Xiaomi Redmi 8A first look: Big battery, fast charging on a budget 

Redmi 8A is a typical Xiaomi smartphone - it packs some high-end specs and somehow still mans to cost peanuts. Only this time, Xiaomi seems to have outdone itself – at least that’s what it looks like looking at Redmi 8A. Xiaomi Redmi 8A brings many industry firsts to entry-level smartphone segment including a 5,000mAh battery with 18W USB Type-C charging and a splash-resistant design with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for just Rs 6,499. rest of phone is pretty good too. 

Redmi 7A which was launched barely two months ago was t bad at all. You can check out my full review here. But re were still a few caveats. phone didn’t look modern eugh at a time when Xiaomi was itself rehashing whole under Rs 10,000 price segment with phones like Redmi 7 and Redmi Y3. Redmi 7A did t have any sort of protective coating. Also, base stor started at just 16GB in Redmi 7A. 

I kw launching a new smartphone is easier said than done in this day and  of iterative updates, but it’s brands like Xiaomi that have spoiled us for choice in first place – with phones like Redmi 8A. Redmi 8A, even though it is coming barely two months after Redmi 7A, is a thorough rejig of its predecessor in more ways than. While keeping intact its biggest selling point – a highly aggressive price tag. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say that, on paper, Redmi 8A is most exciting – read, feature packed – entry-level smartphone that you can get in India today at least. re’s or smartphone quite like it. 

Here’s a closer look at Xiaomi Redmi 8A and everything that it brings to table: 

-- body of Redmi 8A is made entirely out of plastic and re’s fingerprint scanner here - like Redmi 7A. design is different though. Redmi 8A comes with an aura design rehash, like Redmi 7 and Redmi Y3. Unlike Redmi 7 and Redmi Y3 however, Redmi 8A has a textured back to enhance ergomics – Xiaomi is calling design of Redmi 8A aura wave grip design. t that Redmi 7A was shabby to hold, but Redmi 8A is surely a step up.  

-- With new design, also comes a choice of new colours. Redmi 8A will be available in three options - Midnight Black, Sunset Red and Ocean Blue. 

-- Ar key highlight of Redmi 8A is its P2i hydrophobic coating – which is also found in Redmi 7 and or new- budget Redmi phones. This makes Redmi 8A resistant to light splashes of water/rain. 

-- While Redmi 7A came with thick bezels at top and bottom, Redmi 8A packs a more modern waterdrop-style tch design – Xiaomi calls it dot tch. That’s also same design that Xiaomi uses in Redmi 7 and Redmi Y3. screen is w protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5. 

-- More precisely, Redmi 8A comes with a 6.22-inch 720p+ IPS LCD display - that’s bigger than Redmi 7A’s 5.45-inch screen. 

-- Core hardware remains same though. Just like Redmi 7A, Redmi 8A is also powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 processor. This is paired with up to 3GB RAM and up to 32GB stor which is expandable by up to 512GB via a dedicated micro-SD card slot.  dual SIM phone runs Android 9 Pie-based MIUI 10 software. 

-- re’s a sizeable 5,000mAh battery inside and USB Type-C port for charging and data syncing – with support for 18W fast charging although Xiaomi isn't bundling a fast charger in box. 

-- On to cameras, Redmi 8A comes with a 12MP rear camera with Sony’s IMX363 sensor and f/1.8 aperture. On front, Redmi 8A comes with an 8MP camera. Both front and rear cameras onboard Redmi 8A can so software-based portrait photography. 

-- While base variant with 2GB RAM and 32GB stor will sell for Rs 6,499, top-end model with 3GB RAM and 32GB stor will cost Rs 6,999. Redmi 8A will be available for buying from Mi.com and Flipkart from September 29 (11:59PM) and from Xiaomi’s Mi Homes from September 30 – with availability across or offline stores to follow later. 

(Photos by Saurabh Singh)

Also Read:  Redmi 7A Review: Xiaomi Brings Its A-game To Entry-level Segment