Xiaomi Redmi 8 64 GB / 4 GB

State employee from Xiaomi

Xiaomi makes a lot of smartphones and makes them often. In most cases, these are relatively inexpensive "pipes" that offer more than they ask for in return. This is especially true of the Redmi series, which has recently become a separate brand. The new Redmi 8 turned out to be sophisticated and interesting by the standards of low-cost models, but among its advantages there were also disadvantages.

Modern frameless

Visually, this is a typical modern smartphone with a large display. The screen occupies almost the entire front panel, there is only a teardrop cutout for the front camera, above which there is a speaker grill and a small LED indicator. The gaps around the perimeter of the screen are small, but not record-breaking. And due to the unusual back cover with iridescent textures in the light, it leaves a pleasant aftertaste.

For everyday tasks

The hardware here is quite simple and unpretentious (Snapdragon 439 + 4 GB RAM + Adreno 505), this option is purely for simple everyday use: calls, instant messengers, applications, and simple games. Running into the conditional PUBG is not very comfortable here. Although, it would be naive to demand this from a tube for $150. Something else is surprising here: if last year's Redmi 7 had a more efficient processor for the same money, why did they decide to reduce the power in the next model, and not increase it? We have the same questions about the display, which also has its resolution reduced to 1520x720 pixels. Not to say that the graininess is very striking, but with FullHD it would be better.

Dual camera with Sony IMX363 sensor

If we abstract from comparisons with its predecessor, Redmi 8 turns out to be a rather interesting smartphone under $150. Here you have a good supply of RAM, and separate slots for SIM and MicroSD cards, and a reinforced 5000 mAh battery with fast charging. And it is also a rare state employee whose camera is based on the Sony IMX363 sensor. For example, a year ago, Xiaomi used it in its Mi Mix 2s camera phone for $400. Yes, the level of photos here is by no means flagship, but many times better than low-cost smartphones a year ago.