How the two phones compare
Redmi Note 8 vs Vivo U20: Design
Despite being low priced, Xiaomi and Vivo have designed both their smartphones in such a way that they look good. In both these smartphones redmi note 8 The build quality is better and it feels more premium. Xiaomi has used Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back panels, while Vivo has not said whether Vivo U20 has something like this or not.
The thing to note is that Vivo U20 The back panel is of plastic. Redmi Note 8 has a flat back while the frame is curved but Vivo has given a curved back panel in Vivo U20 due to which the phone holds well in the hand. The Vivo U20 smartphone is slightly thicker and heavier than the Redmi Note 8.
Xiaomi has provided USB Type-C port and IR emitter in Redmi Note 8. On the other hand, IR emitter will not be available in Vivo smartphone, also Vivo smartphone has Micro-USB port which can be disappointing. Redmi Note 8 is smaller in size and has a 6.39-inch full-HD+ display, while Vivo U20 has a 6.53-inch display. Since Vivo U20 is big, the hand does not easily reach the fingerprint sensor on the back panel of the phone.
There are four rear cameras on the back of Xiaomi Redmi Note 8, while there is a triple camera setup on the back panel of Vivo U20. We found that the camera module of the Redmi Note 8 is protruding. Overall, Redmi Note 8 looks and feels premium.
Redmi Note 8 vs Vivo U20 Specifications and Software
Redmi Note 8 has Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor and it has two variants. The price of 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage variant of Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 is Rs 9,999. The 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage model of this phone will be sold for Rs 12,999. This phone of Xiaomi brand will be available in Neptune Blue, Moonlight White, Cosmic Purple and Space Black colors.
Snapdragon 675 processor was used in Vivo U20, this chipset given in this price segment is powerful. The price of 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage variant of Vivo U20 in India is Rs 10,990. The price of its 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage variant is Rs 11,990. Like Redmi Note 8, Vivo U20 will also have a separate microSD card slot. Vivo U20 has two color variants, Racing Black and Blaze Blue.
Redmi Note 8 has a 4,000 mAh battery, while Vivo U20 will have a larger 5,000 mAh battery. Both the smartphones come with fast charging support, not only this, an 18 watt charger is also available in the retail box. Due to the low capacity battery in Redmi Note 8, it charges quickly.
Talking about software, Redmi Note 8 runs on MIUI 10 based on Android 9 Pie. There is some bloatware that is pre-installed on the device and we found some of the Xiaomi apps to be spammy. The Vivo phone runs on Funtouch OS 9.2 based on Android 9 Pie. Many bloatware will also be pre-installed in Vivo phones. Let us tell you that spammy notifications will also be available in Vivo U20. In terms of hardware, Vivo U20 is the winner as it is equipped with Snapdragon 675 SoC which is more powerful than Snapdragon 665 processor.
Redmi Note 8 vs Vivo U20 performance and battery life
Both the smartphones handle day-to-day tasks without any problem. Multitasking also happened easily, we tried playing some videos on both the phones and found that the panel of Vivo U20 is better compared to Redmi Note 8. The fingerprint sensor and face unlock feature of Vivo U20 makes the phone unlock faster.
We tried playing PUBG Mobile on both the phones, in Redmi Note 8 the game ran on low preset while in Vivo U20 the game ran on high settings. After playing the game for some time, both the phones became hot. Talking about battery life, Vivo U20 has a higher capacity battery as compared to Redmi Note 8.
In our video loop test, Redmi Note 8 lasted for 13 hours and 10 minutes while Vivo U20 lasted for about 15 hours. Even with normal usage, the Vivo U20 smartphone lasted longer than Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 8 phone. The charging speed is the same but this smartphone of Vivo brand takes a little more time because it has a bigger battery. In one hour, Redmi Note 8 smartphone was charged 81 percent while Vivo U20 smartphone was charged 67 percent. In this round, Vivo U20 has won in terms of better performance and battery life.
Redmi Note 8 vs Vivo U20 cameras
Redmi Note 8 has four rear cameras at the back, whereas Vivo U20 has three rear cameras. Xiaomi has given 48 megapixel primary camera, 8 megapixel wide-angle shooter and 2 megapixel macro and 2 megapixel depth sensor in its Redmi Note 8.
On the other hand, the Vivo phone has a 16-megapixel primary camera sensor with Sony IMX499 sensor and F/1.8 aperture, along with an 8-megapixel wide-angle sensor, its aperture is F/2.2 and a 2-megapixel with aperture F/2.4. There is a macro camera sensor.
For selfie and video calling, Redmi Note 8 has a 13-megapixel front camera, while Vivo U20 has a 16-megapixel front camera. The camera apps provided in both the phones are simple and easy to use. We took pictures with both smartphones at the same time.
Both phones focus quickly, and both phones capture similar details in daylight. Our sample shots look good but look grainy when zoomed in. In comparison with the Vivo U20, we found that the contrast and sharpness were better in the photos taken with the Redmi Note 8.
The wide-angle cameras on both the phones offer a wide field of view but we liked the Vivo U20. The Redmi Note 8 boosts contrast aggressively and there is a loss of detail in the shadows. In low light, the Redmi Note 8 accurately captures the color tones of the scene but the Vivo U20 captures better details and when zoomed in, there is less grain.
Both phones provide bright shots after enabling night mode. Redmi Note 8 automatically increases sharpness in photos, which makes the photo look artificial. Photos taken with Vivo U20 look more natural. For close-ups, we found that the Redmi Note 8 captures better colors and details.
It also manages edge detection well and provides better details. We have tested the macro camera on both the phones and found that the Redmi Note 8 captures better details compared to the Vivo U20. Talking about selfies, we found the results of both the phones to be a tie as both the phones capture good shots. Redmi Note 8 does better for photography while Vivo U20 does better for videos.
our decision
Vivo U20 and Redmi Note 8 both are popular smartphones available for sale in the budget around Rs 10,000. While one offers better performance and good battery life, the other phone is equipped with better build quality and better cameras. It is not easy to choose between both the phones but if you want to buy a phone for playing games then Vivo U20 can prove to be a better option.
Among Redmi Note 8 and Vivo U20, the Vivo brand smartphone lasts longer on every charge. Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 comes with better cameras, it looks more expensive.
