Xiaomi met with huge success with the Redmi Note 4 last year and expectations are high for its successor this year: the Redmi Note 5. While there were rumors of Xiaomi rebranding the Redmi 5 Plus as Redmi Note 5 in Asian markets, today’s leak from China puts those rumors to an end. A 3C listing from China points to Xiaomi working on two different Redmi Note 5 models.

The first and more powerful model will feature a Snapdragon 636 chipset, 4GB RAM, and 64GB storage space. The Snapdragon 636 offers up to 40 percent performance improvement over the Snapdragon 630, while its Adreno 509 GPU offers a 10 percent performance improvement. The octa-core chip is based on the 10nm FinFET process which makes it extremely power efficient. This chip should offer a major performance boost over the excellent Snapdragon 625 found inside the Redmi Note 4.

The 3C leak also points to the Redmi Note 5 coming with a 5.99-inch 18:9 aspect ratio display which has now become commonplace in mid-range Android devices. The handset will also feature a dual-camera set up at the rear which would include a 16MP primary shooter and a 5MP secondary sensor. An 8MP selfie shooter will be located at the front.

Interestingly, Xiaomi is also preparing a lower spec’d variant of the Redmi Note 5 that will retail with a slightly lower price. This model will feature a Snapdragon 630 chipset and pack 3GB RAM along with 32GB of storage. Other specs of the device will remain the same as the Snapdragon 636 variant.

Interestingly, while both phones will come with a fingerprint scanner at the rear, Xiaomi will also include face unlock on them. They will also come with a 4100mAh battery with 18W fast charging support. The Redmi Note 5 will be running on MIUI 9 out of the box whenever it is released to the public. The handset is expected to make its debut next month presumably at the Mobile World Congress 2018 in Barcelona. Prices for the handset is expected to start from RMB 1499, with the 4GB RAM + 64GB storage variant coming in at 1799 RMB ($280).

Our Take

Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 3 did exceedingly well in 2016 and in 2017, the Redmi Note 4 helped it to further consolidate its position in the Chinese and Indian smartphone market. The Redmi Note series has played a key role in Xiaomi’s strong comeback and regain the momentum that it had lost to Oppo and Vivo in China and India. Looking at the rumored specs and price of the Redmi Note 5, the company seems to have another winner on its hands this year.