Xiaomi Mi5 vs Samsung Galaxy Note 5: Vote best smartphone – Mobile Madness 2016

Today we have the Xiaomi Mi5 facing off against the Galaxy Note 5 in this match up of the Mobile Madness.  The Note 5 won its previous round against the HTC One A9 to make it here.

The Xiaomi Mi5 won’t be an easy phone to acquire here stateside as the company has stated its devices won’t support US LTE bands. That being said, the Mi5 is a compelling phone, especially when you consider the price. For $300-$400 you get a phone that sports a Snapdragon 820 processor, fingerprint reader, 4GB of RAM, 3000mAh battery. Considering flagships with similar specs will cost roughly double, it’s easy to see why this phone is popular among consumers.

The Galaxy Note 5 is no slouch either; though, I suppose we’re about halfway through its product cycle, and we should probably expect to see its usual refresh in the fall. The Note 5 has a lot to love: big, bright display, speedy processor, great camera, and if you’re into the stylus, we’ve got that in the Note 5 as well. But there was the whole disaster with the pen being inserted incorrectly, rendering one of the more compelling reasons for the S Pen useless. But it is an incredible device with a whole lot to love.

Which phone would you select if you had the option between these two? Check out our reviews below and vote.  Remember, you can vote as many times as you wish.  Have fun!

Galaxy Note 5

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5 has been on my radar for a few months now. It was leaked several times, sure, but I’m always curious with what Samsung has planned for its Galaxy Note smartphones.

The Note series usually pushes the boundaries in a lot of ways, whether it’s new screen technology, incredible camera sensors, fingerprint readers, virtual reality (last year, with the Note 4, for example), or new S Pen technology. It is, typically, an example of Samsung’s best foot forward in the mobile space.

This year we were introduced to the Galaxy Note 5. Jon Rettinger and I have been using it for the past couple of weeks, and there’s a lot to love. In fact, I think this is the Samsung flagship you should buy right now, even though it does have a few shortcomings.

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Xiaomi Mi5

For the most part the Mi5 is in lockstep with the latest Android flagships from Samsung and LG. It boasts a Snapdragon 820 processor, a 3000mAh battery, a 16-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization, 4GB of RAM, up to 128GB of storage, Android 6.0, and a fingerprint reader built into the new home button. The display falls short of the competition with a 5.15-inch 1080p LCD panel, but Xiaomi had to cut corners somewhere to keep costs down.

As usual, Xiaomi is selling the new phone with barely any profit margin. The Mi5 starts at 1,999RMB (roughly $305) and goes as high as 2,999 RMB ($458) with 128GB of storage… read more.

This poll closes within 24 hours (the following day).

*Winners from previous rounds are marked bold.

Play-In

Round 2 – Quarterfinals

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