Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5/Pro vs Redmi Note 4: Specs showdown
The Redmi Note 5 series is here, and it’s time to see how it stacks up against the Redmi Note 4 in the specs department. But first, let’s compare the Redmi Note 5 and 5 Pro to see what the differences between the two are.
The Redmi Note 5 sports a 5.99-inch display with Full HD+ resolution, which means it has an aspect ratio of 18:9. It’s powered by the Snapdragon 625 chipset and packs a large 4,000 mAh battery. Xiaomi claims the battery is good for around 14 hours of video playback and eight hours of continuous gaming.
There are two variants of the handset available: one with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage and the other with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage.
The Redmi Note 5 is equipped with a single 12 MP camera on the back with an f/2.2 aperture. The front-facing camera has a 5 MP sensor and LED flash that will improve your selfies in low-light conditions. The handset runs Android Nougat with the MIUI 9 skin on top, supports expandable storage, and has a headphone jack. There’s also a fingerprint scanner on board that’s located on the back, below the camera.
As its name suggests, the Pro model offers more than the Redmi Note 5. It’s powered by a newer Snapdragon 636 chipset that has a better GPU, an improved LTE modem, and supports Bluetooth 5.
The smartphone also puts more emphasis on the camera experience. You’ll find a dual-camera setup on the back featuring 12 and 5 MP sensors that let you add the popular bokeh effect to images. The front-facing camera offers a higher resolution at 20 MP and also sports LED flash for better low-light performance.
The high-end version of the smartphone comes with 6 GB of RAM, which is 2 or 3 GB of RAM more than the Redmi Note 5 — depending on the model. However, a 4 GB version of the Redmi 5 Pro is also available. Both variants come with 64 GB of expandable storage.
Other specs of the device are the same as those of the Redmi Note 5. That means the Pro model sports a 5.99-inch Full HD+ display and packs a 4,000 mAh battery. The battery life should be similar to that of the Note 5, as the Snapdragon 636 is also a very power efficient chipset. The Redmi Note 5 Pro runs Android Nougat with Xiaomi’s MIUI 9 user interface on top, features a headphone jack, and has a fingerprint scanner on the back.
So, how do these two devices compare to the Redmi Note 4? The Redmi Note 4 sports a smaller 5.5-inch Full HD display with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Nevertheless, it still has roughly the same footprint as the Redmi Note 5 and 5 Pro because of its much larger bezels. It’s powered by the Snapdragon 625, which is surprisingly the same chipset found in the Redmi Note 5. As a reminder, the Redmi Note 4 made its debut a year and a half ago.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 and Redmi Note 5 ProYou can get the Redmi Note 4 with 2, 3, or 4 GB of RAM and 16, 32, or 64 GB of storage. The high-end version offers the same amount of RAM and storage as the Note 5 and 2 GB of RAM less than the beefed-up Pro model. But keep in mind that 4 GB is still more than enough these days, even for demanding users.
The smartphone has a 13 MP primary camera on the back with an f/2.0 aperture and PDAF, while the selfie snapper features a 5 MP sensor — but lacks LED flash that’s present on the Redmi Note 5 series. Out of the box, it runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow with MIUI 8 on top but can be upgraded to Nougat.
The Redmi Note 4 has a larger battery than its successors at 4,100 mAh (+100 mAh). It also supports expandable storage, features a fingerprint scanner on the back, and has a headphone jack on board.
| Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|
Display | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro 5.99-inch 2,160 x 1,080 resolution 403 ppi 18:9 aspect ratio | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 5.99-inch 2,160 x 1,080 resolution 403 ppi 18:9 aspect ratio | Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 5.5-inch 1,920 x 1,080 resolution 401 ppi 16:9 aspect ratio |
Processor | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Snapdragon 636 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Snapdragon 625 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Snapdragon 625 |
GPU | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Adreno 509 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Adreno 506 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Adreno 506 |
RAM | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro 4/6 GB | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 3/4 GB | Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 2/3/4 GB |
Storage | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro 64 GB Expandable up to 256 GB | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 32/64 GB Expandable up to 256 GB | Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 16/32/64 GB Expandable up to 256 GB |
Cameras | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Rear cameras: 12 MP with 1.25μm pixel size and f/2.2 aperture, 5 MP with 1.12μm pixel size and f/2.0 aperture Front camera: 20 MP with LED flash | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Rear camera: 12 MP with 1.25μm pixel size and f/2.2 aperture Front camera: 5 MP with LED flash | Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Rear camera: 13 MP with f/2.0 aperture, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED flash Front camera: 5 MP with f/2.0 aperture |
3.5 mm headphone jack | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Yes | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Yes | Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Yes |
Battery | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro 4,000 mAh Non-removable | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 4,000 mAh Non-removable | Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 4,100 mAh Non-removable |
IP rating | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro No | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 No | Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 No |
Software | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Android Nougat with MIUI 9 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Android Nougat with MIUI 9 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Android 6.0 Marshmallow with MIUI 8 |
Dimensions and weight | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro 158.6 x 75.4 x 8.05 mm 181g | Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 158.5 x 75.45 x 8.05mm 180g | Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 151 x 76 x 8.5 mm 165 g |
Which one is right for you?
If you’re looking for the best Redmi Note smartphone, the 5 Pro is the obvious choice. It has the best chipset of the three smartphones, the most RAM (depending on the model), and a dual-camera setup on the back. However, both the Redmi Note 5 and the Note 4 are still great options if the extra power and camera capabilities don’t mean much to you.
The differences between them aren’t massive, especially if you compare the high-end version of each device. Both offer the Snapdragon 625 chipset, 4 GB of RAM, and 64 GB of storage. The major thing that sets them apart is the display.
Do not miss:
The one on the Note 5 is around 0.5 inches larger, which makes watching videos, playing games, and browsing the web a lot more enjoyable. It also has an 18:9 aspect ratio that became the new standard for flagships in 2017. But the overall size difference between the handsets is minimal, as the Note 5 sports thinner bezels than its predecessors.
Which one to get comes down to the price. If you don’t mind spending more, the Redmi Note 5 is a better option than the Redmi 4. But if you want to save some cash and don’t care much about the extra screen real estate or the more modern design the Redmi 5 offers, the Redmi 4 is the way to go.
Which Redmi Note smartphone would you consider getting? Let us know in the comments!