Nokia 6 (2018) or Redmi Note 5: Which one should you buy?

HMD Global has finally launched Nokia 6 (2018) in India, around a month after its global debut at MWC 2018 in March and four months since its original Chinese launch. The handset has been priced at Rs 16,999 and will be available for purchase from April 6.

Nokia 6 (2018) looks somewhat similar to Nokia 6 (2017) on the outside, but HMD Global has upgraded some its internals. Specifically, the handset now packs a Snapdragon 639 SoC as opposed to the SD 430 in the predecessor.

Having been launched at this price point, Nokia 6 (2018) will face some serious competition from Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro. The Redmi Note 5 pro is easily among the best smartphones you can currently buy under Rs 20,000.

But if you are confused between Nokia's best comeback smartphone and the reigning king of the under-Rs 20k price segment, our comparison might make it easier for you to choose what's best for you.

Nokia 6 (2018) vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Specifications

Nokia 6 (2018) flaunts a 5.5-inch full HD (1920x1080p) display with a 2.5D curved Gorilla Glass 3 protection atop. The display employs a standard 16:9 aspect ratio, which is a little disappointing.

The Redmi Note 5 Pro features a 5.99-inch full HD+ (2160x1080p) display with 2.5D curved Gorilla Glass and the new 18:9 aspect ratio.

The new Nokia 6 is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor that comes mated to 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The Redmi Note 5 Pro trumps it with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 SoC along with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. Both handsets support expandable memory and can hold microSD cards up to 128GB.

As far as cameras go, the new Nokia 6 features a single 16MP rear camera with f/2.0 aperture, dual-tone LED flash and Carl Zeiss Optics. The front camera is an 8MP shooter for selfies and video calls.

The Redmi Note 5 Pro, on the other hand, features a dual-camera setup at the back, consisting of a 12MP primary sensor with f/2.2 aperture and a 5MP secondary sensor with 1.12-micron pixels and f/2.0 aperture. On the front, too, the Redmi Note 5 Pro offers a better 20MP selfie camera.

Furthermore, Nokia 6 is backed by 3,000mAh battery that supports fast-charging, but the Redmi Note 5 Pro packs a much larger 4,000mAh battery that can easily see through a day or two with moderate usage.

Software-wise, Nokia 6 runs pure Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box with zero bloatware, while the Redmi Note 5 Pro comes pre-installed with Xiaomi's MIUI 9 custom skin on top of Android 7.1 Nougat.

Nokia 6: What's good?

• The renowned Nokia build quality. Nokia 6 features a premium aluminum unibody design that's crafted out of a single block of 6000-series aluminum
• The rose gold accents around the camera and edges
• Stock Android 8.0 Oreo experience

Nokia 6: What's not so good?

• 5.5-inch display with 16:9 aspect ratio.
• Lower RAM and storage (3GB RAM + 32GB storage at Rs 16,999)
• Single rear camera
• Comparatively smaller battery

Redmi Note 5 Pro: What's good?

• 5.99-inch Full HD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio
• Snapdragon 636 octa-core processor is slightly better than Snapdragon 630
• Twice the RAM and memory (6GB RAM + 64GB storage at Rs 16,999)
• Dual rear camera setup with 12MP + 5MP sensors
• 20MP front-facing selfie camera
• Bigger 4,000mAh battery

Redmi Note 5 Pro: What's not so good?

• MIUI 9 based on Android 7.1 Nougat

So which one should you buy?

Finally, the choice between Nokia 6 (2018) and the Redmi Note 5 Pro boils down to a question of what you want from your smartphone. A premium build quality or better overall performance? If the build quality and Nokia badge score high on your list of priorities, Nokia 6 (2018) is not a bad option at all. Expect that it offers comparatively less in every aspect (except the build) for the same price.

However, if you want a smartphone that offers the maximum bang for the buck, the Redmi Note 5 Pro is the one to buy. It offers a better and bigger display, double the RAM and storage, dual cameras, a 20MP selfie camera and a better processor at the same price (Rs 16,999).

Then again, you will have to be very patient since the Redmi Note 5 Pro only goes on "flash sale" on certain days of the week and for a limited time. Hopefully, Nokia won't follow the same path.