How to accurately determine the release year of Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro 128GB: a step-by-step guide

Why it’s important to know the year of the smartphone’s release – and how it affects its performance

When buying Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro in the secondary market or even in the official store, many users are faced with the question: how to know when exactly their device was released? This information is critical for several reasons: First, the year of production directly affects the battery life - a battery released 3-4 years ago, even with minimal use, can lose up to 30% of capacity. Second, early batches of devices sometimes suffer from "childhood diseases": hardware defects or software bugs fixed in later revisions.

Equally important to understand is that the Redmi Note 8 Pro was released from September 2019 to the end of 2020, and during that time the model has undergone several changes. For example, in mid-2020, Xiaomi updated the MIUI for this model, adding support for new camera features and optimizing power consumption. If you buy a phone for games or video shooting, the difference between the early and late batch can be noticeable even to the naked eye.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 reliable ways to determine the year of release of your Redmi Note 8 Pro 128GB — from checking the serial number to analyzing hidden system data.

Method 1: Checking the serial number (IMEI) through official services

The most accurate way to know the date of production is to decipher the serial number or IMEI. Xiaomi has a unique encoding system where the first digits of the number contain information about the month and year of release.

1. Open the Settings app → About the phone → All the characteristics.
2. Find the serial number and IMEI (maybe two IMEI two-way SIM-map).
3. Copy the first 8 characters of the serial number (e.g. 9L6M1909).

Code decoding:

• 📅 5–6 symbols - year of issue (for example, 19 = 2019, 20 = 2020).
• 📆 7-8 characters – month (e.g. 09) = September 12 = December).

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If the serial number starts with the letters 9L6, it is guaranteed by the Redmi Note 8 Pro. Other prefixes (e.g. 9N5) may indicate a fake or other model.

For double check, use the official Xiaomi service:

1. Go to mi.com/global/verify.
2. Enter the IMEI or serial number in the checkout field.
3. The system will show the activation date of the device (usually the same as the production date of ± 1 month).

⚠️ Note: If the service gives an error "Device not found", this may mean that the phone is assembled in an informal factory (for example, for the local market of India or China) or is a fake.

Method 2: Analysis of the box and stickers - what to look for on the package

The original Redmi Note 8 Pro box contains several markers that you can use to determine the release date, and the key is to find a barcode sticker on the end of the package, and it shows:

• 📦 Serial number (coincides with the number on the phone).
• 🏭 Location code (e.g, 20190915 = 15 September 2019).
• 🌍 Region code (RU — Russia, IN — India, CN — China).

Also, pay attention to the design of the box:

• 🎨 Early Parts (2019) – a box of dark green with a picture of a phone in your hands.
• 🖼️ Late Parts (2020) – a black box with a minimalist design and the inscription Helio G90T front-facing.

⚠️ Note: If the box does not have a barcode or serial number sticker, this is a reason to doubt the originality of the device.

Method 3: Verification through the Engineering Menu (for advanced users)

If you don't have a box or the serial number can't be read, you can use Xiaomi's hidden engineering menu, a method that requires caution but gives you accurate information about the hardware assembly date.

Instructions:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter the combination: ##4636###.
3. Go to the phone information section.
4. Find the line “Assembly Date” (for example, 20191115 = November 15, 2019).

Alternative method (for firmware based on Android 10+):

adb shell getprop ro.boot.date

This command will output the bootloader assembly date, which usually coincides with the device's manufacturing date.

Disable screen lock (PIN/pattern lock)

Charge your phone at least 50%

Make sure that the MIUI version is not lower than 11

Do not press random buttons in the engineering menu-->

⚠️ Warning: Do not change the settings in the engineering menu unless you are sure of their purpose! Incorrect settings can lead to network loss or overheating of the processor.

Method 4: Determination by firmware version and date of first update

The release date can be indirectly determined by the version of the preinstalled firmware. Xiaomi regularly updates MIUI, and early Redmi Note 8 Pro shipments came with older builds.

How to check:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.
2. Compare your version with the table below.

You can also check the date of the first update:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → The phone. → Updating the system → History of updates.
• 🔍 The very first update to the list was usually installed within a month of the phone’s release.

Method 5: Visual differences between early and late parties

Even without the box and serial number, you can roughly determine the year of release by appearance, and the manufacturer made several changes to the design and configuration of the Redmi Note 8 Pro during the year:

• 📸 Camera: Early batches had a more protruding camera module (0.5 mm higher than the body.
• 🔋 Charger: In 2019, the power supply was included in the kit 18W, in 2020, on 33W (Fast Charge).
• 🎧 Headphone jack: In later installments, the sealing ring around the 3.5 mm connector became black (in the early ones, gray).

Also note the marking on the back panel:

• 🏷️ Early devices have the inscription Designed by Xiaomi in small print.
• 🏷️ Late – a large Redmi inscription without mentioning Xiaomi.

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If you have 33W charging, you can guarantee that the phone won't be released until mid-2020, and it's one of the most reliable visual markers.

Frequent Mistakes and Myths in Determining the Year of Release

When searching for information about the production date of the Redmi Note 8 Pro, users often encounter false advice.

• ❌ Myth 1: “Date in phone settings (Settings)” → System system → Date) shows year of issue". ➡️ Reality: This is the current system date that is reset every time you update or reset your settings.
• ❌ Myth 2: “Cloth color indicates year of release". ➡️ Reality: Colors (Black, Green, White, Blue) were produced throughout the production period without any date binding.
• ❌ Myth 3: “Model number (M1906G7G) changed depending on the party". ➡️ Reality: Model number is the same for all Redmi Note 8 Pro 128GB, regardless of the date of issue.

Another common mistake is the confusion between the date of production and the date of activation, for example, the phone could have been in storage for 6 months before the sale, and its real age would be greater than it seems.

• 🔍 Compare data from the serial number and engineering menu.
• 📊 Use at least two methods from this article for cross-checking.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions