Xiaomi launches Mi 8 Pro, Mi 8 Lite in China: Price, features, availability

Xiaomi added to the line of Mi 8 devices with the launch of Mi 8 Pro and Mi 8 Lite in China on Wednesday. With a transparent back variant and in-display fingerprint sensor, the Mi 8 Pro could be the global variant of Mi 8 Explorer, which is a high-end trim of the Mi 8. On the other hand, the Mi 8 Lite has been placed below Mi 8 SE as a lower mid-range offering.

The Mi 8 Pro has been priced at CNY 3199 (Rs 33,800) for the 6GB variant, whereas the 8GB variant has been priced at CNY 3,599 (Rs 38,000). The 4GB/64GB variant of the Mi 8 Lite comes with a price tag of CNY 1,399 (Rs 14,800), whereas the 6GB/64GB variant will cost CNY 1,699 (Rs 18,000). The high end 6GB/128GB variant has been priced at CNY 1,999 (Rs 21,000). The devices are available for pre-order starting today, whereas shipping for Mi 8 Pro will begin from September 21, and that for Mi 8 Lite from September 25.

The Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro comes equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 coupled with 8GB or 6GB of RAM, and not just 8GB as in the case of Mi 8 Explorer Edition. The internal storage is 128GB, but without any microSD card slot for expansion. The Mi 8 Pro has a Super AMOLED 6.21-inch screen with a notch at top, a screen-to-body ratio of 83.8 per cent, and resolution of 1080x2248 pixels.

At the back, the Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro has a dual camera setup with two 12MP sensors. One of the sensors sits under a lens with f/1.8 aperture and comes with 4-axis optical image stabilisation and phase detection auto focus. The second sensor has f/2.4 aperture and double optical zoom. The front camera is a 20MP snapper with f/2.0 aperture.

The feature to look out for is the pressure sensitive underscreen fingerprint sensor which has been seen on the Mi 8 Explorer Edition. In Mi 8 Pro, the 3D face recognition has been replaced with IR facial recognition, though. Buyers can opt for a transparent back option, along with two other colour options.

On the other hand, the Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite has been powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 AIE chipset along with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, or 6GB of RAM with 64GB or 128GB of internal storage. The rear camera setup features 12MP and 5MP sensors, whereas the front has a 24MP selfie camera.

The physical fingerprint sensor has been retained in the Mi 8 Lite and can be found at the back of the device. The colour options are twilight gold, deep space grey and dream blue with gradient pattern.

Edited by Vivek Punj