However, the Black Shark 5 Pro makes few sacrifices and does a lot of things well, making it one of the best choices for a gaming-centric smartphone. The Black Shark 5 Pro certainly impressed me, from useful pop-up triggers on the side of the phone to software that works well and cameras that don’t completely disappoint.
Here is the list of Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro review
Design
The latest Black Shark phones have become less flamboyant with each passing year, with angular shapes, LED patterns, and rough edges giving place to more modest features. The Black Shark 5 Pro represents the next stage of this progression. Remove the rear decal and the small LED panel, and you’re left with what appears to be a standard mid-range Android phone, with a raised rectangular camera bump on the back, volume rocker on the left, power button and fingerprint scanner combo on the right, and a USB-C port in the same location as every other phone. The two sliders along the right edge of the gadget, one at the top and one at the bottom, are the exceptions. With a flick, little triggers will appear, ready for use in gaming.
Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro review: Display
On the front is a 6.67-inch OLED display with 144Hz refresh rate. The Black Shark produces enough light (up to 1,300 nits) to make mobile gaming as enjoyable outside as it is indoors. What impressed me the most was how natural the auto-brightness was while switching between environments. When the display ramps up the luminance, the shift is gradual and does not surprise you. The Black Shark has a maximum resolution of 1080p, which is more than enough for most people. While the display isn’t as sharp as, example, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, it’s well-calibrated, and the colours are saturated just enough. Of course, there are display settings that allow you to adjust the colour settings to your preference. Going from 120Hz to 144Hz isn’t a game changer, but the greater refresh rate is really useful for mobile gaming. The animations and graphics are silky smooth, and the additional hertz is on par with high-end gaming displays. The Black Shark allows you to reduce the refresh rate to 90Hz. Most manufacturers prefer to keep the pegs at 120 and 60.
Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro review: Software
The Black Shark 5 Pro runs Android 12 on top of a gaming-focused version of Xiaomi’s MIUI called JoyUI 13. It’s not your typical Android experience, with a more gamer-like appearance and feel with a dedicated game section called Shark Space. Other than that, you’ll discover MIUI’s trademark iOS-inspired design choices, which some may love and others will despise, but it’s something I grew accustomed to during my time with the phone. Xiaomi’s standard update promise includes three OS upgrades and four years of security patches, but it’s unclear whether that extends to the Black Shark 5 Pro.
Hardware and Performance
All of that power combines to produce some spectacular performance on a daily basis as well as in more intense gaming sessions. Running numerous Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides windows, zipping between emails, playing Spotify music, and dipping in and out of YouTube, there was nothing that could faze this gadget. Of course, if we had experienced anything less, there would have been a big issue – after all, this phone is equipped with some of the most cutting-edge components. The processor on the Black Shark 5 is not upgraded. It still uses the Snapdragon 870 chipset. Actually, as a low-cost model, the 870 chipset appears to be the greatest alternative on the market. Simply blame Qualcomm. Indeed, we’ve learnt a lot about how well the 870 chipset performs in terms of power economy and heating. So, in terms of performance and gaming, you can just look at the results here.
Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro review: Camera
Although the Black Shark 5 is a gaming phone, the camera system has received a minor improvement. The main camera’s resolution has been increased from 48MP to 64MP. Even though there is still a difference in imaging capability when compared to those camera phones. But it’s still encouraging to hear that the series has improved in areas other than gaming. Anyway, here are some samples taken with the Black Shark 5. With the 64MP sensor, the samples offer more natural colour reproduction and higher image detail. Furthermore, the white balance performance is more stable. On the other hand, the 13MP wide-angle camera isn’t awful either. Although the 13MP resolution is not as good as the 64MP resolution of the primary lens, we could still get rich detail and consistent colours using the main lens. The final camera is a macro, which is identical to the previous ones we evaluated. It can shoot close enough, but don’t expect much in terms of imaging. The main camera also has a higher dynamic range in low light circumstances than the Black Shark 4, which looks considerably better.
Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro review: Battery Life
The battery capacity has been increased from 4,500mAh to 4,650mAh. Despite the update, the Black Shark 5 Pro only lasted about 20 minutes less than 13 hours, or about the same as its predecessor. It will last a busy day, but not much longer. It also includes the same 120W fast charger, which allows you to charge the phone in about 15 minutes. Surprisingly, the phone features a new bypass option that turns it on without charging the battery when plugged in. This can help to extend the battery’s lifespan. Because the battery is not being recharged, the phone feels cooler. It makes sense because gamers are likely to leave their phones plugged in throughout extended gaming sessions. Another improvement is the 108MP main camera, which was previously only 64MP. This camera generated clear images with minimum noise in excellent illumination, and it also performed well in low light. Unfortunately, the Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro battery life negates many of the device’s advantages.
Price and Availability
If you’re looking for a good deal, Red Magic has plenty of solid options that can compete with the Black Shark gaming phone. The Red Magic 7 starts at the same price as the Red Magic 6, but it has a faster 165Hz refresh rate, an in-display fingerprint scanner, a longer battery life, and a better cooling system.
Final Words
The Black Shark 5 Pro comfortably rates among the best gaming phones in my opinion. It has a lot of power, a lot of helpful functions, and an excellent battery life. With a starting price of $799, it’s not a cheap device, but you get a lot for your money. In my opinion, the tactile trigger buttons alone make this a winner. Although the cameras don’t compare to the greatest gaming phones you can buy because to its A15 Bionic chip, the Black Shark 5 Pro outperformed most other gaming phones.
