Thanks to the super fast folks at shop.gizchina.com I have already received my Xiaomi Mi5, so here is our Xiaomi Mi5 unboxing video.
At this moment in time only the standard version of the Xiaomi Mi5 is available. That means this version of the phone has 3GB RAM, 32GB memory, a curved glass rear and an underclocked 1.8Ghz Snapdragon 820. All that’s fine for me as the phone still as the new display with added LED’s, it also has the 4 axis OIS 16 megapixel rear camera, dual led flash, all new body and new front fingerprint scanner.
It would have been nice if I could have gotten the black version, but again only the white model of the Xiaomi Mi5 is on sale at this time.
In the unboxing video I mention that installing Google Services on the Xiaomi Mi5 should be easy and it is. I just used the usual Xiaomi Google installer and I now have Google Play running, plus all my Google apps with the exception of Gmail which does not want to sync.
Gizchina News of the week
I’ve also found that you do need to physically press the physical home button to first wake the phone before the fingerprint scanner can read your print. As for the physical button itself it is rather ugly.
Xiaomi Mi5 hands on photos
Plenty of people have already asked me to run a few benchmarks on this version of the Xiaomi Mi5 which is what I plan to do next and publish tomorrow so watch this space.
waiting for battery test
That black border just ruins it for me, would much rather have a larger bezel than that.
The two at bottom and top are what bothers me more, I could live with the side ones though.
The side ones are what bothers me most lol
They bother me all around but at least they are the same width on the sides as on top/bottom. If the width was different it would make it look much cheaper, like they weren’t even able to “trim” that thing right.
That’s why I hated my old white phone.
In the black version is less noticeable
Yea the black should be better but I don’t know this phone just doesn’t excite me the way the Mi3 and Mi4 did.
It’s not bad, I just can’t think going below 5.5″ or below 3600 mha battery anymore.
A 5.7″ MI Note with a bigger battery would catch my attention
thats why I decided to wait for Mi note 2. Just cant live without my 5.7″
I am not a fan of the overall design which is from the original Mi Note. Looks like another Meizu or Gionee for me unless the Huawei P9 or OnePlus 3 impresses me.
Just waiting for coupons for Redmi Note 3 Pro to get it. Best phone of the year IMO.
We are still in March :-p
Lot of good stuff will come out.
Note sure if things will come out at the price of the Note 3 Pro.
Look budget phones, I think Redmi 3 is still the best phone for the budget phone category. No one has been able to beat it.
buy an elephone s3 😛
But Elephone is crap
true hence why the “:P” face, but between you and me balco secretly has a love/fetish for elephone products he said and i quote “elephone is #1 and the faulty reviews by people are just a sham”
I agree with you, that black border just ruins it a lot. What a really bad design. Only black color is interesting. Everyone is excited by MI5 but I think MI4S has a much better design.
no 60FPS . consider expensive….
Lol
What about the ROM is it a international one or the Chinese one which probably has qwite a few Chinese apps
There isn’t an international rom at this time, only the Chinese one. Most of those Chinese apps can be removed as you saw in the video.
Thanks andi
Hey Andi, can you check the following solution if you can get Gmail sync to work?http://en.miui.com/thread-86460-1-1.html
thanks I will
So.. When will be available the black version? 2017?
Based on Xiaomi’s history about 6 months from now.
6 Months, you are optimistic! I think it will be available in 1 year. The white color is so ugly, with the black border around the screen. Only black looks much much better.
Damn, just like mi4, don’t understand why they choose white models to sell first. 🙁
except the mi4 doesn’t have those ugly thick black border around the screen.
It’s on sale now at mi.com but for 64GB only
i want some of andi’s money 🙂 so i can review it
Andi, question would you say the cubot note s is brighter than this? it looked that way to me from the hands on video, i know it shouldnt though but it just seems so
waiting for battery test
Just received my review unit as well. So far I’ve been impressed by the design and build!
I’d be interested to compare your and Andi’s reviews. That’ll give me pretty much the image of the phone I want. I assume you got the standard one too.
That black border just ruins it for me, would much rather have a larger bezel than that.
The two at bottom and top are what bothers me more, I could live with the side ones though.
That’s why I hated my old white phone.
In the black version is less noticeable
Yea the black should be better but I don’t know this phone just doesn’t excite me the way the Mi3 and Mi4 did.
It’s not bad, I just can’t think going below 5.5″ or below 3600 mha battery anymore.
A 5.7″ MI Note with a bigger battery would catch my attention
The side ones are what bothers me most lol
thats why I decided to wait for Mi note 2. Just cant live without my 5.7″
I am not a fan of the overall design which is from the original Mi Note. Looks like another Meizu or Gionee for me unless the Huawei P9 or OnePlus 3 impresses me.
They bother me all around but at least they are the same width on the sides as on top/bottom. If the width was different it would make it look much cheaper, like they weren’t even able to “trim” that thing right.
buy an elephone s3 😛
I agree with you, that black border just ruins it a lot. What a really bad design. Only black color is interesting. Everyone is excited by MI5 but I think MI4S has a much better design.
Just waiting for coupons for Redmi Note 3 Pro to get it. Best phone of the year IMO.
We are still in March :-p
Lot of good stuff will come out.
Note sure if things will come out at the price of the Note 3 Pro.
Look budget phones, I think Redmi 3 is still the best phone for the budget phone category. No one has been able to beat it.
But Elephone is crap
true hence why the “:P” face, but between you and me balco secretly has a love/fetish for elephone products he said and i quote “elephone is #1 and the faulty reviews by people are just a sham”
no 60FPS . consider expensive….
Lol
What about the ROM is it a international one or the Chinese one which probably has qwite a few Chinese apps
There isn’t an international rom at this time, only the Chinese one. Most of those Chinese apps can be removed as you saw in the video.
Thanks andi
Hey Andi, can you check the following solution if you can get Gmail sync to work?http://en.miui.com/thread-86460-1-1.html
thanks I will
So.. When will be available the black version? 2017?
Based on Xiaomi’s history about 6 months from now.
6 Months, you are optimistic! I think it will be available in 1 year. The white color is so ugly, with the black border around the screen. Only black looks much much better.
It’s on sale now at mi.com but for 64GB only
Damn, just like mi4, don’t understand why they choose white models to sell first. 🙁
except the mi4 doesn’t have those ugly thick black border around the screen.
i want some of andi’s money 🙂 so i can review it, the oukitel 4000pro’s glass is harder then ceramic(8h) oukitel’s is 9h about as hard as saphire, why cant more manufacturers use potassium slat treated glass like them for their glass sandwich phones? i doubt its too expensive
Andi, question would you say the cubot note s is brighter than this? it looked that way to me from the hands on video, i know it shouldnt though but it just seems so
Just received my review unit as well. So far I’ve been impressed by the design and build!
I’d be interested to compare your and Andi’s reviews. That’ll give me pretty much the image of the phone I want. I assume you got the standard one too.
Hi Andy, I have 4 requests…
1: In the next review a link for a MIUI begginers tutorial that you find usefull… I’ve ordered the phone, it will be my first time with XIAOMI and maybe big part of XIAOMI MI5 buyers as well, so we would thank a lot.
2. How to install Google Play Services. I know that is a lot of information on the internet, but the majority could be garbage…
3. A video / image of a Panorama. I’m curious to find out if the camer’s software has a panorama Samsung/Apple type or a panorama like Google Camera that sticks the photos -_-‘. (the S/A type is essential in my opinion)
4. A photo and a selfie in a low light environment. Example: in “romantic” light environment, which I take a lot of selfies.
That’s all… I hope you consider these desires… and have fun!
You should go to MIUI forums, there’s a lot of tutorials to read there, using MIUI is easy as any Android phone.
If you use a Xiaomi phone you have to be registered there, you will find a lot of things about themes, icons, tweaks, giveaways, etc.
Hi Andy, I have 4 requests…
1: In the next review a link for a MIUI begginers tutorial that you find usefull… I’ve ordered the phone, it will be my first time with XIAOMI and maybe big part of XIAOMI MI5 buyers as well, so we would thank a lot.
2. How to install Google Play Services. I know that is a lot of information on the internet, but the majority could be garbage…
3. A video / image of a Panorama. I’m curious to find out if the camer’s software has a panorama Samsung/Apple type or a panorama like Google Camera that sticks the photos -_-‘. (the S/A type is essential in my opinion)
4. A photo and a selfie in a low light environment. Example: in “romantic” light environment, which I take a lot of selfies.
That’s all… I hope you consider these desires… and have fun!
You should go to MIUI forums, there’s a lot of tutorials to read there, using MIUI is easy as any Android phone.
If you use a Xiaomi phone you have to be registered there, you will find a lot of things about themes, icons, tweaks, giveaways, etc.