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Xiaomi Redmi 5A Smartphone Review

Small all-rounder. With the Redmi 5A, Xiaomi has a low-priced, compact Android smartphone on offer, which is suited for simple applications and price-conscious buyers. We reveal what users can expect from the small 5-inch, sub-100-Euro ($116) smartphone in our review.
Xiaomi Redmi 5A

Xiaomi controls a significant share of the smartphone market and is distinguished from other Chinese smartphone manufacturers through its well-thought-through UI and well-built devices. This is why Xiaomi is able to compete with other big-name smartphone makers. Our current review device costs around 100 Euros ($116) and offers, supposedly, the best performance possible at this price point. It comes with an entry-level SoC and Android 7.1. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 425 and Adreno 308 offer enough performance for daily tasks. In addition, the device comes with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of eMMC flash memory.

The competition offers smartphones with similar hardware, but such devices usually cost about 50 ($58) Euros more. Therefore, we have included in this review similarly-equipped devices that cost around 150 Euros ($174). The competing devices include Huawei’s Y6 (2018), the Honor 7A, Umidigi’s A1 Pro and the Nokia 2.

Xiaomi Redmi 5A (Redmi Series)
Processor
Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) 4 x 1.4 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
Memory
2048 MB 
Display
5.00 inch 16:9, 1280 x 720 pixel 294 PPI, capacitive, IPS, glossy: yes
Storage
16 GB eMMC Flash, 16 GB 
, 10 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 1 Infrared, Audio Connections: 3.5-mm audio jack, Card Reader: microSD, up to 128 GB, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: motion sensor, proximity sensor, microUSB
Networking
802.11 b/g/n (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 4.1, 2G GSM (2/3/5/8), 3G WCDMA (1/2/5/8), 4G TDD-LTE (38/40), 4G FDD-LTE (1/3/4/5/7/8/20), Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.4 x 140.4 x 70.1 ( = 0.33 x 5.53 x 2.76 in)
Battery
3000 mAh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Android 7.1 Nougat
Camera
Primary Camera: 13 MPix f/2.2, LED flash, 1080p@30fps
Secondary Camera: 5 MPix f/2.0
Additional features
Speakers: 1 speaker, Keyboard: onscreen, Keyboard Light: yes, SIM tool, USB charger, Micro USB cable, MIUI Global 9.1, 24 Months Warranty, SAR value (body): 1,234 W/kg, SAR value (head): 0,530 W/kg, fanless
Weight
137 g ( = 4.83 oz / 0.3 pounds), Power Supply: 55 g ( = 1.94 oz / 0.12 pounds)
Price
100 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case – Redmi 5A with a rigid plastic case

The Redmi 5A comes with a robust plastic case and is available in the following color schemes: Roségold, Gold and Dark Gray. The buttons on the right side of the device exhibit a minimal amount of wobbling. This is why the device feels very solid. Even though Xiaomi’s smartphone has rounded edges, it appears very angular, because the “rounded” edges protrude from the sides by about one millimeter.

The Redmi 5A is distinguished from the competition, above all, through its small size and low weight. In the hand, Xiaomi’s smartphone feels small, but premium. It is also very easy to handle.

Xiaomi Redmi 5A
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
Xiaomi Redmi 5A

Size Comparison

152.4 mm / 6 inch 73 mm / 2.87 inch 7.8 mm / 0.3071 inch 150 g0.3307 lbs152.4 mm / 6 inch 73 mm / 2.87 inch 7.8 mm / 0.3071 inch 150 g0.3307 lbs145.1 mm / 5.71 inch 69.1 mm / 2.72 inch 8.9 mm / 0.3504 inch 173 g0.3814 lbs143.5 mm / 5.65 inch 71.3 mm / 2.81 inch 9.3 mm / 0.3661 inch 161 g0.3549 lbs140.4 mm / 5.53 inch 70.1 mm / 2.76 inch 8.4 mm / 0.3307 inch 137 g0.302 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity – Xiaomi smartphone with an infrared blaster

The Redmi 5A comes with an entry-level SoC from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 425, and the Adreno 308 GPU. It has 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of eMMC flash memory. Moreover, the smartphone also offers an IR blaster, which can be used to control stereo systems, DVD players and TVs. The Redmi 5A features two slots on the left side of the device. One slot can take one Nano SIM card and one Micro SD card and the other slot can take an additional Nano SIM card.

Data can be transferred through a wired connection with the help of the Micro-USB port. Headsets and speakers can be connected to the device via the 3.5-mm audio jack.

Software – Xiaomi Redmi 5A with Android Nougat

The Redmi 5A comes with Xiaomi’s proprietary launcher MIUI. At first glance, it looks like the traditional Android launcher, but it has different icons, Xiaomi’s proprietary apps and a different settings menu. The number of preinstalled apps is not very large and the apps can be disabled in the App settings. Moreover, the Xiaomi smartphone cannot be used by multiple users at the same time (i.e., only one user account is allowed).

Apps and data can be stored on an SD card. However, the preinstalled applications cannot be moved to an SD card and an SD card cannot be formatted as internal storage.

Software - Xiaomi Redmi 5A MIUI 9.1 Global
Software - Xiaomi Redmi 5A MIUI 9.1 Global
Software - Xiaomi Redmi 5A MIUI 9.1 Global
Software - Xiaomi Redmi 5A MIUI 9.1 Global
Software - Xiaomi Redmi 5A MIUI 9.1 Global
Software - Xiaomi Redmi 5A MIUI 9.1 Global

Communication and GPS – Xiaomi Redmi 5A is an LTE smartphone

The Redmi 5A can operate in most mobile networks. It supports the following mobile communication standards: GSM, 3G and LTE. The LTE module operates at Category 4 speeds (download: 150 Mbit/s, upload: 50 Mbit/s). The Redmi 5A also features support for the IEEE-802.11 standards b, g and n and Bluetooth 4.2.

The Wi-Fi performance of the Redmi 5A is comparable to that of the competition. However, with transfer rates of less than 50 Mbit/s, the Redmi 5A takes the next-to-last spot in the comparison chart below.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Umidigi A1 Pro
PowerVR GE8100, MT6739, 16 GB eMMC Flash
55.8 MBit/s +14%
Nokia 2
Adreno 304, 212 APQ8009, 8 GB eMMC Flash
54.2 MBit/s +11%
Huawei Y6 2018
Adreno 308, 425, 16 GB eMMC Flash
52.2 MBit/s +7%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
Adreno 308, 425, 16 GB eMMC Flash
49 MBit/s
Honor 7A
Adreno 505, 430, 16 GB eMMC Flash
46.7 MBit/s -5%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Smartphone
  (last 2 years)
376 MBit/s +698%
Umidigi A1 Pro
PowerVR GE8100, MT6739, 16 GB eMMC Flash
55.7 MBit/s +18%
Nokia 2
Adreno 304, 212 APQ8009, 8 GB eMMC Flash
55.4 MBit/s +18%
Huawei Y6 2018
Adreno 308, 425, 16 GB eMMC Flash
50.5 MBit/s +7%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
Adreno 308, 425, 16 GB eMMC Flash
47.1 MBit/s
Honor 7A
Adreno 505, 430, 16 GB eMMC Flash
45 MBit/s -4%
GPS test outside
GPS test outside
GPS test inside
GPS test inside

We use the app called "GPS Test" to determine how good the Xiaomi smartphone is at geo-location. Outdoors, the Redmi 5A exhibits a margin of error of 3 meters (~10 feet). Indoors, our review device manages to maintain a satellite connection and has a margin of error of 15 meters (~49 feet).

On our obligatory bike ride, the Redmi 5A proves to be quite accurate when compared to our reference-grade navigator Garmin Edge 520. In fact, the Redmi 5A is almost as reliable as the Garmin Edge 520. Only narrow turns are not registered properly. The margin of error of 3 meters (~10 feet) is noticeable when examining our route. Nevertheless, the Redmi 5A is well suited for navigation in most cases.

Xiaomi Redmi 5A
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
Garmin Edge 520
Garmin Edge 520
Garmin Edge 520
Garmin Edge 520
Garmin Edge 520
Garmin Edge 520

Telephony and Call Quality – Redmi smartphone with good call quality

Phone app - Xiaomi Redmi 5A
Phone app - Xiaomi Redmi 5A

The Redmi 5A comes with Xiaomi’s proprietary phone app. It offers a dial pad, which can be used to look for contacts or input numbers. The call history and contacts can be easily accessed through the navigation bar at the top.

When talking on the phone, neither our call partner nor we had any difficulty understanding each other. However, the maximum volume could have been higher.  At high volume, the voices sound a little tinny.

Cameras – Xiaomi smartphone with a solid camera

Selfie
Selfie

The Redmi 5A comes with a 13 MP rear camera. It has an f/2.2 aperture, an LED flash and can record 1080p video at 30 FPS. The front-facing camera has a 5 MP sensor and takes good pictures during daylight. However, the selfies turn out a bit blurry even if you take them with a steady hand.

The main camera also takes good photos. Having said that, the shots taken with the rear camera seem somewhat dim. Panoramic shots look washed-out and the colors are hard to distinguish from each other in dark scenes. However, when close to an object, the images taken with the Redmi 5A appear more detailed and better resolved. Under low-light conditions, the image sensor can take in a lot of light and reproduce most objects quite faithfully. Nevertheless, shots taken in dimly-lit environments look very washed-out and blurry. There are a few filters and camera modes. The camera app does not offer any other features. The available options are limited to ISO sensitivity and white balance. The video quality is comparable to the photo quality. The video does not look shaky, thanks to image stabilization.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3
click to load images
ColorChecker Passport
ColorChecker Passport

We use the X-Rite ColorChecker Passport to evaluate the color reproduction of the Redmi 5A’s camera. The colors of the Xiaomi smartphone look too dim most of the time. The gray and blue hues are affected the most. However, the black matches almost exactly the reference color in our image test.

Our test chart, which we photograph under controlled lighting conditions, is well reproduced. We did not observe a loss of detail or sharpness at the edges.

Xiaomi Redmi 5A text chart
Xiaomi Redmi 5A text chart (Detail)

Accessories and Warranty – Redmi 5A does not come with any accessories

The box includes a USB charger and a Micro USB cable. Further accessories can be purchased from third-party manufacturers. Xiaomi also offers accessories for its devices. However, it does not offer any accessories specific to the Redmi 5A.

Xiaomi does not give any concrete information about the duration of the warranty.  Because the manufacturer is not represented in every country, your device may be sent to a different nation to be repaired. In any case, the manufacturer’s warranty is provided. To learn more, visit our FAQ, which has a section that deals with warranty and associated issues. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices and Handling – Xiaomi touchscreen with some resistance

Google’s GBoard serves as the default keyboard. Therefore, typing messages and emails is very easy. The touchscreen reacts reliably and promptly to inputs. The drag-and-drop functionality does not work very well because the screen puts up too much resistance when moving fingers over it. The motion sensor responds to inputs with a delay, which should not be a big deal in day-to-day use.

Display – Redmi 5A: poor contrast ratio plus reflections

Pixel arrangement
Pixel arrangement

The Redmi 5A features a 5-inch IPS panel with a 16:9 aspect ratio. It has a native resolution of 1280x720, which is perfectly normal for a device in this price range and with this size. The screen brightness of about 500 cd/m² is also within a normal range for such a device. Here the Redmi 5A takes a spot in the middle of our comparison chart.

534
cd/m²
500
cd/m²
485
cd/m²
537
cd/m²
503
cd/m²
454
cd/m²
529
cd/m²
495
cd/m²
450
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 537 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 498.6 cd/m² Minimum: 1.75 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 84 %
Center on Battery: 503 cd/m²
Contrast: 689:1 (Black: 0.73 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.44 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 6.8 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
96.8% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.451
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
IPS, 1280x720, 5.00
Honor 7A
IPS, 1440x720, 5.70
Umidigi A1 Pro
IPS, 1440x720, 5.50
Nokia 2
IPS, 1280x720, 5.00
Huawei Y6 2018
IPS, 1440x720, 5.70
Screen
33%
37%
7%
13%
Brightness middle
503
417
-17%
594
18%
527
5%
483
-4%
Brightness
499
395
-21%
570
14%
503
1%
460
-8%
Brightness Distribution
84
88
5%
86
2%
91
8%
88
5%
Black Level *
0.73
0.18
75%
0.22
70%
0.68
7%
0.4
45%
Contrast
689
2317
236%
2700
292%
775
12%
1208
75%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.44
6.46
-19%
6.63
-22%
5.3
3%
5.8
-7%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
10.01
10.72
-7%
13.99
-40%
9.2
8%
12.6
-26%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
6.8
5.8
15%
9.2
-35%
5.8
15%
5
26%
Gamma
2.451 90%
2.423 91%
2.24 98%
2.12 104%
2.6 85%
CCT
6590 99%
7839 83%
8663 75%
7894 82%
7709 84%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
4.42

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The contrast ratio of our review device is well below average (689:1) and the black value is also very high (0.73 cd/m²). This is why the images look washed-out and the colors are hard to tell apart. Moreover, the blacks do not look deep and appear very grayish.

CalMAN - color accuracy
CalMAN - color accuracy
CalMAN - color space coverage
CalMAN - color space coverage
CalMAN - grayscale
CalMAN - grayscale
CalMAN - saturation
CalMAN - saturation

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
14 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 5 ms rise
↘ 9 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 29 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
34 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 17 ms rise
↘ 17 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 40 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Outside, the display of the Redmi 5A is easy to read in the shade, because of the high brightness. However, the reflections can make reading the screen content very difficult.

Xiaomi Redmi 5A outdoors
Xiaomi Redmi 5A outdoors
Xiaomi Redmi 5A outdoors
Xiaomi Redmi 5A outdoors

The IPS panel of the Redmi 5A has very stable viewing angles. Therefore, the screen content can be read from any position. However, strong reflections can make reading screen content in brightly-lit rooms difficult.   

Xiaomi Redmi 5A viewing angles
Xiaomi Redmi 5A viewing angles
Xiaomi Redmi 5A viewing angles
Xiaomi Redmi 5A viewing angles

Performance – Entry-level smartphone

The Redmi 5A comes with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 425 and Adreno 308. Thanks to 2 GB of RAM, our review device can perform most daily tasks. Moreover, it can also run casual games and non-demanding 3D applications.

The benchmark results are all over the place. Overall, the Redmi 5A takes a spot in the middle of our comparison chart. The provided performance is more than acceptable for an entry-level device.

AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
36883 Points
Honor 7A
46126 Points +25%
Umidigi A1 Pro
36073 Points -2%
Nokia 2
24924 Points -32%
Huawei Y6 2018
39089 Points +6%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (29054 - 39106, n=17)
36278 Points -2%
AnTuTu v7 - Total Score (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
43861 Points
Honor 7A
59990 Points +37%
Umidigi A1 Pro
45868 Points +5%
Huawei Y6 2018
46710 Points +6%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (32557 - 46710, n=10)
42979 Points -2%
PCMark for Android
Work performance score (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
4559 Points
Honor 7A
5109 Points +12%
Umidigi A1 Pro
4330 Points -5%
Nokia 2
3109 Points -32%
Huawei Y6 2018
4756 Points +4%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (3681 - 5253, n=17)
4389 Points -4%
Average of class Smartphone (10884 - 19297, n=2, last 2 years)
15091 Points +231%
Work 2.0 performance score (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
3402 Points
Honor 7A
3892 Points +14%
Umidigi A1 Pro
3159 Points -7%
Nokia 2
2304 Points -32%
Huawei Y6 2018
3629 Points +7%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (2829 - 3831, n=18)
3299 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone (9101 - 12871, n=4, last 2 years)
10872 Points +220%
BaseMark OS II
Overall (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
774 Points
Honor 7A
1055 Points +36%
Umidigi A1 Pro
208 Points -73%
Nokia 2
149 Points -81%
Huawei Y6 2018
743 Points -4%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (207 - 891, n=17)
642 Points -17%
Average of class Smartphone (411 - 11438, n=158, last 2 years)
5704 Points +637%
System (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
1463 Points
Honor 7A
1962 Points +34%
Umidigi A1 Pro
1318 Points -10%
Nokia 2
901 Points -38%
Huawei Y6 2018
1043 Points -29%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (1043 - 1477, n=17)
1274 Points -13%
Average of class Smartphone (2376 - 16475, n=158, last 2 years)
9621 Points +558%
Memory (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
762 Points
Honor 7A
1209 Points +59%
Umidigi A1 Pro
802 Points +5%
Nokia 2
233 Points -69%
Huawei Y6 2018
1069 Points +40%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (363 - 1372, n=17)
678 Points -11%
Average of class Smartphone (670 - 12306, n=158, last 2 years)
6230 Points +718%
Graphics (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
444 Points
Honor 7A
739 Points +66%
Umidigi A1 Pro
184 Points -59%
Nokia 2
251 Points -43%
Huawei Y6 2018
443 Points 0%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (418 - 447, n=17)
437 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone (697 - 58651, n=158, last 2 years)
13900 Points +3031%
Web (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
723 Points
Honor 7A
705 Points -2%
Umidigi A1 Pro
10 Points -99%
Nokia 2
9 Points -99%
Huawei Y6 2018
616 Points -15%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (10 - 802, n=17)
611 Points -15%
Average of class Smartphone (10 - 2145, n=158, last 2 years)
1487 Points +106%
Geekbench 4.4
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
681 Points
Honor 7A
675 Points -1%
Umidigi A1 Pro
665 Points -2%
Nokia 2
423 Points -38%
Huawei Y6 2018
692 Points +2%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (541 - 692, n=18)
654 Points -4%
Average of class Smartphone (800 - 9574, n=90, last 2 years)
5063 Points +643%
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
1874 Points
Honor 7A
2820 Points +50%
Umidigi A1 Pro
1852 Points -1%
Nokia 2
1118 Points -40%
Huawei Y6 2018
1939 Points +3%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (883 - 1939, n=18)
1761 Points -6%
Average of class Smartphone (2630 - 26990, n=90, last 2 years)
13549 Points +623%
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
1333 Points
Honor 7A
2127 Points +60%
Umidigi A1 Pro
1450 Points +9%
Huawei Y6 2018
1419 Points +6%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (1113 - 1460, n=16)
1345 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone (2053 - 18432, n=70, last 2 years)
10590 Points +694%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
6186 Points
Honor 7A
9584 Points +55%
Nokia 2
4577 Points -26%
Huawei Y6 2018
6067 Points -2%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (2951 - 6526, n=18)
5908 Points -4%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
5532 Points
Honor 7A
9684 Points +75%
Nokia 2
4150 Points -25%
Huawei Y6 2018
5426 Points -2%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (2546 - 5778, n=18)
5330 Points -4%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
10556 Points
Honor 7A
9249 Points -12%
Nokia 2
7150 Points -32%
Huawei Y6 2018
10344 Points -2%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (3958 - 11927, n=18)
9933 Points -6%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
55 Points
Honor 7A
613 Points +1015%
Umidigi A1 Pro
168 Points +205%
Nokia 2
120 Points +118%
Huawei Y6 2018
70 Points +27%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (39 - 350, n=18)
86 Points +56%
Average of class Smartphone (712 - 7285, n=52, last 2 years)
3495 Points +6255%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
43 Points
Honor 7A
535 Points +1144%
Umidigi A1 Pro
140 Points +226%
Nokia 2
120 Points +179%
Huawei Y6 2018
55 Points +28%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (31 - 297, n=18)
69.7 Points +62%
Average of class Smartphone (618 - 9451, n=52, last 2 years)
3845 Points +8842%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
903 Points
Honor 7A
1259 Points +39%
Umidigi A1 Pro
537 Points -41%
Nokia 2
539 Points -40%
Huawei Y6 2018
907 Points 0%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (622 - 944, n=18)
869 Points -4%
Average of class Smartphone (1093 - 4525, n=52, last 2 years)
2989 Points +231%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
14 fps
Honor 7A
27 fps +93%
Umidigi A1 Pro
9.7 fps -31%
Nokia 2
9.6 fps -31%
Huawei Y6 2018
14 fps 0%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (6.4 - 20, n=18)
13.4 fps -4%
Average of class Smartphone (22 - 165, n=178, last 2 years)
83 fps +493%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
7.7 fps
Honor 7A
16 fps +108%
Umidigi A1 Pro
6 fps -22%
Nokia 2
5.4 fps -30%
Huawei Y6 2018
7.7 fps 0%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (3.4 - 7.8, n=18)
7.42 fps -4%
Average of class Smartphone (19 - 791, n=178, last 2 years)
244 fps +3069%
GFXBench 3.0
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
6 fps
Honor 7A
14 fps +133%
Umidigi A1 Pro
5.4 fps -10%
Nokia 2
4.4 fps -27%
Huawei Y6 2018
5.9 fps -2%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (3.7 - 11, n=18)
5.97 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone (6.8 - 165, n=179, last 2 years)
71 fps +1083%
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
2.8 fps
Honor 7A
7.1 fps +154%
Umidigi A1 Pro
2.7 fps -4%
Nokia 2
1.6 fps -43%
Huawei Y6 2018
2.8 fps 0%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (1.3 - 3, n=17)
2.71 fps -3%
Average of class Smartphone (9.2 - 363, n=179, last 2 years)
138 fps +4829%

Legend

 
Xiaomi Redmi 5A Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917), Qualcomm Adreno 308, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Honor 7A Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 (MSM8937), Qualcomm Adreno 505, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Umidigi A1 Pro Mediatek MT6739, PowerVR GE8100, 16 GB eMMC Flash
 
Nokia 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 APQ8009, Qualcomm Adreno 304, 8 GB eMMC Flash
 
Huawei Y6 2018 Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917), Qualcomm Adreno 308, 16 GB eMMC Flash

The Redmi 5A does well in the browser benchmarks. Our review device is beaten by all of the competition only in Mozilla Kraken 1.1. In all other benchmarks, it offers an average level of performance. In day-to-day use, the Redmi 5A exhibits no weaknesses when surfing the web. Websites are loaded quickly and the media contents do not need a lot of time to load.

JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (66.1 - 414, n=3, last 2 years)
194.9 Points +987%
Huawei Y6 2018 (Chrome 66)
18.55 Points +3%
Honor 7A (Chrome 67)
18.39 Points +3%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A (Chrome 67)
17.93 Points
Umidigi A1 Pro (Chrome 66)
17.86 Points 0%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (15.5 - 18.7, n=16)
17.5 Points -2%
Nokia 2 (Chrome 65)
11.61 Points -35%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=202, last 2 years)
33525 Points +940%
Honor 7A (Chrome 67)
3389 Points +5%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A (Chrome 67)
3224 Points
Umidigi A1 Pro (Chrome 66)
3191 Points -1%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (2411 - 3374, n=17)
2952 Points -8%
Huawei Y6 2018 (Chrome 66)
2582 Points -20%
Nokia 2 (Chrome 65)
1948 Points -40%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Nokia 2 (Chrome 65)
19275 ms * -47%
Huawei Y6 2018 (Chrome 66)
16192 ms * -23%
Umidigi A1 Pro (Chrome 66)
15718 ms * -20%
Honor 7A (Chrome 67)
14709 ms * -12%
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917) (10742 - 16192, n=17)
13125 ms * -0%
Xiaomi Redmi 5A (Chrome 67)
13112 ms *
Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=165, last 2 years)
1653 ms * +87%

* ... smaller is better

The memory performance is above average for a device in this price range. While the internal eMMC flash memory can hold its own against the competition, the SD card reader also provides above-average performance with our reference-grade SD card Toshiba Exceria Pro M501. In everyday use, the good memory performance is reflected in short loading times.

Xiaomi Redmi 5AHonor 7A Umidigi A1 ProNokia 2Huawei Y6 2018Average 16 GB eMMC FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
5%
-8%
-22%
2%
-31%
1421%
Sequential Read 256KB
293.8
254.8
-13%
269.2
-8%
131.1
-55%
254.3
-13%
164.5 ?(9.66 - 294, n=256)
-44%
1467 ?(215 - 4512, n=210, last 2 years)
399%
Sequential Write 256KB
49.86
72.5
45%
44.4
-11%
50.8
2%
65.6
32%
43 ?(8.74 - 106.3, n=256)
-14%
1077 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=210, last 2 years)
2060%
Random Read 4KB
42.32
39.2
-7%
29.6
-30%
17.44
-59%
38.8
-8%
21.7 ?(2.49 - 62.1, n=256)
-49%
241 ?(22.2 - 543, n=210, last 2 years)
469%
Random Write 4KB
9.28
9.4
1%
10.2
10%
8.1
-13%
9
-3%
8.08 ?(0.49 - 44.9, n=256)
-13%
265 ?(13 - 709, n=210, last 2 years)
2756%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
84.9 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
84.9 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
0%
81 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-5%
81.9 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-4%
84.9 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
0%
59.1 ?(8.1 - 87.7, n=137)
-30%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
62.6 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
65.4 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
4%
58.8 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-6%
61.2 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
-2%
64 ?(Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
2%
39.8 ?(6.38 - 65.8, n=137)
-36%

Games – The Redmi 5A is good for casual games

The Redmi 5A comes with the Adreno 308 graphics unit. It is an entry-level GPU suitable for running simple applications. Most games from the Google Play Store are playable, but only on the low settings. Moreover, users will occasionally have to contend with long loading times.

The games we tested ran without any problems. However, the touchscreen puts up way too much resistance, which makes gaming over a prolonged period somewhat uncomfortable. Moreover, when playing games that utilize the motion sensor, users will have to contend with a slight delay, because the screen does not react to inputs from the motion sensor right away.

Dead Trigger 2
Dead Trigger 2
Temple Run 2
Temple Run 2

Emissions - Xiaomi smartphone with a good sound quality

Temperature

The Redmi 5A does not become hot. When idle, the surface temperatures remain constantly below 30 °C (86 °F). Under load, the temperatures slightly exceed the 40 °C (104 °F) mark. Therefore, drops in performance due to overheating are highly unlikely.  

Max. Load
 42.5 °C
109 F
39 °C
102 F
39.4 °C
103 F
 
 41.7 °C
107 F
39.1 °C
102 F
40.3 °C
105 F
 
 40.6 °C
105 F
38.9 °C
102 F
40.4 °C
105 F
 
Maximum: 42.5 °C = 109 F
Average: 40.2 °C = 104 F
37.4 °C
99 F
40.2 °C
104 F
39.9 °C
104 F
37.4 °C
99 F
39.9 °C
104 F
39.7 °C
103 F
37.5 °C
100 F
39.1 °C
102 F
39.5 °C
103 F
Maximum: 40.2 °C = 104 F
Average: 39 °C = 102 F
Power Supply (max.)  37.6 °C = 100 F | Room Temperature 21.9 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 40.2 °C / 104 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 42.5 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 40.2 °C / 104 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.3 °C / 83 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Heat distribution - front
Heat distribution - front
Heat distribution - back
Heat distribution - back

Speakers

Pink Noise
Pink Noise

The speakers of the Redmi 5A are not particularly loud and are optimized for the upper-mid tones. All other tones above or below are poorly reproduced. Nevertheless, the sound quality is still quite good. The voices are reproduced especially well.

The 3.5-mm audio jack can be used to connect headphones or external speakers to the device. It offers a tight fit and leaves a solid impression. The headphone jack delivers good audio quality. We did not observe any abnormalities when listening to music with the external speakers connected via Bluetooth.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs202727.82525.927.63129.532.24031.428.75032.634.26324.123.28023.122.710024.123.112517.21916016.623.620016.833.225016.438.731514.147.540013.85750013.662.763012.163.380011.564.2100011.566.9125011.265.5160011.263.5200011.264.7250011.265315011.166.2400011.266.1500011.266.7630011.465.2800011.466.81000011.360.81250011.450.31600011.441.8SPL6023.977.1N13.70.539.7median 11.5median 62.7median 58.4Delta3.614.218.742.646.338.438.734.231.337.326.53031.826.62823.222.421.221.12121.616.326.416.636.715.841.213.546.312.251.61252.611.75510.558.79.661.69.563.6965.38.567.48.569.28.371.38.269.38.167.68.165.18.162.38.264.48.353.38.235.265.451.721.959.978.619.17.10.31239median 9.6median 55median 11.1median 36median 58.85.514.110.82419.8hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseXiaomi Redmi 5AHonor 7A
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Xiaomi Redmi 5A audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 31.8% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.1% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (28.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 70% of all tested devices in this class were better, 5% similar, 25% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 83% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 14% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Honor 7A audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 58.8% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(-) | nearly no mids - on average 58.8% lower than median
(+) | mids are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(-) | nearly no highs - on average 58.8% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (0% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (113.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 85% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 13% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 95% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 4% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery Life – Smartphone with a long battery life

Energy Consumption

The Redmi 5A consumes a little less power than the competition. It draws 1.02 watts when idle and 4.8 watts under load. This is why it leaves most competing devices in the dust when it comes to power consumption. Here, the Nokia 2 is the only device that is more energy efficient than the Redmi 5A.

The included 5-watt charger does not offer a lot of reserves, but it can cover the power draw of our review device. Thanks to fast charging, the 3000-mAh battery takes less than 2 hours to fully charge.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.05 / 0.1 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 1.2 / 1.5 / 1.8 Watt
Load midlight 2.9 / 4.8 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
3000 mAh
Honor 7A
3000 mAh
Umidigi A1 Pro
3150 mAh
Nokia 2
4100 mAh
Huawei Y6 2018
3000 mAh
Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 (MSM8917)
 
Average of class Smartphone
 
Power Consumption
-27%
-54%
12%
-62%
-29%
-25%
Idle Minimum *
1.2
1.3
-8%
1.8
-50%
0.55
54%
1.7
-42%
1.113 ?(0.54 - 4.02, n=17)
7%
0.891 ?(0.42 - 2.37, n=157, last 2 years)
26%
Idle Average *
1.5
1.6
-7%
2.3
-53%
1.02
32%
2.5
-67%
2.19 ?(1.2 - 6, n=17)
-46%
1.448 ?(0.69 - 4.26, n=157, last 2 years)
3%
Idle Maximum *
1.8
2.9
-61%
3.2
-78%
1.09
39%
3.2
-78%
2.55 ?(1.62 - 6.64, n=17)
-42%
1.63 ?(0.79 - 4.45, n=157, last 2 years)
9%
Load Average *
2.9
3.7
-28%
4.7
-62%
4.48
-54%
5.2
-79%
4.32 ?(2.9 - 9.6, n=17)
-49%
5.57 ?(2.4 - 16.5, n=157, last 2 years)
-92%
Load Maximum *
4.8
6.4
-33%
6
-25%
5.32
-11%
6.8
-42%
5.5 ?(4.3 - 7.34, n=17)
-15%
8.27 ?(4.32 - 20.8, n=157, last 2 years)
-72%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

The low power draw of the Redmi 5A has a positive effect on battery life. In our practically oriented Wi-Fi test, the Xiaomi smartphone lasts for almost 15 hours. This is why our review device takes the top spot in the comparison chart below.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
16h 49min
Xiaomi Redmi 5A
3000 mAh
Honor 7A
3000 mAh
Umidigi A1 Pro
3150 mAh
Nokia 2
4100 mAh
Huawei Y6 2018
3000 mAh
Battery Runtime
WiFi v1.3
1009
657
-35%
608
-40%
840
-17%
643
-36%

Pros

+ long battery life
+ dual-SIM plus expandable storage
+ IR blaster

Cons

- display with a poor contrast ratio
- no USB Type-C
- outdated OS

Verdict – Compact smartphone with solid performance

In review: Xiaomi Redmi 5A. Review device provided courtesy of: notebooksbilliger.de
In review: Xiaomi Redmi 5A. Review device provided courtesy of: notebooksbilliger.de

The Xiaomi Redmi 5A is a compact device with an unbeatable price-to-performance ratio. Nevertheless, it can only be recommended to those who do not need a lot of power and who will use it chiefly for taking occasional snapshots or sending messages via WhatsApp. That being said, the Redmi 5A provides enough performance for the smooth operation of the OS (Android 7.1).

Besides the advantages that the compact smartphone provides, there are also a few disadvantages that come with the Redmi 5A. The contrast ratio and the black value of the display are barely tolerable and the reflections make reading screen content outdoors difficult.

The Xiaomi Redmi 5A is a solid smartphone that is very easy to handle. With its price tag of less than 100 Euros ($116), it offers the best price-to-performance ratio in this price range.

Xiaomi Redmi 5A - 07/16/2018 v6(old)
Mike Wobker

Chassis
76%
Keyboard
65 / 75 → 86%
Pointing Device
79%
Connectivity
37 / 60 → 61%
Weight
93%
Battery
100%
Display
83%
Games Performance
6 / 63 → 10%
Application Performance
40 / 70 → 57%
Temperature
88%
Noise
100%
Audio
87 / 91 → 96%
Camera
63%
Average
71%
80%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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Mike Wobker, 2018-07-20 (Update: 2019-03- 9)