Redmi Note 8 and Note 8 Pro specifications confirmed by Xiaomi, days before the launch

(Image credit: Xiaomi)

 The Redmi Note 8 and the Note 8 Pro are going to be unveiled in China on August 29 as Xiaomi’s top budget smartphones. Redmi has revealed some more bits about these phones in the hype-building phase.

Xiaomi’s Redmi Note series has been a  top-seller in multiple countries including India, thanks for its extreme value-for-money, great performance and reliable battery life. However, in the past few years, Redmi has upped its game by also improving the design and cameras massively. With the Redmi Note 8 series, things are shaping up to be even brighter.

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Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro

 The Redmi Note 8 Pro is going to be the show stopper this time by bringing massive leaps in performance and photography. Powered by the gaming-centric MediaTek Helio G90T chipset, it should have no problems keeping up with user demands. It is likely to be the first device to be powered by this new chipset. 

Also seeing a big step up, the Redmi Note 8 Pro will ship with a 4,500 mAh battery, which is the biggest ever on a Redmi Note device. There will also be support for 18W fast charging over USB Type-C.

25x zoom teaser

25x zoom teaser (Image credit: Xiaomi)

 The most interesting upgrade comes in the form of the cameras, as the Note 8 Pro will be the first smartphone to sport a 64MP primary camera, implementing Samsung’s new ISOCELL Bright GW1 image sensor. This is going to be a quad-camera setup. While Xiaomi hasn’t mentioned how these cameras are going to be different from one another, we can expect a combination of a primary, an ultrawide, a telephoto along with a depth sensor. Xiaomi even shared teaser images that showed 25x zoom capabilities, which is likely to be a hybrid solution.

In terms of design, the Redmi Note 8 Pro will build upon the new style that we saw debut on the Redmi K20 series with a curved glass back with smokey edges that dances with the light. Official renders suggest a green and a white colour variant, but we could see more options too. The back also has a fingerprint scanner, indicating that there will not be an in-display solution. The display is expected to be a Full HD+ panel with a dot notch on the top.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8

 The stage will be shared by the Redmi Note 8 which will be a slightly more affordable smartphone. It will follow the same philosophy but will bring in a few changes in departments such as the design, processor and camera.

For starters, the Redmi Note 8 will be powered by the Snapdragon 665 chipset, which is the same one we saw on Mi A3, and is an upgrade over the Snapdragon 660.

Redmi Note 8 teaser

Redmi Note 8 teaser (Image credit: Xiaomi)

We will continue to get a quad-camera arrangement, but the primary camera will be a 48MP sensor instead of 64MP. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Redmi Note 8 does away with the telephoto lens in favour of a macro lens or something.

Other specifications are likely to be similar with a battery in the range of 4,000 mAh with support for fast charging. The display should also be the same. 

The other perceivable difference comes in the form of the design, as teased renders suggest a design similar to the Mi A3 with a curved glass back with cameras along the edge.

 The Redmi Note 8 and the Note 8 Pro will be announced in China on August 29, along with a new Redmi TV and a Redmi book laptop. Speculations suggest that these phones will launch in India in the coming months, right in time for Diwali.

Aakash Jhaveri

Aakash is the engine that keeps TechRadar India running, using his experience and ideas to help consumers get to the right products via reviews, buying guides and explainers. Apart from phones, computers and cameras, he is obsessed with electric vehicles.