The Xiaomi Mi5 is official as of Wednesday, having been announced during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
The smartphone confirms several months of rumors, in particular the introduction of a fingerprint scanner for the device. The device uses ceramic for its exterior design, giving it a highly premium look, which also feels very nice to handle. Features like the curved edges on its back panel have been adopted by high-end rivals like Samsung. However, many will remember the design from older devices like the Xiaomi Mi Note.
Meanwhile, other devices released have sported standout features, such as the modular design of the LG G5 and the return of water resistance and expandable storage on the Samsung Galaxy S7.
The Mi5 features a 5.15-inch Full HD display, which is a step down from the Full HD display on the Mi Note; however, Xiaomi appears to be following the trend of manufacturers using slightly lower tiered specs to lower costs, while keeping other specs high end.
This is especially important for Xiaomi, considering the company touts its phones, including flagships like the Mi5, as low costs answers to iPhones and Galaxy devices.
One model of the Xiaomi Mi5 with 3GB RAM and 16GB internal storage will sell for 1,999 yuan or $305, while the other model with 4GB RAM with 128GB internal storage will sell for 2,699 yuan or $415.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chip running the Mi5 in conjunction with the high storage capacities on the pro model, in particular, solidifies its high-end status.
However, The 16-megapixel rear camera and 4-megapixel front camera on the Mi5 look a bit pedestrian since they don’t include any stand out features. Especially in comparison to updated camera features on other recently announced devices. Samsung has played up the f/1.7 aperture on the Galaxy S7, which works to improve low-light photography. The LG G5 features a dual lens, with one standard and one wide-angle else. Still, the shooters will get the job done.
The Mi5 joins the likes of the OnePlus Two, the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P in featuring USB-Type C, which allows for universal port compatibility (users can insert ports from either end of the power cord), faster charging and faster file transfer.
Xiaomi continues to grab inspiration from Apple with the design of its Android-based MIUI overlay. The Chinese manufacturer also continues to use is popular custom themes, which have also been adopted by rivals like Samsung and HTC.
With the introduction of its touch-based fingerprint scanner, Xiaomi has introduced a capacitive button to the front of its high-end smartphone. Users must press the button to turn on the screen before using the fingerprint scanner. Meanwhile, many other devices like the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X have fingerprint scanners, which wake and unlock the device simultaneously.
The Mi5 powers everything with a 3,000mAh battery. Xiaomi follows in Samsung’s footsteps in implementing expandable storage on to its device.
Availability for the Mi5 will continue to focus on China, India and other Asian countries, while the device evades the U.S., U.K. and Australia.
