Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 (2021) Review, Pros and Cons – What we have today is the Redmi Note 8 (2021) smartphone, an updated model of the original Redmi Note 8 that was released in 2019. Because of the more successful sales of 25 million units of this phone, the company wanted to celebrate the release of an updated model. The updated model of the Redmi Note 8 (2021) smartphone was released on May 27, 2021.
As we are used to the previous model, you will get almost similar features with this model. Even so, coming with 4G bandwidth, the Redmi Note 8 2021 has the same charm with its colors, processor, and certainly the camera. Let’s start with a detailed review of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 (2021) smartphone.
Table of Contents
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 (2021) Review
Highlights
- A 6.3 inches Full HD IPS LCD screen combined with 1080p resolution is enough to give you a brilliant visual experience.
- The latest Android 11 OS drives your phone perfectly.
- A 12nm MediaTek Helio G85 chipset provides moderate performance.
- What is most interesting is its 48 MP main camera in this budget.
- The addition of a 4000mAh battery is a bit disappointing for users.
Design and Display
There is no introduction to Redmi design. The brand has already shown itself superior in terms of the overall layout. Playing with light and shadow on the back panel is an interesting and mind-blowing experience. If you love Blue, you have the Neptune Blue option. If you like to keep a white background, choose Moonlight White. The Space Black option is also very attractive. The quad-camera is perfectly configured, taking up very little space on the back panel. You get the fingerprint sensor on the back
Protected with gorilla glass 5, the front panel displays a 6.3 inches Full HD screen that matches 1080p resolution. It’s hard to find that combination. Whether you watch movies or play games, this is an absolutely fantastic experience you will have on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 (2021) smartphone. When you hold the phone, you can see the glamor the screen shows. Not only that, because of the comfort with brightness, the brand has added a moderate feature of 500 nits of brightness. So you can count on the glow when you’re on a sunny day.
Unfortunately, you have only the default refresh rate. For this, you may face some difficulty when playing games. With a 19.5:9 aspect ratio, you get the full view of any movie. Coming to your measurement, you’ll be carrying a 190g phone that’s 8.4mm thick in the sidebar.
Memory and Internal
The phone becomes paramount when it comes to the latest features. The same applies to the Redmi Note 8. Coming with Android 11 OS, the Redmi Note 8 (2021) model leaves no room for degradation. You definitely appreciate the quality of perfect performance. It becomes easier to operate when there is no lag in the processing. For better performance, adding a custom MIUI interface is better to decorate your phone according to your choice.
But the presence of a 12nm MediaTek Helio G85 chipset makes the phone a bit old. Still, it works with satisfaction when you play or do multitasking. The Redmi Note 8 (2021) smartphone offers a maximum of 2x 2.0 GHz clock speed. This is without a doubt an admirable specification that you should consider when purchasing. Because of the Mali-G52 MC2 graphics unit, you don’t have to worry about its visual rendering. Each image is portrayed with its realistic colors. A player gets excited while playing games.
3 variants are available on the market. Depending on your need, it’s easier to choose one of them. The basic variant, 3GB RAM and 64GB storage are sufficient for everyday use, while the middle variant comes with 4G RAM and 64GB storage, is better suited for heavy use. Gamers will be pleased if they choose the superior variant, 4GB RAM and 128GB storage. Because of the apps already installed, you might feel a bit congested, so it’s advisable to go for the higher variant spending a little more. Also, you have the advantage of using a microSD card for storage expansion.
Camera
Redmi’s most popular feature is its camera. The brand has always been in fashion only for the shiny cameras. Coming with a quad camera with a 48 MP main camera, the Redmi Note 8 (2021) proves to be an essential purchase. Whether night or day, you are sure about your crystal clear images. Apply your imagination to see the big picture your way. Capturing some important details is not at all difficult in proper daylight because of the decent cameras provided on the phone.
Secondary cameras include 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro, and 2MP depth cameras. Because of this combination, you can capture anything. The smartly blurred background defeats any novice film camera. You are sure about the details of each photo. For close-ups or portraits, you feel superior with the result.
On the other hand, there is a 13 MP selfie camera that proves to be useful when you want to capture yourself. There is no problem with daytime but in low light, it is a little challenging. Where the selfie camera records 1080p videos, the main camera is for the same resolution videos but with different frame rates. The presence of the EIS-gyro on the rear camera makes the video recording more interesting. Buying such a camera-based phone makes you stand out from the crowd.
Battery and Others
Last but not least, this section is relatively significant compared to the previous sections. A smartphone depends a lot on how long it can last. Here, the Redmi Note 8 (2021) smartphone loses the game to other pairs. You get a Li-Po 4000mAh battery, while other partners offer a 5000 or 6000mAh battery. Lasting just one day can be a better smartphone. It would be better if there was at least one higher refresh rate option in the Redmi Note 8 (2021) smartphone. Otherwise, the phone is just amazing on this budget. You get an 18W fast with the phone and their pricing starts at $145 (Rs 10,599) approx.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 (2021) Specifications Detail
Down below you can see the full specifications of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 (2021) smartphone.
| Specifications | Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 2021 |
| Network | 2G, 3G, 4G |
| Announced | May 2021 |
| SIM | Dual SIM |
| Dimensions | 6.23 x 2.96 x 0.33 inches |
| Weight | 190 g |
| Size | 6.3 inches |
| Display | IPS LCD 500 nits brightness 19.5:9 ratio ~409 PPI density |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 pixels |
| OS | Android 11, MIUI 12.5 |
| Chipset | 12nm – MediaTek Helio G85 |
| CPU | Octa-core 2×2.0 GHz Cortex-A75 6×1.8 GHz Cortex-A55 |
| GPU | Mali-G52 MC2 |
| Card slot | Yes (dedicated slot) |
| RAM | 3GB, 4GB |
| Internal | 64GB, 128GB eMMC 5.1 |
| Camera | 48 MP (wide), PDAF 8 MP (120Ëš ultrawide) 2 MP (macro) 2 MP (depth) LED flash, HDR, panorama, gyro-EIS Max – 1080p@30/120fps |
| Selfie | 13 MP (wide) HDR, panorama Max – 1080p@30fps |
| Loudspeaker | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | Yes |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| GPS | Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| NFC | No |
| Infrared port | Yes |
| Radio | Yes |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, USB On-The-Go |
| Sensors | Rear-mounted fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | Li-Po 4000 mAh Fast charging 18W |
| Colors | Neptune Blue, Moonlight White, Space Black |
| Expected Price | $145 (Rs 10,599) approx. |
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 (2021) Pros and Cons
Down below you can see the list of pros and cons (advantages and disadvantages) of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 (2021) smartphone.
pros
- Gorilla glass 5 protection.
- FHD IPS LCD screen with 500 nits brightness.
- Latest Android 11 with custom UI support.
- Dedicated micro SD card support.
- Decent image and video quality.
- Support for Infrared and USB On-The-Go.
- Rear mounted fingerprint.
- Decent price.
cons
- No 5G support.
- No NFC present.
- Low battery capacity.
- Medium performance chipset.
- Not for heavy graphics games.
- Heating problem may appear.
- Default refresh rate screen.
- Same old design as Note 8 (2020) model.
Conclusion
If you’re still wondering, let me clear everything up in a recap so you can make an informed decision. No doubt the design has been an attractive point considering the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 (2021) phone. In addition, you will have a wonderful display that will leave you amazed while watching any movie. The presence of glossy cameras enhances the true charm of this phone in the budget range.
Also, you should be concerned about the battery being unsuitable at the moment. Available globally, you can buy it from the official channel or from the nearest stores. There remains one more task, which is the comparison with its alternatives. This upgraded model offers stiff competition to other phones. So it would be difficult to find a strong competitor for the Redmi Note 8 (2021) phone. Still, you can check out the Galaxy M21 2021.
