Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 2021 Specs, Price and Best Deals

Just when we thought the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8‘s chapter has been closed, Xiaomi silently released what appears to be a 2021 refresh tagged the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 2021. Making comparisons between the former and the 2021’s model reveals a transition from a Snapdragon to a MediaTek processor and also the absence of some colour options, more on that later in the article.

Where to Buy Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 2021

Jumia Nigeria – See Offers | Jumia Kenya – See Offers

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 2021 Key Specs and Features

6.3 inch IPS IPS LCD Display, 1080 x 2340 Pixels, ~ 409 PPI,
Android 9.0 (Pie); MIUI 10
MediaTek Helio G85 (12nm)
4GB RAM or 6 GB RAM
64GB / 128GB Built-in Storage, SD-Card Support
48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP Quad Rear Camera
13MP Front Camera
Fingerprint Sensor (rear-mounted)
4000 mAh Non-removable Li-Po Battery
Fast Battery Charging (18W)

Design and Display

Enthusiasts who hoped for a different design on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 2021 should probably look away because the design is a stalemate reminiscing what we had on the first edition Note 8 from 2019.

Despite having the same design, there’s a little change in the colour options, as we have a shorter list of colour options on this 2021 model. The colour options include Neptune Blue, Moonlight White, Space Black, as opposed to the longer list from 2019, which adds Nebula Purple, Cosmic Purple.

Moving on to scrutinize the chassis, we find a gradient design, on which we will find a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, an array of cameras, an LED flash, and the Redmi logo which is enough for enthusiasts to tell it’s a Xiaomi smartphone.

Moving up front, we have the same 6.3-inch IPS LCD display with a drop notch housing its front camera. The highlights of the display include a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels and a density of approximately 409 PPI.

Please note that the chassis build constituents on this chassis include Gorilla Glass 5 on the rear, Gorilla Glass 5 up front, and plastic on the frame.

The Cameras

The cameras are yet another reminiscence from the 2019 model. The cameras on the rear and front are basically the same when referencing on-paper specifications.

On the rear, we have a 48MP primary camera with an aperture of f/1.8, an 8MP ultrawide camera with an aperture of f/2.2, and a 120˚ field of view. The other cameras on the rear include a 2MP macro camera with an aperture of f/2.4 and a 2MP depth camera with an aperture of f/2.4. Video recording on this camera is capped at 1080p @ 120fps.

Moving up front, we have a single 13MP camera tucked into the drop notch on the display. This camera has an aperture of f/2.0 and is capable of shooting videos up to 1080p @ 30fps.

Hardware and Software

On the performance side, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 2021, trades in the Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor on its 2019 sibling, for the MediaTek G85 processor, we also have the Mali-G52 MC2 GPU, as opposed to the Areno 610 GPU on the 2019 model.

Also on the performance train, is the RAM and storage configurations that include 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, which shows we won’t be getting the 6GB RAM option from 2019. We also have a non-removable 4000mAh Li-Po battery, merged with an 18W fast charge mechanism.

On the software side, we have the MIUI 12.5 user interface running on the Android 11 operating system.

Connectivity

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 2021 features Bluetooth 5.2, a 3.5mm headphone jack and a USB Type-C port with OTG support.

Internet connectivity is capped at 4G, which means enthusiasts won’t get access to 5G connectivity.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 2021 Price and Availability

The price of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 2021 starts at around 147 dollars which translates to about 60,638 Naira in Nigeria, 15,825 KSH in Kenya, and 850 GHC in Ghana.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 2021 was announced on May 25th, 2021, and is expected to be released on May 27th, 2021.