Full review Xiaomi Mi5: long-awaited smartphone flagship from China

In 2015, Xiaomi presented several attractive devices in the budget and mid-price segments. But this time the flagship of the company and have not waited. The reason for the long delay was the problem with energy efficiency and heat generation of top-end Snapdragon 810 chipset, which was too hot and voracious. The company had to wait for a new generation of mobile processors, as are widely available brainchild MTC (cold, but not the fastest) were “not worthy” leader.

Finally, in February at the MWC 2016 exhibition was shown the new Xiaomi Mi5. Traditionally, this Chinese producer, it was a very democratic (compared to Apple or HTC) price tag. Now you can buy the smartphone for about $ 400. For this relatively small amount of money the buyer gets a performance close to Galaxy S7 or HTC 10. What good is Xiaomi Mi5, what caused such a difference in price with competitors, whether at its Chinese unit pitfalls – will find an review.

Features Xiaomi Mi5

Specifications Xiaomi Mi5 fully comply with the flagship title. On paper it is a little behind the Samsung S7, and in some ways even surpasses it.

Xiaomi Mi5: Design, body materials, dimensions and weight

The basic version of the smartphone is made of glass and metal composition. There is a more expensive version with ceramic elements of the body, but it is not widely available. The front panel of the smartphone – tempered glass Gorilla Glass 4 generations, it is covered and the back cover.

The base body is made of metal, it acts as a silver frame around the perimeter. Dimensions Xiaomi Mi5 – 14,46 x 6,92 cm, thickness – 7.3 mm, and weight – 129 grams (139 in the ceramic version).

The front panel screen is occupied by 73%, which is quite good (for 5-5.5 “average value of 69-70%) Below the display is the oval button” home “with a fingerprint scanner She recalled a similar item in the Samsung above the screen… – camera, speaker and window sensors, an almost imperceptible on the black version.

The rear panel also resembles that of the Koreans, because of the strong curvature of the edges. She almost nothing: only the manufacturer’s logo and a camera with flash, nestled in the corner at the top.

Metal bezel surrounds the housing on all sides. Below her – port USB C and the hole for the speaker. Despite the fact that they are located on both sides of the connector, a speaker Xiaomi Mi5 only one. At the top end – the infrared port and a headphone jack. On the left side is placed a sliding slot for the card, on the right – the power button and volume changes.

Xiaomi Mi5: CPU

Powered Xiaomi Mi5 based on Qualcomm processor Snapdragon 820. It is equipped with four cores Kryo. In the base version (Standard 32 GB, which, above all, dedicated to the review), they operate at a frequency up to 1.8 GHz, in advanced – overclocked to 2.15 GHz. Despite the fact that only 4 cores – they are very fast (on the computing power at about the level of energy-efficient mobile Intel Core).

Responsible for the graphics are not less productive GPU Adreno 530. It is sufficient to run at high settings of any modern games in 2016. In AnTuTu test result is an impressive 138,000 points, providing the device in the top of the fastest smartphones.

Xiaomi Mi5: Memory

The amount of RAM in a simplified version of Xiaomi Mi5 is 3 GB. Used LPDDR4 chip. At the start of the system takes 1GB. A more advanced version is equipped with 4 GB of RAM, of which employs about 1.5. In any case, such a RAM capacity sufficient for the smooth operation of the toughest games, and also for keeping in the background of several programs.

The internal memory in the basic version of 32 GB, 24 of them freely. More expensive is equipped to store 64 GB, and the top-end modification (which is a ceramic plate) is 128 GB. Memory cards, traditionally a leader, are not supported. Guide Xiaomi it argues that the use of cheap flash drives reduces performance by increasing the flow of complaints, the causes of which are not the fault of the company.

Xiaomi Mi5: Battery

The Xiaomi Mi5 installed removable battery at 3000 mAh. This figure looks pretty good size for a smartphone, but the possibility of the battery is not impressive. Depending on the firmware, autonomy may differ considerably, but generally it does not exceed the value of “the average temperature in the hospital.” Games can put the battery for 4-5 hours of surfing the web or watching videos – for 6-9 hours. Most days the unit will stretch only at a very moderate use.

Complete charger supports fast charging and provides current up to 2 A. Replenishment capacity of up to 50% lasts about half an hour, an hour is dialed up to 90%, and a fully charged battery is somewhere in 80 minutes.

Xiaomi Mi5: Cams

Camera in Xiaomi Mi5 matrix has a resolution of 16 MP. The pixel size of the standard, 1.12 microns. Lens shestilinzovy, it opens up the aperture F / 2.0 values. The upper lens is made of scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. Supported phase autofocus, optical stabilization, video recording in FullHD and UHD 30 the FPS, and in HD – 120 FPS. Flash LED, dual.

The picture quality is good, but nothing more. And time and focus on the detail of the camera gives Samsung Galaxy S7. Noises greater sensitivity below. The images are excellent in good light, good – with moderate, but not impressive in the evening. Correct position allows plenty of manual settings, then the hindrances to the quality becomes smaller.

Front camera smartphone constructed using the so-called “ultra-pixels’ increased to 2 micron size. Its luminosity – is also F / 2.0, wide-angle optics. The front camera is also a good, successful selfie with it to make it easy. Video recording is carried out in FHD, but the picture is often trembles due to the lack of any stabilization.

Xiaomi Mi5: Screen

Display Xiaomi Mi5 resolution lags behind the leaders. It uses 5.15-inch IPS matrix with FHD resolution (428 PPI). But it is certainly not negative: Super AMOLED matrix with a resolution of 2K cost up to 3 times more expensive IPS FullHD matrices, and increases the load on the hardware. The screen is bright, juicy, with excellent viewing angles. The main claim to it – this is the framework. When the display is locked, the smartphone seems to be frameless, but if you turn on the screen – striking his thin black bezel, especially noticeable on white MI5.

Xiaomi Mi5: Communications

A slot for SIM cards in the smartphone two, but one radio. Cards must have Nano format. It supports all common GSM frequencies and 3G, 3, 7 LTE exactly work, 38 and 40 ranges, a popular 20 is not supported. Wi-Fi is compatible with the networks of 2.4 and 5 GHz, Bluetooth – version 4.2. Navigation works with the GPS satellites, the BDS, and GLONASS, works quickly, except firmware 7.2.4 and 7.2.8, where there were problems.

There is NFC, which many do not have enough in the younger models. There is also an IR port for use the smartphone as a universal remote. Port USB Type C supports flash, but works at a speed of 2.0 (up to 40 Mb / s).

Xiaomi Mi5: Sound

Speaker at Xiaomi Mi5, despite the symmetry of the holes at the bottom, is only one. He’s loud, hard to miss a call. For music, the speaker is suitable provisionally as how, in contrast to the same HTC, there is practically no bass. The headphones smartphone sounds worthy and suitable for the music lover. From Meizu Pro 6 sound a little “poorer”, but to grasp the essential difference can only be refined ear audiophile.

Xiaomi Mi5: Operating system

Powered Xiaomi Mi5 based on Android OS 6, but a graphical shell MIUI corresponds to version 7 (as on Android 5). In the near future should see an update to MIUI 8, is already available in PHABLET Max. The operating system can be called a major disaster smartphone. In the early firmware sometimes it happened that the work was no autonomous, GPS took off, and in the setting of a fingerprint scanner come sometimes failed.

We should not forget that the official Russian version of the software is not all sellers translated or localized interfaces have their own. This is inconvenient, especially when you consider that the bootloader is locked.

Pros and cons Xiaomi Mi5

Pros:

• Attractive price;
• Powerful iron;
• Good camera;
• High-quality screen;
• Attractive design.

Disadvantages:

• Mostly “curve” OS;
• Mediocre autonomy;
• There is no slot for memory expansion (actual for the 32GB versions).

Xiaomi Mi5 is designed for those who want a beautiful flagship at an affordable price. His fans will certainly appreciate the pictures, listen to music and play. But before you buy should be aware of possible dirty tricks on the part of the operating system, typical of many Chinese devices. Do not go smartphone for those who need a large autonomy, and people who do not want to bother with the configuration and optimization of the operating system.

Our review Xiaomi Mi5

Xiaomi Mi5 was very interesting smartphone, both for its price. He has a good screen, very powerful hardware, high-quality camera, stylish design. The review identified only one significant drawback, which is the “lottery” with firmware. If the risk is that the software will have to operate smoothly make manually are not afraid – buy Xiaomi MI5 stands.