Redmi 5A Review

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Xiaomi Redmi 5A will be sold at Rs. 4,999 as an introductory offer
• It is virtually identical to the Redmi 4A in terms of specifications
• Battery life is good, but camera quality is only just about acceptable
• Xiaomi has been crowding the budget smartphone market with multiple models and variants at overlapping price points, all with impressive specifications that the competition has struggled to match. At the lowest end, the Redmi 4A (Review) has been a compelling phone ever since its launch in India eight months ago, and we have recommended it to anyone on a water-tight budget. Now, Xiaomi is replacing its entry-level Redmi 4A with the Redmi 5A and making a really big deal about this launch even though there's very little difference between the two models.
  In a sea of patriotically named phones such as Micromax's Bharat line and the Karbonn A40 Indian(Review), Xiaomi is positioning the Redmi 5A as a desh ka smartphone. What exactly qualifies it for that title is unclear - it might be its low price, the fact that it's made in India, or its promise of exceptional battery life. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this launch is Xiaomi's limited-time Rs. 1,000 discount on the lower-end model, which brings the price down to a very tempting Rs. 4,999.

• Xiaomi Redmi 5A design

  There isn't much to say about the Redmi 5A's looks if you've used any entry-level Android smartphone over the past year or two. It's all plastic, though the rear has a slightly metallic finish. Xiaomi says it will be sold in Dark Grey, Gold, and Rose Gold, though only the first two are listed as options for the first sale. Our Gold unit had a white front face, and we feel that the Dark Grey option with a black front would be more to our tastes.
  The Redmi 5A has a 5-inch screen and there's quite a lot of plastic above and below it. Still, it's well suited to one-handed use. Grip is pretty good despite the 8.35mm thickness, and weight is quite manageable at 137g. When compared to the Redmi 4A, the differences are purely cosmetic. The two models vary by less than 1mm in terms of height and width.
  There are capacitive navigation buttons below the screen which aren't backlit, but that's only to be expected at this price level. In a familiar Xiaomi touch, there's a status indicator right below the Home button which is completely invisible until it lights up when you're charging the phone.
  The power and volume buttons are on the right, and there are two trays on the left - one for a single Nano-SIM, and another for a microSD card as well as another SIM. The camera at the back has a single-LED flash next to it, and the phone's speaker grille runs along the entire lower back. There's a Micro-USB port on the bottom and a 3.5mm audio socket on the top. One interesting touch is the presence of an IR emitter on the top, which you can use to control household appliances.
  You get a charger and a Micro-USB cable in the box, but as usual, no headset. Interestingly, the company seems to be moving towards using Redmi as more than just a name for one product line - the box screams "Redmi 5A" on the front, sides and back, while the Xiaomi name and logo are much smaller and are almost tucked away out of sight.
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• Verdict
  Xiaomi continues to impress us with its low prices, and even though the Redmi 5A doesn't give us anything new or different compared to the Redmi 4A, it still delivers excellent value. If you can grab the 2GB/16GB version at the introductory offer price of Rs. 4,999, you'll be very happy. Even at its regular retail price of Rs. 5,999, there aren't many phones that could compete with it. If you're a first-time smartphone user, or are only concerned with basic communications, the Redmi 5A would be quite a good choice. Camera quality is really the only major downside, and if that's important to you, you'll have to spend a bit more.