Both are metal smartphones with beast specs under the hood. Which phone should you buy?

Mi 5 vs HTC 10: Design and display

Both are metal smartphones with distinct design. HTC 10 quickly reminds us of Asus with a slightly curved back. The phone feels premium and due to the curvy back, it feels more comfortable to hold than the Mi 5. For users who seek a mid-range phone that looks like Samsung high-end handset, the Mi 5 serves it well.

Mi 5 sports 5.15 inch screen whilst HTC 10 screen comes with 5.2-inch size. However, Mi 5 is extremely light weighing only 129 grams. When it comes to the button, HTC 10 button is placed not far from the edge - thus it makes frequent accidental presses. HTC 10 is an IP 63 certified phone - meaning, it is splash and dust proof. Plus, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for protection and Mi 5 uses Corning Gorilla Glass 4, as compared by GSM Arena.

Overall, both phones offer tactile buttons and sleek-sturdy body. Hence, when it comes to design, it is a matter of preference.

Moving to the display resolution, HTC 10 packs 1440 x 2560 pixels and 565 ppi pixel density. Mi 5 is a step behind, with 1080 x 1920 pixels screen resolution and 428 ppi pixel density. Not only that HTC 10 has higher screen resolution but the fact that it is Super LCD5 display makes the color production more vibrant and vivid especially in outdoor condition under the sunlight.

Mi 5 vs HTC 10: Hardware and software

Both phones offer active noise cancelation with dedicated mic but HTC 10 packs dual speakers - the audio quality is louder and crisper.

Mi 5 and HTC 10 run Android Marshmallow but for users who prefer Stock Android phone with no bloatware - HTC 10 would be the solid choice. Both devices are powered by Snapdragon 820 but with HTC 10, users can get a bonus with a dedicated slot for memory expansion. Sporting 4 GB of RAM, users are also able to choose between 32 GB and 64 GB storage.

On the other hand, Mi 5 lacks of external memory even when there are three variants available (128 GB - 4 GB RAM, 64 GB -3 GB RAM and 32 GB - 3 GB RAM) - it is still considered a deal breaker for some mobile phone consumers.

The optics department of both handsets offers rich features starting from OIS for steady shot, HDR mode, dual LED Flash to touch focus. However, the HTC 10's 12 MP rear camera gets laser autofocus which will enable the phone to focus faster than Mi 5's 16 MP camera.

Comparing the front shooter, HTC 10 rocks 5 MP camera with OIS, HDR and autofocus whilst Mi 5 sports 4 MP camera without any of those features. If the camera is the only consideration, then HTC 10 would win over Xiaomi Mi 5.  

Other components that both smartphones get include fingerprint sensor, USB type C port, and fast-charging 3,000 mAh battery.

Xiaomi Mi 5 or HTC 10?

For consumers who seek a smartphone rich with multimedia feature, HTC 10 takes the crown. Users who prefer compact, elegant smartphone that performs decent in every aspect can opt for Xiaomi Mi 5 instead.