Best daily deals

Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.

Mi 8 Pro, Mi 8 Lite now official: How do they differ from standard Mi 8?

Like the idea of a Mi 8 with an in-display fingerprint sensor? Or maybe you want a mid-range Mi 8 at a low price?
By
September 19, 2018
The Xiaomi Mi 8 Screen Fingerprint Edition in twilight gold.
TL;DR
  • The Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro has been announced by the Chinese brand.
  • This new phone is near-identical to the Mi 8, but packs an in-display fingerprint sensor.
  • The company also announced the Mi 8 Lite, which is essentially a mid-range Mi 8.

Xiaomi has revealed two new additions to the Mi 8 family, dubbed the Mi 8 Pro (or Mi 8 Screen Fingerprint Edition in China) and the Mi 8 Lite (or Mi 8 Youth Edition).

The former model is similar to the standard Mi 8, featuring a Snapdragon 845 chipset, 6GB or 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of expandable storage. However, the phone also comes with a pressure-sensitive in-display fingerprint sensor — hence the name. The Mi 8 Pro is available with the Mi 8 Explorer Edition’s transparent back, or in a sunset gold gradient colorway (seen in main image).

Read: Is there a thing like too many Redmi phones? Xiaomi doesn’t think so

Other specifications include a notched OLED display, dual-frequency GPS, the Mi 8’s 12MP+12MP telephoto rear-camera pairing, and IR face unlock.

The Mi 8 Pro will start at 3,199 yuan (~$467) for the 6GB/128GB model and 3,599 yuan (~$525) for the 8GB/128GB variant.

Meanwhile, the Mi 8 Lite (seen above) is basically a budget Mi 8, as you’re getting a Snapdragon 660 chipset instead of the more powerful Snapdragon 845 SoC. You’re also getting a 12MP+5MP (f/1.9) dual-camera setup as opposed to the Mi 8’s 12MP+12MP pairing. The company is focusing on the phone’s selfie credentials though, offering a 24MP front-facing shooter (IMX576), compared to the Mi 8’s 20MP snapper.

Other Mi 8 Lite specs include a 6.26-inch notched LCD screen, a 3,350mAh battery, and a rear fingerprint scanner.

The best thing about the Mi 8 Lite might be its starting price, coming in at just 1,399 yuan (~$204) for a 4GB RAM/64GB storage model. The phone is also available in a 6GB/64GB model for 1,699 yuan (~$248), and a 6GB/128GB variant for 1,999 yuan (~$292).

NEXT: Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro review — Another day, another good-enough Redmi