Finding a genuinely decent smartphone under $100 often feels like hunting for a unicorn. You expect painful compromises: leggy performance, terrible cameras, or a screen you can barely see. The Redmi A5 throws down a serious challenge in this brutal price bracket. But does it truly earn the “best” title? Let’s cut through the hype.
Display & Design: Surprisingly Pleasant
The first thing you notice is the screen. For under $100, the Redmi A5 offers a large 6.52-inch HD+ display. It’s not OLED, and brightness could be better outdoors, but indoors, it’s perfectly viewable. Colors are acceptable, and the size makes browsing or watching videos a much better experience than on smaller, cheaper rivals. The design is basic plastic, sure, but it feels surprisingly solid in the hand. The textured back helps with grip, a small but appreciated detail often missing here. It looks clean and modern, avoiding the cheap toy-like feel of many competitors.
Performance & Battery: The Core Strengths
Powering the A5 is a MediaTek Helio G36 chipset paired with 3GB or 4GB of RAM options. Manage your expectations. This isn’t a gaming powerhouse or a multitasking monster. However, for essential tasks – calls, messaging, social media scrolling, light browsing, and streaming music or YouTube – it handles things adequately. Light users won’t feel constantly frustrated by lag. The real star is the battery. The 5000mAh unit is exceptional for the price. Easily lasting 2 full days, even pushing towards 3 with lighter use, is a massive win. This reliability is a huge selling point for anyone tired of charging budget phones constantly.
Camera Reality Check: Manage Expectations
Here’s where the price tag bites hardest. The 8MP main rear camera and basic front camera are functional in perfect daylight. You can capture recognizable snapshots. However, detail is lacking, dynamic range is poor, and anything beyond bright sunshine results in muddy, noisy photos. Low-light performance is practically non-existent. The depth sensor is more of a spec sheet filler than a useful tool. Video recording is basic. If camera quality is a priority, this isn’t your phone. It’s strictly for “good enough” documentation, not photography.
The Big Question: Best Under $100?
So, is the Redmi A5 the best phone under $100? It’s absolutely one of the strongest contenders, especially in mid-2025. Its combination of a large, decent screen, rock-solid battery life, acceptable performance for basics, and clean software (Android 13 Go Edition or MIUI depending on region) is unmatched as a complete package at this exact price point.
Final Verdict: Should You Buy It?
If your budget is strictly capped at $100 and you need a reliable phone primarily for communication, light apps, media consumption, and epic battery endurance, the Redmi A5 is an excellent choice. It minimizes the pain points often found at this level. It genuinely feels like more phone than the price suggests.
However, if you need better camera performance, smoother multitasking, or plan on heavier app usage or gaming, you’ll need to stretch your budget slightly. Phones just $20-$50 more can offer significant improvements in those areas.
The Takeaway
The Redmi A5 proves you don’t have to suffer with a terrible phone when funds are tight. It delivers core smartphone functionality remarkably well for under $100, especially excelling in battery life and screen size. It’s not perfect, and the camera is a major limitation, but for sheer value and fulfilling fundamental needs reliably, it sets a new standard in the ultra-budget arena. If $100 is your hard limit, this is likely the phone to get right now. Just know its limits, and you won’t be disappointed.
Also Read: Samsung Galaxy F36 Under ₹20,000 With Powerful AI Features!
Hi, I’m Ricky, the founder of OKSociety.in. I’m a tech enthusiast with a deep passion for smartphones, mobile technology, and everything that makes our digital lives smarter. I started OKSociety to share honest reviews, the latest phone updates, and practical buying guides to help people make better choices in this fast-paced tech world.