Xiaomi launches Mi 8, 8 SE, Mi 8 Explorer Edition
In the race to deliver the best flagship smartphone, the Chinese electronics giant Xiaomi has upped the ante to take on Apple and its arch-rival Huawei. Commemorating its 8th-anniversary, Xiaomi has unveiled its 2018 flagship smartphone, the Mi 8, along with Mi 8 SE and Mi 8 Explorer Edition. All the three phones pack impressive internals at irresistible prices. Here's our roundup.
Xiaomi Mi 8: At a glance
The Mi 8 features a 6.21-inch full-HD+ (1080x2248 pixels) Samsung AMOLED display with an 18.7:9 aspect ratio, 88.5% screen-to-body ratio, and support for Always On display. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, coupled with 6GB and up to 256GB of storage. The dual-SIM (Nano) phone runs MIUI 10 and packs a 3,400mAh battery which supports Quick Charge 4.0+.
Mi 8: Camera specifications and features
The Mi 8 gets a rear dual-camera setup comprising twin 12MP sensors with 1.4-micron pixels, 4-axis OIS, dual-pixel autofocus, and AI-powered features such as Apple-inspired "Studio Lighting". The company claims a DxOMark photo score of 105 which is higher than Apple's flagship iPhone X. On the front, the phone offers a 20-megapixel selfie camera with f/2.0 aperture, 1.8-micron pixels, AI portrait selfies, and beautify.
Connectors and sensors onboard the Mi 8
The Xiaomi Mi 8 offers 4G VoLTE, dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, dual-band GPS (L1 and L5 bands) and USB Type-C. Onboard sensors include a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, accelerometer, ambient light sensor, barometer, digital compass, gyroscope, infrared, and a proximity sensor.
Everything to know about the Mi 8 Explorer Edition
This phone features similar specs to the Mi 8, but with 8GB RAM, 128GB storage and a see-through glass back. Notably, Xiaomi claims this is the first Android smartphone to feature three-dimensional infrared face unlock technology - just like Apple's Face ID. The handset also comes with a pressure-sensitive in-display fingerprint scanner, an industry first feature, claims Xiaomi.
All about the Mi 8 SE variant
Completing the trifecta of Mi 8 smartphones is the Xiaomi Mi 8 SE. It features a 5.88-inch AMOLED Full-Screen display with a 2.5D glass on the front. The phone globally debuts the new Snapdragon 710, Qualcomm's chipset for upper-mid-range devices. In terms of optics, you get a 12MP+5 MP rear dual-camera setup with a 20MP camera up front and AI-powered portraits.
Top-end specs come at surprisingly affordable prices
The Mi 8 costs CNY 2,699 (roughly Rs. 28,600) for the 6GB RAM/64GB inbuilt storage variant, CNY 2,999 (about Rs. 31,600) for the 6GB RAM/128GB storage variant, and CNY 3,299 (roughly Rs. 34,800) for the 6GB RAM/256GB inbuilt storage model. The Mi 8 Explorer Edition has been priced at CNY 3,699 (roughly Rs. 39,000) while the details of Mi 8 SE are still unknown.
