Lately, we have been covering a lot of the premium flagship smartphones which are insanely priced with the top of the line specifications. Not everyone can afford those devices that’s why we have here to discuss the most smartphones that offer bang for a buck. Yes, we are talking about the 10.or D and the Xiaomi Redmi 5A. These smartphones are priced at ₹4,999 and the price is their USP (unique selling point). The Xiaomi Redmi 5A is available via Flipkart and Mi.com, whereas the 10.or D exclusively available on Amazon from 5th January. These are the best entry-level smartphones that we have seen in recent time.
These smartphones will not make you mad with vicious specifications like the QHD screen, 8 GB RAM or 256 GB storage, however, thought these phones have limited specifications, but these are able to drive off daily tasks without any hassle what so ever. So, Which one should you opt for Xiaomi Redmi 5A or the 10.or D? Let’s find out.
These smartphones are not only similarly priced but, they do have a similar set of specifications as well. They do have a bit of differentiating factors to make them unique to their own standard. We do feel petty about the Nokia 2, as the phone costs additional rupees with unprecedented specifications.
Let’s begin with the elephant in the room, Display on the Xiaomi Redmi 5A and the 10.or D has a lot of common factors. The 10.or D features a 5.2-inch 720p IPS LCD screen with a flat tempered glass on the top. On the other hand, the Xiaomi Redmi 5A 5.0-inch 720p IPS LCD screen with 2.5D curved tempered glass on the top. Some might like the compactness of the Xiaomi Redmi 5A, whereas the multimedia consuming enthusiasts might like a tad bigger 10.or D screen for the additional real estate. So, this would be a draw here one point for the Xiaomi to use a premium 2.5D tempered glass for the protection and one point for the 10.or for offering bigger display.
The design is another factor, which showcases the external beauty of the smartphone. Both smartphone manufacturers have opted for a plastic design to reduce the cost of production. In real life, the metallic paint on the Xiaomi Redmi 5A gives a premium look over the all black 10.or D. The 10.or D design feels bit mushy and Xiaomi Redmi 5A wins over like Amarendra Baahubali against Ballala Deva. So, if the looks that matter to you, then stick with the Xiaomi Redmi 5A, however, if you are a person who uses a case on the phone, then this doesn’t matter what so ever.
Processor and RAM: This is where the phone wins our heart. We still remember the Xiaomi Redmi 2 Prime came with Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor with 2 GB RAM for ₹6,999. These phones pack an upgraded 64-bit enabled Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 Quad-core processor with 2 GB LPDDR3 RAM and 16 GB onboard flash storage. There is even a 3 GB RAM and 32 GB storage model and we are least concerned about those models. Be it casual internet surfing or gaming, these phones can drive almost anything. So, in terms of performance, these smartphones will not compromise and the complete credit goes to the highly credible Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset. Once again, its a tie and by one point, the Xiaomi Redmi 5A is leading the race. Do note that, along with the dual SIM card slots (4G + 4G), these devices do offer a dedicated micro SD card slot (up to 128 GB), so, when it comes to storage, you are in safe hands. Do note that, when it comes to 4G network, these mobiles does offer VoLte support, but only one SIM at a time can use the 4G network and the other SIM will change its network to 3G or 2G.
Cameras: Nowadays, smartphones cameras have evolved from being Gangadhar to Shakthiman. What we are meant to say that, the smartphones of 2017 has capabilities of a high-end point shoot camera minus the weight and the space required to carry them. Xiaomi Redmi 5A and the 10.or D offers a similar set of cameras (at least on the paper) with a 13 MP rear-facing shooter with 1080p video recording capability and a 5 MP selfie camera at the front. So, these smartphones will take good looking snaps when there is an ample amount of light and don’t even try to click pictures in low light, as these are not meant to do that. For the general social media uploads, these cameras will not disappoint you what so ever. So, this is win-win for both mobile phones. Either of these smartphones will not disappoint you what so ever.
Operating system: This is where these smartphones a light year apart. The 10.or D runs on a stock Android user interface with no third party customisation what so ever. The Xiaomi Redmi 5A runs on a completely customised MiUi 9 based on Android Nougat operating system. The 10.or has promised to update the smartphone to Android Oreo in the near future and the Xiaomi Redmi 5A will be upgraded to MiUi 10 based on Android Nougat and is less likely to see the Android Oreo update what so ever. If you are into the higly customised user experience, then go with the Xiaomi Redmi 5A, however, stock Android is your thing, then stick on to the 10.or D and you will not repent your decision. This one goes to 10.or D for offer Google Pixel like stock experience with promised Android Oreo update.
Battery: Lastly, this is the important aspect of any smartphone is the battery. The phone requires a battery to power everything that was mentioned above. Both mobile phones come with a sealed battery. The Xiaomi Redmi 5A packs in a 3000 mAh Li-ion battery, whereas the 10.or D packs a slightly bigger 3500 mAh Li-ion battery. None of the models supports fast charging, in fact, both phones come with a bundled 5-watt charger (5 volts and 1 amp) which takes around 150 minutes to charge completely. In terms of battery performance, the number always speaks. So, 10.or D has an edge over the Xiaomi Redmi 5A. Both models do offer a complete day of usage for a moderate user and the 10.or D might offer few additional hours of usage over the Xiaomi Redmi 5A. So, clearly, 10.or D is the champion here.
Additional features: Both smartphones do feature a micro USB port with support for USB OTG, 3.5 mm headphone jack. The thing where the 10.or D has no competition is the fingerprint scanner. The rear-facing fingerprint scanner is a truly insane feature at this price bracket. Though the scanner is not the fastest in the market, it gets the job done. We appreciate the company to introduce the most secure way of unlocking the smartphone at this budget (period).
Climax: The Xiaomi Redmi 5A has an edge over he 10.or D with the design and the saga ends there. The 10.or D has a bigger battery, stock Android, and a fingerprint scanner with similar camera and display. So, without any second thought, the 10.or D offers better value for money. These smartphones offer the features which are not usually offered this price bracket. I am sure that none of these smartphones is easy to get due to heavy demand. Finally, Happy Christmas and new year.