Here's why Xiaomi Redmi 5, Redmi 5 Plus might disappoint fans

Xiaomi has won many hearts at home and abroad with its wide range of smartphones. The Chinese smartphone maker is hosting yet another launch event this year on December 7, where it'll be launching two new smartphones – Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus – to offer customers a wider range of choice.

Xiaomi's smartphones, especially the affordable ones, gain a lot of attention, and the new Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus are touted as budget-friendly devices. While the handsets have been leaked in full glory in the past days, the latest information leaked on an e-commerce site reveals the pricing of the new phones.

According to the listing on popular AliExpress online shopping site, the Redmi 5 is going to cost $199.99 (roughly Rs. 12,900) for the base model with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage. The Redmi 5 Plus is also listed, and the price tag attached to the device is $249.99 (approximately Rs. 16,120) for the 3GB RAM and 32GB storage model.

A previous leak suggested that the Redmi 5 will come in two other configurations, sporting 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM and 4GB RAM + 64GB ROM. As for the Redmi 5 Plus, there will just be one more variant in addition to the aforementioned device, featuring 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. The pricing of these variants will naturally be higher.

In addition, the listing also confirms that the new phones will arrive in four colours, black, blue, pink and gold, much like the recently leaked images.

If the pricing seems reasonable, we offer you a sneak peek into the features. The biggest USP of the Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus is going to be the FullView display with 18:9 aspect ratio, which is slowly becoming the new standard in all premium and budget smartphones. The trimming of the bezels is giving more room for the displays for a better viewing experience.

The Redmi 5 is said to come with a 5.7-inch display with 18:9 aspect ratio and HD+ resolution with 1440x720 pixels. On the other hand, the Redmi 5 Plus will sport a larger 5.99-inch display with Full HD+ resolution and same 18:9 aspect ratio.

Besides that, there isn't anything extraordinary about the Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus. A 1.8GHz octa-core processor and a 3,200mAh battery are likely to power the Redmi 5 and the Redmi 5 Plus will get a slightly upgraded 2GHz octa-core chipset with a 4,000mAh battery.

To recall, Xiaomi Redmi 4 offered a 4,100mAh battery.

On the camera front, the Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus are getting a 12MP rear-facing shooter and a 5MP front snapper, which again isn't a massive improvement over the 13MP rear snapper with f/2.0 aperture, PDAF and 5MP selfie snapper with f/2.2 aperture in the Redmi 4.

Considering Xiaomi Redmi 4 costs just Rs. 6,999, it may come as a disappointment for many to spend twice as much for a smartphone that only offers a tall FullView display.