Redmi 8A heats up competition in India’s budget smartphone segment (Update)

Update, February 11 2020 (1:47AM ET): Xiaomi’s Redmi sub-brand was widely expected to launch the Redmi 9A in India today, but it’s launched the Redmi 8A Dual instead. 

As the name implies, the biggest change is the addition of a dual rear camera setup (13MP+2MP), enabling portrait mode. Otherwise, you’re also getting a tweaked rear cover for a better grip. And that’s pretty much it in terms of major differences between it and the standard Redmi 8A.

The Redmi 8A Dual starts at Rs. 6,499 (~$91) for the 2GB/32GB option, and Rs. 6,999 (~$98) for the 3GB/32GB variant. Both options will be available from February 18 via Mi.com, Mi Home stores, and Amazon India. 

Redmi also launched its own power bank in the market, bringing a 10,000mAh option with 10W charging for Rs. 799 (~$11) and a 20,000mAh portable charger with 18W charging for Rs. 1,499 (~$21). This will be available on February 18 via Mi.com and Mi Home stores.

Original article, September 25 2019 (5:29AM ET): Xiaomi has launched the Redmi 8A in India, a true successor to the Redmi 7A which was launched earlier in the year. Highlights of the phone include a 5000mAh battery, USB-C port, 18W fast charging, and the Sony IMX 363 camera sensor.

In comparison, the Redmi 7A featured a 4000mAh battery, the Sony IMX 486 sensor, and 10W charging through a microUSB port. So yes, the Redmi 8A does get some substantial spec upgrades over the Redmi 7A, as well as devices like the Samsung Galaxy M10 and realme C2.

Redmi 8A specs and features

The 19:9 HD+ display on the Redmi 8A measures 6.22-inches. It features a waterdrop notch that houses the front-facing camera. Xiaomi’s textured Aura Wave Grip design at the back makes the device easier to hold and reduces fingerprint stains too.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 octa-core chipset takes care of the processing needs on the phone as it did on the 7A. RAM on the Redmi 8A tops off at 3GB which is higher than the 2GB RAM on the 7A. The storage also gets a bump up from a base of 16GB on the Redmi 7A to 32GB on the Redmi 8A. In other words, you should expect roughly the same horsepower compared to the earlier phone, but better multitasking in theory and double the storage.

The phone features a dual SIM slot with a dedicated microSD slot. This way you can actually use two numbers and have added storage (up to 512GB) at the same time.

The Redmi 8A retains some popular features for budget buyers too, such as the ability to use FM radio without the need of earphones.

The biggest upgrade to hit the phone is its new 12MP Sony IMX363 primary camera sensor. The camera sensor is usually found on the likes of higher-end phones like the Google Pixel 3a, Mi Mix 3, Mi 8 and others. By bringing the camera sensor down to the sub Rs. 7000 category, Xiaomi is once again looking to one-up the competition.

The main 12MP camera gets a f/1.8 aperture, and can deliver photographs with a pixel size of 1.4μm. On the front, the Redmi 8A shoots with an 8MP selfie camera. Xiaomi says both the front and rear cameras are capable of taking AI Portrait mode shots.

For enhanced durability, the Redmi 8A’s display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5. It also features P2i’s nano-coating to make the device splash-resistant.

Redmi 8A price and availability

The Xiaomi Redmi 8A is prices at Rs. 6,499 for the 2GB+32GB variant and Rs. 6,999 for the 3GB+32GB variant. The device will be available on Mi.com and Flipkart starting September 29, 11:59PM IST. Availability at Mi Homes will commence on September 30, followed by all other offline stores. You can check out the Mi.com product listing via the button below.