Xiaomi’s latest budget Redmi smartphone, the Redmi Note 9 has been officially launched globally. The smartphone is expected to come soon to India and replace the Redmi Note 8.
How do the two Redmi Note smartphones fare against one another? Does the new Redmi Note 9 get a 'note-worthy' upgrade over the Redmi Note 8? We compare the specifications of Redmi Note 9 vs Redmi Note 8.
| Parameters | Redmi Note 9 | Redmi Note 8 |
| Display | 6.53-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio and 1080 * 2340 pixels. The screen features a punch-hole cutout. | 6.3-inch Full HD+ display with a resolution of 1080 * 2340 pixels |
| Processor | 12nm MediaTek Helio G85 SoC octa-core processor. | 12nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 AIE octa-core SoC with a clock speed of 2.0GHz. |
| RAM | 3GB/ 4GB | 4GB/ 6GB |
| Storage | 64GB/ 128GB , expandable up to 128GB via microSD | 64GB/ 128GB further expandable via microSD up to 512GB |
| Rear Camera | Quad-camera setup with a 48MP f/1.79 + 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide + 2MP depth + 2MP macro sensor setup | Quad-camera setup with a 48MP f/1.79 + 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide + 2MP depth + 2MP macro sensor setup |
| Front camera | 13MP f/2.0 | 13MP f/2.0 |
| Battery | 5,020 mAh battery with 18W fast-charging via USB Type-C. | 4,000 mAh battery with 18W fast charging via USB Type-C |
| Security | Rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and face unlock | Rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and face unlock |
| Connectivity options | 4G, VoLTE, WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack, dual-SIM etc. | 4G, VoLTE, WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack, dual-SIM etc. |
| Operating System | Android 10-based MiUi 11 | Android 9.0 based MiUi 10 |
| Price |
3GB + 64GB For USD 199 (roughly Rs 14,900), 4GB + 128GB for USD 249 (roughly Rs 18,900)India price : NA | 4GB + 64GB for Rs 9,9996GB + 128GB for Rs 12,999 |
The Redmi Note 9 gets some upgrades in the display and performance unit over the Note 8. It has a bigger 6.53-inch panel, which continues to be an LCD. However, Xiaomi has opted for a less-intrusive punch-hole cutout for the front camera on the Redmi Note 9.
The performance unit now gets an Helio G85 processor, which is an incremental upgrade over the G80. We will test the smartphone’s gaming capabilities to see how the new processor fares during intensive usage.
There is also a bigger battery, which Xiaomi claims can offer up to two days worth of juice. To power up the battery faster, there is an 18W charger inside the box.
Camera specifications remain the same. However, we expect the Redmi Note 9 to make some improvements in the camera performance.
While there are a bunch of upgrades, pricing will be a deciding factor. Xiaomi is known for its competitive pricing and it would be interesting to see if the company does manage to launch the Note 9 under Rs 10,000.
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