This is the English edition of a review from my Japanese YouTube channel, iestaLife. I review gadgets from my home studio in Japan, so product links go to Amazon Japan.
Quick take
The Redmi Buds 8 Lite cost me ¥2,580 on Amazon Japan (list price ¥3,480) — less than a tenth of the ¥39,800 AirPods Pro 3 I use every day. AirPods still win on clarity and on a natural-sounding transparency mode. But for music and videos on a commute, the Redmi is more than good enough, and it has noise cancelling and multipoint.
What I tested
- Xiaomi Redmi Buds 8 Lite (white), bought with my own money
- Apple AirPods Pro 3, my daily earbuds, for comparison
- Weight on a kitchen scale, fit, noise cancelling, transparency mode and the EQ in the Xiaomi app, on first use
What I found
- From a distance the two are hard to tell apart. The Redmi case is closer to older AirPods in shape, with "Redmi" printed on the back.
- The box is basic: just two extra pairs of ear tips (one pair comes fitted).
- It is light — almost hollow-feeling — but it does not feel cheap.
- Sound: AirPods Pro 3 are clearer and more detailed. The Redmi is a little muddy in the low end, but perfectly listenable.
- Fit was practically the same as the AirPods once I compared them properly.
- Noise cancelling works well, and tap controls work as expected.
- Lowering the bass a little with the custom EQ in the app made a big difference — cleaner and easier to listen to.
- Transparency mode is clearly better on AirPods. The Redmi is fine for station announcements, but talking to a cashier feels a bit unnatural.
Side by side
| Price (at recording) | Case + earbuds | One earbud | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Xiaomi Redmi Buds 8 Lite ¥2,580 (list ¥3,480) | 45.2 g | 4.6 g |
 | Apple AirPods Pro 3 ¥39,800 | 55.2 g | 5.6 g |
Who it is for
- Redmi Buds 8 Lite: commuting, everyday music and video, a spare pair, or earbuds you will not worry about losing.
- AirPods Pro 3: if you rely on transparency mode for conversations, care about sound detail, or want seamless switching across several Apple devices. Features like Live Translation are AirPods-only — though I personally have not found a use for it yet.
Watch the review
The video is in Japanese. Useful chapters: 01:24 unboxing and weights, 04:13 sound and app, 08:32 verdict.
Limitations
This was a first-day impression; I did not test battery life or latency for gaming. Prices are Amazon Japan prices at the time of recording, in yen.
Products
Xiaomi REDMI Buds 8 Lite: on Amazon Japan
Apple AirPods Pro 3: on Amazon Japan
The Amazon Japan links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Check the listing for the exact model, current price and shipping availability in your region.
More reviews in English
