Published in Reviews

Xiaomi Mi5s reviewed

by on21 January 2017

Index

 

Conclusion

The Mi5s is an evolution of the Mi5, and it’s better than its predecessor in almost every respect. However, it’s not that much better, because it’s almost the same phone, updated with a new SoC and camera module. In other words, nobody who owns a Mi5 or a different Snapdragon 820 device will be interested in the Mi5s.

Although the Mi5 is hardly obsolete, the Mi5s is a welcome update, especially for people who place an emphasis on having a great camera sensor on their smartphone. The Mi5s has a spec sheet similar to the Google Pixel, yet it costs half as much, and this is its appeal. On the other hand, if you’re not a camera geek, and you just want the best value for money, the Mi5 is still worth considering, as you can pick it up for less. Gearbest, which provided us with this sample, sells the same 64GB SKU for a hair over $400,  whereas the “old” Mi5 with 32GB storage comes in at under $250, which makes it a pretty good deal in our book. 

We don’t mind that the Mi5s slightly thicker than the Mi5, and most users probably won’t miss the IR blaster that’s been omitted on the Mi5s. The Mi5s also feels somewhat better than the glass-clad Mi5, and the curved glass helps. The Mi5s has another thing going for it – it’s available in 5.5 inches, as the Mi5s Plus (insert another Apple pun here). The Plus variant has a bigger battery and a different, dual-camera setup, but it costs more and may be too big for some people.

Overall, the Xiaomi Mi5s is a great piece of hardware on all fronts, and its only problem is its sibling – the cheaper Mi5 is still a good choice if you want to get the best bang for your buck. However, if you want an awesome camera and snappier hardware, the Mi5s is clearly the better choice.

Xiaomi Mi5s Pros and Cons

Pros:

  • Excellent camera sensor
  • Performance
  • Battery capacity
  • Build quality

Cons:

  • Unoriginal design
  • The Mi5 currently offers better value for bargain hunters
  • Camera software could be better optimised for IMX378 sensor

 


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Last modified on 22 March 2018
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