Xiaomi is calling the Mi 5 a “super flagship” designed to compete with the likes of Samsung, Apple and LG. The design of the phone is nothing not seen before, in part because Xiaomi appears to be continuing the theme of blending the look of older iPhones and aging Samsung devices together.
Things get more interesting underneath the 5.15-inch Full HD display though. The Mi 5 uses Qualcomm’s octa-core Snapdragon 820 processor, a chip that places the phone right at the top of the market next to devices including the LG G5 and the U.S. version of the Samsung Galaxy S7.
The processor is paired with up to 4GB of RAM and up to 128GB of internal storage. This can be expanded further by means of a micro SD card so users shouldn’t find running out of space to be an issue for quite a while.
On the back is a 16-megapixel main camera featuring quad-axis optical image stabilisation. The high-end Sony sensor should result in some good photos but as always third-party testing will be required to verify the claims. The front selfie shooter is a more standard affair at only 4 megapixels.
Xiaomi has included a fingerprint sensor, integrated into the physical Home button on the front of the phone. There’s also NFC, LTE Advanced and Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 support, capable of topping the Mi 5’s 3,000mAh battery up to 80 percent in around 40 minutes.
The handset will be offered in four different flavours. The basic colour options are black, white and gold, available with 3GB of RAM and either 32GB or 64GB of storage.
There will also be a “ceramic” option though. This sees the Mi 5’s back adorned with a layer of ceramic that Xiaomi claims “feels like marble” but doesn’t add to the phone’s 129 g weight. It makes the phone’s body more resistant to scratches, scrapes and everyday knocks, keeping it protected while adding a sense of style to the back. The highest-spec variant, the 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage configuration, will be reserved for this special finish, keeping it distinguished at the top of Xiaomi’s range.
The company will be launching the phone on March 1 in China for the equivalent of $305 USD. The ceramic-backed “Mi 5 Pro” will cost $413 USD. Xiaomi says the phone will come to India next, followed by a selection of global markets worldwide.
Rumours of the company expanding out of Asia with the Mi 5’s launch so far remained unconfirmed. The BBC notes that the company referred to the MWC demo as a “preview” of the phone, hinting it has still failed to resolve its ongoing intellectual property and patenting issues. This will prevent the company launching its handsets in Europe and the U.S. until the legal proceedings are tied up.
