Xiaomi Mi 5 review: Form and function

16 March, 2016
It's been a while since we met the last of the Mi kind. Even though the Xiaomi Mi 4 went on sale back in the summer of 2014, it succeeded in staying relevant for over 20 months and surpassed the lifespan of many competitors. Xiaomi surely took the time to make the Mi 5 worthy of its name. And Xiaomi Mi 5 sets the bar even higher!

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  • M
  • Mi5 Fan
  • Ke1
  • 28 Oct 2019

My Mi5 is still working like new (other than battery life) after 3 years. Many drops and stuff with protection and it still survives. Screen is gorgeous as ever.

And I cant believe how good the camera is compared to the overhyped 48mp cameras these days. A 12 mp camera can be just as good..

    • B
    • Bailey
    • p%4
    • 12 Mar 2018

    AnonD-690080, 06 Aug 2017their updates are mind screwing. (global) buggy rom. on ... moreYet i am using the global rom on my Mi6 and have never experienced this issues.
    i have had more lag and bugs on my S7 than i have ever had on a Xiaomi device.
    And my S7 could not make it through a day as well as my iPhone 6s that cant make it through even half a day and the updates just seem to be doing it no good.

      AnonD-668308, 10 May 2017Great phone. I can't use LTE with my operator (Wind Ital... moreUpdate to v9 miui , auto brightness got better than v8,.

        cuto teddy bear, 21 Oct 2017Google Play Store doesn't run in thsYou should install global ROM, there is google play, you can upgrade to miui 9..

          • c
          • cuto teddy bear
          • X}$
          • 21 Oct 2017

          Google Play Store doesn't run in ths

            • D
            • AnonD-690080
            • yp1
            • 06 Aug 2017

            AnonD-630137, 09 Jan 2017This phone offers an unbeatable value in its price range. ... moretheir updates are mind screwing. (global) buggy rom. on paper it looks awesome.. but when u use their rom.. ni gps precision less battery backup heating issue. their hardware service policy of service centres are gud.. but the quality of service centres are not guaranteed.. (in india.. as a global rom user.. and i dont flash or use customised rom.. ) their updates are utter failure.. so if u dont have time to waste on phone or the service centres.. buy i phone.. samsung service is also pathetic.. actually more pathetic than xiaomis.. but their rom is not buggy..
            everyone have cons.. but mainly software and user experience values mostt.. so.. nothing much to say.. and i am nt a paid one. hehe.. i am using xiomi phones more than two years.. their other mobiles available in india are gud comparing price.. its awesome..
            but a flagship phone like mi5.. very disappointing

              • R
              • Robert
              • 6c6
              • 20 Jun 2017

              Anik, 19 Jan 2017I want to buy Oneplus 3 or MI5s/MI5. Friends plz, suggest ... moreIMO better mi 5 than mi 5s although the mi 5 body is fragile, but the handling is good and very lightweight. And mi5s did not have gorilla glass 4.

                • D
                • AnonD-668308
                • 3DV
                • 10 May 2017

                Great phone.

                I can't use LTE with my operator (Wind Italy) because doesn't support B20 LTE but 3G is fast enought to do any thing.

                Only a problem with auto-brightness which doesen't works (sensor data seem OK) with Global Stable 8.1.2.0.

                  • A
                  • Adit
                  • thv
                  • 05 Apr 2017

                  herreralu1985, 19 Nov 2016Does this phone works with LTE1800? for Movistar Costa Rica... moreI do not know about 1800 LTE in Costa Rica. But here in Indonesia, almost all operator used 1800 LTE, and Mi5 work perfectly on 4G LTE.

                    • f
                    • faruk
                    • uNV
                    • 09 Feb 2017

                    if display size is 5.5 than its a become a hot phone inthe market but they built for 5.1 its unbareable.

                      • D
                      • AnonD-639501
                      • PBb
                      • 29 Jan 2017

                      I wondering, if I update the firmware like to MIUI 8, is it okay?

                        • A
                        • Anik
                        • YV7
                        • 19 Jan 2017

                        I want to buy Oneplus 3 or MI5s/MI5. Friends plz, suggest me, Which is better for me. I want Best camera & performance. (No need RAM.)

                        SAA

                          • D
                          • AnonD-630137
                          • vpe
                          • 09 Jan 2017

                          This phone offers an unbeatable value in its price range. With such a product offering top-tier specs and elegant industrial design at 30-50 percent less than competitors, Xiaomi is a cool company upending the smart-phone market. Check out the profile of founder Lei Jun, whom Forbes magazine named Asian Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014.

                          Challenging competitors like Samsung and Apple, not to mention the lesser known brands of Android, Xiaomi no doubt inspires haters, some of them probably paid to comment. Ignore them and read other reviews of the products, and look at the Antutu and other benchmarks of the phone elsewhere. Companies like this have taken the mantle Apple lost when Steve Jobs passed away and Samsung bungled the opportunity to claim it when their product caught fire in users' pockets. I've owned three Xiaomi phones and enjoyed them all, and this is the best one yet. I hope they can acquire the right patents to enter the US market and challenge Apple on their home turf. Such competition will benefit everyone, consumers and tech companies alike, but it won't come without push-back from paid digital trolls.

                            Does this phone works with LTE1800? for Movistar Costa Rica? I need to know before buying this phone in 2 weeks

                              • S
                              • Samuel
                              • KAI
                              • 18 Nov 2016

                              Are you from other company or working in some of the others company that you have that much of courage to criticize about MI5, how courageous you are to say about MI5 when it is advancing at high with the available price for the customers.

                                Hansel, 08 Nov 2016How is this éxcellent build quality when JerryRigEve... moreIt has good build quality (no unevenness, loose buttons, etc) but its frame is vulnerable to bending. It's not like GSMarena breaks every phone they get in half

                                  • H
                                  • Hansel
                                  • fCg
                                  • 08 Nov 2016

                                  How is this éxcellent build quality when JerryRigEverything just literally rigged it?

                                    • j
                                    • jivan
                                    • 7k7
                                    • 05 Nov 2016

                                    Very very good phone

                                      AnonD-152638, 17 Mar 2016Why would that be a deal-breaker? It seems to be one of th... moreYou can always use a combination of double tap to wake the screen up + simple tap on the home buttom to unlock thereafter. No hard press needed :-)

                                        • D
                                        • AnonD-552285
                                        • X}t
                                        • 27 Sep 2016

                                        AnonD-448693, 27 Sep 2016mi5 for the price - but if you have the money, OP3 will be ... moreOk friend..