Battle of the Xiaomis: Redmi Y2 vs Redmi Note 5
At a launch event on Thursday, Xiaomi launched the Redmi Y2. The successor to the not so popular Redmi Y1, the device comes with upgraded internals, a better camera and a new design that draws inspiration not only from the Redmi Note 5 Pro but also last year's Mi A1.
It is a device that tries to strike a fine balance between different features - and as such makes certain compromises that may not go down well with most users.
However, starting at Rs 9,999 with the top-end variant retailing for Rs 12,999, Xiaomi's new offering comes in at a very attractive price. But in doing so, it also sees itself trapped in a heavily congested price segment that is already dominated by another device from Xiaomi. In the Redmi Note 5, the company already has a budget offering at a similar price point – RS 9,999 and Rs 11,999 – that not only has the trust of the market but is also worth every rupee that the company is asking for it.
Pitted against the Note 5, the Y2 is in for an interesting fight ahead. Despite being an upgrade on the Note 5 in certain aspects, it also loses out to it in other crucial ones. Making this a fight unlike any other.
Let's try and figure out which of the two is the better buy.
Design and display
Like we mentioned, in terms of design, the Redmi Y2 is a departure from last year's Y1. It takes design cues from the Note 5 Pro and the Mi A1. On the front, there is a 5.99" HD+ display with slight bezels, while at the back, there is Redmi Note 5 Pro-style vertically mounted camera setup and antenna bands running around the top and bottom of the phone as was seen on the Mi A1.
However, unlike these two phones, the Y2 does not come with a metal unibody design that the other two bring with it.
The Redmi Note 5, on the other hand, is a device that follows a tried and tested design philosophy by Xiaomi. The phone has a metal unibody that is slightly smaller in size than the Y2 but brings with it the same 5.99" Full HD+ display that's becoming a norm for Xiaomi devices in 2018. At the back, there are slight differences. The single-camera module obviously stands out, and so does the metal back which shows itself through and gives the phone a solid feel.
Specifications and battery life
The Redmi Note 5 is powered by a generation old Snapdragon 625 SoC – with octa-core Cortex-A53 2.0GHz clocked CPU core and Adreno 506 GPU – and is available in 3GB/32GB and 4GB/64GB RAM and storage variants which promise similar performance to its predecessor from 2017.
The phone features 12-megapixel rear camera – down from 13-megapixel in the Note 4 – a 5-megapixel front camera along with a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. The phone's battery pack goes down a 100mAh from the Note 4's 4100mAh battery pack.
The Y2 also comes equipped with the same core hardware, with the 625 SoC running the show. RAM and storage variants too are the same as available on the Note 5.
However, the cameras that it packs is definitely better than the one found on the Redmi Note 5.
There is a 16-Megapixel front camera with f2.0 aperture and HDR support while at the back there is a dual camera setup – 12-Megapixel + 5-Megapixel with f2.2 aperture, phase detect autofocus. The setup also provides for HDR and allows for portrait shots.
Battery and performance
In terms of battery life, the Y2 loses out. The phone comes with a 3080mAh battery pack that supports fast charging and should be good enough for most daily usage. The Note 5, on the other hand, comes with a 4000mAh pack which should perform better.
Coming to the performance, the two phones coming with identical hardware should ideally perform the same. But that's not the case. The Y2 comes with MIUI 9.5 which is based on Android Oreo. The Note 5 only comes with Android 7.1.2 Nougat with MIUI 9.1 on top.
Which one should you buy?
Well, the answer to this question is not that simple. Make no mistake, both the devices are very good offerings at the price point they are being sold at. However, when put in a direct fight against each other, the choice depends on what the user is looking for from their next phone.
If above-par cameras are what you are looking for, then the Y2 is the phone for you. It's definitely the more capable shooter here. But be prepared to be okay with an HD+ display if you go for the Y2. The Redmi Note 5 is an overall more rounded choice, but with its single-camera setup, it may not be the phone for everyone.
And that's where the Y2 comes in. It's a good attempt, which only on the balance of features and design, just loses out to the Redmi Note device. But unlike the last year, the difference between it and the competing Note device isn't as much. It's finally a good alternative to the Note lineup in the budget segment. And an ever-better offering for users looking for above average camera performance below the Rs 10k mark.