi 5 plus camera sample leaves Redmi 5 plus camera sample tree Redmi 5 plus camera sample tree with rope Redmi 5 plus camera sample tree with rope another angle Redmi 5 plus camera sample long shot Redmi 5 plus camera sample long shot morning Redmi 5 plus camera sample selfie Redmi 5 plus camera sample night in auto mode Redmi 5 plus camera sample night in HDR mode

Download Original Image files (right click and save) (do not use it for commercial purpose, without permission of gogi.in).

Other features

Sound is loud and clear. I did not face any issues with networks. Finger print sensor on the back is fast and accurate. You can use IR blaster to control TV, AC and other electronic appliances.

Redmi 5 Plus

Redmi 5 Plus  Battery Review

Battery capacity : 4000 mAh (Non-removable)
Charging Time : Charge – up to 3 hours or less, using the charger provided
Battery Life : 8 to 11 hours non-stop (moderate to heavy)
Daily usage battery life : One and a Half days to 2 days or more depending on your usage

Battery Test Results

Battery Temp at idle : 30 degrees
Running Benchmark app :
 13 minutes / 2% / 32 degrees
Asphalt 8  + MC5 game play : 16 minutes / 3% / 36 degrees
4K video playback with full brightness (WiFi /4G on) :  7 minutes / 1% / 32 degrees

Verdict

The Redmi 5 Plus is as good as the Redmi Note 4 but with 18:9 screen and that gives a whole new experience to this handset. Indeed a very good buy. However this handset has not yet been launched in India, not sure if the company will launch same thing / name it something else  or launch a different variant / model in India, most likely Redmi Note 5.

You can wait and see what the company will launch, should happen in a month or two, or you can buy this handset from China – make sure to watch the unboxing video as well as the full review video.

Rating : 4.1  out of 5

You can buy the Redmi 5 / Redmi 5 Plus from China or wait for the official launch in India.

You can buy this from GearBest, do note you will need to pay custom duty anywhere from Rs. 2000 to Rs. 6000.

Redmi 5 price in China is $185 (approx Rs. 11,700).
Redmi 5 Plus price in China is $199 (approx Rs. 12,600).

 

By Rajeev Rana

Founder and Chief Editor - gogi.in