Xiaomi’s Redmi 5A is their most affordable phone ever

While prices for phones have generally been moving north, Xiaomi’s latest Redmi 5A bucks that trend entirely as the price tag for its Malaysia debut has a price tag that’s heading south. Way south as the Redmi 5A costs comfortably under RM500. It’s actually just RM399.

The Redmi 5A is an entry level phone that comes with a 5-inch 720P display, runs Android on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 1.4GHz quadcore processor and has a modest 2GB RAM and 16GB of expandable storage with a larger 3GB RAM/32GB storage variant slated to arrive later on.

The rear of the Redmi 5A has a 13-MP camera with an F/2.2 aperture and phase detection autofocus. The front has a 5-MP camera which has an F/2.0 aperture paired with a Pro Beautify mode that can enhance even the most aesthetically challenged mug.

Of particular note is that the Redmi 5A sports a triple card bay which means you can bung in two SIM cards and a microSD card too at the same time rather than the usual hybrid SIM cards that force you to opt for either two SIM cards or one SIM card and one microSD card. The microSD card bay itself supports up to 128GB cards which is plenty. Keeping the whole phone juiced is a 3,000mAh battery.

The Redmi 5A looks like an enticing option as a back-up or entry level phone for those who need a modicum of functionality but not a pixel crunching performer like their higher end Mi Mix 2. In Malaysia, the Redmi 5A will be available online via Lazada from today onwards for RM399 for the 2GB RAM/16GB variant and comes in your choice of two colours – Dark Grey and Gold.