Between all the huge smartphone launches happening in Barcelona, let us not forget that not all smartphone launches are happening in MWC 2017. Case in point, Xiaomi has just announced the Mi 5C, which has the honour of being the first smartphone in Xiaomi’s catalogue that utilises the company’s Surge S1 processor.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the Mi 5C has to go to the Surge S1 SoC. Codenamed Pinecone, this Xiaomi-made octa-core processor comes with four Cortex-A53 cores that are clocked at 2.2GHz, as well as an additional four Cortex-A53 cores that are clocked at 1.4GHz. Alongside the CPU cores, Xiaomi also implemented a Mali-T860 quad-core GPU. In terms of raw horsepower, the Surge S1 is capable of beating the Snapdrargon 625 in benchmarks.
Apart from performance, the Surge S1 SoC also comes with a 32-bit DSP for voice processing purposes. Imaging-wise, the SoC sports a 14-bit dual ISP for enhanced image processing capabilities. Adding on to the ISP is the Surge ISP algorithm that improves camera light sensitivity by 150%, while the dual noise reduction algorithm reduces noise while preserving image detail in low light conditions. Other features of the Surge S1 SoC includes a baseband that can be upgraded via OTA updates, chip-level security with TEE architecture, and VoLTE and video call support.
Alongside the Surge S1, the Mi 5C will also sport 3GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage, a front-facing fingerprint sensor, and a 2,860mAh battery that supports fast charging. For the camera, the Mi 5C comes with a 12MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera. Lastly, the Mi 5C comes with a full metal body and features a 5.15″ Full HD screen. While the Mi 5C will run on Android Marshmallow out of the box, an update is scheduled for March that will see the Mi 5C run on Android Nougat.
The Mi 5C will retail for CNY1,499 (RM969).