THE Xiaomi Redmi 4 is said to be one of the best budget phones available today. And though it hasn’t been a year (try months!) since Xiaomi debuted its entry-level product, it appears a sequel is already on the way this 2017.

Press images of the alleged Xiaomi Redmi 5 have recently surfaced online, posted on China’s Weibo social-media site. And true to form, the Xiaomi successor will likely raise the bar for budget Androids — again. Additionally, it will come in more than one variant, as with its predecessor.

One is rumored to pack a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chip — the same silicon that makes the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 and ASUS ZenFone 3, to name but two — tick. The other will come with a newer Snapdragon 630 chip. Depending on the configuration, the Redmi 5 will come with up to 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.

Both versions will feature a 5-inch, full-resolution display with curved glass on top (2.5D glass?) and minimal side bezels. A fingerprint reader, something the lower-specced Redmi 4 was missing, is also believed to come standard with the Xiaomi Redmi 5. Other specs include 16- and 5-megapixel rear and selfie cameras; a 3,680mAh battery; and MIUI 9 based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat.

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The 1080p display, the fingerprint sensor, the internals that run the latest version of Android — all of these are features you’d be happy to find on a midrange product. So, if true, this phone is sure to blow the competition out of the water, at least on paper. Xiaomi’s low pricing will be a major draw as well, with the base model of the Redmi 5 expected to come in at 859 yuan (about P6,400 or $125).

Here are the alleged prices and configurations of the Xiaomi Redmi 5:

1. Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 version: 
   3GB RAM + 16GB storage for 859 yuan (P6,400 or $125)
   3GB RAM + 32GB storage for 1,039 yuan (P7,750 or $155)
2. Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 version:
   3GB RAM + 32GB storage for P1,099 yuan (P8,200 or $160)
   4GB RAM + 32GB storage for 1,199 yuan (P8,950 or $175)
   4GB RAM + 64GB storage for 1,299 yuan (P9,700 or $190)

The phone is set to arrive in the third or fourth quarter of the year. That said, it may be a good idea to hold out on buying a new budget smartphone until the Redmi 5 finally makes its appearance.

Xiaomi Redmi 4 image via Clickbuy

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