Recently, I have been paying closer attention to budget smartphones, especially those designed for basic daily use with minimal unnecessary features. With the rising cost of smartphones, finding an affordable device that can still handle everyday tasks has become important. This led me to take a closer look at the Redmi A5 smartphone.
Redmi, a sub-brand of Xiaomi, is well known for producing budget-friendly smartphones that focus more on value than flashy specifications. Unlike some brands that try to overpromise at the entry-level, Redmi typically sticks to practical hardware designed to deliver steady performance for regular users.
In this post, we will be talking about the Redmi A5 smartphone, its key features, performance, and what it offers in real-life usage. By the end of this article, you should be able to decide whether the Redmi A5 is a good choice for you or if you should consider other options in the same price range.
Table of Contents
Redmi A5 key features
- 5200mah inbuilt battery
- 64GB ROM and 3GB RAM
- Fingerprint side mounted
- Unisoc T2750, 12nm process, octa-coreCPU: Up to 1.8GHz
- 32MP back camera and 8MP selfie camera
- Android 15 operating system (Go edition)
- 6.88″ large screen display
Redmi A5 review
Design and display
The Redmi A5 comes with a simple and modern design that fits well into the budget smartphone category. The phone has a large body with a plastic build, which helps keep the weight manageable despite its size. It measures 171.7mm in height, 77.8mm in width, and 8.26mm in thickness, while weighing 193 grams, making it comfortable to hold for long periods.
On the back the Redmi A5 features a neatly arranged camera setup positioned at the top left corner, along with an LED flash. The overall design is clean and minimal, making the phone look decent without trying too hard to stand out.
The display is one of the noticeable features of the Redmi A5. It comes with a 6.88-inch screen display with a resolution of 1640 x 720 pixels and a pixel density of 260 ppi. The screen offers a 90% screen-to-body ratio, which provides a wide viewing area for watching videos and browsing the internet.
The display supports a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, which can be adjusted automatically on supported apps. It also delivers a typical brightness of 450 nits, making it usable under normal outdoor conditions. In addition, the screen supports DC dimming and comes with TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light, Flicker-Free, and Circadian Friendly certifications, helping to reduce eye strain during extended use.
Camera
The Redmi A5 features a capable rear camera setup built around a 32MP main sensor paired with a 4P lens and an f/2.0 aperture. In well-lit environments, this camera captures surprisingly detailed photos with natural colors and good contrast. The inclusion of HDR mode helps balance exposure in high-contrast scenes, preserving highlights and shadows better than many budget competitors. It also supports Ultra HD shooting, allowing for high-resolution images that retain clarity when cropped or zoomed.
Where the Redmi A5 stands out from others in its segment is with its dedicated Night mode. Unlike some budget phones that struggle in dim lighting, this mode brightens low-light scenes noticeably while keeping noise under control, a welcome addition for evening or indoor photography.
It also supports 1080p video recording at 30fps, which delivers decent sharpness and stable footage in daylight. The 720p option is available for smaller file sizes.
For selfies, the phone offers an 8MP front camera with an f/2.0 aperture and a 4P lens. It supports HDR, Portrait mode, and even Night mode for low-light selfies, along with a fill-light to brighten your face in dark settings. While the fill-light does help visibility, it can sometimes make skin tones appear a bit brighter than natural. Beauty filters and portrait effects are present, though they may occasionally over-smooth textures or struggle with edge detection in complex backgrounds.
Front video recording also goes up to 1080p at 30fps, which is good for clear video calls and casual vlogging.
Hardware and software
The Redmi A5 sports a 6.88-inch IPS LCD with a resolution of 1640 x 720 pixels. While the large screen is great for media and browsing, the 260 ppi pixel density means it’s not the sharpest in its class, though colors are decent with 70% NTSC coverage and a typical brightness of 450 nits. A standout feature is the 120Hz refresh rate (for supported apps), which makes scrolling and animations feel noticeably smoother compared to standard 60Hz budget panels.
Under the hood, it’s powered by a UNISOC T7250 chipset built on a 12nm process, with an octa-core CPU clocked up to 1.8GHz. The phone comes in 3GB+64GB and 4GB+128GB configurations using LPDDR4X RAM and eMMC 5.1 storage. Xiaomi also includes memory extension technology, which can expand RAM by up to 3GB virtually, so the 3GB model can reach up to 6GB, and the 4GB version up to 8GB of effective memory, though this borrows from internal storage.
On the software side, the Redmi A5 runs Android 15 (Go Edition), optimized for smoother performance on entry-level hardware. It’s a clean, lightweight experience with essential Google apps pre-installed and fewer background processes eating into RAM. If you do multitask a lot, this phone is not for you, because it kills background apps most of the time to keep running smoothly. So you might minimise and come back restarting the app over again.
The phone carries a 193g weight with a thickness of 8.26mm, making it relatively comfortable to hold despite its large display. Sensor support includes a virtual proximity sensor, virtual ambient light sensor, accelerometer, and electronic compass helpful for basic auto-brightness and orientation features, though the lack of physical proximity and light sensors may affect responsiveness in some scenarios.
Network
The Redmi A5 supports 4G, 3G, and 2G networks across a wide range of bands, providing reliable connectivity in most regions. Unfortunately, like many entry-level phones, it does not support 5G networks.
It offers dual SIM slots along with a dedicated microSD card slot, so you can expand storage without sacrificing a second SIM. For wireless connectivity, it includes both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi support, which is a nice step up from many budget phones that only offer 2.4GHz. It also comes with Bluetooth 5.2 for faster and more stable connections to accessories, and it still keeps the useful FM radio though you’ll need wired headphones plugged into the 3.5mm jack to use it.
Battery
If you’re in the market for a budget-friendly smartphone with dependable battery life, the Redmi A5 is worth a look. It packs a 5200mAh battery that comfortably delivers a full day and more on a single charge. While it doesn’t reach the extreme two-day claims of some competitors, it handles moderate to heavy use, including calls, social media, streaming, and light gaming, without needing a top-up before bedtime.
The device supports 15W fast charging, better than that of the Infinix smart 7 plus. The 15W fast charging helps refill the battery relatively quickly. The power adapter is sold separately, so you may need to factor that into your purchase. The move to USB Type-C is also a welcome upgrade for easier, reversible charging.
Redmi A5 full specification
Processor
UNISOC T7250 processor12nm, octa-coreCPU: Up to 1.8GHz.
Storage & RAM
- 3GB+64GB
- 4GB+128GB
Dimensions
- Height: 171.7mm
- Width: 77.8mm
- Thickness: 8.26mm
- Weight: 193g
Display
6.88″ large screen Display 1640*720.
Camera
- 32MP main camera1280x720 30fps
- Front Camera 8MP front camera 1280×720 30fps
Battery & Charging
5200mAh battery. Supports 15W fast charging, USB Type-C.
Sensor
- Side fingerprint
- Sensor AI face unlock
- Virtual proximity sensor
- Virtual ambient light sensor
- Accelerometer
- Electronic compass
Network & Connectivity
- Dual SIM + microSD
- Network bands: Supports 4G/3G/2G4G: LTE TDD: B38/40/414G: LTE FDD: B1/3/5/7/8/20/283G: WCDMA: B1/5/82G: GSM:2/3/5/8
- Wireless Networks 2.4GHz/5GHz Wi-Fi Bluetooth 5.2 Supports FM radio (with headphone jack) Supports AAC / SBC
Operating system
Android 15 (Go Edition)
What I like about the Redmi A5 smartphone
Camera: The Xiaomi Redmi A5 comes with a 32mp dual camera. Picture quality is nice and clear. I have always known Redmi for nice cameras.
Design: I love the way they positioned the back camera and a little dot as a flash light, lovely. One will think the phone is on the costly side, but no it is not.
Display: Very clear display, with its 6.88″ large screen and a Display of 1640*720, pictures appears just the way they should look.
What I don’t like about the Redmi A5 smartphone
Multitasking: This 3GB version of this phone doesn’t hold app for too long, I don’t know about the 4GB variant. But I feel my smart 7 plus performs a little better in that aspect. Well, you don’t expect much from a budget friendly phone like this one.
Where to download the Redmi A5 Firmware
You can download here, make sure you confirm firmware version.
Where to buy the Redmi A5 smartphone
You can get the Redmi A5 on Jumia for 98,000 Naira for the 3GB version and 146,000 for the 4GB version
Conclusion
The Redmi A5 positions itself as a compelling all-rounder in the entry-level segment, skillfully balancing essential features where it matters most.
Its standout 6.88-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate is a rare and welcome feature at this price, offering a noticeably smoother experience than most competitors. While the resolution is standard HD+, the large, fluid screen is a major win for media consumption.
Performance is handled by the UNISOC T7250 processor, and memory extension technology (up to 8GB total). Although, for me memory extension is not reliable as main RAM. It does little work, you can’t compare a 4GB ram+ 4GB to an 8GB RAM phone.
In the camera department, the 32MP main sensor surpasses expectations for a budget phone, particularly with the inclusion of a functional Night mode a feature often absent in this category. The 8MP front camera with its own Night mode and fill-light is equally competent for video calls and selfies.
