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Xiaomi Redmi Note 5/5 Pro vs HONOR 9 Lite: specs showdown

Here's how the new Redmi Note 5 series stacks up against the HONOR 9 Lite.
By

Published onFebruary 15, 2018

Xiaomi took the wraps off the Redmi Note 5 and Note 5 Pro smartphones earlier today. Both phones offer large 18:9 displays, mid-range specs, and affordable price tags.

There’s even more competition in the mid-range sector this year than there was in 2017, so it will be interesting to see if the Redmi 5 smartphones will repeat the success of their predecessor. They will go head to head with the likes of the HONOR 9 Lite, which has recently launched in Europe and India. Here’s how the Redmi Note 5 and 5 Pro compare with the HONOR 9 Lite.

Spec comparison

HONOR 9 Lite and Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

There are three main differences between the Redmi Note 5 and 5 Pro: the processor, cameras, and memory variants. The Pro model is the better of the two, featuring the Snapdragon 636 chipset and a dual-camera setup on the back with 15 and 5 MP sensors for those fancy bokeh shots.

The front-facing camera has a 20 MP sensor and sports an LED flash, allowing you to capture great-looking selfies in low-light conditions. The smartphone comes with either 4 or 6 GB of RAM, both paired with 64 GB of storage.

xiaomi
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro and Redmi Note 5

The Redmi Note 5 comes with the slightly older Snapdragon 625 chipset that’s still more than powerful enough for everyday tasks. However, the 636 does have the upper hand thanks to a better GPU, an improved LTE modem, and Bluetooth 5 support.

The handset has a single 12 MP camera on the back with an f/2.2 aperture, and a 5 MP selfie snapper up front that also features LED flash. It comes in two storage variants: 3 GB/32 GB and 4 GB/64 GB.

The rest of the specs and features you’ll find on the two smartphones are the same. Both sport a 5.99-inch display with Full HD+ resolution and an 18:9 aspect ratio. They also support expandable storage, have a headphone jack, and run Android Nougat with Xiaomi’s MIUI 9 skin on top. Then there’s the rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and a 4,000 mAh battery that gets you around 14 hours of video playback and eight hours of continuous gaming.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 and HONOR 9 Lite

Moving on to the HONOR 9 Lite, the smartphone also has an 18:9 Full HD+ display, but it’s smaller when compared to the Redmi Note 5 smartphones at 5.65 inches.

The handset features the Kirin 659 chipset that also powers devices like the HUAWEI Nova 2 Plus and HONOR 7X. It comes with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage or 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. That means it’s on par with the Redmi Note 5 but offers 2 GB of RAM less than the high-end version of the Pro model.

HONOR 9 Lite

Honor’s mid-range smartphone stands out from the crowd in the photography department, as it’s equipped with four cameras. You’ll find 13 and 2 MP sensors on the front as well as the back, allowing you to add the bokeh effect to images and selfies.

The HONOR 9 Lite packs a much smaller 3,000 mAh battery, but keep in mind it also has a smaller display. It supports expandable storage and has a headphone jack as well as a fingerprint scanner on board. In terms of software, you’re looking at Android 8.0 Oreo with HUAWEI’s EMUI skin on top.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
HONOR 9 Lite
Display
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5
5.99-inch IPS LCD
2,160 x 1,080 resolution
403 ppi
18:9 aspect ratio
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
5.99-inch IPS LCD
2,160 x 1,080 resolution
403 ppi
18:9 aspect ratio
HONOR 9 Lite
5.65-inch IPS LCD
2,160 x 1,080 resolution
428 ppi
18:9 aspect ratio
Processor
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5
Snapdragon 625
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
Snapdragon 636
HONOR 9 Lite
Kirin 659
GPU
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5
Adreno 506
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
Adreno 509
HONOR 9 Lite
Mali-T830 MP2
RAM
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5
3/4 GB
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
4/6 GB
HONOR 9 Lite
3/4 GB
Storage
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5
32/64 GB
Expandable up to 256 GB
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
64 GB
Expandable up to 256 GB
HONOR 9 Lite
32/64 GB
Expandable up to 256 GB
Cameras
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5
Rear camera:
12 MP sensor with 1.25 μm pixel size and an f/2.2 aperture

Front camera: 5 MP sensor with LED flash
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
Rear cameras:
12 MP sensor with 1.25 μm pixel size and an f/2.2 aperture
5 MP sensor with 1.12 μm pixel size and an f/2.0 aperture

Front camera: 20 MP sensor with LED flash
HONOR 9 Lite
Rear cameras:
13 MP + 2 MP sensors with PDAF and LED flash

Front camera: 13 MP + 2MP sensors with LED flash
3.5 mm headphone jack
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5
Yes
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
Yes
HONOR 9 Lite
Yes
Battery
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5
4,000 mAh
Non-removable
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
4,000 mAh
Non-removable
HONOR 9 Lite
3,000 mAh
Non-removable
IP rating
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5
No
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
No
HONOR 9 Lite
No
Software
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5
Android Nougat with MIUI 9
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
Android Nougat with MIUI 9
HONOR 9 Lite
Android 8.0 Oreo with EMUI 8.0
Dimensions and weight
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5
158.5 x 75.45 x 8.05 mm
180 g
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro
158.6 x 75.4 x 8.05 mm
181 g
HONOR 9 Lite
151 x 71.9 x 7.6 mm
149 g

Which one is right for you?

HONOR 9 Lite and Xiaomi Redmi Note 5

If you’re into photography, the choice will come down to the Redmi Note 5 Pro and HONOR 9 Lite. Both have a dual-camera setup on the back, while the HONOR 9 Lite also has it on the front. It’s the phone for you if you want to get creative with your selfies.

If you watch a lot of videos and play loads of games, the Redmi Note 5 or 5 Pro might be a better fit than HONOR’s device due to their larger displays. Those on a budget should consider the Redmi Note 5 as the first option because it’s the cheapest of the three smartphones.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro

Of course, specs aren’t the only thing to consider when deciding which handset to get. You also have to take things like the software experience and design into consideration, which you can learn more about in our review of the Redmi Note 5 and HONOR 9 Lite.

Read next: Xiaomi Redmi Note 5/Pro vs Redmi Note 4: Specs showdown

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