8 Things to Know Before Buying a Baofeng BF-F8 Plus in 2025

The Baofeng BF-F8 Plus a probably the best UV-5R variant I have ever tested. Is it a fluke or has Baofeng upped their game? Read on to see!

There are a lot of radios that are based on the UV-5R in some way. What I mean with the Baofeng BF-F8 Plus is that it is basically the same radio; plastics, battery, accessories, etc, but upgraded.

Isn’t that what the UV-6R, BF-F8HP, UV-5RA, and all the others are? Not really, read my reviews of those radios to see what they really are. Once I started putting the Baofeng BF-F8 Plus through my tests, I started getting excited, this looked to be the replacement for the venerable UV-5R we have all been waiting for.

The Baofeng BF-F8 Plus a probably the best UV-5R variant I have ever tested. Is it a fluke or has Baofeng upped their game? Read on to see!

There are a lot of radios that are based on the UV-5R in some way. What I mean with the Baofeng BF-F8 Plus is that it is basically the same radio; plastics, battery, accessories, etc, but upgraded.

Let me start with what caught my eye almost immediately when I turned it on. You know those pictures of Baofeng radios with the black screen and lighter text, reversed from all the other Baofeng radios out there? Yes, the ones that when you get the radio in it never has? Yeah, the Baofeng BF-F8 Plus has that screen, no kidding.

I have wanted one of these screens since I first saw the evidently photoshopped image of one for sale, but the radios never had one when they arrived. I have lost count of how many times that has happened. The Baofeng BF-F8 Plus has finally delivered.

With the backlight of the Baofeng BF-F8 Plus on the screen is what you see in the image above, almost white on dark blue. When the backlight turns off, the background turns jet black and the text stays that not quite white, grayish color. I will admit in low light it is a little harder to read than the standard UV-5R screen, but in good light or with the backlight on, it is awesome.

When comparing the Baofeng BF-F8 Plus vs UV-5R visually, the screen and sticker on the bottom are the only differences you will see. Of course, it even uses the same Baofeng BF-F8 Plus programming software, CHIRP. Comparing the Baofeng BF-F8 Plus vs BF-F8HP shows exactly what Baofeng can do when they have a little time, as this radio suffers from none of the things I hate about the BF-F8HP.

The menu system on the Baofeng BF-F8 Plus seems identical to the UV-5R, so it is easy to find what you are looking for. In fact, the manual for the radio literally is the UV-5R manual, go figure.

The transmitted signal from the Baofeng BF-F8 Plus is nicer than most Baofeng radios and just a tiny bit off dead accurate at 446Mhz. In addition, it adds some power behind that signal, just about on par with the F8HP, 5RA, and 6R. All three of those radios however have dirtier signals than this one, so my guess is this one will actually get you a usable signal further down the road.

Note that the BAND button is missing off the Baofeng BF-F8 Plus like most of the newer Baofeng radios. I was never really sure why that button was there anyway, and someone there seems to have been equally confused since it has been axed from just about all their radios.

My only complaint is that the Baofeng BF-F8 Plus I received has a rough spot in the power/volume knob. It is not that bad really, and it does not affect performance at all, but it is still a little irritating. If this was more than a $30 radio, I would send it back, but as it is, I will just keep it. It will probably loosen up over time anyway.

Images:

Radio Specifics:

Screen readability	Very Good
In-hand feel	Good
Included antenna	Very Good
Construction quality	Good
Belt clip	Good
Programmability	Good
Transmit audio	CLICK TO LISTEN
Frequency accuracy	145.000 @ 145.000
Maximum power output 2m/70cm	4.5 watts / 2 watts
Actual weight	209g
Battery advertised mAh	1800mAh
Battery tested mAh
Radio manual	CLICK TO DOWNLOAD
Programming software	CLICK TO DOWNLOAD
Price based score 0-5	4
Overall score 0-10	4

Test Images:

Baofeng BF-F8 plus SRD spectrum analysis

If you are interested, click here for an article on how I test radios.

FEATURES:

25KHz/12.5KHz Switchable (Wide /Narrow) Band
128 Memory Channels
50 CTCSS /104 DCS Tones Transmit
Power Selectable (1W /5W)
VOX and OFFSET Functions
Dual Standby /Dual Watch
A/B band independent operation Transmitter
Time-Out Timer (TOT)
Busy Channel Lock-Out (BCLO)
65-108MHz (FM Receive only),
136-174MHZ and 400-520MHZ (TX/RX)
Mode of Operation: Simple or Semi-Duplex
Modulation Mode: 16k F3E /11k F3E
Maximum deviation: 〈5kHz (Wide) 〈2.5kHz (Narrow)
CTCSS/DCS deviation: 0.5+/-0.1kHz (Wide) / 0.3+/-0.1kHz (Narrow)
Intermediation distortion:〈10%
Stability: +/-2.5ppm

PROS:	CONS:
Uses the same accessories as UV-5R Uses the same programming as UV-5R Much better screen than most Baofengs Excellent power output Better transmission signal than most cheap radios	Power / Volume knob has a rough spot in it Not that great of an antenna

Conclusions

Every radio up until the Baofeng BF-F8 Plus I have compared to the UV-5R improves one thing but takes away something else. I can honestly say they got this one right, it is in my opinion the best radio out there in this price range except maybe the UV-9R Plus.

If you are looking to buy any Baofeng radio, look really hard at the Baofeng BF-F8 Plus.

Bapfeng BF-F8 Plus radio book

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Editor's note for 2025: Every year, I go through all the reviews and update/correct information to make sure I bring you the most current and relevant information. If you find something that I missed, please either send me a message using the contact form, or leave a comment below, and I will correct it ASAP. I work hard to give you accurate information, but there is an enormous amount of information on this site so I do, occasionally, make mistakes (ask my wife).

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7 thoughts on “Baofeng BF-F8 Plus Dual Band Review”

Rich

March 14, 2021 at 1:41 am

Thanks for the review. I was going to purchase a uv-5r but got the F8+ instead. Very pleased with it so far. There is some confusing info in your review that maybe you can clear up: in your test results you rate the antenna as “very good” but in the Pros & Cons section under Cons your comment states “Not that great of an antenna”. So which is it, “very good” or “not that great”?
Teecat

April 22, 2022 at 10:52 am

I just ordered the BF-F8+ here in the UK. Not sure if I will get the “white text on black background”. Not shown on web site or other searches. Would be a nice surprise if it is…
Pity Baofeng have so many variations and odd naming of products.. 22/04/2022
Matt

May 25, 2022 at 1:30 am

The baofeng uv-9r plus doesn’t exist anymore the are using a different set of pcbs and left out the fm module. Literally it is being sold as some type of regulation that would have not allowed to have the fm module with it. Could you test the current 2022 baofeng uv-9r plus and give us your feedback pls.
Sebastian

September 26, 2022 at 10:44 pm

Regarding that rough patch on the volume knob, I fixed mine by slightly pulling the volume knob outwards (it comes off if fully pulled). It’s just the plastic grinding the case.
- Radio Geek
  
  May 12, 2023 at 6:19 pm
  
  Yup, but mine was pretty bad and I had to pull the knob way up. I sanded it down and finally fixed the issue but that was a real bummer.
Jim

February 25, 2024 at 9:11 pm

It is a shame that these reviews give no indication as to when they were published.

Usually a rough volume knob on these radios is due to the know being pushed down too far on the shaft and it is rubbing on the radio in some spots as it is turned. You simply have to pull it up ever so slightly to get enough clearance that it no longer rubs.
- Radio Geek
  
  February 26, 2025 at 9:05 pm
  
  Good point, I have seen that as well and that absolutely should be the first thing you check. Unfortunately I have seen several cheap radios where that was not the issue.