Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro vs Redmi Note 6 Pro: Worth upgrading?

Xiaomi recently made the Redmi Note 6 Pro official in Thaliand. The new Redmi Note series is expected to be launched globally soon including India.

Xiaomi's Redmi Note 6 series will be a cyclical upgrade over the existing Redmi Note 5 smartphones. Xiaomi's Redmi Note smartphones have been the best performers for the company and overall in the budget category. With the new phones coming to India soon, the question of upgrading comes up.

Redmi Note 5 Pro is a tested performer and is still one of the top smartphones for its price, even after a year since its launch. Here's what's different between the Redmi Note 6 Pro and its predecessor.

Design, display

Design is one key change between the Redmi Note 6 Pro and Note 5 Pro. The newer phone has a notch display with thinner bezels and a bigger 19:9 aspect ratio. Redmi Note 6 also has a bigger 6.26-inch display over the Note 5 Pro's 5.99-inch screen. However, you get the same Full HD+ resolution. The major trade off here would be the notch which offers more display. If you're fine with an 18:9 aspect ratio display, then this shouldn't be a problem.

Performance

Under the hood, both phones run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 636 processor. In terms of storage, Redmi Note 6 Pro comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of in-built storage. Redmi Note 5 Pro is available in another model with 6GB RAM and 64GB storage. Both phones also pack the same 4,000mAh battery.

Camera

After design, the camera department is another major upgrade in the Redmi Note 6 Pro. Xiaomi has added four cameras in its new phone with two each on the front and back. The setup comprises a 12-megapixel Dual Pixel sensor and a 5-megapixel depth sensor. Up front, Redmi Note 6 Pro features dual 20-megapixel and 2-megapixel cameras.

The smartphone also comes with AI portrait 2.0 and scene recognition across 27 categories. The front cameras are also AI-powered, and work together for depth of field on photos.

Redmi Note 5 Pro also has a dual-camera setup but only at the back. It has dual 12-megapixel and 5-megapixel cameras, and a 20-megapixel selfie snapper. The smartphone offers bokeh, 'Beautify 4.0', and EIS for video recording. Redmi Note 5 Pro has one of the best cameras in the budget segment, but better performance can be expected from its successor.

Verdict

Redmi Note 6 Pro is yet to launch in India. It is priced at 6,900 THB which translates to roughly ₹15,500. On paper, these two phones don't differ much except for upgrades in display and camera. While the Redmi Note 6 Pro is better suited with the trends in smartphone technology, but the Redmi Note 5 Pro is still a good pick.