Xiaomi Redmi Note 5, Note 5 Pro sale begins today on Flipkart, Mi Store

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi seems in no mood to slow down. Its latest phones, the Redmi Note 5 and Note 5 Pro, seem similar on the first look but are very different devices. While the Note 5 adds ultra-wide screen along with enhanced camera on the back when compared with the Note 4, the Note 5 Pro is a new package with substantial upgrades.

The Note 5 and Note 5 Pro, launched on February 14, would go on sale today, exclusively on home-grown e-commerce platform Flipkart and Xiaomi’s Mi Store. As for the price and variants, the Redmi Note 5 comes in two storage and RAM combinations – 32GB/3GB and 64GB/4GB – priced at Rs 9,999 and Rs 11,999, respectively. The Redmi Note 5 Pro comes with 64GB internal storage but in two RAM variants – 4GB and 6GB – priced at Rs 13,999 and Rs 16,999, respectively.

Here is a quick comparison review of Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro:

On the front, the Note 5 and the Pro look similar: Both feature 18:9 screens. On the back, the Note 5 looks similar to the Note 4, but better. The Pro, on the other hand, looks like an iPhone X clone, without the all-glass build. But the vertical dual-camera set-up is a dead ringer.

The phones feel heavy but their tall stance make them easy to hold; but because of the ultra-wide display, one-handed operation is difficult.

Both phones sport 5.99-inch fullHD+ screens with 18:9 aspect ratios, covered with reflective Gorilla Glass, which hampers sunlight visibility. The screen, though an IPS unit, lacks both the maximum brightness level and vividness. But, the rounded corners of the screen look better than pointed edges, and the curved sides of the glass are easy to operate. There is no shift in colours when looked from angles and the slim side bezels leave enough space to hold the device without accidentally touching the screen area – something common in next-generation bezel-less smartphones.

ALSO READ: Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro: A power performer let down by premium price tag

The Note 5 features a 12-megapixel (MP) primary camera and a 5MP selfie shooter; the Pro’s dual-camera set-up uses a 12MP sensor sourced from Sony in combination with a 5MP sensor sourced from Samsung.

The primary camera in the Note 5 is an improved unit over its predecessor. The 5MP front camera is on par with the predecessor in terms of performance.