Xiaomi launches the Redmi K50 Gaming Edition with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and "magnetomotive shoulder keys"

After weeks of teasers and leaks, Xiaomi has now debuted its first Redmi-branded Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 device—the Redmi K50 Gaming Edition. Or the Redmi K50 E-Sports Edition, depending on who you ask.

The Redmi K50 Gaming lands with a 6.67-inch FHD+ 120 Hz AMOLED with 10-bit HDR10+, DCI-P3, and MEMC support. That display is rated A+ by DisplayMate and protected by Gorilla Victus. Under the hood is Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 has displayed high power consumption and accompanying thermal issues in some applications, so Xiaomi has equipped the Redmi K50 Gaming with a double vapor cooling solution. That, paired with UFS 3.1 storage and LPDDR5 memory, guarantees the Redmi K50 Gaming flagship-grade performance.

Sadly, though, the Redmi K50 Gaming cuts costs on the camera side of things. It sports a 64 MP IMX686 main camera, joined by an 8 MP ultra-wide shooter, and a 2 MP camera. There are no mentions of optical image stabilization. At the front is a 20 MP IMX596. Other specifications include an X-axis linear motor for haptics, JBL stereo speakers, a side-mounted fingerprint reader, a 4700 mAh battery, and 120 W wired charging. 

Like last year's Redmi K40 gaming, the Redmi K50 Gaming features physical gaming triggers. Xiaomi styles these as the "Magnetomotive Shoulder Key 2.0" and should appeal to the gamer demographic the phone is solidly targeted at. 

Xiaomi is also collaborating with Mercedes-AMG for a special edition of the Redmi K50 Gaming. The phone, branded as the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team Edition ships with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage and costs a hefty CNY 4,199 (US$660). It's a limited edition, though, and Xiaomi claims it will be making just 10,000 units. The phone comes with distinct embroidery and a different gift box with a 120 W charger included. 

Pricing of the Redmi K50 Gaming Edition is as follows:

• 8/128GB: CNY 3299 (520$)
• 12/128GB: CNY 3499 (550$)
• 12/256GB: CNY 3899 (615$)

Buy the Redmi Note 11 on Amazon.