Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro has a 64-megapixel camera

Yes, we knew they were coming, but 64-megapixel phones are officially a thing now. 

On Thursday, Xiaomi unveiled the Redmi Note 8 and the Redmi Note 8 Pro, two new devices from its popular, affordable Redmi Note series. 

The Redmi Note 8 Pro has a 6.55-inch, full HD screen, a MediaTek’s Helio G90T processor, 6/8GB of RAM and 64/128GB of storage, and a 4,500mAh battery. Its main claim to fame, though, is the quad rear camera with a 64-megapixel sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensor, and two 2-megapixel sensors to assist with depth. There’s also a 20-megapixel selfie camera on the front. 

The 64-megapixel camera, based on a Samsung sensor, works similarly to the 48-megapixel cameras seen on phones from Huawei and Xiaomi — it can take 64-megapixel photos in bright light, but performs best when it lumps pixels together, producing brighter 16-megapixel photos.

The jump from 48 to 64 megapixels may seem academic, but it’s actually important; you’ll mostly be taking 16-megapixel photos with this phone, which is considerably better than the 12-megapixel photos most often produced by, say, Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 7. 

As is typical of Xiaomi, the price to features ratio is quite insane: The cost is RMB 1,399 ($195) for the 6/64GB variant. The version with 6/128GB costs RMB 1,599 ($224), while the 8/128GB variant costs RMB 1,799 ($252).

The Redmi Note 8 sans the Pro moniker is a bit smaller, with a 6.3-inch, full HD screen. It also has a Snapdragon 665 processor and a quad rear camera with (only) a 48-megapixel main sensor, as well as a 13-megapixel selfie camera. The battery is also a bit smaller at 4,000mAh. 

Visually, the Note 8 and the Note 8 Pro are quite different; the non-Pro version has a fingerprint sensor on the back and its camera array is on the left side, while the Pro has an in-display fingerprint sensor and its cameras are positioned in the center. On the front, both phones have a waterdrop notch for the selfie camera and a small chin on the bottom. 

And while the specs of the Note 8 don’t come close to the Note 8 Pro, the price is (amazingly) considerably lower, with the phone starting at RMB 999 ($140). 

The devices are currently available in China and will launch in India next.