Xiaomi Redmi 5 launched in three variants in India: Price, specifications, where to buy

Xiaomi has launched three variants of Redmi 5 in Indian markets with prices starting at Rs 7,999. The mid-range smartphone has been launched in India close on the heels of Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 Pro that have been selling like hot cakes from the get go. Xiaomi is portraying the Redmi 5 as the successor of the Redmi 4 which made a mark in the mid-range segment in India.

The Xiaomi Redmi 5 was launched in China last year in December and showed several upgrades in terms of design and performance from its predecessor. The most notable change is the screen size which has been bumped up to 5.7-inch. The 18:9 aspect ratio of the screen allows it to fit inside a compact form factor despite the increase in size.

The Xiaomi Redmi 5 comes with a HD+ screen (720x1440 pixels) housed in a metal body. The new Redmi phone has tapered edges for a comfortable feel in hand and good grip. It comes with reinforced corners which disperses the impact from a drop and prevents the screen from shattering.

While the front has been radically changed, the back of the Xiaomi Redmi 5 looks similar to its predecessors. The rear of Redmi 5 houses the primary camera with the flash and fingerprint sensor beneath it. Talking about camera, primary snapper has a 12-megapixel sensor with a pixel size of 1.25 microns. This is expected to allow better low light photography with the new Redmi 5.

The LED selfie light that Xiaomi has used with some of its smartphones of late also make an appearance with the Redmi 5. The secondary camera is a 5-megapixel shooter with face recognition and Smart Beauty 3.0 app.

Under the hood, the Xiaomi Redmi 5 is rocking the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 chipset and Adreno 506 GPU. The Snapdragon 450 uses 64-bit 14nm FinFET technology which allows the Xiaomi to keep the thickness of the Redmi 5 limited at 7.7mm. The new chipset architecture helps maintain optimal temperature and deliver better battery life. The 3300mAh battery of Redmi 5 is good for a day's usage with routine activities, Xiaomi claims.

Xiaomi Redmi 5 will be available in four colours (from left) lake blue, rose gold, black, and gold.

The Redmi runs Android-based MIUI9 out of the box and features like Panchang calendar have been included to make it popular in Indian markets. The units sold in India will be locally made under Xiaomi's Make in India commitment, Xiaomi said. The new smartphone will be available in four colour options - black, gold, lake blue and rose gold.

In the memory department, Xiaomi Redmi 5 offers three variants - 2GB RAM and 16GB storage, 3GB RAM and 32GB storage, and 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. The 2GB variant has been priced at Rs 7,999, and the 3GB variant will be sold at Rs 8,999. The 4GB RAM variant will be available at Rs 10,999. The Redmi 5 will be available at Mi.com, Mi Homes and Amazon India, along with designated offline retailers.