The newer Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite or the classic Xiaomi Mi 8 SE?

Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite vs. Xiaomi Mi 8 SE: specs

Let's start the comparison with their specifications so that you will quickly know the difference between the Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite vs Xiaomi Mi 8 SE.

	Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite 4G 6.26 inch Phablet English and Chinese Version - GOLD
	Notices submitted

	Xiaomi Mi 8 SE 4G Phablet - GOLD
	$413.8 $289.99	(11 reviews)

Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite vs. Xiaomi Mi 8 SE: designs, displays and aesthetics

At the first glance, the two phones are very similar, which, again, is true of a large number of the company's mid-range phones. Both the Mi 8 Lite and Mi 8 SE aim for the bezel-free look — hence, the notch at the top of the screen on both phones housing front cameras. The notch on the Mi 8 SE is slightly longer than that on the Mi 8 Lite even though the Mi 8 SE is also smaller than the Mi 8 Lite (5.8 x 2.88 x 0.3 inches vs. 6.16 x 2.98 x 0.3 inches) and hosts a smaller display (5.88 inches on the Mi 8 SE vs 6.26 inch on the Mi 8 Lite). On the back, both phones have their fingerprint sensors as well as the camera setup: the Mi 8 SE sports vertical cameras while the Mi 8 Lite opts for the horizontal placement.

Now, let's take a closer look at the displays. The Mi 8 SE comes with a 5.88 inch screen with 2244 x 1080 resolution and 18.7:9 ration. The Mi 8 Lite, on the other hand, sports a larger 6.26 inch display with  2280 x 1080 resolution and 19:9 ratio.

The Mi 8 SE is clearly the more compact option of the two — but it's also the one offering a better overall viewing quality thanks to the high screen-to-body ratio and the use of the Super AMOLED panel with HDR10 technology and DCI-P3 coverage.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite vs. Xiaomi Mi 8 SE: performance, speed, storage and cameras

The phones are quite similar on the inside as well – but there are a few notable differences to mention.

The Mi 8 Lite comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 octa core processor clocked at 2.2GHz while the Mi 8 SE features the more powerful Snapdragon 710 octa core CPU. With that, when it comes to everyday use, the differences should not be too notable — you will get the more or less similar experience when it comes to multitasking and speed. This is also true because of the same offer when it comes to RAM and storage: 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage on both devices. Unfortunately, neither of the phones support memory expansion on an SD card.

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On the camera side, the MI 8 SE comes with 12.0MP + 5.0MP dual back cameras and a 20.0MP front camera. The Mi 8 Lite comes with the same back camera setup, but does give you more on the front — a 24.0MP selfie shooter. Then again, the Mi 8 SE does offer the infrared Face Unlock feature while the Mi 8 Lite does not.

Battery-wise, things are more similar than they are different: the Mi 8 SE comes with the 3120mAh built-in battery while the Mi 8 Lite sports a 3350mAh battery.

Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite vs. Xiaomi Mi 8 SE: summing things up

It's never easy to compare phones that are very similar. But if we generalise and simplify, here's how things look:

Price-wise, the two phones are very close as well. On promotion on GB, the Mi 8 SE can be yours for $289.99, while the Mi 8 Lite is available for about $250.

When it comes to giving recommendations, we think that the Mi 8 SE would be a better option for those looking for the classic mid-range Xiaomi phone — it's also more compact.The Mi 8 Lite, on the other hand, sports a trendier look, a larger display and a better selfie cam.