Xiaomi Redmi 5A

Xiaomi Redmi 5A — India’s Favourite Entry-Level Smartphone

The Xiaomi Redmi 5A is an entry-level Android smartphone developed and manufactured by Xiaomi, first released on October 16, 2017. Dubbed by Xiaomi as “Desh ka Smartphone” — meaning the nation’s smartphone — it was designed specifically to bring reliable, quality features to first-time smartphone buyers and budget-conscious users across India and beyond.

The Redmi 5A features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 SoC with an Adreno 308 GPU, and was sold in 2GB/16GB and 3GB/32GB memory configurations. A dedicated hybrid SIM slot supports two SIM cards or one SIM card and a microSD card for expandable storage up to 128GB, giving users plenty of flexibility for their storage needs.

The phone sports a 5-inch HD IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, along with a useful Reading Mode that reduces blue light for more comfortable extended screen time. The 13-megapixel rear camera comes with PDAF, LED flash, and an f/2.2 aperture with 1080p video recording, while the 5-megapixel front-facing camera features an f/2.0 aperture — solid specs for an entry-level price point.

The Redmi 5A features a non-removable 3000mAh battery that comfortably handles a full day of light to moderate use. Additional connectivity features include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS with GLONASS, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and an infrared blaster for controlling home appliances — a thoughtful addition for an entry-level device.

The Redmi 5A was released with MIUI 9 based on Android 7.1.2 Nougat, and was later updated to MIUI 11 based on Android 8.1 Oreo. It was available in Dark Grey, Gold, and Rose Gold, with the 2GB/16GB model priced at Rs 4,999 and the 3GB/32GB variant at Rs 6,999 — making it one of the most affordable smartphones Xiaomi has ever offered.