My Experience With Xiaomi Redmi Note And Apple iPhone



Currently, I am using Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro and Apple iPhone 8 Plus. Wondering about my two poles apart picks?

I will go beyond the question as to why I chose them, to which one is closer to my heart.

Let me confess to you that I liked Android phones before laying hands on the iPhone 8 Plus, and after buying it, I am a 'staunch' Android fan! Android OS is user-friendly and intuitive. iPhone 8 Plus failed to win my heart and I genuinely feel that iPhones are overrated. 

Definitely, the Apple gadgets have an edge over others when it comes to software, security and innovation and along with that "I own an iPhone" feeling. Undoubtedly, iPhone 8 Plus gets 9 on 10, if I am asked to rate it.

But having said that, I feel there is no point in spending so much on a mobile when technology is changing at an exponential pace and you will inevitably be buying a new phone in a year or so. 

In comparison to iPhone 8 Plus, I would give Redmi Note 5 Pro 8 on 10, especially considering the value for money.



via GIPHY


Why I ordered Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 pro?

My Samsung was almost on verge of giving up and Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 was making a buzz in the market; also it was in my budget, so I bought it online in a flash sale. I used it for over two years happily, (except that I hated it to be too bulky), till my mum's Samsung Galaxy S4 gave up. 

And I saved my mom from taking a break from her Candy Crush gaming routine by sacrificing my Redmi Note 4! And I ordered Redmi Note 5 pro.

How I ended up buying Apple iPhone 8 Plus?

I have always believed that it's not worth spending so much money on a mobile phone, and I am not somebody who would go flaunting a brand. Then how come, I ended up buying iPhone 8 plus!?! Probably, something got into me when I made that decision!

There was definitely the peer pressure. “Being a content writer and digital media professional, you must have an iPhone,” my friends and colleagues would suggest. And even my boss asked me once, 'don't you use iPhone Ekanki?' So I thought, flaunting an iPhone is essential to get my next appraisal!

First Day, Flop Show!

In my Redmi Note 5 Pro and even in Note 4, I was swiping not typing. And this feature has been my favourite and being a writer, it comes in handy and saves me time and energy.
iPhone don't offer swiping feature. You have to download the app from the Apple store.

Facebook and other must have apps came pre-installed in Redmi Note 5 Pro while in iPhone, I had to download them.

In Redmi Note 5 Pro, I got Google suite with Google, Gmail, maps, YouTube, Drive, play music, play movies, Duo, Photos and Google keyboard pre-installed (after all, it's an Android device). 

If that was not enough, it came with Microsoft suite pre-installed too with MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook and Skype Lite. Can I ask for more? On the professional front, my life is totally sorted with Redmi Note.

But even with the iPhone in my hands, I felt so incomplete without these apps that were not on the iPhone, (it's an apple device so how could I even expect Google apps). Although Gmail can be opened through iPhone email but without the Gmail features. So, ultimately I had to install my favourite apps.

On day one with my iPhone, I felt that I'll have to breathe life into the iPhone while the Redmi Note 5 Pro was already brimming with life to add comfort to my life!

Apps were not the major concern as you could install them from the Apple store. But its fast draining battery became the pain in the neck. 

I am using both the mobiles, but I have to charge iPhone 8 Plus again and again while my android phone's battery life is excellent.

iPhone 8 Plus also don't have the dual SIM option. SD card can't be used. And it is bulkier than Redmi Note 5 Pro. Trust me, on day one, I felt the buyer's remorse but I could do nothing.

What's better in iPhone 8 Plus? Software and camera are definitely better than redmi note 5 pro.

The fight is not between redmi note 5 pro and iPhone 8 Plus, it's between the Google Android OS and Apple's iOS. Starting with the price, the list of differences is endless and it keeps forcing me to ditch the iPhone!

Some Specs:

Operating System

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro: Android 7.1.2 (Nougat), upgradable to 8.1 (Oreo)
Apple iPhone 8 Plus: iOS 11, upgradable to iOS 12.1

CPU

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro: 1.8 GHz, Octa Core, Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 Processor
Apple iPhone 8 Plus: 2.39 GHz, Hexa Core, Apple A11 Bionic Processor

Dimensions

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro: 158.6 x 75.4 x 8.1 mm
Apple iPhone 8 Plus: 158.4 x 78.1 x 7.5 mm

Weight

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro: 181 g
Apple iPhone 8 Plus: 202 g

RAM

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro: 4 GB
Apple iPhone 8 Plus: 3 GB

Camera

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro: 12 MP + 5 MP Dual Camera with autofocus
Apple iPhone 8 Plus: 12 MP + 12 MP Dual Camera with autofocus

Front Camera

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro:  20 MP with Flash
Apple iPhone 8 Plus: 7 MP