After months of leaks, photos and teases, Xiaomi has officially announced the new Mi 8 flagship range of phones, and keeping with the trends of 2018, yes they have notches.
Xiaomi, known for their range of devices from smartphones, rice cookers, and even scooters, is never one to disappoint. Pushing the industry with devices such as the Mi Mix, it is no wonder the new Mi 8 is looking impressive from first impressions. The 6.21-inch OLED Samsung gives a near fell front glass look, akin to the iPhone X. The only area not covered in the screen is the area at the top, that houses a 20-Megapixel camera and earpiece.
The screen is boasting a resolution of 2248 x 1080 and an 18.7:9 ratio. As with most 2018 flagships, the Xiaomi Mi 8 will not have the beloved 3.5mm headphone jack, as the company did away with them in the flagship range back in 2017.
If that were not enough, the Mi 8 comes equipt with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC and a 12-megapixel dual sense back camera that according to the press release scored a 105 on the DxMark. Xiaomi is also claiming the Mi 8 will be the first smartphone to come with dual-band GPS for improve accuracy, making it the ideal phone for the person on the go.
Xiaomi tries to push the limit with their numbered flagships, and it seems this year is no different. The Explorer Edition of the Mi 8 manages to have an in-display fingerprint sensor, along with 3D face recognition technology, similar to the iPhone X. Also, the Mi 8 Explorer Edition features a transparent back, making for one very unique looking device, even if most people will hide this fact under a case.
The final entry in the Mi 8 range is the Mi 8 SE, a smaller, lower cost offering. The Mi 8 SE comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 SoC and only has a 5.88-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 1080×2244. The advantage of the 710 at the core of the phone is will be much more efficient, pushing how long the phone will last, while having the performance for all your daily needs.
Sadly, at this time there are no details on if Xiaomi plans to bring the Mi 8 range of smartphones to North America. That is a pity since these phones are not only impressive but also well priced with the Mi 8 starting at 2,699 yuan ($421USD), the Mi 8 Explorer Edition starting at 3,699 yuan ($577USD) and the Mi 8 SE costing only 1,799 yuan ($281USD).
The Mi 8 will be available in China from June 5 with the SE hitting shelves on June 8. The Explorer Edition planned for a later date in the year. No word on pricing or availability for India or other markets at this time.
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