Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus review: let’s check why this is probably the best entry level mobile phone available in 2018, and what is special about it

Are you looking for an mid range phone with awesome hardware? Check this Xiaomi Redmi 5 plus review and be amazed by this one of the latest releases by this Chinese brand.

Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus: Overview

Xiaomi is one of the fastest growing electronic devices brand in the world and it is easy to understand why. They build innovative mobile phones and extremely affordable prices. While Xiaomi is already one of the top brands in China, it is still fighting for space in international markets. With the XIaomi Redmi 5 Plus, the brand’s expansion is definitely guaranteed for 2018.

Not long ago, we reviewed the Xiaomi Redmi 4X on Value Nomad. Fast forward a few months and here we are again with yet another Xiaomi device. The Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus (just like the Redmi 5) is ressembles a lot to the 4/4x. However, it is bigger, stronger and faster.

Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus Global Version

There it is, the beautiful Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus.

Click here to check prices and discounts on this Xiaomi phone on GearBest

Now, let’s analyze each one of its key factors individually.

Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus: Design

This new Xiaomi phone has a pretty beautiful design, but it is not very innovative. In fact, it looks extremely similar to the Redmi 4/4X. One can say that Xiaomi knows what is working and decided to stick with that.

The Redmi 5 Plus comes in a number of colors, which will make it easy to please the user regardless of its taste. The following colors are available: black, rose gold, light blue and golden.

The Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus also has a display ratio of 18:9, with a very thin bezel. It follows the trend of higher end phones like the Samsung S8, adding value to this mid to high-range Xiaomi device.

Hardare (CPU, RAM, ROM)

The overall hardware of this mobile is pretty impressive, resulting in a quite high benchmark. Starting from its Octa Core processor and checking its RAM and ROM, we can easily say that this Xiaomi is comparable in hardware to models costing a few hundred dollars more than it.

Its processor is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, an octa-core chip with a very good performance. It is extremely versatile and powerful, clocking max speeds of 2.0GHz. The Snapdragon 625 also powers other devices such as the Lenovo P8, ASUS ZenFone 3 and even the Xiaomi Mi Max.

Checking the overall benchmar of the Xiaomi Redmi 5 plus with the AnTuTu benchmark app, it reached an impressive total score of 76268. It is still considerably below high-end phones. As a reference, the Samsung S7 has an AnTuTu score above 120000.

The specific version we got to test comes with 3 GB RAM and 32 GB ROM. But there is also a more powerful version, with 4GB RAM and 64 GB ROM available.

Software

The MIUI 9 (based on Android) was released in the second half of 2017 and powers the Redmi 5 plus. It runs smoothly and looks clean, and I consider the MIUI another advantage of Xiaomi smartphones.

Screen

The screen is also quite interesting and also very in this new Xiaomi. In fact, it is so big that it puts this Android phones in the categories of “phablets”. Getting to its specs, its a 5.99 inch screen with a Full HD+ resolution. The Full HD+ (2160 x 1080 pixels) is has a slightly higher resolution than the standard Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels).

For those considering the 5.99 a bit far too wide, the Xiaomi 5 (without the Plus) can be a good option. While the 5 plus has a 5.99 inch screen, the 5 version has a 5.7 version.

Camera

The Redmi 5 plus comes with one rear camera and one front camera. The rear camera has a quite good quality with 12.0 megapixels and a maximum resolution of 4000 x 3000 pixels. The front camera is more modest, with 5.0 MP and a lower max resolution, but has an overall good quality. For video recording, the max resolution is 2160 pixels at 30 fps.

The only downsize is that the Redmi 5 Plus does not feature an OIS. However, this type of stabilization is often seen only in high-end flagship devices.

Here is a nightshot using the Redmi 5 Plus rear camera with the HHT Mode:

Battery

The battery is one of the key aspects of every mobile phone, and this Xiaomi has a pretty massive battery capacity. With 4000 mAh, the Redmi 5 plus behaves extremely well and does can go even two days without charging for normal usage. Even considering its big screen and fast hardware, the battery efficiency of this device is indeed impressive.

Its capacity is also above the average for similarly priced Android phones. The battery is certainly one of the highlights of this Xiaomi release.

Connectivity

Connectivity is not an issue with the Xiaomi Redmi 5 plus, and supports the 802.11 a/b/g/n technologies. It also support WiFi-direct and Bluetooth, nothing special or unique here.

Extras

The Redmi 5 Plus also features a fingerprint sensor, in a trend seen in virtually all Xiaomi phones recently released.

Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus: Pros and Cons

Pros

• Powerful camera
• Thin bezel and 18:9 ratio
• Fast Octacore processor

Cons

• MicroSD slot shares space with one of the sim card’s slot
• Similar design to previous Xiaomi phones (except for the thin bezel)

 Video Review

Here is our full video review of the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus:

Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus Verdict

The Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus is overall an excellent mid to upper range phone. Considering its huge screen and thin bezels, it indicates a trend in terms of dimensions that is coming to more affordable phones. It is also quite fast, so I strongly recommend it if you like doing rather complex tasks on your mobile. The 5.99 inch screen is definitely a tablet killer, and you can easy travel with the 5 plus instead of tablet.

If you need a phone for simple usage, making calls and message apps, I would not recommend the 5 Plus. You can easily save a substantial amount of money and still get a good phone with 4G connections and a big screen.

However, most customers will be definitely happy with the device, and the 5 plus is definitely set to be a best seller in 2018.

Do you own a Xiaomi device? Do you have an opinion on the brand? Leave your thoughts in the comment box below.