Not much time has passed since the release of Redmi 7A, as Xiaomi has released the latest version of the popular ultra-budget smartphone. At first glance, the update is successful – the manufacturer improved almost all the features and kept the cost low. Did the company have another hit? Read in our review.
Design
Xiaomi designers have radically changed the look of Redmi 8A – its appearance has little in common with previous generations of the budget line. Case materials are extremely simple, no glass or aluminum. However, this can hardly be called a minus.
The last two years, the market has been flooded with phones made of cheap glossy plastic. They look beautiful in pictures and in a shop window. However, in real life, such devices are instantly covered by fingerprints and scratches. Using them without a case is difficult.
Designed by hundreds of glossy smartphones, the Redmi 8A is like a breath of fresh air. The back side is matte with a nice texture. The prints do not remain on it, it is difficult to scratch it, and the case does not slip. The most boring coloring came to our review: black. There are also blue and orange options on sale – they look spectacular.
An available device is expected to not receive a fingerprint scanner. Instead, it uses face unlock. It functions fine during the day, but often passes at night – at these moments it is better to use a digital code or a graphic password.
But the USB Type-C connector in the ultra-budget model was a surprise. I am glad that Xiaomi abandoned the outdated micro-USB. We are waiting for the same solution from other manufacturers.
Display
Screen size has grown significantly. Redmi 8A uses a 6.22-inch IPS panel with a resolution of 1520 × 720 pixels. The image quality is decent, color reproduction at a high level. The maximum brightness of 400 nits may not be enough in direct sunlight, otherwise it is enough for comfortable operation.
The only drawback of the display can be called a low image density – 270 ppi. If you look closely, the graininess of the picture is clearly visible. However, this is a typical resolution of budget phones, and the processor would hardly pull Full HD +.
As a bonus, the developers protected the screen with Gorilla Glass 5 tempered glass. They took care of a high-quality oleophobic coating, as well as a sensor for automatic brightness control.
Processor and Performance
As for the hardware: almost nothing has changed since the Redmi 7A – the entry-level Snapdragon 439 processor and 2 GB of RAM are used.
Despite the modest filling, the interface works smoothly and without slowing down the animation. Even under load, the phone responds responsibly to actions. However, the system is difficult to work with several applications – they are often unloaded from memory due to the small amount of RAM. Even multiple open tabs in Chrome do not restart when opened.
The situation is much better with games. PUBG runs at the minimum graphics settings, and in World of Tanks it’s easy to kill at medium with stable fps.
They did not save much on the internal drive – the device comes with 32 GB of internal memory. This is the minimum comfortable figure for using a smartphone in 2019. But the card slot is triple: it is convenient to put two SIM cards and a microSD.
Camera
The new product uses a single 12MP main camera with a Sony IMX486 sensor and f / 1.8 aperture. There is AI support, which helps to artificially improve the picture using smart algorithms.
If earlier the photo-filling in the model with the prefix A was set rather for a tick, then on Redmi 8A you can get decent shots. Do not wait for masterpieces, especially in the dark. However, it is clear that the vendor has done a great job and significantly improved the picture quality.
In the afternoon, the smartphone copes with almost any plot. In complex scenes with backlight or in cloudy weather, artificial intelligence helps out. In the dark, the aggressive effect of noise cancellation is noticeable – there are many artifacts in the sky.
The phone records video in Full HD at 30 fps. The quality is not bad, however, stabilization is very lacking.
Battery
Compared to other modern smartphones that barely survive to the end of the day, Redmi 8A looks like a real long-liver. All thanks to the 5000 mAh battery.
For almost a week of testing, the device managed to discharge only three times. That is, it confidently lasts for 1.5-2 days of active use. Continuously watch a movie with an average screen brightness for 22 hours. If you play, for example, in COD Mobile, then the charge is consumed at a speed of 13% per hour. In the PCMark Work battery life test, the battery lasted 15 hours and 40 minutes – this is a very impressive result.
Supports fast charging at 18 watts. True, it will have to be bought separately. The complete unit completely fills the battery in 2.5 hours.
Final verdict
Xiaomi Redmi 8A is a great budget employee. He will appreciate the outstanding battery life and design, as well as a successful combination of characteristics and cost. In the pluses of the smartphone, you can also record a nice display with strong glass, a USB-C connector and a good camera. Add NFC and more RAM here – it would be generally perfect.