![(Renewed) Redmi Note 8 Pro (Gamma Green, 6GB RAM, 128GB Storage with Helio G90T Processor)]({"https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/IMAGERENDERING_521856-T1/images/I/81dFFSBIpxL._AC_SS130_.jpg":[130,130],"https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/IMAGERENDERING_521856-T1/images/I/81dFFSBIpxL._AC_SS260_.jpg":[260,260],"https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/IMAGERENDERING_521856-T1/images/I/81dFFSBIpxL._AC_SS390_.jpg":[390,390]})
Here's my full and honest review for those who wanna buy it:
It's kind of hard to get the features it gives in such a small price range. It surpasses most phones in similar price range, for following reasons:
1. The CPU. Even though it uses Mediatek chip (which is cheap and inferior to Snapdragons), it runs all of its 8 cores on stable 2GHz, not like others which have 2 cores running at 2.5GHz and rest of the 6 are at 1.5. Better buy the 8GB RAM version to get the most out of it, because This Mediatek chip somehow performs at par (or even better) than Snapdragon processors that come within the similar price range. However, it doesn't always run at full speed, but only when needed. This gives some problems like occasional lags when quickly opening high-memory apps while phone is in calm mode for too long.
2. Liquid cooled: Again, for this price range it's amazing. However, you need to keep the phone covered with plastic case (comes in the box) to make it work flawlessly. It's because the heat from your hands can easily get transferred to the inside fluid and interfere with convection currents that keep the phone cool. Using a plastic cover helps insulate it.
3. Multiple Antennae: The 3G/4G cellular reception on this phone is so good that you're practically never out of signal in the areas where most people struggle to get a single bar. Although it's aimed for gamers who need stable connection for online gaming, it's a big boon for everything else. Wifi/Hotspot works way better than any other phone.
4. Large battery, Out-of-Box Fast Charger and USB type C: Again, for a phone this cheap, it's a steal. Battery lasts VERY long because they didn't just pump this phone with fast CPU and large battery, but the way this phone handles everything is actually very efficient that gives you smooth experience while keeping the battery running for long. There are some noticeable glitches though, like sometimes phone takes a while to go from battery-saving to full performing mode and that creates lags. But thankfully, those lags aren't uncommon even in most expensive android phones, so for this small price, you should live with it. Because your other option for total zero lag free experience would be to spend 10x money and buy the iPhone 11, and once Apple releases new iOS, that will start lagging too.
5. Cameras: This phone has 5 total cameras. While most of them weren't necessary and are uselessly overhyped, the main reasons to buy this are:
a.) The color/contrast you get in the final clicked picture of 16MP that combines the data from multiple sensors - this is unmatched and you'll love the pictures shot in regular photo mode.
b.) The pro mode with manual controls (32-sec shutter @3200ISO) for main camera and stable lens focus (even without OIS) - best for astrophotography. MacroLens works best in Pro mode where you can get nearest focus for some very detailed microscopic shots. You also get other stuff like metering control, pocket mode where it locks screen while still recording, peak overlay to show you what's in focus and what's not, timelapse with control over intervals [manual controls don't apply to front camera, and for other two sensors, shutter speed is very limited and final pictures are very blurry and have no detail whatsoever at ISO higher than 400. the camera app is native to Redmi software and doesn't support timelapse in manual mode; and other apps like CameraFV-5 don't work so well with bracketing/timelapse... proshot doesn't work at all. you can shoot timelapse in native app but then you won't get manual controls, which is useless for night]
c.) All sensors are larger than usual phone sensors, which means better details in low light in all modes [but it doesn't mean they all capture good detail. the macro lens gives worst images and ultrawide isn't any good at all if you want detailed images. only the main sensor with its pixel binning does the actual job]
d.) 1080p@120fps and 720p@240fps video encoded in x265 - fast and efficient [rest of slowmo modes are low performing, misguided and not very useful. 960fps mode is there, but it captures only 4 seconds of footage, with the 960fps slowmo applied only to the last 1 second - you have to time your shot very precisely to get it right. there's no sound alert for when it will begin slowmo. also, it isn't native 960fps, more like 480fps with merged frames to make it look like 960fps - capture very fast moving objects like shooting an arrow from bow, or vibrating guitar string and you'll get the artifacts that make it look so fake and ugly]
Still, there are things where Redmi could have utilized their budget somewhere else - like Macro lens and Ultrawide aren't very practical. Not just for this phone, but they aren't practical in most phones (Ultrawide gives you wider view but distorts the periphery and people in edges), and in this phone, both Ultrawide and Macro lenses use low-res sensors (2MP for Macro and 8MP for UW), and they aren't good in low light, and even in full daylight they give much lesser detail and color/contrast than the main sensor. and the 64MP's full 64MP don't look any good when zoomed in to 100%, so don't expect to get sharp images from small sectors of a full 64MP photo. But it helps create a very sharp and detailed 16MP photo by combining pixels from 64MP sensor with data from other two cameras, which is kinda better than most expensive phones can do. Also, separating foreground from background is done VERY good (probably because of its AI-learning and 4-camera depth information - works well for front camera too). It can even separate individual hair strands in some cases if lighting is good and subject doesn't move - which is at par with what iPhone 11 Pro does with 3-camera unit.
6. Operating System and functions: Usually the custom-Android builds kind of tarnish the performance, but that isn't the case with this phone. Here's what I liked about it:
a. it gives the freedom to use your own launcher homescreen app (which many other custom-UI Androids don't provide).
b. The gaming mode is one of the best things about it - when playing fullscreen games like PUBG/ClashOfClans etc, you can swipe a corner and use Whatsapp/Facebook and Browser in small sidebar like area without leaving the game! even keyboard turns into short, floating version to help typing while keeping the game under eye. There is also a neat option to turn off display while keeping the game running without locking your phone.
c. You can record the screen while gaming (which is fast and doesn't stress the system performance while recording) [but during the recording mode, the audio get desynced from what's going on in the game. this also happens if you connect wireless headphones or cast the screen to your TV/monitor. but this isn't a RedMi issue. it happens in every device when you record/cast audio or video wirelessly]
d. Fingerprint sensor works flawlessly, there are no mismatches so far as I've used. Hope it stays that way.
e. Native call recorder in calling screen which records both your voice and caller's voice in neat detail (unlike most phones where you can't hear other person in recording unless they're on speaker)
Final Verdict: A great phone to have for this price. It isn't just a cheap phone because price is cheap. It's actually a good device with good battery and smooth performance everywhere. There are some areas where RedMi could've done better instead of putting four cameras, but then again you're getting what other phones can't give you even at double the price so I shouldn't be complaining about this at all. :)
Books
10 Days Returnable
You can return if you receive a damaged, defective or incorrect product.
Used Books
10 Days, Refund
Returnable if you’ve received the product in a condition that is damaged, defective or different from its description on the product detail page on Amazon.in.
Refunds will be issued only if it is determined that the item was not damaged while in your possession, or is not different from what was shipped to you.
