Beebom
Rating8
The Redmi Turbo 5 is a dependable midrange phone for most users who want a lag-free experience, coupled with a battery life that doesn't die before the end of the day. It is fast and offers a good gaming experience at the cost of average camera quality and struggling HyperOS software. All things considered, if you are in the market for a performance-centred phone today, it is one of the better value-for-money options that you can pick right now.
Pros
- Sharp and vivid AMOLED panel
- Top grade performance
- Full day battery life
- Stereo speakers sound full and loud
Cons
- Ultrawide camera quality is average
- Excessive bloatware in the OS
The Redmi Turbo 5 is not a new phone on my table. I reviewed it a few months back under the disguise of the Poco X8 Pro. However, I was a little critical of the device back then, as I was spoilt for better choices in the segment, unaware of the impending doom that was about to arrive. But after witnessing the monumental rise in smartphone prices, I started seeing this phone in a new light. So let me tell you what I think about this phone after using it for a week in this Redmi Turbo 5 review.
Unboxing
Before digging into this detailed Redmi Turbo 5 review, let me mention everything included with the phone inside the box:
- Redmi Turbo 5 smartphone
- Silicone case
- 100W fast charging adapter
- USB-A to USB-C cable
- SIM ejector tool
- Paperwork
I have also mentioned the key specifications of the Redmi Turbo 5 that you can go through for reference.
Redmi Turbo 5 Key Details
- Mali-G720 MC8
- 1.5K AMOLED
- Dolby Vision
- 100Watt (wired)
- Charger in the box
- Sony IMX882
Hybrid Stabilization
4K@60fps
- 256GB (UFS 4.1)
- OmniVision OV20B
- 1080@60fps
- Glass (Back)
- Metal Frame (Side)
- IP66/IP68/IP69/IP69K (Dust and Water Resistant)
- 4 year(s) of OS Update
Note: Our testing, opinion, and rating for this review are based on the phone's launch price. We recommend checking the current price before making a purchase decision.
Design and Build
- 157.5 x 75.1 x 8.4 mm, 201 grams weight
- Aluminium frame, Glass back
- IP 68/69/69K dust and water tight
The Redmi Turbo 5 feels extremely familiar in-hand since it is just a rebranded Poco X8 Pro, which was a rebranded Redmi Turbo 5 in the first place. Don't ask me about Xiaomi's naming decisions. That said, the phone's hands-on experience was very welcoming. The aluminium frame, coupled with the soft matte back, offers a relatively solid and premium in-hand feel that not many phones in the segment offer.
The size also comes to its aid, as this is a reasonably pocket-friendly phone. The small form factor also made it comfortable to grip while playing games, unlike the OnePlus 15R and the Poco X8 Pro Max, whose large size makes it awkward to grip the device. The weight is also not on the heavier side despite the phone packing a large battery inside it.
However, I am not a fan of the design, especially the striking red "REDMI" logo at the bottom. It looks out of place, especially on the Turbo White variant I have been using for this Redmi Turbo 5 review.
Coming back to the build, the volume and the power buttons felt tactile and clicky upon press, and it ships with triple IP ratings: IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K, making it almost invincible against liquid damage.
The RGB lights also make a return on the Redmi Turbo 5 in the same place as before. And this time I got some more use out of it. I set it to glow when I got a call, notification or any other important alert, using it as a notification LED throughout my review period. Since it is located at the back, I don't think gamers would care for it, but I admire it more this time around as an added assistance rather than a gimmick.
Display and Audio Quality
- 6.59-inch (1268 x 2756) 1.5K LTPS AMOLED display
- 120 Hz refresh rate, 12-bit, HDR 10+, Dolby Vision
- Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, 3500 nits peak brightness
Redmi phones typically hit it out of the park with the display quality, and the Redmi Turbo 5 fulfils those expectations. It features a sharp, punchy and bright 1.5K AMOLED display with a 120 Hz smooth refresh rate. Colours pop without crossing into oversaturation, and the Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support make streaming content look genuinely impressive.
I have been catching up with some old Hollywood hits like Ford vs Ferrari, and the display perfectly captures the thrill of the high-octane racing sequences. However, the shadows do look flat in some scenes, which has been a trend lately in Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco phones' display tuning.
The 3,500 nits peak brightness is apt for most outdoor situations, and that is what I felt as I took the phone for a Sunday outing around my neighbourhood. However, it could have been better, especially in comparison to other phones under Rs 40,000 like the Motorola Edge 70 Pro, which hits 5,200 nits peak brightness. That said, I would still consider the Redmi Turbo 5's display one of the best in its class.
Audio holds up well, too. The stereo speakers not only get loud without significant distortion, but the sound output is more balanced than most phones at this price manage to offer. I literally made a habit of listening to songs on the phone's speakers when I reached home at night. Yes! It is that good for its price.
Performance Tested
- Mediatek Dimensity 8500 Ultra
- Up To 12GB LPDDR5X Ultra RAM, 256GB UFS 4.1 Storage
- Xiaomi 3D IceLoop cooling system
Performance is Redmi Turbo 5's strongest suit, as it features a powerful MediaTek Dimensity 8500 Ultra chipset. It's the same as the Poco X8 Pro and has recently been seen on the Xiaomi 17T and the Motorola Edge 70 Pro Plus. In performance alone, it blows punches with other high-end flagship processors, and the raw benchmark numbers prove the same.
As for daily use, it has been smooth across the board throughout my Redmi Turbo 5 review period. Apps open fast, multitasking stays clean, and the UFS 4.1 storage and LPDDR5X RAM combination keep everything feeling snappy, even when I am juggling multiple apps with demanding games.
Gaming is similarly strong, with both BGMI and COD Mobile hitting consistent 120fps. Even after pushing ranked matches for hours, there were no performance dips to complain about. Even heavier games play well, like Genshin Impact, on High graphic settings and 60 FPS. These kinds of results make it an ideal pick for anyone looking for the best gaming phones under Rs 40,000.
However, even with vapour chamber cooling, the Turbo 5 does get a little warm, reaching about 40°C after a long gaming session. I noticed a similar behaviour during my Xiaomi 17T review. It is still manageable and doesn't force-throttle the performance while gaming.
Game Settings
| Game | Settings |
|---|---|
| BGMI | Smooth + Ultra (120fps) |
| CoD Mobile | Low + Ultra (120fps) |
| Genshin Impact | High + 60fps |
Software and Updates
- HyperOS 3 based on Android 16
- Up to 4 major Android updates
- 6 years of security patches
HyperOS 3 on Android 16 is a well-featured software experience with deep customisation options and a decent set of AI tools that are becoming increasingly useful. I also like how Redmi is pushing for longer software update support, even in its midrange devices. This is something I also praised in my Poco X8 Pro review.
However, the bloatware situation remains a recurring Xiaomi problem. The Indus-App Store notifications in particular are aggressive from the moment of setup. I spent a significant amount of time during my Redmi Turbo 5 review period disabling apps and notifications that should never have been enabled by default. It is a frustration that Xiaomi has had years to address and has chosen not to.
Cameras Reviewed
- 50 MP (main), f/1.5, 23mm, video recording up to 4K 60 FPS
- 8 MP (ultrawide), f/2.2, 15mm, 120˚
- 20 MP (selfie), f/2.2, video recording up to 1080p 60 FPS
The camera is the one area where the Redmi Turbo 5 struggles. The hardware looks good on paper, as it features a 50 MP Sony IMX882 sensor with OIS, an 8 MP ultrawide and a 20 MP selfie shooter. But the reality is a little different.
Main Camera
Daylight shots are solid. Colours are vibrant, dynamic range is controlled well, and I was able to get some scenic shots of Noida's urban landscape during a typical weekday evening. However, I noticed that it has a slight tendency to oversaturate colours, especially blues, which makes photos look appealing for social media sharing but not ideal if you prefer natural images.
If I compare it to similarly priced devices like the Nothing Phone 4(a) and the Motorola Edge 70 Pro, then they take a clear lead in image quality, sharpness and details.
Low light is where I noticed a major drop in quality during my Redmi Turbo 5 review period. The night mode produces usable results with good ambient light, but in darker conditions, the processing inconsistencies and soft details become visibly clear. Compared to the nighttime shots that I took for my Nothing Phone 4 (a) review, these look very dull and lacklustre.
Ultrawide Camera
The ultrawide camera is an average performer as usual. It delivers soft details, muted colours, and a noticeable quality drop compared to the main sensor. It is fine for wide landscape shots during the day, but less convincing for anything detail-critical.
Front Camera
The 20 MP selfie camera quickly became the office favourite, as it takes sharp and good-looking images with slightly saturated skin tones. But like the main camera, it loses facial detail in less-than-ideal lighting. The portrait mode does a reasonable job with subject separation, but the tuning needs work.
Video Quality
As for videos, it can capture 4K @ 60 FPS videos with the main sensor and up to 1080p with the ultrawide and selfie cameras. Overall, it has enough camera capabilities for your usual everyday usage, but it is certainly not the best camera phone under Rs 40,000.
Battery Life and Charging
- 7540 mAh silicon-carbon battery
- 100W wired charging
- 27W reverse-wired charging
Besides performance, the battery is unquestionably the Redmi Turbo 5's best argument for itself. The 7,540mAh cell is larger than the one featured in the Poco X8 Pro and is the only major reason to pick this phone over that one. It is most certainly one of the best battery phones in its segment, delivering an average of 9.5 hours of screen-on time during my Redmi Turbo 5 review period.
I pushed the phone to its limits on a weekend, starting to use it since morning at 100% charge, consuming an entire season of The Office, and still having enough juice to play an hour of Call of Duty: Mobile. The 100W HyperCharge goes from 0–100% in just about 58 minutes, which is genuinely fast given the battery of this capacity.
Redmi Turbo 5 Review Verdict: Should You Buy It?
The Redmi Turbo 5 is not trying to be everything to everyone. It is a performance and endurance device first, and it genuinely delivers both counts. Its battery life is more than sufficient for a hectic day of use, the display is among the best in the segment, the metal frame and IP69K rating make it pretty durable for the price, and its gaming performance is reliably good.
The cameras and the software might not be the best, but in this struggling smartphone crisis, I think it is best to choose your battles. Yes, the Motorola Edge 70 Pro has similar performance, better cameras, and a cleaner OS. But it struggles in sustained performance and tends to get pretty hot. The Nothing Phone 4(a) doesn't pack anywhere near the same level of power.
So, if you are a college student or just someone who wants a good midrange phone for gaming and couldn't care less about cameras, then the Redmi Turbo 5 is a good pick. If you can manage a little lower battery life, then I would point you towards the Poco X8 Pro, which is literally the same phone as this one for a slightly lower price.
