The Xiaomi Redmi 10 seems like a good successor, with the primary change being the camera (but there are several other nice little things). However, smartphones face stiff competition in stores. The Redmi 10 (4/64 GB) junior set is currently at 5,400 UAH. The identical item costs $ 169 at a Chinese internet supermarket, ranging up to $ 200. For around the same amount, you can purchase the Redmi Note 9 4/128. Yes, and the Redmi Note 10 is not far behind. In this case, you must carefully examine the merchants’ special offers (including promotional offers). A good discount may easily muddle all of our calculations. That’s all for pricing. And the Redmi 10 is the same as last year’s Redmi 9, with no breakthroughs or class changes. Hardly, it’s the type of smartphone one upgrades too, but it’s a good choice for a first phone or to replace an outdated cheap phone.
The tenth iteration of the popular cheap smartphone is here. What’s new compared to the Redmi 9? First, the look. The rear has grown more substantial, and the camera block has relocated from the middle to the outside. The tone is solemn on the outside yet mundane on the inside. Unlike its predecessor, it now has a 50-megapixel primary camera instead of the 13 MP it had before. The front camera has relocated from the cutout to the hole, and the second speaker has sounded. That’s about it. The update is pretty timely. Not bad for people seeking a cheap but decent smartphone and trusting the Xiaomi brand.
How does it look?
Surprisingly solemn, Redmi 9’s back panel has grown considerably cooler and more contemporary than the Redmi 9’s. The front panel’s drop-shaped cutout for the front camera has been replaced with a circular hole in the display. The rear is the most scrutinized. Look at this camera! The Chinese know how to make the AI-CAM Photography System appear noteworthy. One of the cameras has a 50-megapixel indication and is plainly defined. The main module is discreetly disguised behind the 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle sensor. But it’s amusing. The rear surface is plastic, smooth, and reasonably functional. Dust adheres quickly and leaves little fingerprints. We have the grey version, however white and blue are also available. No “acid” hues, austere and neutral.
The Redmi 10 contains a trendy chip – stereo sound, which means both primary and secondary speakers play music. The top end has extra holes for the speaker, which is unique. The sound comes from both of them, as well as the speaker’s slot. An IR connector for technological control, a headphone jack, and another microphone are on the same top edge. In front of the USB-C jack is the primary microphone and speaker. The SIM card slot is on the left side of the frame, while the volume rocker and power button are on the right. The power button now contains a fingerprint scanner. I prefer this solution to your fancy sub-screen sensors, but we can discuss that in the comments.
How’s the screen?
Less than FullHD displays are currently only seen in the lowest models. The Redmi 10 is even cooler, with a mature 1080×2400 resolution and a 90 Hz refresh rate. To conserve electricity, you may restrict it to 60 hertz in the settings. You may also change the color palette, tone, reading mode, and dark theme. Both may be manually or automatically triggered. The brightness and contrast are standard for this sort of panel. The Redmi 10 has a maximum brightness of 400 nits and can dim the lighting to a level suitable for reading in the dark. Comparing the display to the previous edition, the front camera has relocated inside the circular hole, and the screen itself is significantly longer.
The Redmi 10 is a “high-end entry-level class” smartphone. For the normal user, it is strong enough without brakes. Six Cortex-A55 cores are operating at 1.8 GHz, with two Cortex-A75 cores operating at 2 GHz. The GPU is Mali-G52 MC2. Test results are predictable and low. The interface works properly, and it is possible to play with a basic toy. RAM size depends on device class: 4 or 6 GB. Depending on the setup, information storage might be 64 or 128 GB. This storage space can be filled out by sharing files from previous devices. Fortunately, you can add capacity using a microSD card rather than a second SIM card since the smartphone has three spaces.
The Redmi 10’s overall communications set reveals its low-cost origins. No support for Wi-Fi 6, 5G mobile networks, or NFC. This latter point may be a deal-breaker for some buyers. Five-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, and an FM radio with recording capabilities are among the features. Dual speakers and a headphone jack define the smartphone’s audio capabilities. Unfortunately, in the lack of moisture protection, the case’s holes are not sparse. The 5000 mAh battery lasts roughly eleven and a half hours in the PCMark test. Separately, I’d like to mention the ultra-low standby power use. The Redmi 10 had to wait a long time next to other smartphones. And the remaining charge indications haven’t moved much in a few days. Of course, no one buys a smartphone to have it charged on a shelf, but the connection is excellent. Charging is quick but not amazing by today’s standards. The battery takes 50 minutes to charge to 50% and over two hours to charge completely. But there’s a catch: the Radmi 10 can exchange energy and charge other gadgets. You’ll need a USB-C to USB-An adaptor to utilize your phone as a power bank (not included). You can charge other Android phones, iPhones, and headphones.
The firmware and interface?
The Redmi 10 runs MIUI 12.5 on Android 11. The smartphone comes preloaded with Netflix, Amazon, eBay, Facebook, and a half-dozen toys (from quite casual to PUBG). Apps are organized into folders on desktops. An app’s window may be docked on top of others. Traditionally, MIUI’s system includes waste cleanup features. But the shell’s visual rubbish has increased. The obnoxious solicitation to install “recommended” apps angered, infuriated, and obviously will continue to irritate future versions of this shell. Unfortunately, the call recording feature included on prior Redmi devices (I’m not sure about the ninth) is gone.
Unlike the Redmi A, the Redmi series smartphones include a fingerprint scanner. The scanner is integrated into the power button on the side edge rather than the back panel in the tenth edition. This scanner placement is not typical in smartphones, yet it is handy and easy to adapt to. Despite its diminutive size, the scanner works well, identifying your finger at various angles. In addition, the screen may be unlocked by face image. Thus, it works swiftly and confidently. However, it solely utilizes camera data, making the approach insecure.
How’s the camera?
Yes, the outside is impressive. The cameras seem sturdy. Let’s see. A 50 megapixel sensor, f/1.8 aperture, phase autofocus and no image stabilisation. The second camera has 120-degree vision but only 8 megapixels. The kit includes a 3-megapixel macro and depth-of-field sensor. The LED flash replaces the fifth lens. In addition to picture and video modes, the main menu offers “Portrait,” “Pro,” and “More” (this menu can be reconfigured if desired). Several options are available, from night photography to time-lapse, panoramic, short movies, and 50-megapixel. So, the “professional” interface enables you to select between the camera’s three modules (including macro), modify white balance (from 2000 to 8000K), and shutter speed (from 1/1000 to 30s), sensitivity (50-6400 ISO levels), exposure correction (in 4 stages) and even manual focus. If you wish to automate, you may use average, center-weighted, or spot metering. A histogram would be beneficial, and the exposure Error Detection mode hatch covers overexposed regions in real-time. The 50-megapixel mode is one-touch enabled, and the resolution increases from 3072×4080 to 6144×8160.
The Redmi 10’s 50-megapixel sensor is one of the most notable quantitative variations from the Redmi 9’s 13-megapixel sensor and f/2.2 lens. However, it would be best only to utilize the 50-megapixel option when the scene is properly lighted. In the daytime, the Redmi 10 produces decent images, albeit some are soft. In contrast, chromatic aberrations are nearly unnoticeable. However, in low light, cheap cameras’ flaws shine. Automatics, fearing excessive noise from high sensitivity, raise shutter speed, resulting in “shake.”
Macro photography cameras are famous for focusing from close range, like in a few millimeters. I’m typically wary about macro cameras on low-cost smartphones (high-end phones seldom have them), but I have to admit it’s handy in this instance. Not because it’s amazing, but because the primary camera’s macro skills are restricted. It’s feasible to capture little details. Shoot in 720p or 1080p at 30fps. No improvement over the Redmi 9. However, the newer Redmi Note 10 device does support 4K. But today’s topic is the Redmi 10. So, to preserve your vestibular system, I won’t provide a sample video filmed while jogging. A $170 camera can take a decent photograph even at night if you don’t run and don’t expect too much. Slow-motion only works in 720p at 120 fps. After recording, you may pick which part of the video to slow down. The sample below shows the effect under dim light. The front camera of the “ten” is in a round hole, not a cutout, as in the prior model. But the camera itself seems unchanged, with the same 8 MP and f/2.0 aperture.
Final Word
Redmi phones, particularly those from the vanilla Redmi series, have always been an easy recommendation. And it’s difficult not to like a phone like the Redmi 10, which costs between €160 and €200 and features a relatively bright 90Hz IPS display, a long battery life, a pair of dual speakers, good camera performance, and doesn’t skimp on essential features like an IR blaster, 3.5mm audio jack, dedicated microSD card slot, and reverse charging. Nonetheless, times are changing, and more worthy opponents are rising. The Redmi 10’s restricted availability may also be a hindrance to its success. The Redmi 10 is a rather decent low-cost smartphone. Simply, it isn’t as obvious a go-to phone as the Redmi 9 was in terms of pricing. This time around, there may be some more practical solutions available, depending on your specific requirements.