Just like the Xiaomi 14T sequence of telephones, which the corporate was just about gifting away (at launch) – by way of offers that deliver the price of a $600 cellphone right down to as little as $150 (together with a free pill).
Properly… Xiaomi’s “worth offensive” on the competitors continues – this time, with the newest Redmi K80 and Redmi K80 Professional telephones, which (in case you didn’t know acquainted) is the corporate’s “flagship killer” lineup for China (normally launched beneath the “Poco” model globally).
Nonetheless, this time, the worth on the desk is likely to be much more unbelievable, and I figured we must always discuss it…
What makes Xiaomi’s new Redmi K80 “flagship-killers” particular
Simply take a fast have a look at the notable specs of the vanilla Redmi K80:
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with 12GB of RAM – probably the most highly effective chip EVER in a $400 cellphone (worth if you happen to import it from China)
- Sit down for this one – a 6,650 mAh battery with 90W charging
- 50MP 1/1.55 main digital camera with 2x zoom crop, 8MP ultra-wide digital camera, 20MP selfie shooter
- A flagship-level show with as much as 1,800 nits out of doors brightness – in fact, 120Hz and all that jazz (you received’t discover on the iPhone 16)
- The most recent Android 15 out-of-the-box (with a promise of 4 main OS updates)
- IP68 mud/water resistance – for the primary time ever on the vanilla/Professional “Ok” sequence
- Ultrasonic fingerprint reader (normally present in $1,300 telephones just like the Galaxy S24 Extremely)
Redmi K80 Professional upgrades over vanilla Redmi K80 that make it a real flagship cellphone:
- The Redmi K80 Professional will get the newest Snapdragon 8 Elite chip – arguably, probably the most highly effective SoC in the marketplace for till the launch of the iPhone 17 sequence
- Shiny f/2.0, 50MP 2.5x zoom lens with 5x lossless zoom
- Wi-fi charging – as a result of (apparently) Xiaomi doesn’t care about saving flagship options for its flagship telephones anymore
For some purpose, the Redmi K80 Professional drops the battery capability right down to “solely” 6,000 mAh – if I needed to guess, it’s as a result of Qualcomm’s new flagship SoC is environment friendly sufficient to compensate for the decrease battery capability. Checks/benchmarks have already confirmed that – so it’s not a hypothetical guess.
Did Xiaomi simply make the perfect mid-range and the perfect entry-level flagship telephones… ever?
All in all, wanting on the specs of the Redmi K80 sequence, I hesitate to name them “flagship killer” telephones… As a result of they’re mainly correct flagship telephones in each manner potential – significantly the Redmi K80 Professional.
In fact, the mainstream opponents to the Redmi K80 are the Google Pixel 8a, Galaxy A55, and ultimately (when they’re launched in March/April), the Pixel 9a and Galaxy A56. We might throw within the OnePlus, Motorolas, and Nothings of the world, in fact.
With that in thoughts, Xiaomi has set the bar so excessive, that I battle to see how one other mid-ranger cellphone can get even near the worth supplied by the vanilla Redmi K80.
We already know which processors to anticipate to see contained in the upcoming Pixel 9a and Galaxy A56 – the Tensor G3 and Exynos 1580 – that’s mid-range energy at greatest. And if the leaks are correct, we also needs to get 5,000 mAh batteries inside each telephones
For sure, this pales compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and the monstrous 6,650 mAh battery (with 90W charging) within the vanilla Redmi K80.
Total, the acquainted compromises of going with a Xiaomi mid-range cellphone versus a Samsung/Google one are actually beginning to vanish. Now you can get IP68 mud/water resistance and prolonged software program assist with a Xiaomi mid-ranger, which makes Samsung and Google’s $400-500 telephones look far much less “particular”.
Xiaomi is shaking up the smartphone market as soon as once more – unhealthy information for Samsung and Google’s “mainstream” mid-range telephones
In the long run, the Redmi K80 sequence is predicted to launch internationally beneath the Poco model fairly quickly.
That being mentioned, if you happen to can’t wait, you may import the K80 sequence from China fairly simply. In fact, as I’ve at all times mentioned, you do run the chance of working into customs charges that may enhance the worth of the cellphone. Nonetheless, the well-known web sites that promote them promise that the prospect you received’t is fairly good – significantly if you happen to’re importing to Europe or the US.
Given that you simply actually handle to keep away from added customs charges, the Redmi K80 will value you as little as 420 EUR/USD (together with delivery), which is fairly bonkers for a cellphone that’s a zoom digital camera and a wi-fi charging coil away from being a high-end flagship.
Wanting on the greater image, it appears like I already know which mid-range telephones I is likely to be recommending all through 2025. It would sound like a cliche, however good telephones actually are getting low-cost and low-cost telephones actually are getting good – it’s not essential to spend greater than $400-500 for a flagship-grade smartphone. Except you need to have the completely greatest and costliest cellphone only for the sake of it.
In the meantime, telephones just like the Redmi K80 and K80 Professional ought to function a wakeup name for Samsung and Google, that are nonetheless caught utilizing weak processors of their $400-500 telephones, and most significantly, small batteries. At the very least within the context of the brand new age of Si/C battery tech.
As a lot as I worth Samsung and Google’s dedication to software program assist, and the South Korean firm’s confirmed monitor document for making dependable telephones within the $400-500 worth vary, it is likely to be time to start out taking the mid-range section critically, and change into extra aggressive.