Xiaomi tasted success in India with the launch of its two new phone in the Redmi series, the Redmi Note 5 and the Redmi Note 5 Pro. Both the devices went out of stock within seconds of their flash sales. The company then went on to launch Redmi Note 5 AI Dual Camera in China,…
Xiaomi tasted success in India with the launch of its two new phone in the Redmi series, the Redmi Note 5 and the Redmi Note 5 Pro. Both the devices went out of stock within seconds of their flash sales. The company then went on to launch Redmi Note 5 AI Dual Camera in China, which is basically a beefed up version of the Redmi Note 5 Pro. This move by Xiaomi has got many of its Mi fans India infuriated. The Redmi Note 5 AI Dual Camera is better than the Redmi Note 5 Pro, and the buyers in India are somehow feeling cheated. It made many of us wonder why Xiaomi chose to launch a toned down variant in India? Let’s take a look at what the Redmi Note 5 AI Dual Camera has what the Redmi Note 5 Pro lacks.
One of the main differences lies in the software of the two devices. While the Redmi Note 5 Pro runs Android 7.1 Nougat-based MIUI 9, the Redmi Note 5 AI runs Android 8.0 Oreo-based MIUI 9 out-of-the-box. In India, only two Xiaomi phones are privileged with Oreo-based MIUI 9, the Mi A1 and the Mi Mix 2.
The other difference comes in the form of Artificial Intelligence technology that is part of the Redmi Note 5 AI’s name and is integrated into its camera software. The AI detects scenes automatically and applies perfect settings to ensure ideal output in the form clearer and better images. While both the Redmi Note 5 Pro and the Redmi Note 5 AI boast the same dual camera setup on paper, but the 12MP primary sensor on the rear of Redmi Note 5 AI is better, thanks to its 1.4-micron pixel size and a f/1.9 aperture. The Redmi Note 5 Pro, on the other hand, settles with a f/2.2 aperture. 1.25-micron pixel size. The secondary sensor on both the devices remains the same though.
Another difference between the Redmi Note 5 Pro and the Redmi Note 5 AI comes in the form of 4G standby support. The dual-VoLTE support on the Redmi Note 5 AI allows users to use two 4G SIM cards simultaneously on the phone. But while the one remains on 4G, the other will be on 2G. Users can anytime select the one they want to use on 4G. It is a helpful feature when 4G on one SIM card is running slow so the user can switch to the other SIM card’s 4G and put the first on 2G. Sadly, the Redmi Note 5 Pro misses on this dual VoLTE feature.
Lastly, the Redmi Note 5 AI is backed by a 4000mAh battery but with Qualcomm QuickCharge 3.0. The Redmi Note 5 Pro also bears the same battery but with older Qualcomm QuickCharge 2.0.
The Redmi Note 5 AI debuted in three variants in China, 3GB RAM/32GB storage, 4GB RAM/64GB storage, and 6GB RAM/64GB storage. Concerning pricing of these variants, the 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage model was launched at CNY 1,099 (approx. Rs. 11,270) while the 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage model is priced at CNY 1,399 (approx. Rs. 14,345), and lastly, the 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage model was launched at CNY 1,699 (approx. Rs. 17,420).
On the other hand, the Redmi Note 5 Pro in India settles for just two variants, completely missing out on the 3GB RAM option. The Redmi Note 5 Pro is available in 4GB RAM/64GB storage and 6GB RAM/64GB storage variants only. The 4GB RAM/64GB storage variant is priced at Rs. 13,999 while the 6GB RAM/64GB storage variant retails at Rs. 16,999. The phone is exclusively up for flash sales on Flipkart and Mi.com.
All the key differences between the Redmi Note 5 AI and the Redmi Note 5 Pro make us think that the former seems more like a successor to the Redmi Note 4 than the latter. Although the differences are not huge, we would have still preferred the Redmi Note 5 Pro to at least run Android 8.0 Oreo-based MIUI 9 instead of the Nougat-based MIUI 9.
We wonder why Xiaomi chose to launch a trimmed down variant in India while launching a better one in China and that too in a month’s gap. Well, only Xiaomi can clear our query, as for the availability of the Redmi Note 5 AI, it will most likely stay limited to China.
