Redmi 8 launches as a repackaged Redmi 8A with an extra camera, tweaked design
Xiaomi has launched the Redmi 8 in India mere weeks after it unveiled the Redmi 8A in the country. The new smartphone is what we would call Xiaomi’s repackaging skills at its best.
Most of the Redmi 8 specs resemble those of the Redmi 8A. Heck, the only difference here is an extra camera, a tweaked rear design, and the addition of a fingerprint sensor. The rest, as they say, is history. Meaning if you know the Redmi 8A, you have a decent idea of what to expect from the Redmi 8.
That said, the Redmi 8A redefined the entry-level sub-$100 smartphone segment. We’re hard at work reviewing the Redmi 8 to see if it’s also a category-defining device. Until then, here’s what you get.
Redmi 8 specs
The internals of the Redmi 8 are almost a carbon copy of the Redmi 8A. All that’s new is a secondary rear camera and a fingerprint sensor. The phone also loses the 8A’s Aura Wave Grip design and instead adopts the Aura Mirror design with a gradient finish.
It gets the same octa-core Snapdragon 439 processor at its core, one that Xiaomi has used since the Redmi 7A. The chipset is paired with the Adreno 505 GPU. You get two RAM/storage options — 4GB with 64GB storage and a basic 3GB with 32GB storage variant.
There’s a 6.22-inch Dot Notch display (with Gorilla Glass 5) on the device with a resolution of 720 x 1,520 pixels. Like many Xiaomi phones these days, the Redmi 8 also adds in a P2i coating for splash resistance.
You get a 12MP + 2MP AI dual camera setup on the phone, with the second camera capturing depth information. That’s one more rear camera compared to the Redmi 8A. The 12MP sensor on the phone is the same Sony IMX363 sensor with a pixel size of 1.4μm. This is the “flagship Sony sensor” Xiaomi was teasing for the device. We’ve previously seen the IMX363 on the likes of the Google Pixel 3a, Mi Mix 3, and Mi 8, which are far more expensive than Xiaomi’s new offering.
Furthermore, the rear camera on the device comes with Google Lens integration. Xiaomi says this will allow users to live translate between 104 languages by pointing the camera at text. The selfie duties are still performed by a single 8MP sensor on the front.
Keeping with the Redmi 8A, the Redmi 8 also gets its juice from a 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging. However, you get a 10W charger in the box and will have to buy the fast charger separately. There’s a USB-C port on the phone, a dual SIM slot, a dedicated microSD slot, a rear fingerprint scanner, and a wireless FM radio.
Redmi 8 price and availability
The Redmi 8 is priced at Rs 7,999 (~$112) for the 3GB/32GB variant and Rs 8,999 (~$126) for the 4GB/64GB version. You can buy it in Sapphire Blue, Ruby Red, and Onyx Black colorways.
As a special offer, Xiaomi will sell the 4GB variant of the Redmi 8 at Rs 7,999 for the first 5 million units sold. The phone will be available starting October 12 at midnight on Mi.com and Flipkart.
As a surprise announcement during the launch event, Xiaomi said that it will be launching its 64MP camera phone, the Redmi Note 8 Pro, in India on October 16.
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