Chinese company Xiaomi has officially unveiled its brand-new smartphones, the Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus. Consistent with the philosophy of the Redmi brand, the new devices deliver high-end specifications at very affordable prices.
Both phones feature a modern 18:9 screen ratio and thin bezels to maximize the display area. The Redmi 5 has a 5.7-inch HD+ LCD screen, while the Redmi 5 Plus sports a 5.99-inch Full HD+ screen.
The smaller Redmi 5 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 chip. Consumers have a choice of 2 or 3 GB of random-access memory (RAM) and 16 or 32 GB of storage. The Redmi 5 has a decent 3,300 mAh battery capacity and can be charged via micro USB.
The Redmi 5 Plus, on the other hand, sports slightly higher specifications. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor inside, with a choice of 3 or 4 GB of RAM. For storage, users will be able to pick between 32 and 64 GB capacity. Thanks to its larger size, it has a higher battery capacity at 4,000 mAh.
Both the Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus include a 12-megapixel single-lens rear camera with flash. On the flip side, the front camera for both phones features a 5-megapixel sensor.
The phones also include a fingerprint scanner located at the back of the device, below the camera. The handsets' bodies have rounded corners and are made of aluminum. They come in a number of color choices: light blue, rose gold, gold and black.
The Redmi 5 starts at about $120 for the variant with 2 GB RAM and 16 GB storage. The one with 3 GB RAM and 32 GB storage will cost around $135.
For the Redmi 5 Plus, the price starts at $150 for the 3 GB RAM, 32 GB storage model. The variant with the highest specifications of 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage will cost around $180.
These are very affordable prices considering the phones' high-end specifications. The new devices are set to become available in China on Dec. 12. Unfortunately, it has not been announced whether or not they will make their way to the U.S. market.
