OnePlus 3 vs Xiaomi Mi 5: A Comparative Analysis of Two Major Flagship Products

Looking for awesome smartphones priced under Rs. 30,000? Torn between the OnePlus 3 and the Xiaomi Mi 5? Then read on. This comparison is meant for folks who are in a quandary as to which one of the two devices they should invest in. So, let’s dive right into it!

Form factor

The OnePlus 3 has a unibody metal design, and its dimensions are 152.7 x 74.7 x 7.35 m. The Xiaomi Mi 5 has metal sides and a glass back. Its dimensions are 144.5 x 69.2 x 7.25 mm. It is smaller in size and, therefore, weighs less at 129 grams. The OnePlus 3, on the other hand, weighs 158 grams.

Display

With regard to the screen, the OnePlus 3 sports a 5.5-inch Optic AMOLED display, while the Xiaomi Mi 5 has a smaller 5.15-inch IPS LCD display. Both displays come with the Corning Gorilla Glass 4 and have a resolution of 1080 x 1920. However, the Mi 5 offers a slightly higher pixel density of 428 ppi as opposed to 401 ppi offered by the OnePlus 3. Also, the former has the sunlight display feature and several other features that allow for better colour reproduction.

More from iSpyPrice: The OnePlus 3 mobile is one of the most sought after products of 2016

Cameras

The OnePlus 3 and the Xiaomi Mi 5 both have a 16-megapixel primary camera. However, the former has a single LED flash while the latter comes with a dual-LED flash. As for the secondary camera, the OnePlus 3 has a superior 8-megapixel shooter, whereas the Xiaomi Mi 5 has a 4-megapixel unit. The camera units in both phones are capable of recording 2,160p FHD videos at 30 fps.

Processor

Both phones are powered by the quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and an Adreno 530 GPU. However, the processor in the OnePlus 3 is clocked at 2.15 GHz, while the one in the Xiaomi Mi 5 is clocked lower at 1.8 GHz.

Software

The OnePlus 3 and the Xiaomi Mi 5 run on OxygenOS and MIUI, respectively, both based on Android v6.0 (Marshmallow). Both platforms have their own benefits. The OxygenOS is lighter (less bloatware) and faster, allowing for easy multi-tasking. The MIUI is slightly heavier and focuses more on security features.

Connectivity

The OnePlus 3 and the Xiaomi Mi 5 are dual-SIM devices with 4G support. Other connectivity features in both devices are virtually identical with support for Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/ac, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS, GPRS, EDGE, USB Type-C, NFC, and a 3.5-mm audio jack.

Battery and storage

The OnePlus 3 and the Xiaomi Mi 5 have a 3,000 mAh battery and the quick charge feature. However, the former has an AMOLED display, which is known to be more power-efficient when compared with an LCD display.

As for the internal storage, the OnePlus 3 and the Xiaomi Mi 5 offer 64 GB and 32 GB of space, respectively. The storage is not expandable in both devices.

More from iSpyPrice: The Xiaomi Mi 5 32GB mobile is already a fan favorite!

Fingerprint scanner

The fingerprint scanners on the OnePlus 3 and the Xiaomi Mi 5 are quick and accurate. However, the sensor in the former also works on standby mode and is, therefore, faster. The Xiaomi Mi 5, however, needs to be woken up first for the fingerprint scanner to work, which makes unlocking a two-step process. Therefore, the OnePlus 3 takes the cake in this respect for adding to the convenience factor.

Price

The OnePlus 3 is priced at Rs. 27,999. The Xiaomi Mi 5 is cheaper and costs Rs. 23,999.

Closing remarks

• Preferences related to look and feel are of course subjective. People who like bigger and heavier devices should go for the OnePlus 3, whereas folks who are inclined towards sleek and compact devices can pick up the Xiaomi Mi 5.
• For price-conscious consumers, the Xiaomi Mi 5, which costs Rs. 3000 less, would be the ideal alternative.
• The OnePlus 3 has an edge over the Xiaomi Mi 5 in a couple of rather critical areas. People who are all about speed and performance will be better off going for the OnePlus 3, which has its processor clocked higher at 2.15 GHz. Also, the OnePlus 3 has twice the RAM capacity of the Xiaomi Mi 5!

So, there you have it. The OnePlus 3 and the Xiaomi Mi 5 are stellar smartphones with their own merits and demerits. As for choosing between the two, it all boils down to personal taste and, of course, the budget. With that said, both are feature-packed, bang-for-the-buck devices capable of going head-to-head with globally sought-after flagships worth twice their price.

Both brands are known for offering good cameras so what results would a comparison of the cameras yield? C4ETech has the answers in the video below: