Xiaomi has launched new models in its best-selling, most-successful Redmi Note series and, obviously, are named Redmi Note 8 and Redmi Note 8 Pro. The phones were launched at an event in Beijing alongside RedmiBook 14 laptop and 70-inch Redmi TV.
Let’s get started with the phone’s pricing, the all-new Redmi Note 8 has been priced at CNY 999 for the 4GB/64GB base variant while the 6GB/64GB and 6GB/128GB storage variants will retail at CNY 1,199 and CNY 1,399 respectively. Note 8 is scheduled to go on sale on September 3, 2019, and onwards.
On the other hand, the Pro model’s 6GB/64GB storage variant comes with a price tag of CNY 1,399, 6GB/128GB variant will retail at CNY 1,599, and the price of the top variant with 8GB of RAM/ 128GB of internal storage has been set to CNY 1,799. Redmi Note 8 Pro is set to go live on sale on September 3, 2019.
The company has also announced a World of Warcraft limited edition variant of Redmi Note 8 Pro which will offer exclusive goodies, custom themes, and more. Head over to company’s online store for more details. The pro model also supports a game controller, which will be sold separately at CNY 179 (approx $25 Or Rs. 1,800).
Redmi Note 8
It sports gradient design which is similar to the Redmi Note 7, its predecessor, however, packs more powerful processor and quad rear cameras. The company is offering Note 8 in three color options- Dream Blue, Meteorite Black, and White.
The smartphone features 6.39-inch FHD+ (2340×1080 pixels) IPS LCD notched display with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio and 90 percent screen to body ratio. The phone comes fitted with Gorilla Glass 5 protection from both front and back sides. It is powered by an 11nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 octa-core (4×2.0 GHz Kryo 260 Gold & 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver) SoC paired with Adreno 610 GPU and up to 6GB of RAM. The internal storage is expandable up to 256GB via microSD card.
In terms of optics, the smartphone features quad rear camera setup consisting of 48MP primary Samsung ISOCELL sensor with f/1.8 aperture, 0.8-micron pixel size, PDAF (phase detection autofocus), EIS (electronic image stabilization) + 8MP wide-angle sensor with f/2.2 aperture, 1.12-micron pixel size + 2MP depth sensor with f/2.4 aperture and 1.75-micron pixel size + 2MP macro sensor with f/2.4 aperture and 1.75-micron pixels. The depth camera helps enhance bokeh effect while the macro camera can be used for macro photography. The setup is backed by AI features, paired with an LED flash, and supports slow-motion video capturing in 720p at 960fps.
On the front side under the notch is the 13MP selfie shooter with f/2.0 aperture and AI features. Redmi Note 8 runs MIUI 10 based on Android 9 Pie, the fingerprint sensor comes mounted on the rear panel, packs 4,000mAh battery. The phone accepts two Nano SIMs and you also get fast charging support via 18W charging adapter. Connectivity options provided include 4G LTE, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth v5.0, aptX HD (for high quality wireless streaming), FM Radio, GPS/ A-GPS, IR blaster, USB Type-C, and 3.5mm audio jack. Sensors on the phone include proximity, ambient light, accelerometer, magnetometer, and gyroscope.
Redmi Note 8 Pro
The smartphone sports fresh design and packs MediaTek’s gaming focussed SoC. The highlight of the phone is the 64MP primary rear camera alongside three supporting cameras. The company is offering Note 8 in three color options- Pearl White, Ice Emerald, and Electric Light Grey.
The smartphone features 6.53-inch FHD+ (2340×1080 pixels) IPS LCD notched display with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio and 91.4 percent screen to body ratio. The phone comes fitted with Gorilla Glass 5 protection from both front and back sides. It is powered by a 12nm MediaTek Helio G90T octa-core (2x Cortex-A76 & 6x Cortex-A55) SoC paired with Mali-G76MC4 GPU and up to 8GB of RAM. The internal storage is expandable up to 256GB via microSD card.
In terms of optics, the smartphone features quad rear camera setup consisting of 64MP primary Samsung ISOCELL GW1 sensor with f/1.8 aperture, 0.8-micron pixel size, PDAF (phase detection autofocus), EIS (electronic image stabilization) + 8MP wide-angle sensor with f/2.2 aperture, 1.12-micron pixel size + 2MP depth sensor with f/2.4 aperture and 1.75-micron pixel size + 2MP macro sensor with f/2.4 aperture and 1.75-micron pixels. The depth camera helps enhance bokeh effect while the macro camera can be used for macro photography. The setup is backed by AI features, paired with dual-LED flash, and supports slow-motion video capturing.
On the front side under the notch is the 20MP selfie shooter with f/2.0 aperture and AI features. Redmi Note 8 runs MIUI 10 based on Android 9 Pie, the fingerprint sensor comes mounted on the rear panel, and it is 1P52 certified for dust and water resistance. The phone accepts two Nano SIMs and packs 4,500mAh battery with Quick Charge 4+ fast charging support via 18W charging adapter.
Connectivity options provided include 4G LTE, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, NFC, Bluetooth v5.0, aptX HD (for high quality wireless streaming), GPS/ A-GPS, IR blaster, FM Radio, USB Type-C, and 3.5mm audio jack. Sensors on the phone include proximity, ambient light, accelerometer, magnetometer, and gyroscope.
According to Xiaomi India Head Manu Kumar Jain, the all-new Redmi Note series additions- Redmi Note 8 and Redmi Note 8 Pro may launch in India in late October or early November. He confirmed India launch on Twitter saying “8 weeks for #RedmiNote8!” explaining that the phones need to undergo testing and certification before they can be launched and the process could take up to 8 weeks.
