tech2 News Staff If there had to be one budget smartphone that has been awaited in Indian markets for the past couple of weeks then it has to be the Xiaomi Mi A2 and the smartphone is finally launching tomorrow. The smartphone was announced globally at an event in Madrid, Spain on 24 July, so we do know what to expect from the device. However, it will eventually boil down to what price Xiaomi decides to launch the smartphone at. This is especially because the company's Redmi Note 5 Pro is positioned at the same price range as last year's Mi A1. Going by the Mi A2's Europe prices, Xiaomi is expected to launch the smartphone at a price range of Rs 18,000 — 25,000, though there could be surprises in store. The Mi A2 will likely be available in two variants, a 4 GB RAM and 32/64 GB internal storage variant and a more expensive 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant. Globally the Mi A2 was announced in three colours — gold, blue and black and Xiaomi is expected to do the same in India as well. From what we've seen of the smartphone in images, design-wise it does look quite similar to last year's Mi A1, while the rear resembles the Redmi Note 5 Pro. Overall, there's isn't much of a design overall per se. Moving on the specifications of the smartphone, the A2 features a 5.99-inch full HD Plus display with an 18:9 aspect ratio, and runs Android One out-of-the-box. It has a fingerprint sensor at the rear and is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC with an AI Engine. As for the camera, the Mi A2 sports a dual-camera setup at the back, which consists of a combination of a 12 MP primary camera unit and a 20 MP secondary camera unit, both with a f/1.75 aperture. It is accompanied by an LED flash. On the front, the phone has a 20 MP sensor with AI-powered features, including an AI Portrait mode. The front-facing sensor also has an HDR and a 4,500 K selfie light. Coming to the connectivity, the Mi A2 comes with 4G with support for VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/ A-GPS, USB Type-C, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Powering the device is a 3,010 mAh battery.<doc-sep>Xiaomi has finally been able to ramp up the production of the Redmi Note 5 Pro, six months after the company launched the phone in India. This means that potential buyers will now be able to get their hands on Xiaomi's Redmi Note 5 Pro anytime they want. Hopefully. Xiaomi's announcement comes just days ahead of the Mi A2 market availability, which is from August 16 on Amazon India and Mi online store. There are differences in the sales of Note 5 Pro and Mi A2 for now. Those looking to buy the Redmi Note 5 Pro will be able to actually buy one. But if they want the Mi A2, they may have to wait a while. The Mi A2, as opposed to the Redmi Note 5 Pro, won't be as readily available for now which means that getting your hands on it would be as frustrating as it was with the Redmi Note 5 Pro back in the day. Assuming you have an option of readily buying any of these two phones, the more important question then is whether you should pick the Note 5 Pro or the Mi A2. Is the Mi A2 worth it? Or more precisely, is the Mi A2 better than the Redmi Note 5 Pro? Yes and no. Design and build quality: Tie but the Mi A2 looks better The Mi A2 looks like the Redmi Note 5 Pro and the Mi A1 had a baby. The front is big and bezel-less and there's a vertically aligned dual-camera module on the back, reminiscent to how things are on-board the Redmi Note 5 Pro. The antenna placement is meanwhile more in line with how things were on the Mi A1 which means that the Mi A2 is also a metal unibody phone with its antennas located at the extreme ends of the device so you're more likely to not notice them. In the case of the Redmi Note 5 Pro, these are placed right where you can see them, and also these result in the top and bottom ends being plastic. The Mi A2 essentially combines all the things I liked about the Redmi Note 5 Pro and the Mi A1, and presents it in a package that's prettier to look and more premium to hold. If you're someone who nitpicks about build materials, the Mi A2 is the most affordable phone to ship with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the front, which means technically it should survive a fall or two if you accidentally happen to drop it screen facing down. But, there are a couple of downsides. The back of the Mi A2, although it neatly wraps around the front, is as slippery as a fish. Also, the dual camera module on the back sticks out like a sore thumb, which means the Mi A2 has a tendency to wobble when placed on a flat surface. The Redmi Note 5 Pro may not look as good -- it looks a little dated -- but it has none of these niggles. Also, it's build quality is rock-solid. Display: Redmi Note 5 Pro The Mi A2 comes with a 5.99-inch FHD+ IPS LCD display with a 2160x1080p resolution, 403ppi pixel density and 18:9 aspect ratio, which is the same deal as what you get with the Redmi Note 5 Pro. But sadly, the quality of the panel isn't as good. Colours on-board appear muted or lacking in contrast and brightness levels are just about average. Xiaomi's aggressive power saving software algorithms tend to further tone down the brightness levels -- when set in auto -- way below permissible limits at times. This means hampering screen legibility, even more so when you're out in direct sunlight. Hardware: Mi A2 but conditions apply The Mi A2 is a big step-up from the Redmi Note 5 Pro when it comes to core hardware. It is powered by a 2.2Ghz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor. The Snapdragon 660 is notably Qualcomm's most powerful mid-range processor in India right now since phones like the Mi 8 SE with the newly announced Snapdragon 710 are yet to make their way to the country. That doesn't take away the fact that the Mi A2 with a Snapdragon 660 is still a very powerful mid-range device. But there's also a catch. Xiaomi is not bringing all the memory configurations of the Mi A2 to India. It is only bringing the 4GB RAM and 64GB storage version of the Mi A2 to India at this point of time. And the Mi A2 does not support expandable storage. You can say that the Mi A2 will give you unlimited high-quality storage through Google Photos. There's also Google Drive and Google Docs. All these features will come bundled with the Mi A2 because it's an Android One phone. But all of this comes at the expense of expandable storage. The Redmi Note 5 Pro isn't as powerful since it's rocking a less powerful Snapdragon 636 but it is available with up to 6GB of RAM and up to 64GB of storage which is expandable by up to 128GB microSD via a hybrid micro-SD card slot. And the Redmi Note 5 Pro, just so you know, is no slouch. Software: Mi A2 I know even software is subjective and Xiaomi has been quite vocal about the fact that its Mi fans prefer MIUI over stock Android. What I really like about the Mi A2 is that even though it runs Android One, it tries to play a balancing act. Although the Xiaomi Mi A2 runs a near 100 per cent version of stock Android like a Pixel phone, the phone also ships with the company's Mi Feedback and Mi Remote apps. While the purpose of the Mi Feedback app is to let users report issues with the phone, the Mi Remote app allows users to use the Mi A2's IR-blaster. The Mi Remote app can be uninstalled but the Mi Feedback app can't. There are three more apps: the Mi Drop, the File Manager and the Mi Store pre-installed on the Mi A2. Also, the camera app in the case of the Mi A2 is again hallmark Xiaomi. Xiaomi wanted to add extra functionality considering that the Mi A2 is also a camera-focused device. The stock camera app from Google won't be able to perform many of the things that Xiaomi would want the Mi A2 cameras to perform, and that's alright. The Redmi Note 5 Pro meanwhile runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat (based MIUI 9) out-of-the-box. Cameras: Mi A2 is better than Note 5 Pro The star attraction, in the case of the Mi A2, is how its two cameras can sense the ambient surroundings and intelligently switch between the 12-megapixel sensor better suited for ideal lighting and the 20-megapixel sensor better suited for low light scenarios. Although the two can switch alternatively depending on the available light, it is also possible to manually pick and choose the sensor you deem fit for an occasion. The option is available in manual mode, and it's quite a convenient option to have. But the Mi A2 is in itself quite an outstanding camera phone when used in auto mode. It does point-and-shoot just right. Better than the Redmi Note 5 Pro. Better than any other phone in and around its price point. The Mi A2 also excels at portrait shots when the lighting is ideal, offering crisp and detailed shots and a creamy background, with little or no blurry edges. The same is true about indoor shots under good artificial lighting as well. The Mi A2's dual cameras will, in fact, surprise you at how good they can be at their low price. On the front, both the Mi A2 and the Redmi Note 5 Pro, sport the same 20-megapixel camera with LED flash. Battery: Redmi Note 5 Pro The 4,000mAh battery inside the Redmi Note 5 Pro offers outstanding battery life. While users with a more generalized usage pattern will get at least two days out of the Redmi Note 5 Pro, even hardcore users should get close to one and a half days with ease. Just like any other Xiaomi phone, the Redmi Note 5, also boasts of impressive standby time. Sadly, it comes with a micro-USB 2.0 port and no fast charging. The 3,000mAh battery inside the Mi A2 is not in the same league as other Xiaomi phones like the Redmi Note 5 Pro or even the Mi A1. The Mi A2 is a step-down in this regard which is a little disappointing considering how Xiaomi phones are known for outstanding battery life. The Mi A2 does support Qualcomm's Quick Charge 4.0 and charges over USB Type-C which are handy additions. If only, the Mi A2 had better battery life. Xiaomi Mi A2 Vs Redmi Note 5 Pro: Which one should you buy? Both the Mi A2 and the Redmi Note 5 Pro are fantastic phones. Much like any other Xiaomi phone. But the Mi A2 is definitely not as exciting as the Mi A1 from last year even though it ticks most of the right boxes. The Mi A2 takes two steps forward in cameras and all-round performance in comparison to the Mi A1. But it takes two steps back in the display and battery departments. What makes matter difficult for it is that there is already a Redmi Note 5 Pro available in the market -- through open sale now -- that does all the things right, including screen legibility and longevity. Not to mention, the Redmi Note 5 Pro, also supports micro-SD expansion and ships with a headphone jack, something that the Mi A2 is missing. Then there's the price. While the 4GB RAM and 64GB storage version of the Redmi Note 5 Pro sells for Rs 14,999, the 6GB RAM and 64GB storage version of phone sells for Rs 16,999. The Mi A2 meanwhile has been launched in India for Rs 16,999. This is for the 4GBR RAM and 64GB storage variant. At the end of the day, it really comes down to two things: camera and software. If you want a better camera, go for the Mi A2. If you want better better battery life, choose the Redmi Note 5 Pro. If you don't mind MIUI, then go for the Redmi Note 5 Pro, but if you want the latest (or near latest now that Android 9 Pie is out), get the Mi A2.<doc-sep>
Xiaomi’s highly awaited sequel to its highest selling Android One smartphone is here. The Mi A2 brings over some much-needed upgrades compared to the original Mi A1 and is poised to be a major success in its segment of the market. But it begs the question, can this new contender dethrone Xiaomi’s reigning champion, the Redmi Note 5 Pro? Let’s pit these two devices against each other to see which emerges victorious. Mi A2 vs Redmi Note 5 Pro: Price in India As of now, Xiaomi has only launched one storage variant of the Mi A2 in India. This model offers 4GB of RAM along with 64GB of internal memory and costs Rs 16,999. A 6GB RAM + 128GB storage variant has been promised for Indian consumers, but its price and exact release date has not yet been confirmed. As for the Redmi Note 5 Pro, the same Rs 16,999 will get you 6GB of RAM with 64GB of storage. However, you can save your money and go with the 4GB RAM + 64GB storage variant which costs Rs. 14,999. Mi A2 vs Redmi Note 5 Pro: Design, Display Other than a minor change in the antenna band placement, there isn’t really anything to differentiate the Mi A2 from the Redmi Note 5 Pro. Both sport LCD screens which measure 5.99-inch diagonally and cover 77.4 percent screen-to-body ratios. They also feature a similar aluminium unibody design with rear mounted fingerprint scanners and vertically mounted rear dual-camera setups. Even the colour variant available in India are pretty much the same with Black Blue and Gold to choose from. However, the Mi A2 can be found in one additional offering – Rose Gold. Mi A2 vs Redmi Note 5 Pro: Software The software is perhaps the most defining characteristic separating the Mi A2 from the Redmi Note 5 Pro. On the Note 5 Pro, you get Android 7.1.2 Nougat out-of-the-box. Thanks to Xiaomi’s custom MIUI 9.5 skin which comes baked on top of this OS, this device only recently began receiving the update for Android 8.0 Oreo. This rollout came just a couple of months before Google announced Android Pie, and we can’t even imagine how long it will take Xiaomi to get this version of Android to the Redmi Note 5 Pro, if ever. On the other hand, the Mi A2 is part of the Android One program, meaning it comes with stock Android 8.1 Oreo by default. This ensures the device will receive updated directly from Google significantly faster than most other smartphones. Mi A2 vs Redmi Note 5 Pro: Hardware, Performance The MI A2 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset which boasts eight cores. Four of these are performance cores clocked at 2.2GHz while the other four are clocked at 1.8GHz to conserve battery. There is no doubt that this chipset will perform noticeably better than the Snapdragon 636 found on the Redmi Note 5 Pro which has all of its eight cores clocked at 1.8GHz. Mi A2 vs Redmi Note 5 Pro: Camera Starting with the rear cameras, the Mi A2’s 12MP+20MP setup is easily a better deal compared to the Redmi Note 5 Pro’s 12MP+5MP configuration. The former can even record 4K videos at 30fps while the latter can only record up to 1080p. As for the selfie shooters, both phones offer the exact same 20MP shooter. However, the Mi A2 offers an auto-HDR mode which gives it a slight edge over its competition. Mi A2 vs Redmi Note 5 Pro: Battery In terms of capacity, the Redmi Note 5 Pro still reigns supreme with its 4000mAh cell while the Mi A2 sports an embarrassingly small 3010mAh battery. However, the Indian version of the Mi A2 comes with QuickCharge 4.0 which is claimed to provide five hours of battery life in just five minutes of charging. Mi A2 vs Redmi Note 5 Pro: Verdict With everything considered, the Mi A2 definitely looks like it has what it takes to beat the Redmi Note 5 Pro. While it may not be entirely apparent from its aesthetics, there are enough upgrades under the hood to justify the slight premium the Mi A2 demands over its competitor.