Specs

Chipset: Snapdragon 820

GPU: Adreno 530

Memory: Standard- 3GB Ram/32Gb Storage, Prime – 3GB Ram/64GB Storage, Pro – 4GB Ram/128GB Storage

Sim: Dual Nano Sim

Size: 5.1’

Resolution: 1080×1920 (428ppi)

Display Type: IPS LCD

Glass: Corning Gorilla Glass 4

O/S: Android 6.0 Marshmallow

Camera: 16mp rear  f/2.0, phase detection autofocus, OIS (4-axis), dual-LED (dual tone) flash

4mp front camera

Battery: 3000mAh NonRemovable

Notable Features

• Fingerprint Sensor
• Quick charge 3.0
• USB Type-C
• Theme Customization

Design

The Mi 5 comes with a few nifty design features. 3D glass makes its return from the Mi Note series. The glass back is curved and contours to the metal frame. This makes it extremely ergonomic and form fitting in your hand than most models of phones. The device also has very minimal bezels on the display, giving you more viewing real estate. Once you hold this device it is evident Xiaomi has once again crafted another premium device.

Display

Xiaomi has decided to stick with a 1080P display panel. At 5.1”, this is a great decision as it uses less battery power, color reproduction is excellent, and you will not be able to tell that there is a lack of QHD.

Camera

The Sony 16mp rear camera sensor on the Mi 5 takes pretty good shots with the right lighting. The camera also comes with OIS which does a very good job at taking away motion blur. Unfortunately, the camera does become mediocre under low light conditions. With the 4mp sensor on the front camera, you will be able to take out very good selfies. The manual mode on the phone allows you to control white balance, exposure time, focus and ISO. For the price of the Mi5, you should be more than happy with the camera quality it is able to produce.

Performance

With the Snapdragon 820 at the heart of this device, you can expect a smooth and fluid user experience. Apps open in an instant and it is able to handle high intensive graphic games due to the Adreno 530 GPU. Coupled with either the 3GB or 4GB RAM, and you have a phone that can handle just about anything you throw at it.

Battery

The 3000mAh high-density battery should get you through a full days usage comfortably. If you do however manage to drain your battery, the phone comes with Quick Charge 3.0 to get you back up and running in no time. One nice trick you can do is set the power consumption levels of each individual app. This will work very nicely on apps like Facebook that drain your battery quickly.

Price

The base model goes for $310usd. You read right, this is A LOT of phone given the price. You’re talking about a device that can hang with the likes of your S7’s and HTC 10’s at half the price.

Verdict

The Mi 5 checks a lot of the right boxes and should earn your vote to be your next device. If you are looking for a premium smartphone at a budget-friendly price, then this may be the device for you. While the device may cost half the price as more notable phones, it is good to see that you will not be lacking in the feature department.