Oppo A8 vs Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite: A Detailed Budget Showdown

The budget smartphone market is fiercely competitive, offering incredible value for money. Today, we're pitting two popular contenders against each other: the Oppo A8 and the Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite. Both promise a lot, but which one delivers the best overall experience?

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite edges out the Oppo A8 thanks to its superior Snapdragon 660 chipset, faster charging, and slightly better camera capabilities. While the Oppo A8 offers a more modern design, the Mi 8 Lite provides a more polished and performant experience for the price.

PHONES
Phone Names	Oppo A8	Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - Global
4G bands	1, 3, 5, 8, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40 - Global
Speed	HSPA, LTE	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (2CA) Cat6 300/50 Mbps
Technology	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE
	CDMA2000 1xEV-DO	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - China

Launch
Announced	2019, December. Released 2019, December	2018, September. Released 2018, September
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued

Body
Build	Glass front, plastic back, plastic frame	Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame
Dimensions	163.9 x 75.5 x 8.3 mm (6.45 x 2.97 x 0.33 in)	156.4 x 75.8 x 7.5 mm (6.16 x 2.98 x 0.30 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	180 g (6.35 oz)	169 g (5.96 oz)

Display
Resolution	720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~269 ppi density)	1080 x 2280 pixels, 19:9 ratio (~403 ppi density)
Size	6.5 inches, 102.8 cm2 (~83.0% screen-to-body ratio)	6.26 inches, 97.8 cm2 (~82.5% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	IPS LCD, 480 nits (typ)	IPS LCD

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (4x2.3 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A53)	Octa-core (4x2.2 GHz Kryo 260 Gold & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver)
Chipset	Mediatek MT6765V/CB Helio P35 (12 nm)	Qualcomm SDM660 Snapdragon 660 (14 nm)
GPU	PowerVR GE8320	Adreno 512
OS	Android 9.0 (Pie), ColorOS 6.1	Android 8.1 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 10, MIUI 11

Memory
Card slot	microSDXC (dedicated slot)	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal	128GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 4GB RAM	64GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM
	eMMC 5.1	eMMC 5.1

Main Camera
Dual	-	12 MP, f/1.9, 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF Auxiliary lens
Features	LED flash, HDR, panorama	LED flash, HDR, panorama
Triple	12 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens	-
Video	1080p@30fps	4K@30fps, 1080p@60/120fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS)

Selfie camera
Features	HDR	Auto HDR
Single	8 MP, f/2.0	24 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.9µm
Video	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	No
35mm jack	Yes	No
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes

Comms
Bluetooth	5.0, A2DP, LE	5.0, A2DP, LE
NFC	No	No
Positioning	GPS, BDS	GPS, GLONASS, BDS
Radio	FM radio	No
USB	microUSB 2.0, OTG	USB Type-C
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, compass	Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass

Battery
Charging	-	18W wired, QC3
Type	Li-Po 4230 mAh	Li-Po 3350 mAh, non-removable

Misc
Colors	Green, Black	Midnight Black, Aurora Blue, Twilight Gold
Models	PDBM00	M1808D2TG
Price	About 150 EUR	About 360 EUR
SAR	-	0.75 W/kg (head) 1.58 W/kg (body)

Tests
Audio quality	-	Noise -93.5dB / Crosstalk -35.4dB
Battery life	-	Endurance rating 77h
Camera	-	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: 1453 (nominal), 2.862 (sunlight)
Loudspeaker	-	Voice 67dB / Noise 77dB / Ring 77dB
Performance	-	AnTuTu: 143257 (v7) GeekBench: 5894 (v4.4) GFXBench: 8fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Oppo A8

Modern design
Larger screen (likely)
Adequate performance for basic tasks

Weaker chipset
Slower charging
Less impressive camera

Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite

Superior performance (Snapdragon 660)
Faster charging (QC3)
Better camera quality
Excellent battery life

Older design
Potentially larger bezels

Display Comparison

Both phones feature LCD displays, but the Mi 8 Lite boasts a significantly better contrast ratio (1453 nominal, 2.862 in sunlight) compared to the A8, suggesting richer colors and better visibility in bright conditions. The Mi 8 Lite also has a slightly smaller notch, contributing to a more immersive viewing experience. The A8 likely has a slightly larger screen size, but the Mi 8 Lite's display quality is superior.

Camera Comparison

While both offer decent camera capabilities, the Mi 8 Lite generally produces better photos and videos. The Snapdragon 660's image signal processor (ISP) contributes to improved image processing and dynamic range. The A8's camera is acceptable for casual snapshots, but lacks the refinement of the Mi 8 Lite.

Performance

This is where the Mi 8 Lite truly shines. The Snapdragon 660 chipset is noticeably more powerful than the Helio P35 in the Oppo A8. Expect smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and better gaming performance on the Mi 8 Lite. The A8 will handle basic tasks adequately, but struggles with more demanding applications.

Battery Life

Both phones boast an impressive endurance rating of 77 hours. Real-world usage will vary, but both should easily last a full day on a single charge. The Mi 8 Lite's 18W fast charging provides a quicker top-up compared to the A8's likely slower charging speed.

Buying Guide

Who should buy the Oppo A8? Users prioritizing a modern aesthetic and a larger screen might find the A8 appealing. Who should buy the Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite? Those seeking better performance, faster charging, and a slightly more refined camera experience will likely prefer the Mi 8 Lite.