Realme 5i vs Xiaomi Redmi 8 Specs Comparison

Realme Philippines has launched its even more budget-friendly version of the Realme 5, the Realme 5i. With a price of just under PHP 7k, we couldn’t help but compare it to one of Xiaomi’s entry-level devices in the same price, the Xiaomi Redmi 8. The handsets have displays measuring past 6 inches, Snapdragon chipsets, and armed with a 5,000mAh battery. See how they fare against each other in this comparison.

Advantages of each smartphone:

Realme 5i

• Slightly larger display
• Mid-range processor
• Quadruple-rear cameras

Xiaomi Redmi 8

• Available in two RAM/storage configurations
• Larger expandable storage size
• 18W fast charging support
• USB-C port

Let’s begin with the display; the Realme 5i comes with a larger-sized panel, measuring at 6.5-inches, while the Redmi 8 has a smaller 6.22-inch one. While both devices have an HD+ resolution, the Realme 5i slightly has more pixels at 1600 x 720, compared to the Redmi 8’s 1520 x 720. The handsets have employed a notch which houses their respective front cameras. For protection, the Realme 5i comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, while the Redmi 8 sports Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

Under the hood, the Realme 5i runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 chipset, paired with 3GB RAM. On the other hand, powering the Redmi 8 is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 processor, coupled with 3GB/4GB RAM. While we’ve yet to compare the benchmarks scores on both smartphones, it should be noted that the SD665 is a mid-range chipset and the SD439 is an entry-level one. Indeed, the SD665 is the more powerful chipset between them. As for storage, the Realme 5i has 64GB, expandable up to 256GB. The Redmi 8 has base storage of 32GB and a bigger one at 64GB, expandable up to 512GB via microSD.

When it comes to cameras, the Realme 5i wins in quantity with its quadruple rear setup, consisting of a 12MP primary, 8MP ultra-wide, 2MP portrait, and a 2MP macro lens. On the other hand, the Redmi 8 sports a dual-rear camera setup, comprised of a 12MP shooter and a 2MP one. Front-camera wise, both devices have an 8MP shooter.

The handsets both come with a 5,000mAh battery capacity. The Redmi 8 has the upper hand here, seeing that it has a USB-C port and that it supports 18W fast-charging technology. Compared to that, the Realme 5i has no form of fast charging support and comes equipped with a micro USB port.

For other features, the Realme 5i and the Redmi 8 both have face unlock and a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. A 3.5mm headphone jack is also present in both devices. The Redmi 8 has an IR Blaster as well, which is a feature that the Realme 5i doesn’t have. The two handsets run on Android 9 Pie but differ in their UI skin as the Redmi 8 has the MIUI 10 skin, while the 5i operates on ColorOS 6.

The devices are priced as follows:

Realme 5i

• 3GB + 64GB – PHP 6,990USD 119INR 10,098EUR 113CNY 867

Xiaomi Redmi 8

• 3GB + 32GB – PHP 6,490USD 111INR 9,375EUR 105CNY 805
• 4GB + 64GB – PHP 6,990USD 119INR 10,098EUR 113CNY 867

The Realme 5i has the same price as the Redmi 8’s highest configuration, although it’s also worth noting that the Redmi 8 is available at a slightly lower price and configuration. If you’d like to have a smartphone that has a mid-range chipset, quad-cameras, and a slightly bigger screen, get the Realme 5i. However, if you would like a device with a USB-C port, larger RAM, and bigger expandable storage, go for the Redmi 8.