Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Now Available Via Open Sale
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 was launched on the 14th of February as the successor to Xiaomi’s most successful smartphone in India, the Redmi Note 4. Before the launch, a lot of new upgrades were anticipated for the Redmi Note 5 but, that did not happen. Apart from that, another aspect of the Redmi Note 5 that has been criticised its flash sales. However, Xiaomi has now fixed that, at least for the Redmi Note 5. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 is available via open sale on Flipkart and mi.com.
The Redmi Note 5 Pro, which was launched along with the Redmi Note 5 is still only available to buy via flash sales. The Redmi Note 5 Pro is the first smartphone to run on the Snapdragon 636 chipset and is arguably the most famous budget smartphone in India. In our review of the Redmi Note 5 Pro, we iterate that this should have been the successor to the Redmi Note 4 and not the Redmi Note 5. It will be interesting to note the rise in popularity of the Redmi Note 5 Pro once Xiaomi ends the flash sales and makes it available via open sales just like the Redmi Note 5.
Redmi Note 5 Pro
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5: The Unlikely Successor
It has a 5.99-inch display with a 2160 x 1080px resolution which translates to an 18:9 aspect ratio. This is one of the biggest changes in the Redmi Note series. Xiaomi has departed from the archaic 16:9 aspect ratio and moved on to the modern design and kept up with the industry trends.
Under the hood, the Redmi 5 Plus has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, 2.0GHz octa-core processor, Adreno 506 GPU, 3GB or 4GB of RAM, and 32GB or 64GB of onboard storage which will be expandable via microSD card. The fingerprint sensor sits at the back of the device which has become a Redmi signature irrespective of thin or thick bezels.
The Redmi Note 5 Plus is powered by a massive 4000 mAh battery which, according to Xiaomi, has a standby time of up to 17 days. The device has a micro USB port for charging and data syncing along with a 3.5mm headphone jack. One industry trend that Xiaomi avoided was the removal of the headphone jack despite omitting it in its premium Mi Mix 2. The device has a 12MP primary camera with an f/2.2 aperture and a 5MP secondary camera with beautify 3.0 software.
One of the main reasons why Xiaomi is doing this is the lack of sales. The fact that the Redmi Note 5 is now readily available could persuade a few consumers to not wait for the Redmi Note 5 Pro and instead buy the Redmi Note 5. It will be interesting to see if Xiaomi makes its two hot sellers, the Redmi Note 5 Pro and Mi TV 4 also available on open sales in the coming weeks. For the Redmi Note 5 Pro, it might be even more crucial after Asus launches the Zenfone Max Pro on April 23rd. The Zenfone Max Pro will also run on the Snapdragon 636 chipset and will, in all probability, available in open sale from the beginning.
