Friends+Design
- Attractive, well-built, modern looking design, similar to the Redmi 8/8A, especially from the front (thought it's not quite as slick as the Redmi Note 8 Pro)
- Good looking mirrored gradient finish at the back
- Decent ergonomics - reaching all corners with one thumb isn't too difficult
- Fingerprint and face recognition are both quick
- The chin is on the thick side, and includes the Redmi brand logo
- Significant camera bump
- Like all glossy backs, it would be a challenge to keep this finish free of smudges and fingerprints (thankfully there is a cover that's included in the box)
- The volume buttons are a bit high, and not super easy to reach
Display
- Good Full-HD+ 6.3 inches screen - it's crisp and bright
Software
- MIUI is one of the more refined, smooth, and feature-rich custom Android UIs around
- It continues to pack a lot of preloaded bloatware though, and spammy notifications and ads (which can be disabled, but it's not the simplest process)
Performance
- Good, solid performance powered by the Snapdragon 665 - day-to-day use and gameplay are both smooth
- Gaming performance is not as good as 2 key competitors however - the Realme 5 and Vivo U10 (that pack the same processor), due to the higher resolution display, which puts more strain on the GPU
Camera
- Very good overall camera performance, for the price bracket (arguably the best at this price)
- The rear setup includes a quad-camera setup (very similar to the Realme 5) - a 48-megapixel primary camera + 8-megapixel wide-angle camera + 2-megapixel macro camera + 2-megapixel depth sensor
- The primary 48-megapixel camera on the Redmi Note 8 gives crisp, bright shots with very good detail - especially, close ups came out looking great
- Portrait mode is very good, as well
- Decent 13MP selfie camera, especially during daylight
- The wide-angle and macro cameras, while giving you some interesting framing options, are average in quality
- Low light performance is average, as expected
Audio
- Xiaomi has done a good job with the single speaker - voices in audio/music came out crisp and distinct
Battery
- Good battery life with a 4000mAh battery - you will get about 1.5 days of moderate use
- 18W fast charging support (and an 18W charger is included) - the phones goes from zero to 37 percent in half an hour, and 81 percent in one hour
Verdict
- The Redmi Note 8 is another good budget choice from Xiaomi - you get enough power for everyday tasks, a strong battery, and a crisp screen - the cameras are also good in favourable conditions - the overall package is excellent value
