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
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Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 2021 Key Specs and Features
- 6.3 inch IPS IPS LCD Display, 1080 x 2340 Pixels, ~ 409 PPI,
- Android 11 (Pie); MIUI 12.5
- Octa-core 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.
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The Cameras
The cameras are yet another reminiscence from the 2019 Redmi Note 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, this Redmi phone has 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.
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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.
You may also be interested in the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T and Redmi Note 8 2021.
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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
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 2021 price starts at around $159 at leading online retailers. The Redmi Note 8 2021 costs around 77,000 Naira in Nigeria, 14,800 KSH in Kenya, and 2,700 EGP in Egypt.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 2021 was announced on May 25th, 2021, and was released on May 27th, 2021.
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Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 2021 Specs
Here are a few specs of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 2021:
General Features
- Platform: Android 11, MIUI 12.5
- Processor: MediaTek Helio G85 (12nm) (Octa-core 2×2.0 GHz Cortex-A75 & 6×1.8 GHz Cortex-A55)
- GPU: Mali-G52 MC2
- Memory: 4GB RAM
- Colours: Neptune Blue, Moonlight White, Space Black
- Dimension: 158.3 x 75.3 x 8.4 mm
- Weight: 190g
- SIM Type: Nano-SIM
- SIM Count: Dual SIM
Display
- Display: 6.3 inch IPS infinity-U capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, 1080 x 2340 pixels (~409 PPI), 19.5:9 aspect ratio
- Screen Protection: –
- Foldable Display: No
Camera
- Rear Camera: 48MP (wide) + 8MP (ultrawide) + 2MP + 2MP (depth) Quad Camera, LED flash, HDR, Panorama, 1080p@30/120fps; gyro-EIS
- Rear Camera Features: PDAF, LED Flash, HDR, Panorama, 1080p@30/120fps; gyro-EIS
- Front Camera: 13 MP Camera, HDR, Panorama, 1080p@30fps
Storage
- Built-in Storage: 64GB (eMMC 5.1) / 128GB (eMMC 5.1)
- Memory Card Support: Yes, up to 256 GB
- Bundled Cloud Storage: No
Network Support
- 2G GSM: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
- 2G CDMA 1X: –
- 3G WCDMA: 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
- 3G CDMA EVDO: –
- 4G LTE: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40
- 5G: No
Internet & Connectivity
- GPRS: Yes
- EDGE: Yes
- 3G/WCDMA/HSPA: Yes
- HSPA+: Yes
- CDMA EVDO: No
- 4G LTE: Yes
- 5G: No
- WLAN: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
- Wi-Fi Hotspot: Yes
- Bluetooth: Version 5.2, A2DP, LE
- NFC: No
- Infrared Blaster: No
- USB Port: USB Type-C 2.0, USB On-The-GO
Messaging
- SMS/MMS: Yes
- Instant Messaging: Yes
- Push Emails: Yes
- Email Protocol: Yes
Entertainment
- Music Player: Yes
- Video Player: Yes
- FM Radio: Yes
- Loudspeaker: Yes
- 3.5mm Jack: Yes
Navigation
- Navigation: A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
- Maps: Yes
Sensors & Control
- Digital Compass: Yes
- Accelerometer: Yes
- Proximity Sensor: Yes
- Light Sensor: Yes
- Barometer: No
- SpO2: No
- Pedometer: No
- Heart Rate Monitor: No
- Gyroscope: –
- Fingerprint Scanner: Yes
- Iris Scanner: No
- Face Unlock: No
- Stylus Pen: No
- Intelligent Digital Assistant: Yes
- Motion Sensing / Gesture Control: –
- Voice Control: Yes
Other Features
- Video Streaming: Yes
- Active Noise Cancellation: –
- Wireless Charging: No
- Built-in Mobile Payment: No
- Water Resistant: No
- Dust Resistant: No
- Image Editor: –
- Video Editor: –
- Document Viewer: Yes
- Document Editor: Yes
Battery
- Battery: Non-removable 4000 mAh Li-Po Battery
- Talktime: –
- Standby Time: –
- Fast Charging: 18W Capacity
