MediaTek’s All-Big-Core Secret Weapon powers the brand new Redmi Turbo 5

Thursday, 29 January 2026 at 04:42

The "Turbo" line from Redmi has always been the "fast car, cheap interior" of the smartphone world. You got the speed, but you lived with the plastic. Well, the Redmi Turbo 5 just pulled up to the starting line, and it looks like Xiaomi finally decided to give us the leather seats and a nitro boost to match.

Key points

New Silicon: Debut of the MediaTek Dimensity 8500-Ultra with an all-big-core design.
Battery King: Massive 7,560mAh capacity (China spec) with universal 100W charging.
Sustained Power: Rage Engine 4.0 keeps frame rates stable even in heavy titles.
Build Quality: Upgraded to a metal mid-frame and glass back for a premium feel.
Global Path: This hardware will serve as the foundation for the upcoming POCO X8 Pro.

The Dimensity 8500-Ultra: No More "Efficiency" Fluff

We were all expecting the Dimensity 8400, but Xiaomi and MediaTek pulled a fast one with the Dimensity 8500-Ultra. This isn't just a rename. It’s built on a "full-core" architecture, which is tech-speak for "we’re done with those tiny, weak cores."

Every single core here is a heavy hitter. In my view, this is the smartest move MediaTek has made in years. Why throttle performance for marginal battery gains when you can just… give the phone a massive battery? It delivers a 25% GPU boost that makes last year’s mid-rangers look like they're running in slow motion.

That 7,560mAh Battery is Pure Insanity

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: 7,560mAh. Most of us are used to the 5,000mAh "standard." Seeing a number starting with a 7 feels like a typo, but it’s real. This thing is basically a power bank with a screen attached.

The 100W charging is the cherry on top. Even if you manage to kill this beast, you’re back in the game in the time it takes to grab a coffee. A quick heads-up for the global crowd, though: when this morphs into the POCO X8 Pro, expect that battery to shrink a bit to meet international safety regs. Even at 6,500mAh, it’ll still be a marathon runner compared to the competition.

Premium Vibes, Finally

Redmi is finally ditching the "plastic fantastic" build. We’re looking at a metal frame and glass body, plus a 6.59-inch flat display. As someone who hates accidental edge-touches while gaming, that flat screen is a godsend. They’ve even thrown in serious waterproofing and a 3D cooling system that looks like it belongs in a gaming PC.

My take

The Redmi Turbo 5 isn't just a spec bump; it’s a category killer. If the POCO X8 Pro keeps this DNA, the "flagship killer" title might finally be coming home.