Redmi A5: You can think of the Redmi A5 as Xiaomi’s response to an audience who is looking for a phone to use by opening and closing apps—all meat no razzle dazzle, just pure, serviceable Android candy at a price that doesn’t confound.
Targetting budget first-time smartphone owners, students or anyone who wants a no-frills backup mobile the Redmi A5 should still provide a clean and purposeful experience, based around (naturally) Android Go plus Digifob’s usual value-for-money ethos.
It doesn’t promise performance that will blow you away, or features that ape the flagship competition, but it does meet all the basics in a way that seems considered and refreshingly no nonsense.
Design: Basic, But Not Boring
The A5 from Redmi has straightforward and clean design. The polycarbonate back panel has a matte finish that feels grippy in the hand and hides fingerprints well, too.
Offered in standard colors like Charcoal Black, Sea Green and Sky Blue, it is able to look clean and functional without trying too much to steal the spotlight.
The phone is light and small, so it is very convenient to operate with a single hand.
It still has a headphone jack (3.5mm) and a microUSB port, the former becoming more uncommon in sub-$300 phones and the latter seen as a bit older but still important for many budget customers.
Display: Just Large Where It Counts
What you do get is a 6.52-inch HD+ LCD display with a 1600×720 resolution. It’s not the sharpest screen in the world but more than good enough for things you’ll be doing on it like YouTube, WhatsApp, reading and basic web browsing. The levels of brightness are acceptable for indoor as well as outdoors use.
They don’t have the most accurate color reproduction but with a decently tall 20:9 aspect ratio, the viewing experience feels immersive for the price.
A good reminder that you don’t need a high-end panel to get through your average day comfortably.
Performance: Made for the Basics
As for specifications, the Redmi A5 is powered by the MediaTek Helio G36 processor, mated with 2GB or 3GB RAM and 32GB onboard storage which can be expanded using a microSD card.
It’s powered by the lightweight version of Android 13 (Go Edition), optimized for low-RAM gadgets.
Performance isn’t great, just OK. Apps such as YouTube Go, Gmail, Google Maps Go and Chrome perform as expected.
You will experience some lag with heavier apps, but the A5 has no problems with calling, messaging, light social media and media playback.
And the lightweight OS allows for smoother navigation than similarly priced handsets that run full Android.
And with no MIUI skin riding atop, it looks a lot cleaner and less bloaty.
Camera: All That You Need, None That You Don’t
The Redmi A5 features an 8MP rear camera with LED flash and a 5MP front camera. Daylight photos are acceptable, of natural colour and average sharpness.
Fine detail and dynamic range aren’t going to be amazing, but for the odd snap and WhatsApp sharing, it’s perfectly serviceable.
Low-light photography is rudimentary, and the camera app is lean with HDR, portrait, and night modes. For video calls and no-frills selfies, the selfie camera is serviceable, if not a whole lot more.
Battery Power: Hitting 100 on the Go
Redmi A5 is backed by a monster 5000mAh battery which is one of the standout features of the smartphone.
Along with the power-efficient chip and lightweight Android Go software, that ensures you can get through a day and a half on medium usage from a single charge without breaking a sweat.
Charging is done through a 10W adapter, which is a little slow by today’s standards, but par for the course for this class.
Pros:
Cheap and available to all ages
An lightweight, pure Android Go interface
Good battery for all day use
Compact and durable design
MicroSD card slot for expandable storage
Cons:
Limited multitasking RAM and storage
Mediocre low-light camera performance
Slow charging via micro-USB
No fingerprint sensor nor faster ways to unlock the phone
Redmi A5: Conclusion: Back to Basics, Does What It’s Supposed To
The Redmi A5 isn’t attempting to make a play on high-end phones or even shiny mid-rangers.
And that’s where it is for folks who just want reliability, simplicity, and affordability — all presented in a clean, usable Android experience.
It’s a reliable pick if you are a someone who doesn’t think twice about fancy spec numbers but needs a reliable phone for everyday calls Ll and casual browsing.
Sometimes, simplicity is the epitome of beauty — and in the case of smartphones, sometimes it is the key to success, as is evident with the Redmi A5.