Redmi Note 8 in 2023

Hardware & performance

The Redmi Note 8 uses an older Snapdragon 665 chip and 4 to 6 gigabytes of RAM (we will be ignoring the 3 gigabyte version for this review). The specs were decent when the device was released, however nowadays with phones reaching up to 12 gigabytes of RAM and even more, the question on our minds is – is 4, or even 6 gigs enough? Well, depending on the tasks you do on your phone, it depends. If you’re a multitasker, you’re definitely going to expect some apps to shutdown in the background if you have enough of them open. As for gaming, while the Snapdragon 665 was never powerful, lighter mobile games should be fine. So, if you’re just going to use this phone for social media and light-to-medium usage, you shouldn’t be worried. For anything else, you should look elsewhere.

Camera

The Redmi Note 8 uses a Samsung S5KGM1 sensor, which can upscale to 48 megapixels. Alongside the main camera, the Redmi Note 8 features a wide angle lens, a macro camera, and a depth sensor. While the camera isn’t amazing, it gets the job done for a cheaper device.

Here are a few samples taken with the Redmi Note 8:

Software

While Xiaomi has obviously dropped support for the Redmi Note 8, the custom ROM community is still going strong, with an official LineageOS port for the device, alongside many other ROMs. If you’re not willing to flash a custom ROM on your device, we don’t recommend you pick up an older device, as the software and security aspect is a bit of a problem, considering Xiaomi hasn’t released a security update for the Redmi Note 8 in a long while, and forget about full MIUI updates. The Redmi Note 8, codenamed “ginkgo” internally and by the community is currently still on the supported devices list of LineageOS, though this state could change as maintainers drop support for deprecated devices.

Conclusion

The Redmi Note 8, for the price, is a decent device. The cameras are fine, and the performance, while not great, is good and the ROM community is still supporting this device. If you need a cheap device that is performant in daily tasks and you don’t mind testing out a few custom ROMs for stability, we recommend that you get the Redmi Note 8, though if you want a device that is supported by Xiaomi, you could also check out something like the POCO M5s.

Redmi K50 Ultra released – specs, details & more

The Redmi K50 Ultra is a high-end flagship from Xiaomi’s subbrand, Redmi, aimed mostly at power-users or enthusiasts. It features the highest end chipset from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, a 120Hz 1.5K OLED display, from both TCL and Tianma, a 5000 mAh battery, 120 watt quick charging, the Surge C1 chip for image processing, and more. The camera is a 108 megapixel f/1.6 Samsung HM6 Main Sensor with OIS, however in the global market, where it will be released as the Xiaomi 12T Pro, it will feature a 200 megapixel sensor. The device also features an in-display fingerprint sensor for the first time since the Redmi K30 Pro.

Alongside the regular K50 Ultra, there will also be the K50 Ultra Mercedes AMG Petronas edition. The specs of the device are the same as the regular K50 Ultra, however it will feature a higher capacity RAM and Storage configuration. The design of the device is also different.

The pricing for the K50 Ultra series is as follow: 2999¥ (445$) for the 8/128GB model, 3299¥ (490$) for the 8/256GB model, 3599¥ (534$) for the 12/256GB model, 3999¥ (593$) for the 12/512GB model, and 4199¥ (613$) for the 12/512GB AMG Petronas model.

Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro 12.4″ – details & more

The Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro 12.4 is basically a regular Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro with higher end specs compared to the base model, as we mentioned before. It features a Snapdragon 870, a 2.5K display, that runs at 120Hz, rated for 500 nits peak brightness. The display also features hardware blue light protection, and Dolby Vision. It also has a 20 megapixel front camera for video calls, and a 50 megapixel main sensor if you want to take photos on your tablet.

The tablet also features a 10,000 mAh battery, with 67W fast charge. It will come out of the box with MIUI Pad 13, and will have three color variants, which are Black, Moriyama Green and White. The pricing of the tablet is fairly decent, it will be priced at 2999¥ for the 6 GB RAM / 128 GB storage model, 3499¥ for the 8 GB RAM / 256 GB storage model, and 4199¥ for the 12 GB RAM / 512 GB storage model.

Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 released – specs, details, design & more

The Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 is a beautfiul device with a chassis to match, and specs to take on the best foldables on the market. Xiaomi has clearly been keeping up with the market in secret, and developing a powerful and thin device. We previously reported on the design leaks of the device, and now we have official confirmation on the thickness, the specs, and other details.

The Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 will feature Qualcomm’s highest end current chipset, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, a various amount of RAM and storage configurations, and more. The displays are rated at 2K+ for the inner folding display, which is an 8 inch Eco²OLED display, using LTPO 2.0 technology, and UTG glass, and it’s running at 120Hz refresh rate, while the outer non-folding display is rated at 1080p resolution at a 21:9 aspect ratio, the size is around 6.56″, and also runs at 120Hz. The device features Xiaomi’s custom self-developed hinge, which makes it 18% thinner and 35% lighter.

Alongside those specs, it features a 50 megapixel Sony IMX766 main camera sensor, a 13 megapixel ultrawide, and an 8 megapixel macro camera. It features Xiaomi’s custom ISP (Image Signal Processor), the Xiaomi Surge C2, and Cyberfocus. It features a Leica professional optical lens, and 7P anti-glare professional coating on the lens. The device features 2 colour variants, Gold and Moon Shadow Black. The battery is rated at 4500 mAh, and can charge at 67 watts. The foldable comes out of the box with MIUI Fold 13 based on Android 12, which is a custom version of the MIUI skin for foldables.

Now, let’s get to the thickness. The device is the thinnest foldable we have seen to date, as it is rated at 11.2mm folded, and 5.4mm unfolded.  This makes the Mix FOLD 2 the thinnest foldable ever, and a significant amount of progress for both Xiaomi and the foldable market in general. However, this is mostly related to Xiaomi’s custom hinge, which as we mentioned before on this article, makes the device 18% thinner.

Now, there’s a big catch about the Mix FOLD 2. It won’t be released globally. This was the case with the Mi MIX Fold as well, Xiaomi’s first foldable. If you’re a global customer that was looking forward to Xiaomi releasing this foldable, and if the specs you read here impressed you, you might have to look elsewhere, as this device, as was the Mi MIX Fold will stay a China exclusive. Importing it is still an option, but that’s a choice that is up to you.

With the price tag going from 8999¥ (1385$) for the 12GB RAM / 256GB storage option, to  9999¥ (1483$) for the 12GB RAM / 512GB storage option, and finally 11999¥ (1780$) for the 12 GB RAM / 1 TB storage option, this is certainly going to be one of Xiaomi’s most premium devices ever. Alongside those options, there’s also a bundle which lets you purchase the Xiaomi MIX Fold 2, alongside the Xiaomi Watch S1 Pro and the Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro and two fancy cases for your MIX Fold 2, priced at 13999¥. The Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 is now available in China.

POCO M4 5G announced globally

The POCO M4 5G is a midranger from Xiaomi’s subbrand, POCO, which features decent specs like a Mediatek Dimensity chipset, and more. POCO recently announced the device on Twitter, and they gave us a date for the release, which is the 15th of August.

A brand new M-series from POCO is coming! ✨

M for magic, modern, or memory?
Let me know what you think?

Stay tuned for the online launch of #POCOM4 5G on August 15th!#CantStopTheFun pic.twitter.com/Hj3iwNVnuN

— POCO (@POCOGlobal) August 10, 2022

The POCO M4 5G features a Mediatek Dimensity 700 chipset, 4 to 6 gigabytes of RAM, a 64 gigabyte and a 128 gigabyte storage configuration, a microSD card slot, and a dual camera, which features a 50 megapixel main camera, and 2 megapixel depth sensor.  It includes 18 watt charging, and UFS 2.2 storage. There’s also a 5000 mAh battery inside the device, so paired with the relatively low-power SoC, it should run fairly well, and should last you atleast a full day.

New Redmi devices – models, details & more

The upcoming Redmi devices aren’t part of the enthusiast-grade K series, or the midrange high ends of the Note series, but a new series, aimed towards people who are looking to get something like a burner phone, or something cheap for their kid, or maybe they just don’t want to spend too much on phones. What I’m trying to get at here is that these phones will be cheap. But that leads to some compromises:

The new Redmi devices are the Redmi A1 and the Redmi A1+. Named similarly to the Mi A series before them, the Redmi A series will be a budget-friendly lineup of phones, with low end specs and hardware, for markets that need phones at a very low price.

According to Twitter leaker @kacskrz, both of the Redmi A1 devices will feature a Mediatek Helio A22 SoC, so don’t expect high performance from these devices.

#RedmiA1 is coming. Just another budget smartphone, equipped with Helio A22 likely, codenamed “ice” https://t.co/1p0DvTR34K pic.twitter.com/H7ErU9QPrq

— Kacper Skrzypek 🇵🇱 (@kacskrz) August 10, 2022

These devices will also feature MIUI Lite, the lite version of Xiaomi’s very popular and controversial Android skin, made specifically for devices like these to perform well with. We’re not sure when these devices will be announced, but we expect them to be announced fairly soon.

Redmi K50 Ultra specsheet & more

We previously talked about the design of the Redmi K50 Ultra, and now the Redmi K50 Ultra specsheet proves that it will be a favourite in the enthusiast and power-user circles, as it will feature Qualcomm’s highest end processor, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. Alongside that, the specsheet confirms that it will feature an OLED 1.5K display, running at a 120Hz refresh rate, with an in-display fingerprint sensor, a triple-camera layout, with a 108 megapixel main camera, and two other sensors, ranked at 8 megapixels and 2 megapixels, which we expect to be an ultrawide and macro sensor.

​The Redmi K50 Ultra will also feature LPDDR5 memory, but we aren’t sure of the speed of the memory at the moment. It will also feature UFS3.1 storage, a 20 megapixel selfie camera in a centered punchhole configuration, a 5000 mAh battery, Wi-Fi 6E, and a 120 watt charger. The display is DCI-P3 and Dolby Vision certified, with Adaptive HDR.

The Redmi K50 Ultra will be officially announced and released in China tomorrow, and will be released as the Xiaomi 12T Pro globally.

Redmi K50 Ultra – design, details & more

The Redmi K50 Ultra is another Redmi flagship that will be a favourite among gamers, enthusiasts, and power-users. We previously reported on the Redmi K50 Ultra, and as we mentioned in that article, the specs of the device seem amazing on paper, considering it will feature a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, Qualcomm’s newest flagship mobile SoC, and the benchmark results prove that this device will be a great performer, just like other Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 devices.

Alongside the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, the Redmi K50 Ultra will feature 120W fast charging, a 1.5K display with an in-display fingerprint sensor, and more. The design of the device also seems like it will deviate from the design of the other devices in the Redmi K50 lineup. It might feature the same camera sensors as the Xiaomi 12T, however this is still up in the air. If you’re interested in the camera sensors, you can check them out here.

The Redmi K50 Ultra will only be released in China, alongside it’s global sibling, the Xiaomi 12T Pro. It will be announced on the 11th of August, alongside the Xiaomi MIX FOLD 2, Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro 12.4″, and more.

Xiaomi Annual Speech 2022: new devices & details

As we mentioned before, at this year’s speech, Xiaomi has announced the next leap in their foldables, the MIX Fold 2, a familiar but larger version of their Pad 5 Pro, and new IoT devices. While we have some details about the more interesting devices, like the MIX Fold 2 and the Pad 5 Pro, the IoT devices lack any information, as Xiaomi hasn’t given out much details about the devices. So, let’s start off with the most interesting one:

Xiaomi MIX Fold 2 – details & more

We previously reported on the MIX Fold 2, and we don’t know much about the specs, but it seems that the MIX Fold 2 will be an accomplishment for Xiaomi, as it will be the thinnest foldable in the world, at a baffling 5.4mm thickness. This is significantly thinner than devices like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. While opened, the MIX Fold 2 is as thin as a USB Type-C port. Other than that, there isn’t much information about the MIX Fold 2.

Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro 12.4″ – details & more

While we don’t have much information on the MIX Fold 2, we do have some on the upcoming Pad 5 Pro model, which will be boasting some new features alongside it’s size. The Pad 5 Pro 12.4″ is obviously going to feature a 12.4″ inch display, and alongside that, will feature a Snapdragon 870, and other than that will be the same RAM and storage configuration as the regular Xiaomi Pad 5 Pro. It will be released with MIUI 13, based on Android 12.

Xiaomi Watch S1 Pro and and Buds 4 Pro – details & more

So, now the least interesting part of the device announcements, the IoT devices. We barely have any information about these devices, and neither did Xiaomi mention anything about them, other than the fact that they exist. The Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro will feature a new case, and the Watch S1 Pro will feature a new premium design, with a larger screen with less bezel on it.

All of these devices will be released on the 11th of August, so if you want any of these devices, you won’t have to wait long.

Redmi 11 Prime 5G leaks and details

Recently, Twitter leaker @kacskrz posted about his findings in MIUI regarding two devices called the Redmi 10A Sport, and the Redmi 11 Prime 5G. While the former was announced the same day he found it in the code, the Redmi 11 Prime 5G is still yet to be announced. Now, let’s talk details.

Hmmmm… 🤔#Redmi10ASport #Redmi11Prime5G (both for India? Who knows…) pic.twitter.com/N9WtwDcqjR

— Kacper Skrzypek 🇵🇱 (@kacskrz) July 26, 2022

Alongside Kacper’s leaks, we also found the Redmi 11 Prime 5G in our IMEI database, under the model number 1219I. The device’s codename will also be “light”, as this is the common codename for the devices the Redmi 11 Prime 5G is based on.

There isn’t much to talk about with the Redmi 11 Prime 5G, as it is just another phone that Xiaomi has rebranded as a new addition to their lineup, however instead of rebranding a single device for the new phone as they’ve done previously with their POCO devices, this time Xiaomi has taken a phone that’s already been rebranded once, and done it again. First they released the, Redmi Note 11E, then released it as the POCO M4 5G two months later, and now the upcoming Redmi 11 Prime 5G is also based on that exact same device, the Redmi Note 11E.

Alongside these devices, the upcoming Redmi 10 5G will also be based on the same hardware, which features a Dimensity 700, 4 or 6 gigabytes of RAM, a high capacity battery rated at 5000 mAh, 50 megapixel main camera alongside a 2 megapixel depth sensor, and, obviously as the name implies, 5G support.