Compare Xiaomi Mi5S vs Xiaomi Mi5S Plus vs Xiaomi Mi5 standard. The Xiaomi Mi5S review of specifications
After having just released the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 and Xiaomi Redmi Pro, Xiaomi has today officially announced the Xiaomi Mi5S.
Xiaomi Mi5S Snapdragon 821
The Xiaomi Mi5S will come with Snapdragon 821, a JDI 5.15″@1080P display, 3GB/64GB ROM@$300 or 4GB/128GB@$345, and a 3200mAh battery.
The camera in the Xiaomi Mi5S will be a step up for the very good IMX298 in Xiaomi Mi5 to IMX378. This is the follow-up sensor to the IMX377 which was carried by Nexus 6P. Sony IMX378 is a 12MP 1/2.3″ sensor, which makes the sensor the same size as a typical standalone compact camera.
The Mi5S camera will be a bright f2.0, be capable of 4K@30fps video, and phase-detect auto focus (PDAF).
See the leaked low light Mi5S Sony IMX378 gallery (opens in new tab)
Xiaomi Mi5S vs Mi5S Plus
In addition to the 5.15″ Xiaomi Mi5S, Xiaomi has announced the 5.7″ Xiaomi Mi5S Plus.
The display on the Mi5 Plus will be 5.7″, come with dual rear cameras, and a 3800mAh battery.
Interestingly, while both rear sensors will be Sony IMX258, which is the same main sensor in the Redmi Pro, it won’t behave the same way as Redmi Pro’s dual rear camera setup: In the Xiaomi Mi5S Plus, the cameras will behave as they do in the Huawei P9, with one as a color sensor and the other as a monochrome / B&W sensor. This theoretically gives better detail, higher dynamic range, and allows low-light pictures to be of significantly higher quality (read more here, (opens in new tab)).
The Mi5S Plus will go on sale in China at $345 for the 4GB/64GB version and $390 6GB/128GB.
| Xiaomi Mi5 standard | Xiaomi Mi5S 5.15" | Xiaomi Mi5S Plus 5.7" | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 5.15" IPS OGS LCD | 5.15" IPS OGS LCD | 5.7" IPS OGS LCD |
| Pressure sensitive | No | 64GB No 128GB Yes |
No |
| SoC | Snapdragon 820 | Snapdragon 821 | Snapdragon 821 |
| CPU | 4-core big.LITTLE Kryo ([email protected] + [email protected]) |
4-core big.LITTLE Kryo ([email protected] + [email protected]) |
4-core big.LITTLE Kryo ([email protected] + [email protected]) |
| RAM / ROM | 3GB/32GB 3GB/64GB 4GB/128GB |
3GB/64GB 4GB/128GB |
4GB/64GB 6GB/128GB |
| Battery | 3000mAh | 3200mAh | 3800mAh |
| Storage tech | UFS 2.0 | UFS 2.0 | UFS 2.0 |
| Camera | 16MP Sony IMX298 (1/2.8" sensor) |
12MP Sony IMX378 (1/2.3" sensor) |
dual 13MP Sony IMX258 (Color 1/3.06"+B&W 1/3.06") |
| Fingerprint | Capacitive front | 64GB Capacitive front 128GB Ultrasonic front |
Capacitive rear |
| GPU | Adreno 530@624MHz | Adreno 530@653MHz | Adreno 530@653MHz |
| OS | Android 6.0 | Android 6.0 | Android 6.0 |
| Official China cost (as of original article posting date) | 3GB/32GB: $240 | 3GB/64GB: $300 4GB/128GB: $345 |
4GB/64GB: $345 6GB/128GB: $390 |
Other difference between Xiaomi Mi5S vs Xiaomi Mi5S Plus
Beyond the already mentioned differences of screen size and camera setup, these two models will carry a couple of other differences:
- Pressure sensitive display: The 128GB Xiaomi Mi5S 5.15″ will carry a pressure sensitive display, while the 64GB Xiaomi Mi5S and Xiaomi Mi5S Plus will not.
- Fingerprint scanner: The Xiaomi Mi5S standard will have an “ultrasonic” fingerprint sensor underneath the front glass which is touted to work better with sweaty or dirty fingers compared to standard sensors. The Xiaomi Mi5S Plus will have a standard rear fingerprint sensor.
Quite odd that the Plus version doesn’t carry the bonuses of Mi5S standard, but there it is. The dual-camera setup on the Plus is nice, but if given our pick, we much prefer the smaller 5.15″ display.
Xiaomi Mi5 price reduction
With the announcement of the new Mi5S and Mi5S Plus, comes the news that the Xiaomi Mi5 with Snap 820 will be reduced in price. Given the overall package of the Mi5 (full Xiaomi Mi5 review here), this is a very tempting, though China shops catering to Western customers will be selling at a slightly higher price point.
The Mi5s looks excellent. The resulting price drop on the Mi5 is definitely going to complicate my next phone selection.
I agree. It’s a shame the smaller one doesn’t carry dual IMX378… but we’ll let it slide; 1/2.3″ sensor size is as good as it gets in mobiles except for Panasonic CM1.
The imx 378 is a great sensor. Depending on how well Xiaomi implement the dual cams, I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Mi5s produce very comparable images to the Mi5s plus.
I agree Jh1, great enough to be used in Nexus 6P (IMX377) and upcoming HTC Google Pixel.
It will be very interesting to compare Mi5S vs Mi5S Plus. My guess is that for typical use, even up to 4K (8MP display), there won’t be much of a tellable difference. And, you’re right, this will depend how well Xiaomi implements the dual cams. Could be the IMX378 beats out the Plus.
If you haven’t seen it already, check out the new post we just put up with the Mi5S gallery: http://www.gizbeat.com/10919/sony-imx378-is-the-new-camera-sensor-in-xiaomi-mi5s-and-htc-google-pixel/. They don’t hold up well to 100% inspection due to noise reduction smearing (see the download link for full 12MP images), but at “normal” viewing sizes look impressive.
Those look pretty nice, but I don’t put a ton of faith on manufacturerprovided samples. I’ll wait for your review for the real story ;-)
Hi there Damian, compliments of the season to you . Sorry to hijack the comments but quick advice would be welcome -number one daughter is taking the plunge and following in dad’s footsteps and getting a Chinese phone , so Redmi Pro @ $180 or Mi5 (3 + 32 ) @ $215 ? What are your thoughts? Cheers!
Happy holidays Richard. This is a tough call. I’ve been using Redmi Pro with OLED as my main mobile for a couple of months now and I really like it. However, I’m on the fence whether will switch to the Redmi 4 Prime, which has simply incredible battery life. I think considering price, the Redmi 4 Pro / Prime is the way to go. The Mi5 is the only one of the 3 which has official Global ROM, however the Redmi 4 Prime came with what they call a “shop” ROM and I’ve had absolutely no issues with it. There’s also a Xiaomi.eu Global ROM available for both Redmi Pro and Redmi 4 Prime. Tough call man, but you can’t go wrong with any of these.
Yep can’t decide . I am definitely into xiaomi , but their own product range is so congested it makes it so hard to pick . I was liking the mi5 because of the reduced price and maybe blinkered myself to the other options , but they all look good. What to do ?!
The Mi5 is very powerful and a good deal at that price, but it’s highly unlikely your daughter (or most people) will notice the power difference. The camera also on paper has a better sensor, but again it’s unlikely anyone will notice the differences.
If money is no object, okay maybe go with the Mi5, but Redmi 4 Pro (not same as Redmi Pro) will have better battery life and is significantly cheaper.
Ask her whether she likes 5.5″ or 5″. That can narrow things down. If 5.5″ then Redmi Pro it is. If 5″ then it’s Redmi Mi5 or Redmi 4 Pro.
Good to know , really appreciate your no-nonsense appraisal -too many reviewers seem to have their own personal axe to grind at the expense of credibility . Thanks
Ps I probably should say that she was looking for something galaxy s6/7esque without the prohibitive price tag, which is why the mi5 came to mind.
No problem Richard. The Redmi 4 Pro, while cheap, looks premium; CNC machined sides, metal back, 2.5D glass. But, they all have their positive points: the Redmi Pro with OLED display (though note, while it looks good, with supreme angles, is not as smooth…Closeup some jaggies are happening around the edges of small text, but it doesn’t bother me much) and fantastic brushed metal back, the Mi5 with its big power and better camera on paper, and official Global ROM, the Redmi 4 Pro with its incredible battery life and excellent power at that price point. There are some other minor differences such as the Redmi Pro doesn’t have a step counter, but Redmi 4 Pro does. It certainly is a tough choice. Let me know which she ends up going with. I don’t think she’ll be disappointed with any of them.
Got to hold my hands up and admit I have nudged her towards mi 5 , but only because she mentioned those damn samsungs ! Now I feel a bit of a heel when you say she will be as well served with the redmi 4 pro (much as I personally like the idea of owning a flagship , I would object to the cost especially if the difference in experience is negligible , and as I couldn’t justify the extra expenditure anyway I would always opt for the cheaper option : one of the major reasons I like xiaomi is the updates across the range, not just top end ), though I note you take care to mention the mi 5 is superior ‘ on paper ‘, and several reviewers have been unable to recommend the 4 pro because of the camera , one even implying to call it even mediocre would be overstating its quality – more confusion ! So now I will try to convince her to cancel the order and get a redmi 4 pro instead – on the bright side , that’s another one not buying an overpriced device ! Still loving my RN2 on xiaomi.eu btw. Onwards and upwards !
There’s nothing wrong with recommending the Mi5. It’s a great device, and the camera is better, and it is slightly more snappier. It’s just that SoC are so powerful these days, there’s little between them in terms of real world performance. Especially for someone who’s emailing / Facebooking / chatting. I mean, the Redmi 4 Pro / Prime scores 60k+ on Antutu. This should be well more than enough for nearly everyone. It’s equivalent to Snapdragon 810, which was the top dog Qualcomm SoC in 2015.
Regarding the camera, okay, it’s a sub-$150 phone. I’m not sure what people are expecting. For me it’s fine. I think people get way to caught up in this camera business, and it’s unlikely most people would notice the difference between a photo from a $150 Xiaomi compared to an $800 Huawei P9, and perhaps even a dSLR unless looking extremely closely, and perhaps not even then. Let’s be realistic, these images are 95% of the time ending up at 800×600 or smaller on Facebook or WhatsApp anyways.
I’ve seen zero from the big boys that convinces me otherwise. The only area where they *possibly* have a lead is with low-light shots. I’ll tell you what, I’ll put up my shots from the Redmi 4 Pro now. Give me an hour. The review is here: http://www.gizbeat.com/review/xiaomi-redmi-4-prime-review-phone-needs-shortlist/, and you can compare on our Flickr here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/56505616@N00/albums.
The Mi5 is a great choice, and I don’t necessarily think you should backtrack on it, but I don’t know your daughter. If she really wants the best, and $80 or so isn’t a big deal, go with it. Sometimes there’s value in just knowing you have a superior product. The placebo effect is real.
Agree with all of that … always have a chuckle at the side by side speed tests – the margins are minimal usually, and real-life effect meaningless , yet there are always heated arguments in the comments section . And it can’t be much more than a year ago when antutu 60,000 was mind blowing . Appreciate your camera comments , keeping it real as usual . Cheers
Right. Some geeks have nothing better to do. We (GizBeat) are also guilty of touting new powerful SoC…Well, that’s what it’s all about, moving forward incrementally. It can be exciting…
Well, the pictures are up. Sorry, don’t do a lot of people shots, but you can see that in daylight at least the shots are respectable and the night/indoor shots don’t look to bad either. First 4 or 5 are non-HDR, then night/indoor, then the rest HDR.
I’d also say that this depends on your daughter’s age and budget. You know, like I said, for marginally improved performance and picture quality, hey the $80 might be worth it for her. But also consider that the Redmi 4 Pro is a step up in battery life. Maybe let her know and just let her decide.
Photos look fine ( on tablet )- i’m convinced , just need to work the magic on my offspring -made the biggest leap already by looking beyond the obvious brands. So you never know , thanks again Damian , it’s why I like to ask, sorry for being a nuisance!
Update , redmi 4 pro on the way -thanks again you star you :-)
A little to the conversation, but I’ve been using the Redmi 4 prime for the past few weeks, and am very happy with it. Running the official CN ROM, battery life is exceptional. Build quality is excellent. Camera is very good in good lighting. Not that great in poor lighting conditions. One think I will note, is that cam is useless for action shots….Anything moving is blurry. Ironically video footage is fine of sports…I’m assuming that camera performance will improve with ROM updates. Overall I am highly impressed with the phone, and think your daughter will be very pleased with it. For what it’s worth, I was also considering the Redmi pro and the mi5 prior to purchasing the Redmi 4 prime. Happy with my decision.
Thanks , that’s comforting, especially as it’s not my money being spent . Now just have to wait and see if the Geekbuying rom is similar to this one tested , or whether there’s any added funny business .
Mine came from geekbuying as well. Used the shop ROM for the first week without any issues. Worked perfectly. I just like having OTA capabilities, so installed the official ROM.
Good . Was the bootloader unlocked- I have been told it is on the one I have bought ? And was it easy to flash the rom , though I would like to put xiaomi.eu rom on it ?
Bootloader was not unlocked on mine. Flashing the stock ROM was very easy. Used the tutorial that Damian posted.went quite smoothly.