Xiaomi is the ultimate smartphone winner in the market right now when it comes to buying budget or mid-range smartphones. There are ample choices for the buyers right now from Xiaomi, no matter what kind of device you want to get. There are phones with great cameras, clean stock Android UI, MIUI and more. It would not be hard to find people comparing two Xiaomi phones and being confused about which one to buy, and of course, it is an ultimate win for the Chinese manufacturer. Well, today we are tackling a similar situation here with the Xiaomi Mi A3 and the Redmi Note 8. The Redmi Note 8 launched a few days back, compares well with the Xiaomi Mi A3 and a lot of buyers have been confused about which one to buy. There is a noticeable price difference between the two with the Xiaomi Mi A3 starting at Rs 12,999 and the Redmi Note 8 starting at Rs 9,999. So, how do these two phones compare? Let’s take an in-depth look.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 vs Mi A3: Design
Talking about the design, we have a clear winner between the two, and it happens to be the pricier Mi A3. With a single look and feel of the device, you will be able to make out why we say this is the case. The Xiaomi Mi A3 comes with a curved back and a more premium finish, whereas, the Redmi Note 8 comes with a flat back. When you hold the device, the Mi A3 lends a comfort hold in your palms, while the Redmi Note 8 feels like holding a little block in your hands, something that a lot of people thought about this phone’s design. There is also the chrome finish on the sides of the Mi A3 which gives it a more premium blend with the back panel. When the question of build quality, both of these phones come with an appreciable build although, speaking in overall terms, the Mi A3 has a slight edge given the design.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 vs Mi A3: Display
Several people discussed about just one feature of the Mi A3 and it's the display. The Mi A3 comes with a Super AMOLED HD+ display which measures 6.01-inches with a waterdrop notch up top, whereas on the Redmi Note 8, the phone features an IPS LCD panel with a Full-HD+ resolution which measures 6.3-inches. The significant difference between the two is of resolution which happens to be capped at only HD+ in the case of Mi A3, whereas the Redmi Note 8 comes with a better pixel density making the graphics more crisp and detailed on the phone. However, the colours on the Mi A3 are a little more punchy given the AMOLED display.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 vs Mi A3: Performance
When it comes to pure performance and working of the two phones, the users are hardly going to notice a lot of differences given the same processor and RAM configuration. Both, the Redmi Note 8 and the Mi A3 come with the Snapdragon 665 paired up with 4GB and 6GB of RAM which makes the experience almost similar on both of these phones. But, the difference comes when we talk about the user experience on these devices. The two phones differ a lot as the Mi A3 comes with the Stock Android experience, whereas, the Redmi Note 8 boots the MIUI. So, if you are someone who loves customised UIs, then the Redmi Note 8 would appeal to you, but in case of stock Android fanatics, the Mi A3 makes more sense.
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If we are taking into account, the gaming experience, the Redmi Note 8 has a slight edge because of the more prominent display and better resolution. Some of the details about the Mi A3 that you should note is the in-display fingerprint sensor which could be a little slower as compared to the Redmi Note 8’s fingerprint sensor located on the rear panel.
Both the phones come with a 4000mAh battery, and both support 18W fast charging, and there is very little difference between the two. Even the battery life is almost the same on both the phones with around six hours of constant screen-on time even with heavy usage.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 vs Mi A3: Cameras
Moving onto the cameras, the Redmi Note 8 features quad-camera setup whereas the Mi A3 has a triple camera setup on the back. Both the Redmi Note 8 and the Mi A3 come with 48MP camera, but the Redmi Note 8 features the Samsung GM1 sensor, whereas the Mi A3 packs the Sony IMX586 shooter. Also, these phones come with an ultra-wide 8MP sensor, along with a 2MP depth sensor. However, the Redmi Note 8 comes with an extra 2MP macro sensor as well. With similar sensors on both of these phones, there is no clear winner. However, there is the fact that the Sony IMX586 is the superior one, making the Mi A3 a tad bit better. Images captured using the primary sensor come out better on the Mi A3, but the Redmi Note 8 is not far behind. That said, ultra-wide-angle images are on-par on both the phones, but the Note 8 has a Macro shooter which the Mi A3 lacks.
As for the selfie experience, the Mi A3 shoots better images than the Redmi Note 8.
The Mi A3, despite running stock Android comes with the MIUI camera app itself. The Redmi Note 8 struggles to focus on closer subjects at times, but the Mi A3 has no such issues.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 vs Mi A3: Verdict
If the value for money is your target, then the Redmi Note 8 will fare as a great device given its display, resolution and the versatile camera setup. However, if stock Android is what appeals to you and you are particular about the UI, then the Mi A3 would be your choice. Also, the Mi A3 captures better images than the Redmi Note 8, thanks to the Sony IMX586 shooter. Bringing, the Rs 3,000 price difference into consideration, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 would definitely be a better choice, given its lighter price tag and the competitive specifications.
