Redmi Note 8: A Mid-Range Smartphone with Impressive Display

The Redmi Note 8 is a mid-range smartphone that's packed with impressive features. It boasts a 6.3-inch display with a 1080 x 2340 pixels resolution, making it perfect for watching videos or browsing the web.

Its display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5, which provides an extra layer of durability against scratches and drops. This means you can enjoy your phone without worrying about it getting damaged easily.

One of the standout features of the Redmi Note 8 is its powerful octa-core processor, which provides smooth performance even with demanding tasks. This is great news for gamers and multitaskers alike.

The Redmi Note 8 has a 6.3-inch IPS LCD display with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. This display is protected by Gorilla Glass 5, which is a great feature for a phone that's likely to be handled a lot.

The screen resolution is Full HD+, which means it's plenty sharp and perfect for reading long web pages or watching videos. You can even switch to a more neutral color profile if you find the default colors a bit too cool.

The phone measures 158.3 mm x 75.3 mm x 8.4 mm, and it weighs 209 grams. This makes it a comfortable size to hold in your hand, and the weight is just right - not too light, not too heavy.

The Redmi Note 8's display is a standout feature, with a 6.3-inch IPS LCD panel that's just the right size for everyday use.

The screen resolution is a full HD+ at 1080x2340 pixels, which is more than adequate for reading text and browsing the web. In fact, icons and text look perfectly crisp, making it a pleasure to use the phone for extended periods.

One thing to note is that the color tuning is a bit off, skewing towards cooler tones out of the box. However, it's easy to switch to a more neutral color profile that makes content look more natural.

The display is also impressively bright, with peak brightness levels of around 430 nits. While this isn't the brightest phone in the segment, it's more than enough to use the phone outside without any issues.

The Redmi Note 8's display also has stable viewing angles, with only some slight hazing and halo effects at acute angles. This means you can easily share photos and videos with friends without worrying about the screen looking washed out.

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Here's a comparison of the Redmi Note 8's display to other devices in its class:

As you can see, the Redmi Note 8's display holds its own against some of the best devices in its class. While it may not be the brightest or most contrasty, it's still a great option for those looking for a reliable and feature-packed display.

Screen flickering or PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation) can be a concern for some users. 53% of tested devices don't use PWM to dim the display.

The Redmi Note 8 is one of the devices that passed the test, with no PWM detected. This is great news for users who want a smooth display experience.

If PWM was detected, an average of 8,255 Hz was measured, with a minimum of 5 Hz and a maximum of 34,350 Hz.

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The fingerprint sensor on this device is a classic one, and it works well for biometric authentication. It took a while to unlock the device for some reason, though.

The capacitive touchscreen responds precisely to inputs, and it implements commands without delay. It's very responsive.

A 2D facial authentication method is also available, but it's not as secure as using a fingerprint.

The Redmi Note 8's hardware and performance are solid, but not exceptional. It runs on Android v9.0 with MIUI as the user interface.

The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 chipset, which is based on an 11nm architecture. This should make it a bit more energy-efficient.

The Snapdragon 665 chipset has an octa-core CPU with 2 GHz and 1.8 GHz quad-core processors. This setup provides a good balance of performance and power consumption.

Here are the key specs:

In terms of performance, the phone can handle everyday tasks with ease, but gaming performance is not its strong suit. It can get a bit laggy and heat up during extended gaming sessions.

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The Snapdragon 665 chipset powering the Redmi Note 8 is the same as that of the realme 5. It's based on an 11nm architecture, which should make it more energy-efficient.

The CPU is a touch slower than the Snapdragon 660 chipset, but the GPU is a tad more powerful. This balance of performance gains and losses should even out in real-world use.

You can expect the phone to keep up with most tasks, but jumping between apps might cause some frame drop and jitter. I've experienced this myself, and it's not a deal-breaker, but it's worth noting.

The gaming experience is not amazing, especially when pushing the graphics settings in PUBG. You'll notice lag and dropped frames, and the phone can get quite hot after just a few minutes of gaming.

Here's a quick rundown of the phone's specs:

The Redmi Note 8's power consumption is relatively low, especially when it's in idle mode.

The phone's power consumption in idle mode is around 0.62 watts, which is lower than the average of the class smartphone. This is a significant improvement over other phones in the same class, such as the Samsung Galaxy A20e and the LG K50, which consume around 0.66 and 0.7 watts respectively.

In load mode, the Redmi Note 8's power consumption is around 3.42 watts, which is lower than the average of the class smartphone. This is also lower than the power consumption of the Xiaomi Mi A3 and the Nokia 4.2 in load mode.

Here is a comparison of the power consumption of the Redmi Note 8 with other phones in the same class:

The Redmi Note 8's power consumption is significantly lower than the average of the class smartphone in all three modes, making it a great option for users who want a phone that lasts all day.

The Redmi Note 8's audio capabilities are decent, but not spectacular. With quality headphones, you'll notice a hiss in the background, which might be annoying for some.

Music sounds warm and emphasizes bass, but it's not the most neutral presentation. It's good enough for casual listening, like commuting.

The single loudspeaker is serviceable for podcasts and alarms, but don't expect it to get loud – it's not the loudest around.

The speakers on the Redmi Note 8 are surprisingly loud, reaching almost 88 dB(A) during tests, which is quite impressive.

Xiaomi claims the Redmi Note 8 has an ultra-linear speaker, and our review unit lives up to its marketing.

The mono speaker reproduces audio linearly, which is a big plus. The 3.5 mm jack on-board allows you to connect conventional headphones without scrambling for a USB Type-C adapter.

Audio output from the jack is clean and pleasingly loud, as is often the case with Xiaomi smartphones.

The linearity of the bass is average, with a delta of 11.8% to the previous frequency. The mids are balanced, with only a 2.8% deviation from the median.

Highs are also balanced, with a 4.6% deviation from the median. The highs are linear, with a 3.2% delta to the previous frequency.

Compared to other devices in the same class, 22% were better, 9% similar, and 69% worse. The best had a delta of 12%, average was 35%, and worst was 134%.

Compared to all devices tested, 43% were better, 8% similar, and 49% worse. The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, and worst was 134%.

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The Redmi Note 8 has four rear-facing cameras, making it a great option for those who love taking photos and videos.

The primary rear-facing camera is a 48 MP sensor with an f/1.75 aperture and a pixel size of 0.8 µm, which is a significant improvement over the standard 12 MP image created by interpolating four adjacent pixels.

The 48 MP sensor is equipped with a Samsung GM1, which can struggle in low-light conditions, resulting in image noise and artefacts, even in sub-optimal daylight.

The Redmi Note 8 also features an 8 MP ultra-wide-angle sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and a 120° field of view, allowing for more flexibility in taking shots.

The ultra-wide-angle sensor is a great addition to the camera setup, making it easier to capture more in a single shot.

The device also has two 2 MP depth of field sensors with f/2.4 apertures for taking macro or zoomed-in shots.

Here's a breakdown of the camera setup:

The front-facing camera is a 13 MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, which is capable of taking decent-looking selfies in good lighting.

Call quality on the Redmi Note 8 is decent, with the earpiece reproducing voices clearly.

The built-in microphones also perform well, making it easy to use the phone for voice calls.

However, voice quality can deteriorate if the speaker is set to maximum volume.

The Redmi Note 8 supports dual voice over LTE (VoLTE), but this feature is only available if carriers provision the device on their network.

Unfortunately, this means that the Chinese model we tested won't work with network providers in Germany or beyond, but you may have more luck with the global variant.

Wi-Fi calling is not supported by the Redmi Note 8, regardless of the model.

The Redmi Note 8 runs on Android 9 Pie with MIUI 10.3.3. It's a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to software, with some nice features like a customizable interface and easy file transfer options, but also a lot of preloaded bloatware that can't be removed.

The phone supports dual SIM connectivity, with both SIM card slots able to use LTE. It also has Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac) 5GHz support, which is fast enough to stream 4K videos.

Xiaomi has pushed out several software updates since the phone's release, including the November security patch and features like a new quick share dialog box and Digital Wellbeing.

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The Redmi Note 8's hardware and software are quite impressive, but let's dive into the details.

The phone runs on Android 9 Pie, which is a great operating system, but it's worth noting that some users may struggle with running Google apps due to the device's DRM Widevine certifications.

The MIUI 10 interface is quite customizable, allowing users to really make the phone their own.

One of the standout features of the phone is its Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 chipset, which provides a smooth and efficient performance.

Here's a breakdown of the phone's hardware and software specs:

The phone's Adreno 610 GPU provides a great gaming experience, and the 8-core CPU ensures that tasks are completed quickly and efficiently.

The Redmi Note 8 is a powerhouse when it comes to Wi-Fi connectivity, averaging over 300 Mb/s in both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi tests. This is significantly faster than the competition, making it perfect for heavy internet users.

The device supports up to IEEE 802.11ac, allowing it to connect to both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks. This is a major advantage, as it enables seamless switching between networks to ensure a stable connection.

The Redmi Note 8 has dual-SIM connectivity, supporting both SIM card slots with LTE. This means you can enjoy simultaneous data and voice connectivity on both SIMs, making it ideal for heavy users who need to stay connected.

Here's a breakdown of the Redmi Note 8's connectivity features:

The Redmi Note 8's GPS capabilities are also impressive, finding a satellite fix relatively quickly and to an accuracy of four metres outside. This is well above the class average, making it perfect for navigation tasks like driving, cycling, or walking.

The Redmi Note 8 is a feature-packed smartphone that boasts a large 6.3-inch Full HD+ IPS screen. The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 5 on both the front and back.

The phone has a quad-camera setup on the back, featuring a 48MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, a 2MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth sensor. You can also record 4K video at 30fps.

One of the standout features of the Redmi Note 8 is its massive 4,000mAh battery, which is paired with 18W fast charging. This means you can quickly top up your battery when you're on the go.

Here are the key specifications of the Redmi Note 8:

The Redmi Note 8 is a very good smartphone that falls just short of excellence.

It's a crowded market out there, and the Redmi Note 8 isn't quite the standout device it once was. The sheer amount of competition from other phones that deliver on features, hardware, and design makes it hard for the Redmi Note 8 to stand out.

The realme 6 is a phone worth considering, with its eye-catching design, excellent performance, and a slick 90Hz display that really enhances the user experience.

The Redmi Note 9 Pro presents itself as a quality alternative with a beautiful, understated design and a Snapdragon 720G chipset.

As long as you can live with the quirks of MIUI, the hardware is reliable and delivers all-day battery life, reasonably good performance, and a camera that is just as good as, if not better than, the competition.