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Xiaomi
Lifestyle

Review: Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus may be cheaper than a big-brand handset but you get what you pay for

Some features it does very well but other aspects of the phone – especially the slow camera – are frustrating. Is it enough to help Chinese brand regain ground lost to competing smartphone makers?

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Why you can trust SCMP
The Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus has as many minuses as pluses.
Eric Wong

The Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus has the faster Snapdragon 821 processor, 6GB of RAM and a huge 3,800 mAh battery – all for just HK$2,999. Will this flagship model help the Chinese brand regain ground lost to other, equally competitive mainland smartphone makers?

The Mi 5s Plus has an aluminium body.
The Mi 5s Plus has an aluminium body.

Design and hardware

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The Mi 5s Plus has a body made of aluminium. There are plastic strips on the top and bottom of the back of the phone that break up the metallic slab. The most noticeable issue is that the metallic edges along the front of the phone are quite sharp rather than being filed down. It’s not something that will interfere with usage but it’s something that feels annoying over time.

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The glass on the front does scratch quite easily, and thus needs a screen protector. Other than that I’ve no complaints when it comes to durability. I’ve dropped the phone a few times but it’s holding up very well without a dent.

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