Redmi Buds 8 Lite Review: Good for Daily Use, but Not for Everyone

At first glance, I found the Redmi Buds 8 Lite to be a pretty simple pair of earbuds with a few interesting features packed into a compact design. After spending about a week with them, I got a better idea of where these earbuds work well and where they fall short. From the bass-heavy sound and ANC to the calling experience, controls, and battery life, some things worked quite well for me while others could have been better. So, after using them for music, videos, calls, travelling, and everyday use, here’s how the Redmi Buds 8 Lite performed in my experience.

Redmi Buds 8 Specifications:

• Design: In-ear fit, all-plastic build, matte/glossy finish
• Dimensions and weight: 35.2 gm (case)
• Water resistance: IP54 rating (dust/splash resistance)
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.4 (dual-device support), Google Fast Pair
• Sound driver: 12.4mm titanium-diaphragm dynamic driver
• Audio codecs: AAC, SBC
• Noise cancellation: Yes (up to 42dB)
• Battery: Up to 36 hours of music playback with ANC off (earbuds + case)
• Control: Touch controls (buds)
• Companion app: Xiaomi Earbuds app (Android | iOS)
• Color: Black, White, Blue
• Redmi Buds 8 Lite Price in Nepal: NPR 4,999*

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Redmi Buds 8 Lite Review

Design: Light and compact, but the finish gets messy

• Lightweight and compact design
• Stem-style earbuds with silicone ear tips
• IP54 rating for dust and splash resistance

Starting with the design, the Redmi Buds 8 Lite comes with a pretty simple squarish charging case. The case is compact and quite light, so carrying it around in my pocket wasn't really a problem. I have used the Black color variant, which came in a matte finish, but there is also a Blue and White model which has a glossy finish. The glossy one might get messy and scratched very easily with everyday use. So, I recommend you carefully choose your model for convenient everyday use.

One thing I liked about the case is the strip light indicator on the front that shows the charging or pairing status. The hinge also feels pretty smooth, and the lid closes nicely without feeling loose. There is also a small button on the bottom side of the case, right beside the USB Type-C port.

The magnets inside the case also work quite well. When putting the earbuds back into the case, they snap into place properly, and I didn't have to spend much time adjusting them.

At the same time, the buds also have a glossy finish, while they themselves follow a stem-style design. They were compact and easy to use, while the silicone ear tips provide a good seal inside my ears. I didn't have any major issues with the fit during my regular use, and the sealing also helped when listening with ANC enabled.

Another useful addition here is the IP54 rating on the earbuds. This means they can handle dust and light water splashes, so you don't have to worry too much about sweat or getting caught in light rain. However, the rating only applies to the earbuds and not the charging case, and I wouldn't recommend using them in the shower or exposing them to heavy water.

If you are wondering what you get inside the box, the package is fairly straightforward. You get the earbuds, charging case, ear tips, charging cable, and the usual documentation. So, I think the Redmi Buds 8 Lite keeps things simple do quite well with its design and build.

Sound: Strong bass is the main focus

• 12.4mm titanium-diaphragm dynamic driver
• Bass-heavy default sound
• EQ Customizations 

Now, coming to the audio, the first thing I noticed with the Redmi Buds 8 Lite was the bass. These earbuds are definitely tuned towards the low end, and the bass has a strong presence right out of the box. Even songs that don't have particularly strong bass, such as “TU HI RE” by “Kavita Krishnamurthy” and “Hariharan”, also get an extra thumping effect throughout the area where the vocals and treble should be the main priority. 

At the same time, I felt the vocals were slightly pushed back because of the strong bass. They didn't sound as clear or prominent as I would have liked. And since I usually prefer a brighter sound signature with more emphasis on vocals, so the default tuning wasn't exactly my preference. Because of that, I wouldn't say these are the earbuds I would personally prefer in my everyday use.

However, the EQ options are probably the most useful part of the app for me. I get several default presets such as Balanced Sound, Enhanced Bass, Voice, and Treble, along with a customizable EQ. For a person like me who likes a brighter sound profile, it was easy to customize the sound at different frequencies according to my taste. I have also attached my preferred EQ setting below that you can copy if you have a similar taste to mine.

But if you enjoy extra bass and like your music to have more punch, there isn't much to complain about here. The bass gives songs a more powerful presentation, and the earbuds can also get quite loud. For regular listening, I didn't really have to push the volume too high.

So, if I had to describe the default sound of the Redmi Buds 8 Lite in one word, it would simply be "Bassy". It isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the default sound is clearly aimed at people who enjoy an extra thump while listening to music.

Active Noise Cancellation (ANC): Helps with low-frequency noise, but feels average

• ANC, Transparency, and Normal modes
• Reduces bus, AC, and fan noise
• Slight pressure when ANC is enabled

Let's talk about ANC now. I tested the Redmi Buds 8 Lite in different situations, including outdoors in noisy areas, while travelling on buses, and in different everyday situations. After using it across these environments, I noticed that the ANC mainly helped with constant low-frequency noise.

When ANC is enabled, I could notice just a slight reduction in low-frequency sounds, where the constant noise from a bus engine, AC, or fan became somewhat quieter. However, I would not say ANC was best, as I could still hear the engine sound even when turning on the ANC, which was somewhat annoying and killed the mood of the music. 

The other thing is, it is normal to feel slight pressure in our ears when ANC is turned on. But the story for these buds changes here, as I found the initial pressure was slightly uncomfortable, and it took some time for me to get used to that pressure. This is something that will probably depend on the person, but it was noticeable for me.

I also tested other earbuds available in a similar price range to see the difference. After my test, I found that Redmi Buds 8 Lite did a somewhat better job with ANC compared to the Realme Buds T200. However, when I compared it with the Soundcore R50i NC (review), the difference was much more obvious, as it offers considerably stronger noise cancellation in my experience. 

The earbuds also have a Transparency mode, which is supposed to let surrounding sounds pass through when you need to hear what is happening around you. It does work, and I could hear the background environment when using it, but the experience wasn't particularly good. Instead of sounding natural, I mostly noticed an additional hiss from the surrounding noise.

From my experience, the ANC does a decent job of reducing constant background noise and is useful while travelling or in places with fans and AC. However, at around NPR 5,000, I expected more from it. Compared with some of its competitors, the Redmi Buds 8 Lite’s ANC feels average and is clearly one area where Redmi could have done better.

Calling and controls: Decent for everyday calls

• Decent microphone performance
• Responsive touch controls
• Easy switching between ANC, Transparency, and Normal

Alright, when it comes to calling, the Redmi Buds 8 Lite was pretty decent in my experience. I used it for WhatsApp, Messenger, Viber, and regular phone calls, including while travelling on a bus and walking around busy streets. I could clearly hear the person on the other end even when there was quite a bit of surrounding noise.

At the same time, the person on the other side of the call also heard pretty well, though there was some background noise or disturbance, which I verified from the call recording. In quieter environments, the call quality was naturally much cleaner.

Moving on to the controls, the touch area is positioned a little lower on the stem. At first, I had to figure out exactly where to touch, but once I got used to the position, the controls worked quite well. The touch response is also fairly quick, and I didn't have to repeatedly tap the earbuds to get them to respond. As I frequently travel on buses where the noise is prominent, I found switching between different modes quite convenient since I could do it with just a tap.

App and other features: Plenty of useful customization

• Xiaomi Earbuds app
• Customizable EQ and touch controls
• Dual-device connectivity

Moving on to the app, the Redmi Buds 8 Lite uses the Xiaomi Earbuds app as its companion application. It is fairly simple to use, and you can check the battery status, change sound settings, customize controls, and switch between the different listening modes from here.

The earbuds also support dual-device connectivity, and this worked quite well during my use. The pairing process was quick, and switching between devices didn't require much effort. I have used them with my laptop and phone and found them quite convenient in my workplace to switch between two devices according to the situation. 

The touch controls can also be customized through the app, which gives me more control over how I want to use the earbuds. Along with that, I also get extra control over the different modes directly through the app. I also found the “Find My Earbuds” feature in the Xiaomi Earbuds app, which was actually quite practical for a messy person like me.

Battery & Charging: Reliable for everyday use

• Up to 36 hours of total playback
• Around 5–6 hours without ANC
• Around 4 hours with ANC at 80% volume

Battery life is another area where the Redmi Buds 8 Lite performed reasonably well for me. Redmi claims up to 36 hours of total playback at 50% volume with the charging case when ANC is turned off, and based on my casual day-to-day use, this figure seems somewhat achievable.

At around 80% volume, I was getting roughly 5 to 6 hours of playback from the earbuds on a single charge with ANC turned off. Once I enabled ANC, the battery life dropped to around 4 hours at the same volume level.

Of course, the actual battery life will depend on your volume level, ANC usage, and other features. But for my normal listening, I didn't find myself worrying about the battery too often. The charging case can comfortably recharge the earbuds around three to four times, which is enough for several days of casual use.

During my roughly one-week testing period, I charged the case twice. The case itself took around 1.5 hours to reach full charge, while charging the earbuds from around 10% to 100% took approximately 40 minutes.

That said, I wouldn't say the battery life is a major highlight of these earbuds. But it is still more than enough for regular listening and everyday use. If you mostly use the earbuds casually and don't keep ANC enabled all the time, you should be able to get through your day without worrying about the battery too much.

Conclusion: My Take 

So all in all, I liked the comfortable fit, battery life, call quality, and the useful features available through the app of these earbuds. The custom EQ was also helpful for me as I could adjust the sound closer to my preference. 

However, I didn't really like the default bass-heavy sound and found the ANC to be just average. If you like a bass-heavy sound and want comfortable earbuds with good battery life and useful features, the Redmi Buds 8 Lite can be a good option. But if you prefer a more balanced sound or stronger ANC, these might not be your cup of tea.