Xiaomi launched a new version of its mid-range Redmi Note 8 in the global market: its name is Redmi Note 8T and it differs from the vanilla Note 8 for the NFC connectivity and slightly for the aesthetics. But it currently has a lot of competition and, despite its predecessor was a best-seller, this does not mean it is the best option you can choose, as it depends on your needs. Here, we compared the Redmi Note 8T with two handsets we believe to be among the best options in the midrange segment: Realme 5 Pro and Huawei Nova 5z. Both are complete midrange devices with well-balanced specifications, just like the Redmi Note 8T: but which one should you go for? Let’s try to find it out together.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T vs Oppo Realme 5 Pro vs Huawei Nova 5z
| Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T | Huawei Nova 5z | Oppo Realme 5 Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 158.3 x 75.3 x 8.4 mm, 190 grams | 156.1 x 73.9 x 8.3 mm, 178 grams | 157 x 74.2 x 8.9 mm, 184 grams |
| DISPLAY | 6.3 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 409 ppi, IPS LCD | 6.26 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 412 ppi, LTPS IPS LCD | 6.3 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 409 ppi, IPS LCD |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 665, octa-core 2 GHz | Huawei Hisilicon Kirin 810, octa-core 2.2 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 712, octa-core 2.3 GHz |
| MEMORY | 3 GB RAM, 32 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD dedicated slot | 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – nano memory card slot | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD dedicated slot |
| SOFTWARE | Android 9 Pie, MIUI | Android 9 Pie, EMUI | Android 9 Pie, Color OS |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS |
| CAMERA | Quad 48 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.2, f/2.4 and f/2.4 13 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Quad 48 + 8 + 2 +2 MP f/1.8, f/2.4, f/2.4 and f/2.4 32 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Quad 48 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.2, f/2.4 and f/2.4 16 MP f/2.0 front camera |
| BATTERY | 4000 mAh, fast charging 18W | 4000 mAh, fast charging 20W | 4035 mAh, fast charging 20W with VOOC 3.0 |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Dual SIM slot | Hybrid Dual SIM slot | Dual SIM slot, splash resistant |
Design
In my opinion, the design is one of the strongest points of the Huawei Nova 5z for a single reason: the punch-hole display. With the Nova 5z, you can say goodbye to notches and get a full borderless display with a hole including the front camera. Further, the Huawei Nova 5z is a more compact smartphone due to its slightly smaller display, as well as a lighter device. The Redmi Note 8T and the Realme 5 Pro come with similar aesthetics, both have a reflective glass back, plastic frames and a waterdrop display. In each case, you get a rear-mounted fingerprint reader.
Display
Redmi Note 8T, Realme 5 Pro and Huawei Nova 5z come with similar display sizes as well as the IPS technology. But the Huawei Nova 5z offers a slightly better quality due to its higher DCI P3 coverage and more. It is not something you can clearly notice, but even a slight difference is always appreciated on a smartphone’s display. Unfortunately, none of these devices has an AMOLED display, so you do not even get an in-display fingerprint reader, as said above. The important difference is the punch-hole design found on the Huawei Nova 5z, instead of the classic waterdrop displays of the Redmi Note 8T and Realme 5 Pro.
Specs & Software
Huawei released an amazing midrange chipset this year, and it is on board of the Huawei Nova 5z. We are talking about Kirin 810: it is very powerful and it is built on the 7 nm production process just like flagship chipsets. But despite the amazing SoC, I would not choose the Huawei Nova 5z for a simple reason: memory configurations. I would go for the most expensive configuration of the Realme 5 Pro with Snapdragon 712 since it boasts 8 GB of RAM and an internal storage you can expand with a micro SD, instead of choosing the Huawei Nova 5z and getting less RAM. Redmi Note 8T is inferior to both Realme 5 Pro and Huawei Nova 5z since it mounts a Snapdragon 665 chipset. In each case, you get Android 9 Pie out of the box.
Camera
If we talk about rear cameras, you get more or less the same camera department with each of these devices. They include a primary 48 MP sensor, an ultrawide lens, a dedicated macro camera, and a depth sensor. Huawei Nova 5z has worse specifications for the additional sensors, so Redmi Note 8T and Realme 5 Pro should be slightly better in a lot of scenarios. But Huawei Nova 5z is way superior when it comes to selfies, thanks to its 32 MP front camera. Redmi Note 8T is nothing special for taking selfies, while Realme 5 Pro sits in the middle.
Battery
Battery capacities are similar on all of these devices, so expect a similar battery life. Huawei Nova 5z has a more efficient chipset, so it should offer a longer battery life in a lot of scenarios. However, we still did not test all of these devices thoroughly, so we still can not give you a final verdict. Note that Huawei Nova 5z and Realme 5 Pro have a slightly faster charging technology.
Price
Each of these devices can be purchased with a €199/$220 price tag, but who is the best? In my opinion Huawei Nova 5z due to its punch-hole display, better selfie camera, and amazing chipset, but not for every kind of user. Some may prefer the Realme 5 Pro due to its splash resistance or Redmi Note 8T due to the NFC connectivity. In all cases, you get only marginal differences and all of these devices are great.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T vs Oppo Realme 5 Pro vs Huawei Nova 5z: PROs and CONS
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T
PROs
- Big battery
- Good display
- Affordable price
- NFC
CONS
- Worse hardware
Huawei Nova 5z
PROs
- High performance
- Original design
- Good selfie camera
- Nice display
CONS
- Nothing particular
Realme 5 Pro
PROs
- Splash resistant
- Great cameras
- Good display
- Splash resistant
CONS
- Nothing particular
