We had a crack at the Xiaomi Mi 5 for the first time, but the results are a little ominous for the smartphone.
The Xiaomi is a pretty well-known name in India as far as budget-and mid-range smartphones go. The company has consistently turned out some pretty great devices, albeit not necessarily the best-in-class. Their latest offering, the Xiaomi Mi 5, seems no different.
At first sight, the Mi 5 seems like a perfect buy. It’s got a great look, bright and vivid display, and processor speed for days. But you’ll start to notice a few oddities pretty soon, the first of which is the shape. The Mi 5 is sleek, has a glass overlay back panel that’s great to the touch, but it has a very strange shape. The aluminium frame on the sides tapers inward to a back panel that’s rounded on the edges. To visualize, think of it as exactly opposite to the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.
Of course, that may not necessarily be a bad thing. It does contribute to making the smartphone as a whole seem thinner and, at 129g, it’s definitely light enough for that whole premium feel you know Xiaomi is going for. But fair warning, though we didn’t experience that problem, the shape combined with the glass body may just contribute to you having trouble gripping the phone.
Onwards, starting up the camera reveals the real USP of this phone. The Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), which is enabled by default, is pretty great. Jiggle the phone while in camera mode and there’s zero perceptible blur, as opposed to some other smartphones we tested it against. Of course, we’ll be able to tell you more about the camera’s full capabilities once we’ve completed our full review.
But one thing you notice right off the bat with the Mi 5 is that it has a heating problem, a really bad one. Sure, playing games on the smartphone even for 10 minutes turns it into a veritable heating pad, but even storing this in your pocket while outdoors results in a perceptible warmth against your leg. That’s a bad sign right there, we can only hope extended use doesn’t make that any worse.
That’s all we can say for now on the Xiaomi Mi 5, but be sure to check out our full review of the phone later in the week.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "dnaTechReview, latest affordable smartphones, Mi 5, Xiaomi, Android")
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}