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Xiaomi Redmi Note 5/5 Pro vs HONOR 9 Lite: specs showdown
Xiaomi took the wraps off the Redmi Note 5 and Note 5 Pro smartphones earlier today. Both phones offer large 18:9 displays, mid-range specs, and affordable price tags.
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There’s even more competition in the mid-range sector this year than there was in 2017, so it will be interesting to see if the Redmi 5 smartphones will repeat the success of their predecessor. They will go head to head with the likes of the HONOR 9 Lite, which has recently launched in Europe and India. Here’s how the Redmi Note 5 and 5 Pro compare with the HONOR 9 Lite.
Spec comparison
There are three main differences between the Redmi Note 5 and 5 Pro: the processor, cameras, and memory variants. The Pro model is the better of the two, featuring the Snapdragon 636 chipset and a dual-camera setup on the back with 15 and 5 MP sensors for those fancy bokeh shots.
The front-facing camera has a 20 MP sensor and sports an LED flash, allowing you to capture great-looking selfies in low-light conditions. The smartphone comes with either 4 or 6 GB of RAM, both paired with 64 GB of storage.
The Redmi Note 5 comes with the slightly older Snapdragon 625 chipset that’s still more than powerful enough for everyday tasks. However, the 636 does have the upper hand thanks to a better GPU, an improved LTE modem, and Bluetooth 5 support.
The handset has a single 12 MP camera on the back with an f/2.2 aperture, and a 5 MP selfie snapper up front that also features LED flash. It comes in two storage variants: 3 GB/32 GB and 4 GB/64 GB.
The rest of the specs and features you’ll find on the two smartphones are the same. Both sport a 5.99-inch display with Full HD+ resolution and an 18:9 aspect ratio. They also support expandable storage, have a headphone jack, and run Android Nougat with Xiaomi’s MIUI 9 skin on top. Then there’s the rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and a 4,000 mAh battery that gets you around 14 hours of video playback and eight hours of continuous gaming.
Moving on to the HONOR 9 Lite, the smartphone also has an 18:9 Full HD+ display, but it’s smaller when compared to the Redmi Note 5 smartphones at 5.65 inches.
The handset features the Kirin 659 chipset that also powers devices like the HUAWEI Nova 2 Plus and HONOR 7X. It comes with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage or 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. That means it’s on par with the Redmi Note 5 but offers 2 GB of RAM less than the high-end version of the Pro model.
Honor’s mid-range smartphone stands out from the crowd in the photography department, as it’s equipped with four cameras. You’ll find 13 and 2 MP sensors on the front as well as the back, allowing you to add the bokeh effect to images and selfies.
The HONOR 9 Lite packs a much smaller 3,000 mAh battery, but keep in mind it also has a smaller display. It supports expandable storage and has a headphone jack as well as a fingerprint scanner on board. In terms of software, you’re looking at Android 8.0 Oreo with HUAWEI’s EMUI skin on top.
| Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro | HONOR 9 Lite | |
|---|---|---|---|
Display | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 5.99-inch IPS LCD 2,160 x 1,080 resolution 403 ppi 18:9 aspect ratio | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro 5.99-inch IPS LCD 2,160 x 1,080 resolution 403 ppi 18:9 aspect ratio | HONOR 9 Lite 5.65-inch IPS LCD 2,160 x 1,080 resolution 428 ppi 18:9 aspect ratio |
Processor | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Snapdragon 625 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Snapdragon 636 | HONOR 9 Lite Kirin 659 |
GPU | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Adreno 506 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Adreno 509 | HONOR 9 Lite Mali-T830 MP2 |
RAM | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 3/4 GB | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro 4/6 GB | HONOR 9 Lite 3/4 GB |
Storage | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 32/64 GB Expandable up to 256 GB | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro 64 GB Expandable up to 256 GB | HONOR 9 Lite 32/64 GB Expandable up to 256 GB |
Cameras | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Rear camera: 12 MP sensor with 1.25 μm pixel size and an f/2.2 aperture Front camera: 5 MP sensor with LED flash | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Rear cameras: 12 MP sensor with 1.25 μm pixel size and an f/2.2 aperture 5 MP sensor with 1.12 μm pixel size and an f/2.0 aperture Front camera: 20 MP sensor with LED flash | HONOR 9 Lite Rear cameras: 13 MP + 2 MP sensors with PDAF and LED flash Front camera: 13 MP + 2MP sensors with LED flash |
3.5 mm headphone jack | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Yes | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Yes | HONOR 9 Lite Yes |
Battery | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 4,000 mAh Non-removable | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro 4,000 mAh Non-removable | HONOR 9 Lite 3,000 mAh Non-removable |
IP rating | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 No | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro No | HONOR 9 Lite No |
Software | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Android Nougat with MIUI 9 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Android Nougat with MIUI 9 | HONOR 9 Lite Android 8.0 Oreo with EMUI 8.0 |
Dimensions and weight | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 158.5 x 75.45 x 8.05 mm 180 g | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro 158.6 x 75.4 x 8.05 mm 181 g | HONOR 9 Lite 151 x 71.9 x 7.6 mm 149 g |
Which one is right for you?
If you’re into photography, the choice will come down to the Redmi Note 5 Pro and HONOR 9 Lite. Both have a dual-camera setup on the back, while the HONOR 9 Lite also has it on the front. It’s the phone for you if you want to get creative with your selfies.
If you watch a lot of videos and play loads of games, the Redmi Note 5 or 5 Pro might be a better fit than HONOR’s device due to their larger displays. Those on a budget should consider the Redmi Note 5 as the first option because it’s the cheapest of the three smartphones.
Of course, specs aren’t the only thing to consider when deciding which handset to get. You also have to take things like the software experience and design into consideration, which you can learn more about in our review of the Redmi Note 5 and HONOR 9 Lite.
Read next: Xiaomi Redmi Note 5/Pro vs Redmi Note 4: Specs showdown