Mi A2 vs Redmi Note 5 Pro: Price in India, Specifications Compared

Xiaomi Mi A2 (Review) was launched in India this week, following a global launch as the Mi A1 successor. Mi A2, the latest Android One powered smartphone by Xiaomi, promises better hardware, design, and other new features. The key features of the handset include a 5.99-inch full-HD+ 18:9 display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC, dual rear camera setup, 20-megapixel selfie camera, and Qualcomm Quick Charge 4+ among others. Notably, the Mi A2 price in India starts at Rs. 16,999 and Xiaomi has only launched two RAM/ storage variants of the handset in the country. At that price point, the device will compete with Xiaomi's own Redmi Note 5 Pro smartphone whose price in India starts at Rs. 14,999.

The Mi A2 like its predecessor Mi A1 is an Android One powered handset with stock Android 8.1 Oreo, and no MIUI, which is the company's own customised user interface that is used in handsets like Redmi Note 5 Pro. And as part of the Android One initiative by Google, the phone will receive timely software and security updates. At its price range in India, the Xiaomi Mi A2 will also compete with the Redmi Note 5 Pro. While the Redmi Note 5 Pro is arguably dominating the market with its compelling hardware and MIUI features, the Mi A2 brings a different design and stock Android with a powerful processor, all at a slightly higher price tag.

We pit the latest Xiaomi model against the smartphone that's arguably its closest peer from Xiaomi's current lineup - the Redmi Note 5 Pro - to see all the areas in which it differs. Here's a look at the Xiaomi Mi A2 price in India and specifications and a comparison with those of the Redmi Note 5 Pro.

Xiaomi Mi A2 vs Redmi Note 5 Pro price in India

The Xiaomi Mi A2 price in India starts from Rs. 16,999 for the 4GB RAM/ 64GB inbuilt storage variant. It will come with a soft case in the box. The 6GB RAM/ 128GB inbuilt storage variant was also launched, but, no exact availability beyond "coming soon" and no India price have yet been revealed. It will be made available in Black, Gold, Lake Blue, and Rose Gold colour options.

Xiaomi Mi A2 Review

The Mi A2 will go up for pre-orders on Thursday (August 9) via Amazon India and Mi.com. The smartphone will go on sale for the first time on August 16, via Amazon India, Mi.com, Mi Home, and Mi Preferred Partner Stores. Xiaomi Mi A2 launch offers include up to 4.5TB additional data from Reliance Jio, which is also offering up to Rs. 2,200 instant cashback.

The Redmi Note 5 Pro was launched in India in February at Rs. 13,999, but then that price was raised to Rs. 14,999 for the 4GB RAM, 64GB storage variant, and it goes up to Rs. 16,999 for the 6GB RAM, 64GB storage variant. Colour options are Black, Gold, Lake Blue, and Rose Gold. It is available via Flipkart, Mi Home, and Mi.com through a flash sale model.

Xiaomi Mi A2 vs Redmi Note 5 Pro specifications

The dual-SIM (Nano) Xiaomi Mi A2 runs stock Android 8.1 Oreo, and features a 5.99-inch full-HD+ (1080x2160 pixels) display with an 18:9 aspect ratio, a pixel density of 403ppi, and 2.5D curved Gorilla Glass 5. The Mi A2 is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 660 SoC (four cores clocked at 2.2GHz and four cores clocked at 1.8GHz) coupled with either 4GB or 6GB of RAM.

The Xiaomi Mi A2 sports a dual rear camera setup, with a 12-megapixel Sony IMX486 sensor in the primary camera, featuring 1.25-micron pixels with an f/1.75 aperture. It uses a 20-megapixel IMX376 sensor as the secondary rear camera, with 2-micron pixels, 4-in-1 Super Pixel tech, and an f/1.75 aperture. The rear camera setup also features a flash module. On the front, the Mi A2 bears the same 20-megapixel sensor, complete with a soft-light flash module. It bears a fingerprint sensor on the rear panel.

The Mi A2 will be available in two inbuilt storage options - 64GB and 128GB. Connectivity options include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac (dual-band, 2.4GHz and 5GHz), Bluetooth v5.0, GPS/ A-GPS, and a USB Type-C (v2.0) port - notably, there is no 3.5mm headphone jack available. Sensors on board include an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, digital compass, gyroscope, and proximity sensor. The Xiaomi Mi A2 uns on a 3,000mAh battery with Quick Charge 4+ support. Users will have to buy a compatible charger however, as the Mi A2 will ship with a standard 10W charger in the box. It measures 158.7x75.4x7.3mm while weighing 168 grams.

Meanwhile, the dual-SIM (Nano) Redmi Note 5 Pro runs Android Nougat-based MIUI 9 and has a 5.99-inch full-HD+ (1080x2160 pixels) display with an 18:9 aspect ratio and a 2.5D curved glass. There is an octa-core Snapdragon 636 SoC, paired with Adreno 509 GPU and up to 6GB of RAM. The smartphone has a dual rear camera setup with a 12-megapixel primary sensor along with an f/2.2 aperture and a 5-megapixel secondary sensor that has an f/2.0 aperture. On the front, the handset has a 20-megapixel camera sensor with a selfie LED flash.

On the storage front, the Redmi Note 5 Pro has 64GB of inbuilt storage that is expandable via microSD card in a hybrid dual-SIM format. The smartphone has 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, Micro-USB, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Lastly, it packs a 4000mAh battery and measures 158.6x75.4x8.05mm.

Is Xiaomi Mi A2 the best Android One smartphone in India? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.