Xiaomi Mi A2 vs Redmi Note 5 Pro: a hard-fought battle between siblings

“The Mi A2 is the latest Android One smartphone from the brand and boots stock Android 8.1 Oreo”

Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 5 Pro still continues to dominate its segment, but if there’s one phone that holds the capacity to dethrone it, it’s the company’s very own Mi A2 (first impressions). But the attributes of these two devices are vastly different. While the newly-launched Mi A2 provides the benefits of stock Android as it’s part of Google’s Android One program, the Redmi Note 5 Pro (review) runs the brand’s proprietary MIUI platform. So at a very basic level, making the choice between these two handsets really depends upon what software you prefer. But if you’re okay with either and are more interested in what else differentiates these two siblings, then here’s a detailed comparison between the Xiaomi Mi A2 and Redmi Note 5 Pro.

Design and display

Quite surprisingly, there isn’t much difference in terms of the looks of these two devices. Both smartphones are constructed out of aluminium and pack a 5.99-inch IPS LCD display with an 18:9 aspect ratio and a full HD resolution. On the rear surface, these phones sport fingerprint scanners and vertically-aligned dual cameras. It’s only the placement of the antenna lines that help you distinguish between the two. At 168gms, the Mi A2 is slightly lighter than the Redmi Note 5 Pro, which tips the scales at 181gms.

While both are dual-SIM phones, the Redmi Note 5 Pro ships with a hybrid SIM slot, which means that you can either use two SIM cards or a SIM card and a microSD card. The Xiaomi Mi A2 on the other hand, has a regular dual-SIM tray, but ditches the expansion slot. Another big design change is that the Mi A2 does not offer a headphone jack, unlike the Redmi Note 5 Pro. The newer smartphone from Xiaomi also comes with the next-gen Type-C port, as opposed to the traditional micro-USB port on the Note 5 Pro. Lastly, both phones come with IR blasters.

Hardware and software

Among the two, the Mi A2 definitely has better processing power thanks to the incorporation of the Snapdragon 660 chipset, which packs a 2.2GHz octa-core CPU. The Redmi Note 5 Pro isn’t lagging far behind though, as it offers the Snapdragon 636 SoC, which offers a 1.8GHz octa-core unit. Thanks to the presence of a microSD card slot, the Redmi handset is sold in just one storage option, i.e. 64GB. Its RAM options however, vary between 4GB and 6GB. As for the Mi A2, it offers 4GB of RAM on its 32GB and 64GB storage variants, and 6GB of RAM on its 128GB model. Although, Xiaomi’s latest might only arrive in one version, offering 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. 

The software is of course where the two phones are different. While one is looking to appease fans of stock Android, the other is catering to users who swear by Xiaomi’s MIUI. Except for the camera app, almost everything in the Mi A2’s software comes from Google. You do get a few Xiaomi apps like the Mi Store and Mi Remote, but that’s about it. Features like Google Lens and Google Assistant have also been integrated into the software. The Mi A2 runs Android 8.1 Oreo, while the Redmi Note 5 Pro features Android 7.1 Nougat-based MIUI 9, which comes laden with options like themes, an all-in-one phone manager, etc. The phone is also set to receive the Android Oreo-based MIUI 10 update in the beta form, which will offer a software-based portrait mode for the front camera, a redesigned recent apps menu, revamped notifications sounds and several UI changes.

Camera and battery

On the back of the Xiaomi Mi A2, you will find the combination of a 12MP f/1.75 camera and a 20MP f/1.75 snapper. On the other hand, the Redmi Note 5 Pro features a 12MP f/2.2 unit and a 5MP f/2.0 sensor. This enables shooters on both handsets to deliver up to 2x optical zoom and a portrait mode. However, thanks to the wider aperture, the Mi A2 will be able to capture more light, which in turn, will ensure better low-light capabilities. As far as the front camera is concerned, both the devices feature 20MP cameras equipped with front-facing flash modules, but once again, the snapper on the Mi A2 has a bigger aperture than the one on the Redmi Note 5 Pro.

The battery is one department where the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro wins over the Mi A2, with a good margin. The Mi A2 is powered by a 3,010mAh battery, which is considerably smaller than the 4,000mAh power pack fuelling the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro. However, the Mi A2 delivers the faster Quick Charge 4.0 standard, while the Note 5 Pro supports the older Quick Charge 2.0 version.

Closing thoughts

Among the two, the Xiaomi Mi A2 is indeed the better phone, but with a starting price of EUR 249 (approximately Rs 20,100), it’s a bit expensive compared to the Redmi Note 5 Pro, which starts at Rs 14,999. The Mi A2 is scheduled to launch in India on August 8th, and then we’ll have a better clarity of its pricing. However as of now, if you’re on a tight budget, then you won’t be missing out on much with the Redmi Note 5 Pro. 

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