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