At the recommendation of my teacher who have been using Redmi phone for few years and gave very positive reviews, I decided to switch to Redmi Note 5 when it was time to change my phone.
Update: It is now April 2021 and my phone functions very well. I have taken lots of pictures for my blog using my Redmi.
You would not see huge billboard or newspaper advertisements on Redmi phones. It is common to see for iPhone, Samsung, Vivo, Huawei and Oppo. It is not so heavily advertised and yet it is an excellent phone that gives better specs compared to equivalent price that you pay for the same phone.
I bought my Redmi Note 5 phone for RM749 from one of its authorised dealer in Digital Mall:
Overall specs of the Redmi Note 5:
- 5.99″ full screen display (16.9 aspect ratio)
- Dual PDAF camera 13MP front camera
- 4000mAh high capacity battery
- Snapdragon 636 processor
Why made me change my phone
I started my first Smartphone with a Blackberry Torch, then I bought Note 2 not long after it was launched. I also bought Samsung A5 as I have 2 mobile numbers then. My Note lasted for about 3 years before it started to have issue with the battery which I replaced. Eventually the phone start to hang frequently. I eventually use my A5 and canceled one of my phone lines.
After a few years, my phone does not charge easily. I tried to change chargers and cables but often it would not charge. And when I managed to get it fully charged, the battery drains quickly especially when I am using Waze.
Once, I nearly could not find my way back because my battery nearly died and all attempts to charge my phone at my car (I bought the cables and power bank along) had failed. It was night and I was at a place I was totally not familiar with.
Also, the wifi would disconnect half way and I have problem transferring photos from my phone to my laptop. It was time to change.
Buying my first Redmi phone
I decided to give Redmi a try after positive recommendation. When I approached the shop, I told the salesperson that I wanted a Redmi phone with a good camera (because I am always taking pictures).
The guy spoke of some features on each of the Redmi phone that was being displayed. There are about 2 models of the Redmi that have the AI (artificial intelligence) when it comes to taking photos. Redmi Note 5 was one of them- it has the effect of blurring the surroundings and focus on main object….all you need to do is to switch to “Portrait” to have this effect.
Others have the usual camera but after testing out a few phones, there is a subtle difference between the cheaper and more expensive phones.
Now, when buying phones, don’t be fooled by the megapixels. The megapixels on my A5 is 13 MP. Yet the pictures in the A5 is grainy when you attempt to enlarge it (like to 100%). Whereas Redmi Note 5 with lower megapixels, ie 12 MP camera takes clearer photos.
Not forgetting the special focus on the subject but a slight blurring at the background. I did try to experiment with it and the background blurring effect really changes the overall feel of the picture- as if the picture is now telling a story.
Transferring contact details and Whatapps
One thing that make me dread to switch phones (aside from the budget) is that I would have problem with my contact list and the archive of my Whatapps messages. Some of my contacts were saved on the device and others on the SIM.
The sales guy was really helpful. He offered to help me to transfer out my contact details to my new phone via Bluetooth.
At first he tried to backup my Whatapps via gmail using the store’s wifi- I told him I’ve always had problems backing up the Whatapps messages using wifi. Halfway through, the backup stopped and he told me that the phone’s internal wifi receiver may have some issues. He then helped me to backup all the messages on my SD card and then transferred it over to my new phone. I am so relieved to see my Whatapps messages all intact.
One thing though, the Redmi phone is a little heavier than my A5 but lighter than my Note 2 (due to the sytlus which I hardly use). He explained it is due to the battery because the Redmi Note 5 have the battery power of 4000 mAh. After I bought the phone, there was no heavy usage and the battery lasted for 5 days after a single full charge.
Redmi- money’s worth
I remember paying about RM1188 for my A5 and RM2.3k for my Note 2. Now I am beginning to think that the higher phone models are perhaps a little overrated. Smartphones are usually designed to last a few years.
You can get many Redmis with a price of a single higher end Smartphone. I was told that for similar specs, phones from Huawei and Oppo would cost above RM1k.
If you are looking to find affordable alternatives, consider giving Redmi phones a try.
Note: There are few stores in Digital Mall that sells Redmi but only one store is the official distributor.
Store details:
Wechat Mobile (002222190-V)
K-F03, First Floor, Digital Mall,
No. 2, Jalan 14/20, Section 14
46100 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Tel: 03-79325221
