Chinese company Xiaomi on Wednesday unveiled its next-generation flagship phone - aka the Xiaomi Mi5 - at its MWC 2016 keynote in Barcelona, Spain. The Mi5 is the company's first phone ever to have a global unveiling. It took two years in the making, but as stressed time and again by the company executives, it was well worth the wait. At least, it seems that way on paper.
Being their new flagship, Xiaomi has actually changed everything on the device. Hardware, features, software and even design is completely different from any previous Xiaomi phone. This is the company's first smartphone to come with a front home button that has a fingerprint sensor as well as the first phone to come with MiUi based on Android 6.0.
Design
Mi5 design is slightly inspired from the Mi Note. It is just 7.25mm slim and is surprisingly lightweight at 129 grams. The curved edges on both sides along with a glass finish give it a unique look and finish. However, from a distance it looks like a Samsung Edge and iPhone 6s hybrid design - you get the best of looks from both phones in a single device. The only issue is the reflective glossy surface which makes the phone's front as well as back a fingerprint magnet.
The company is offering the Mi5 in two options with respect to build material. While the top-end Mi5 Pro comes with a 3D ceramic body, the base variant boasts of a 3D glass surface. Both the phones have a body that gradually curves on all sides joined together at the centre by a metal frame. Unlike the Mi4's plastic body, the Mi5 looks and feels closer to an actual flagship phone with its heady concoction of metal and glass.
Overall, the Mi5 has an excellent screen-to-body ratio thanks to the almost bezel-less screen and a home button that is smaller (in dimension) in comparison to rival phones offered by Apple and Samsung.
Display
The new Mi5 phone comes with a 5.15-inch FullHD IPS display with a 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution and comes with key Xiaomi standouts like Sunlight Display which in tandem with the screen's low reflectivity offers better screen clarity in harsh light situations. The phone is rocking a 16 LED light display, which is ultra bright and power efficient (17 per cent more power efficient than the outgoing model) at the same time.
Hardware
There are two variants of the Mi 5 with different hardware specifications. The Mi 5 comes with 3GB RAM and option of 32 or 64GB storage, whereas the Mi 5 Pro come with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage. All variants come with top of the line Snapdragon 820 processor, 3,000mAh battery, NFC, dual SIM and USB Type-C port. It supports Quick Charge 3.0 technology with can charge the phone's battery around 80-90% in an hour.
Software
Xiaomi's Mi5 runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow-based MIUI 7 out-of-the-box. It is the company's first phone to come with Android M based MIUI 7. It comes with 5 default system themes among other key Marshmallow pointers.
At the same time, the company also unveiled a Mi Video calls app (made by Xiaomi itself) for video calls with real-time beautify feature. The app allows functions like sending pictures into the video call, up to 6 video effects and animations and support for group video calls. The app will be available for Android and iOS. It will come pre-installed on the Mi5.
Camera
Xiaomi has done major changes on the camera for the Mi 5. It features a 16MP sensor with a new 4-axis optical image stabilization technology that reduces handshake effect for smoother photos and phase detection autofocus. It uses the Snapdragon 820 processor's built-in image processor for color and low light enhancement. With the limited time that we tried with the camera it impressed us immediately with sharp details and vivid colors and instant focusing. From first look, it seems to be one of the best camera on a smartphone we have seen.
Battery
The Xiaomi Mi5 is backed by a 3,000mAh battery which is non-removable. The phone supports Qualcomm's next-generation Quick Charge 3.0 technology that can charge the phone form 80-90 per cent in one hour, claims the company. Moroever, a 20 minute charge gives you 2.6 hours of video playback on the Mi5, says Xiaomi
Pricing and availability
The Mi5 starts at $262 (roughly Rs 17,956) for the base 32GB/3GB RAM/3D glass body variant, while the top-end Mi5 Pro will cost $354 (roughly Rs 24,262).
Overall
The Mi 5 lives up to the hype it has created with top of the line specifications and great features. Moreover, the pricing is fantastic considering the device's capabilities. We feel that the Mi5 will be the perfect successor to the Mi 4.
