In the first week of May, Xiaomi confirmed that the Redmi Note 8 is coming back. With so many new features and specifications, this phone is returning with a new twist called Redmi Note 8 2021. Xiaomi set a kind of revolution by selling this phone from 2019 to 2020! Launched in 2019, the phone sold at least 25 million units, setting a benchmark for the popular Chinese smartphone maker.
There is a lot of speculation in the market right now about the new version of the 2021 Redmi Note 8 model. The company has not yet announced when the official launch will take place. However, by combining speculation and multiple media reports, we have come to know a bunch of information about the Redmi Note 8 2021. Find out all the unknown information.
Drawbacks of Redmi Note 8 2021
Although the Note 8 2021 edition improved a lot of features, it still has some drawbacks. The first thing we would like to mention is the battery. It has a 4000mAh battery which is similar to the previous version. Therefore, there are no changes in the battery. So, offering 5000mAH would have been great.
Our research found that the macro sensor might not be stable. If your hand shakes while taking pictures with the macro sensor, it may produce a blurry photo.
Another cons we want to mention is that the phone might get hit up when you play games or use the multimedia function for a long time. But the good thing is that it cools down quickly too. Further, this phone will not support the 5G network, but you will be able to connect to 4G LTE effectively. These minor drawbacks should not change your buying decision if you are a fan of the Redmi Note 8.
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Redmi Note 8 2021: Is it an upgrade or downgrade version of the old Note 8
Design
Xiaomi has already released the official render of this upcoming model. As can be seen in the photo shared by the company, there is a waterdrop notch on the display of the phone for the selfie camera. However, this feature was absent in the previous version. Bezels will catch your eye around the display.
One thing is clear from the render that the Redmi Note 8 2021 phone is going to be blue. It is unknown at this time if the phone will have any other color alternatives, but as per the released pictures, it might come in three colors, Neptune Blue, Moonlight White, and Space Black. The SIM slot is located as usual on the left side of the phone.
On the other hand, according to a report from GSMArena, the power and volume buttons are on the right side of the phone. Nevertheless, the Note 8 2021 looks similar to its previously launched original Note 8 from 2019.
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Display
This Redmi Note 8 2021 phone has an LCD display with a refresh rate of 120Hz and a waterdrop notch for selfies. Other than that, most of the display features remain the same as the previous version. Both phones feature a 6.3-inch FHD+ pixels Dot Drop Display that comes with 1,080×2,340 pixel resolution. Further, a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection is also there too.
Hardware
The newer edition will have a MediaTek Helio G85 processor, while the older has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 chipset. It is undoubtedly a major change. Although the chips are matched evenly, the SD 665 offers better efficiency in terms of energy consumption, as it provides a 12 nm manufacturing node. SD 665 also offers a higher CPU core frequency: 2200 Mhz vs. 2000Mhz. So, considering these performances, the Redmi Note 8 2019 version was much better.
On the other hand, Helio G85's Mali-G52 MP2 iGPU counters a higher clock rate than the SD 665's Adreno 610 (1,000 MHz vs. 600 MHz). Therefore, the newest version is much bigger in terms of shader unit count as well as the FLOPS. However, the Helio G85 is a newer processor, and it is more powerful as well as cheaper. This can help Xiaomi to charge less price.
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Camera
There is no major change in cameras. Both Redmi Note 8 2021 and older Redmi Note 8 offer a 48-megapixel quad-camera system on the front camera system. This phone has a quad rear camera setup. However, nothing is known about the primary sensor. As a secondary camera, this phone has an 8MP ultra-wide-angle sensor, a 2MP macro cam, and another 2MP depth sensor. Redmi Note 8 2021 edition will have a 13MP front-facing camera for selfies and video calling.
Software
In terms of software, the Redmi Note 8 2021 will be powered by Android 11-based company's own MIUI 12.5 custom skin out of the box. However, the Note 8 came with the Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 10, MIUI 12.
Memory
The Note 8 2019 offered two options regarding the RAM, 4GB, and 6GB. But the newest version will offer only 4GB RAM with 64 GB and 128 GB RAM.
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Battery
There are no significant changes in the battery capability except the 18W fast charging feature. The Redmi Note 8 2021 features a Li-Po 4000 mAh non-removable battery, which is similar to its previous version. However, some of the Xiaomi phones of similar price ranges have a more powerful battery than this.
Release Date and Price of Redmi Note 8 2021
Although the official release date is not confirmed yet, sources suggest that Redmi Note 8 2021 will be launched initially for the Russian and European markets. After that, it will be available for the whole world, including Asian countries. But we are not getting this phone before the end of July. It might be available in the Bangladeshi market unofficially after the launch in Europe.
However, the price is not confirmed yet. But the approximate price can be $169 (Tk. 14,400 at $1= Tk. 85.17 rate) for the 4GB/64GB variation and $189 (Tk. 16,000 at = Tk. 85.17 rate). With this price you will need to add the taxes too.