The question of when exactly Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus came out remains relevant not only for collectors of equipment, but also for users looking for a reliable budget device in the secondary market. This smartphone became a real bestseller thanks to the successful combination of a large screen, a metal body and a standalone battery. Understanding the chronology of its appearance helps determine the age of a particular instance when buying from hand and assess its potential residual resource.
The device was officially unveiled in December 2017, marking the beginning of a new era in the affordable phablet segment, replacing the popular Redmi Note 4X, offering users a more modern 18:9 screen proportions. It was this form factor that became the industry standard for the next few years, making the device ergonomic despite the display diagonal of 5.99 inches.
It is important to consider that the global version and the Chinese original have differences in the date of launch of sales. whereas in China the novelty was shown on December 7, 2017, the world release took place only at the end of February 2018. The global version of the Redmi 5 Plus went on sale on February 26, 2018 at the MWC exhibition in Barcelona, which is a key date for the European and Russian markets.
Chronology of the exit and regional features
The story of the smartphone is inextricably linked to the company’s strategy to capture emerging markets: the Chinese version, known as the Redmi 5 Plus, was the first to appear and receive the MDE6 index. For the domestic market, it was the flagship of the budget segment, offering features that were not available to competitors at the time.
The European and Russian versions were called the Redmi Note 5, which is often confusing for inexperienced users, but with different boxes and chargers, and the global launch was a success as the market waited for an alternative to the aging 16:9 models.
The time difference between the Chinese and global releases was almost three months, a standard practice for Xiaomi of the period, required to certify devices in different regions and adapt the software to local communication standards. In India, for example, sales began even later, in March 2018, due to the huge demand and need to establish local build.
Technical characteristics and key features
At the time of its release, the smartphone had an impressive set of characteristics that allowed it to hold the lead in the sales ratings for a long time, the basis of the device was the Snapdragon 625 processor, which became famous for its energy efficiency and stable operation even years after its release, and this chipset was made using 14-nm process technology, which was rare for the budget segment.
The IPS LCD display matrix, with a resolution of 2160×1080 pixels, provided excellent color reproduction and brightness margin. The pixel density was 403 ppi, which made the picture clear even on close inspection. The screen was protected by Corning Gorilla Glass, although the exact version of the protective coating in different batches could differ.
The camera became another trump card model. 12 MP with aperture f/2.2 and pixel size 1.25 And the microns allowed you to take high-quality pictures even in low-light conditions. LED-flash and support for phase autofocus PDAF complement the functionality, making shooting fast and convenient.
- 📱 Screen: 5.99 inches, IPS, 1080x2160 pixels, 18:9 ratio.
- ⚙️ Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, 8 cores, frequency up to 2.0 GHz.
- 🔋 Battery: 4000 mAh, support for fast charging Qualcomm Quick Charge.
- 📸 Camera: Basic 12 MP, front 5 MP with bitification function.
Comparison of versions for China and the Global Market
There are few hardware differences between the Chinese version of the Redmi 5 Plus and the global Redmi Note 5, both based on the same platform, with the same camera modules and batteries, but there are nuances in software and support for communication frequencies that may be critical for some users.
The Chinese version originally came with the MIUI China shell, which has no built-in Google services and contains a lot of localized Chinese software. The global version is immediately ready to work with a Google account and supports many interface languages out of the box.
⚠️ WARNING: When buying a Chinese version for use in Europe or the CIS, be sure to check the band support LTE Band 7 (2600 MHz) and Band 20 (800 MHz) Global version (MEE7S) The band 20 is a good support, which is critical for quality. 4G-coverings in rural areas and inside buildings.
The table below provides a detailed comparison of the main memory modifications and their availability in different regions:
| Model | Region | Memory (RAM/ROM) | Support for Band 20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redmi 5 Plus | China | 3/32, 4/64 GB | No. |
| Redmi Note 5 | Global | 3/32, 4/64 GB | Yes. |
| Redmi Note 5 | India | 3/32, 4/64, 6/64 GB | Partially. |
Relevance of the device in the current period
A few years after the release of Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus remains an interesting subject for analysis. On the one hand, its performance in 2026 does not allow you to run comfortable heavy modern applications and games. On the other hand, for basic tasks like calls, messengers and navigation, its power is still enough.
The device’s software support is long over, with the latest major update being an Android 8.1 Oreo-based shell, and the lack of security updates makes it potentially risky to use the smartphone for banking, even though many users continue to successfully operate it in this mode.
But it's been a huge hit in the development community, and thanks to the Snapdragon processor, it's built a lot of custom firmware to allow it to install more recent versions of Android, which extends the life of the gadget, making it a great testing ground or a second phone.