Home » Xiaomi Mi 8, Mi 8 Lite, Mi 8 Pro: Which one to pick?

Xiaomi Mi 8, Mi 8 Lite, Mi 8 Pro: Which one to pick?

Written By Vaughn Chua
Published • September 21st, 2018
ComparisonsMobile
5 Comments

Xiaomi has beefed up their Mi 8 series by adding two new more variants — the Mi 8 Lite and Mi 8 Pro. Now that we have three Mi 8 phones on the market, it’s time decide which device is perfect for you.

Here are their detailed specs:

Specification	Xiaomi Mi 8	Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite	Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro
Display	6.21-inch FHD+ (2248 x 1080) Samsung AMOLED display, ~402 ppi	6.26-inch 19:9 Full HD+ display @ 2280 x 1080px, ~403PPI	6.21-inch Super AMOLED display @ 2248 x 1080px, ~402 ppi
Glass Protection	n/a	n/a	n/a
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 2.8GHz octa-core	Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 AIE 2.2GHz octa-core	Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 2.8GHz octa-core
GPU	Adreno 630	Adreno 512	Adreno 630
RAM	6GB LPDDR4x RAM	4GB/6GB RAM	6GB/8GB LPDDR4x RAM
Storage	64GB / 128GB / 256GB UFS internal storage	64GB/128GB emmc 5.1 internal storage	128GB UFS internal storage
Rear Camera	12MP f/1.8 + 12MP f/2.4 AI dual rear camera, dual-pixel AF	12MP f/1.9 + 5MP dual rear cameras	12MP f/1.8 + 12MP f/2.4 AI dual rear camera
Front Camera	20MP AI front camera	24MP front camera	20MP AI front camera
Connectivity	4G VoLTE, 4×4 MIMO	Dual 4G VoLTE	4G VoLTE, 4×4 MIMO
SIM	Dual-SIM (nano)	Dual-SIM (nano)	Dual-SIM (nano)
Wi-Fi	WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac	Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac	WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 5.0
GPS	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS
NFC	NFC	NFC	NFC
USB	USB Type-C	USB Type-C	USB Type-C
Sensor	-Fingerprint scanner (rear-mount) -IR Face Unlock	- Fingerprint scanner (rear-mount) - Face Unlock	-In-display Fingerprint scanner -IR Face Unlock
OS	MIUI 10 (Android 8.1 Oreo)	MIUI (Android 8 Oreo)	MIUI (Android 8 Oreo)
Battery	3,400mAh battery w/ QC4+	3,350mAh battery w/ QC3.0 fast charging	3,000mAh battery w/ QC4+

Here are the advantages of each smartphone:

Xiaomi Mi 8

Highest maximum internal storage capacity
Largest battery capacity

Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite

Largest screen size
Highest front camera resolution

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro

Highest maximum RAM capacity
In-display fingerprint scanner
3D Face Unlock

The Mi 8, Mi 8 Lite, and Mi 8 Pro have almost the same display setup. But if you’re looking at the numbers, the Mi 8 Lite is slightly larger, but at 0.05-inch more, it’s negligible. The Mi 8 Lite also has a different display panel which could be IPS instead of Super AMOLED like the one found in its more powerful siblings.

The Mi 8 and Mi 8 Pro are also the same in terms of overall performance since they pack the same Snapdragon 845 chipset. The Mi 8 Lite, on the other hand, is in the premium mid-range category with its Snapdragon 660. So if you’re looking for performance, better look at the Mi 8 and Mi 8 Pro.

You’ve seen that both the Mi 8 and Mi 8 Pro’s internal storages are equipped with UFS (Universal Flash Storage) while the Mi 8 Lite has an eMMC (Embedded MultiMediaCard) 5.1. Their main difference is that the former can read and write data at the same time while the latter can do only one at a time. We can’t say much about their reading and writing speeds but we’ll know once we get our hands on these smartphones.

Like the previous two major smartphone aspects, the Mi 8 and Mi 8 Pro also have the same camera setup. On paper, Mi 8 Lite focuses more on the Selfie aspect as it has the highest front camera resolution. We’ve yet to know which one has the best camera performance.

In terms of battery capacity, the Mi 8 has the largest one but only by a bit to the Mi 8 Lite. Like the camera performance, their battery performances are yet to be known.

Here are their prices:

Xiaomi Mi 8 – Php24,490 (6GB + 64GB), Php27,990 (6GB + 128GB) official SRP
Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite – CNY1,399 (~Php11,040)
Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro – CNY3,199 (~Php25,246) (6GB + 128GB), CNY3,599 (~Php28,402) (8GB + 128GB)

To summarize, The Mi 8 offers more in storage and battery capacity. The Mi 8 Lite is meant for those who want high-resolution selfie camera and lower price. Lastly, the Mi 8 Pro is the best pick for those looking for the best performance possible as well as an in-display fingerprint scanner.

What do you guys think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Vaughn Chua

Vaughn is your go-to person when it comes to comparing gadgets especially smartphones. He's also a gamer by heart and the "Hackerman" of the team.

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5 Comments

alucard says:

6 years ago

According to comparison it is saying that the xiaomi mi 8 lite doesn’t have an AI Features in Camera?
- Reply
John Llyod says:

6 years ago

isa sa hindi masyadong na ha highlight yung internal storage type. the lite variant uses only eMMc, which is slower than UFS. something to consider too when buying smartphone.
- Reply
Enthusiastic says:

6 years ago

Guys, do a video of mi 8 lite and mi 8 pro
- Reply
Anorak says:

6 years ago

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro – CNY3,199 (~Php25,246) (6GB + 128GB)
Xiaomi Mi 8 – Php27,990 (6GB + 128GB)

Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro cheaper than Xiaomi Mi 8?
- Reply
Josh says:

6 years ago

Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite – CNY1,399 (~Php11,040) = This price is obviously for the 4GB version. How about the 6GB one?

Lastly, do you have any information if Xiaomi is going to bring this model to the Philippines?

Thank you.
- Reply