Xiaomi has finally brought the Mi 5 to India, and surprisingly far earlier than we expected. Moreover, the pricing is spot on.
The Mi 5 is everything you can imagine in a flagship in 2016. Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor, 3GB RAM, 32 GB storage running Android Marshmallow based MIUI 7 as well as a 5.15-inch 1080p display.
Then there's also a 16MP rear-camera with Sony IMX298 sensor capable of recording 4K videos alongwith a 4MP UltraPixel front camera. There is also phase-detection autofocus for faster tracking alongwith 4-axis optical image stabilization (OIS) for reducing your chances of taking a blurry shot.
Xiaomi was also able to pack a 3000 mAh battery inside the 7.25mm thin shell of the Mi 5, still being able to keep the weight at just 129 grams. Which brings me to build materials. The Xiaomi Mi 5 has a glass front and back with a metal frame. The back of the smartphone is curved as well just like the Mi Note for better in-hand feel. The phone doesn't feel that slippery but does attract fingerprints, you can watch our hands-on for more details.
Coming to software, Xiaomi's latest flagship runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow based MIUI 7 right out of the box and gets some nifty software features as well including sunlight legibility mode. There is NFC onboard as well, which coupled with the fingerprint sensor built into the home button on the front may allow for wireless payments in the future.
Pricing and Availability
The Xiaomi Mi 5 will be available through flash sales as well, starting from April 6th exclusively on Mi.com. The Mi 5 with 32GB storage has been priced at Rs. 24,999 and sadly we're not getting the other versions of Mi 5 including the ceramic black (Mi5 Pro). There will be three colors to choose from, black, gold and white.
