Xiaomi’s comeback in the Philippines just made the smartphone industry more exciting again. The Chinese company is always known for its bang-for-the-buck products, and the new Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus is definitely one of them.
Xiaomi has brought the new Redmi 5 Plus together with the entry-level Redmi 5A on their return in the Philippines.
The Redmi 5 Plus stands in the sub-Php10k category, which is already a crowded spot in terms of competition here in the Philippines. This device will go head-to-head with the offerings from OPPO, Vivo, Huawei, and many more — brands that already printed their names in the majority of the Filipinos.
But the question is, how does it really stacks up against the competition? Today, we’ll be comparing the Redmi 5 Plus with one of its archrival in the Philippines — the OPPO A83.
| Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus | OPPO A83 | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 7.1.2 Nougat MIUI 9 | Android 7.1 Nougat ColorOS 3.2 |
| SIM | Dual SIM, hybrid Dual Standby Nano SIM format | Dual SIM Dual Standby Nano SIM format |
| Display | 5.99-inch FHD+ IPS 2160 x 1080 resolution ~403ppi 18:9 aspect ratio | 5.7-inch HD+ IPS display 1440 x 720 resolution ~282ppi 18:9 aspect ratio |
| Processor | 2.0GHz Snapdragon 625 octa-core processor | 2.5GHz MediaTek Helio P23 octa-core |
| RAM | 4GB | 3GB |
| GPU | Adreno 506 | Mali-G71 MP2 |
| Storage | 64GB internal expandable via microSD up to 128GB | 32GB internal expandable via microSD up to 256GB |
| Front camera | 5-megapixel f/2.0 aperture LED flash | 8-megapixel f/2.2 |
| Rear Camera | 12-megapixel f/2.2 aperture PDAF LED flash | 13-megapixel f/2.2 aperture Autofocus LED flash |
| Security | Fingerprint scanner | Facial recognition |
| Connectivity | HSPA+ 4G LTE Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n Bluetooth 4.2 GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS microUSB 2.0 | HSPA+ 4G LTE Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n Bluetooth 4.2 GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS microUSB 2.0 |
| Dimensions | 158.5 x 75.45 x 8.05mm | 150.5 × 73.1 × 7.7mm |
| Weight | 180g | 153g |
| Color | Black Gold Light Blue Rose Gold | Black Champagne Gold |
| Battery | 4,000mAh non-removable | 3,180mAh non-removable |
| Price | Php9,990 | Php9,999 |
See also: Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus vs Huawei Nova 2 Lite: Specs Comparison
The table shows that the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus clearly butchered the OPPO A83. The device offers a bigger and sharper screen, better chipset, larger battery, and it even has a fingerprint scanner.
But to OPPO A83’s credit, it features more megapixels in its cameras in the front and back. Let’s also not forget how the company mastered their AI Beauty selfie technology. Lastly, its ultra-fast facial recognition feature is a welcome alternative to the fingerprint scanner.
Overall, Redmi 5 Plus is the clear winner here — at least on paper. But if you want one, you might have a hard time finding one as Xiaomi’s products usually run out of stock very quickly. Plus, it’s only officially available in select physical stores beginning March 17. Hopefully, it will be available in the official Xiaomi Lazada store soon.
It is in this area where OPPO has the major lead. If you opt for the OPPO A83, you can just head on to your nearest shopping mall where you can easily spot an OPPO kiosk or store.