Xiaomi Mi8 vs Explorer Edition vs Mi 8 SE : What is the difference

When Xiaomi announced about its Next Flagship the Xiaomi Mi8 then everyone was surprised, Because few months back it released Mi Mix 2S, and now another flagship, which is unexpected. The Chinese technology company launched its flagship Mi 8 device on company’s 8th anniversary even at China in May, as the successor to the Xiaomi Mi6.
The smartphone was announced in three different variants- Mi 8, Mi8 SE, Mi8 Explorer edition.

Mi 8 is the first Phone of the Xiaomi to sport a notch display. While Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer variant comes with an in-display fingerprint reader, The company also introduces it as the world’s first Android smartphone to use 3D facial recognition technology. The third one, Mi 8 ES is the best mid-range device according to company. If you are one of those who want to know everything about these three models, then we are here to help you and provide a detailed comparison between Mi 8, Mi8 SE and Explorer edition variants.

Also Read : List of Best Xiaomi Wireless Smartphones

Xiaomi Mi 8 VS Mi 8 SE VS Explorer Edition

Design & Display

The Mi 8 come with a curved glass back panel with metallic chassis. Talking about primary camera alignment and front look, Which is similar to the iPhone X due to the famous ‘notch’ on top of the screen.
The Mi 8 SE and Mi 8 Explorer carry almost similar design as the normal Mi 8 version. The third model in the series the explorer edition, however differs in the design and it has a transparent glass panel that allows a standout view of internal circuit board.

But latest photos indicated that the phone has a dummy circuit and it is not actually connected to the phone’s internal circuit.

The Mi8 and Mi8 explorer variant features an AMOLED 6.2-inch full HD display, while the Xiaomi Mi 8 SE comes with a slightly smaller 5.88 inch screen. All Mi 8 variants have an aspect ratio of 18.7:9 and comes with similar resolution of 2248×1080 pixels.

Hardware: Xiaomi Mi 8 Vs Explorer edition Vs Mi 8 SE

The Xiaomi Mi8 and Mi 8 explorer edition are powered by the Snapdragon 845 processor which is the same as the one found on the oneplus 6. The CPU is paired with Adreno 630 GPU. While low-priced Mi 8 SE is powered by the newly launched Qualcomm 710 CPU couple with Adreno 616 GPU.

RAM and storage options, the Mi 8 is available with 6GB RAM and 64GB, 128GB, 256GB internal memory. Xiaomi’s Explorer Edition has 8GB of RAM attach with 128GB on-board storage. There are two variants available for Mi 8 SE one with a 4GB RAM + 64GB storage and the other model having 6GB RAM + 64GB storage. All three versions come with different battery capacities, Xiaomi Mi8 has a un-removable 3,400mAh battery. The Explorer Edition, carries a slightly smaller 3,000mAh power capacity. Meanwhile, Mi 8 SE packs a battery of 3,120mAh inside the back panel.

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Camera and Optical

Taking about camera department, both high-end xiaomi Mi8 and Mi 8 Explorer edition comes with a dual camera setup with a 12MP primary wide-angle sensor with f/1.8 aperture and OIS, while the secondary 12MP telephoto sensor has f/2.4 aperture. The camera of both Phones carry dual-LED flash, Smart face detection, 2x optical zoom and 4-axis OIS.

The Xiaomi Mi8 SE also featured a dual camera module at the back, but it packs a 12MP primary lens and a 5MP secondary lens with f/1.9 aperture and includes AI scanner, portrait mode, panorama mode and HDR mode. For selfies all three smartphone have AI-powered 20MP sensor with beauty mode, AI background bokeh and 3D beauty. The big difference is that, the front camera of Xiaomi MI 8 recognizes a better face in the dark state with the help of its infrared sensor.

Software and other Features

The Mi 8 and other variants are run on android Oreo 8.1 version based on the Xiaomi’s recently released custom ROM, MIUI 10. The new MIUI skin is integrated with AI features such as capable of tweaking contrast, white balance, read Bar Code, QR Code and business card etc. On the other hand, this smartphone equipped an in-display fingerprint scanner with pressure sensitivity. The phone supports dual frequency GPS navigation for more accurate location tracking. The Mi 8 Explorer model has 3D face unlock feature which is similar to iPhone X’s Face ID.

Price and availability

Xiaomi Mi 8 is priced at yuan 2,699 (nearly Rs 29,000/ $419) for the 6GB RAM/64GB ROM version and jump to yuan 2,999 (around Rs 32,000/ $459) for 6GB/128GB storage, while the 6GB RAM & 256GB ROM variant will retail for yuan 3,299 (approx Rs 35,000/ $499).
The entry-level variant Mi 8 SE has a price starting at Yuan 1,799 (around Rs 19,900/ $289) for the 4GB RAM/64GB model, while 6GB/64GB variant carries a price of 1,999 (approx Rs 22,100/ $329).
Xiaomi’s premium variant, Mi 8 Explorer Edition will ship in china with a price of Yuan 3,699 (Rs 38,500/ $549) and It will be available later. The company has not disclosed any information regarding the availability of the device in the global markets.