Redmi Note 10 Pro is the top device of the 2021 global lineup, combining all the qualities for which we value balanced smartphones: decent performance, a good camera and a long-lasting battery. This is a real king of the middle class, capable of fighting even more expensive flagship devices. Redmi Note 10 Pro received a bright and high-quality AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of 120 Hz, a clear 108 MP flagship camera with support for 9-in-1 binning technology and a solid 5020 mAh battery with support for Turbo Charge charging technology. We didn’t forget about such important moments for the modern user as NFC for contactless payment, high-quality stereo speakers and HiRes sound in headphones.
Specifications of Redmi Note 10 Pro:
- Screen: 6.67″ AMOLED DotDispay with 2400 x 1080 resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate, HDR10 support, 1200 nits peak brightness (700 nits typical)
- Chipset: 8-core Snapdragon 732 up to 2.3 GHz (8 nm process technology) + Adreno 618 graphics accelerator
- RAM: 6GB or 8GB LPDDR4X
- Built-in memory: 64GB or 128GB UFS 2.2
- Quad camera: Primary — 108 MP, f/1.9, pixel size 0.7 µm (2.1 µm 9-in-1 Super Pixel), matrix size 1/1.52″; Ultra Wide — 8 MP, f/2.2, 118˚; telemacro camera — 5 MP, f/2.4, autofocus; depth sensor — 2 MP, f/2.4
- Front-camera: 16 MP, f/2.45
- Wireless interfaces: WiFi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.1
- Connection: 2G: 850/900/1800/1900, 3G: band 1/2/4/5/8, 4G LTE FDD: band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/20/28/32, 4G LTE TDD: band 38/40/41
- Audio: Hi-Res Certified, 24-bit/192kHz Support, HiFi Sound Mode, Hi-Res Audio Wireless (AptX HD)
- Additionally: NFC for contactless payments, stereo speakers, IR transmitter for controlling household appliances, fingerprint scanner on the side, magnetic compass, IP53 water and dust resistance
- Battery: 5020 mAh with fast 33W Turbo Charge support
- Operating system: MIUI 12 based on Android 11
- Dimensions: 164 x 76.5 x 8.1mm
- The weight: 193g
Video version of the review
Equipment
Redmi Note 10 Pro is available in 3 unique colors, each of which is interesting in its own way: Glacier Blue with its pearl mother-of-pearl, Gradient Bronze with a warm gradient and deep Onyx Gray. For the review, I chose the last option, in the base 6GB / 64GB memory package. The packaging is standard, nothing special. The sticker contains information about HiRes certification, as well as quality conformity marks.
Looking at the bundle, I can’t help but reproach Apple, Samsung, and, more recently, Huawei for being greedy. They decided for us that we no longer need chargers. Like, use the old ones. Hiding behind the environment, they simply earn more money, because the boxes have become thinner, and the price has remained the same. But Xiaomi believes that chargers are needed. And powerful and fast! They also put a nice silicone case and glue a high-quality film on the screen. You can additionally purchase a protective glass, for example, here a set of 4 glasses costs a little more than $3. And here, for the same money, you can take 2 protective glasses for the screen + a glass for the camera.
The charger here supports Turbo Charge technology. According to the specs on the case, it can output up to 33W of power, switching voltage between 5V and 20V.
I managed to squeeze out 30.5W from it as much as possible, when I try to increase the current a little more, the protection trips and the voltage starts to drop. By the way, the Poco X3 NFC is also equipped with the same charger, and I was also able to see it there, only a little more than 30W.
Charging speed
The charging process begins quite cheerfully and within a few minutes after the start, the power reaches a maximum of 29W. The voltage is 9.6V and gradually increases, and the current is 3A. But after 10 — 15 minutes, the current begins to fall and the total power is about 20W — 22W, in this mode the battery is charged most of the time. The algorithms look a little strange and there is an assumption that they will be fixed a little with updates, so the smartphone will charge faster. If we talk about the current charging time, then we have the following indicators:
- 10 minutes — 21%
- 20 minutes — 39%
- 30 minutes — 59%
- 60 minutes — 92%
- 1 hour 28 minutes — 100%
It is worth noting that after about 1 hour and 10 minutes, the smartphone already shows that it is 100% charged. However, in fact, it continues to be charged with a small current at a voltage of 5V for another 10 — 15 minutes. Of course, these crumbs won’t make much of a difference, but nevertheless, I’m following the manufacturer’s trick here to make charging seem faster than it actually is.
Appearance and interfaces
Redmi Note 10 Pro has a strict and technological design, which compares favorably with previous bright and even somewhat lurid models. The rounded edges are reminiscent of Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S series smartphones, while the camera block evokes nostalgic memories of the legendary Sony Ericcson K750. The design elements blend well together, and the deep gray color looks expensive and interesting.
50 shades of gray is not only about the popular adult movie, but also about the hero of today’s review. Depending on the angle of the light and its intensity, the smartphone may look a little different, but always interesting. In addition, thanks to this coloring, traces from everyday use are not too noticeable on the body.
The main eye-catcher is the large camera unit with 4 lenses and an LED light for night time illumination. The main lens with a 108 MP sensor is highlighted with a silver ring, which makes it visually larger and more “professional”. To help him, they installed an ultra-wide-angle lens, a macro lens and a depth sensor for shooting portraits. The camera block is covered with scratch-resistant glass.
Let’s not forget that we have a typical model from the Redmi Note series, and this initially implies a large screen. However, with its 6.67″ diagonal, it does not feel bulky and fits comfortably in the hand.
The fingerprint scanner is combined with the lock button. Practical use has shown that it is much more convenient than the scanner on the back. You can unlock the smartphone either by simply touching the sensor or by physical pressing (selected in the settings). The volume buttons are also located here. Their location is chosen in such a way that holding the smartphone in your right hand, you just get on them with your thumb.
On the opposite side, a full-fledged tray was placed, which allows you to simultaneously install 2 nano SIM cards and a micro SD memory card. A good solution that allows you to take a model that is younger in memory in order to save money. A 256 GB memory card was easily read by a smartphone.
The connector for charging and connecting to a PC, as expected, is USB C. To the right of it, a loud and high-quality audio speaker is placed.
On the top end, we see another audio speaker, that is, we have a full-fledged stereo sound. Moreover, it is a full-fledged one, and not, as often happens, that the role of the second speaker is performed by a conversational one. There are no complaints about the quality of the sound and its volume, it is well suited both for playing games or watching videos, and for listening to music in the background. An audio jack for connecting wired headphones is in place, and given the availability of HiRes certification and a HiFi sound enhancement mode, the smartphone is suitable for music lovers. Another traditional feature from Xiaomi, namely an infrared transmitter for controlling household appliances, is also present. With it, you can control TVs, set-top boxes, air conditioners, etc.
The front end looks modern. This is reflected in the minimal bezels in general and the small bottom bezel (ie called the chin) in particular. I also note the cutout for the front camera, it is much smaller here than in more budget devices. This is literally a point that practically does not steal usable space.
The speaker is placed on the edge of the upper frame. He has a serious volume margin, but there is no problem when your conversation will be heard by others. The volume range allows you to make the conversation private and at the same time, in a noisy place, you can easily increase the volume to a comfortable level.
Screen
Of course, let’s talk about the screen in more detail. Redmi Note 10 Pro has a bright and contrasting AMOLED display with excellent color reproduction, DCI-P3 color gamut and HDR10 support. The image on it looks very realistic and colorful, while maintaining natural colors.
By default, the system automatically adjusts colors and contrast based on ambient light. It is also possible to choose a more saturated and contrasting or natural and calm color rendering. The color tone is set to neutral, it is possible to make it warmer, cooler or adjust it completely manually, adding the desired shade. But. I would not touch anything, because in my opinion the screen is perfectly configured and calibrated by the manufacturer. The only thing worth turning on is the dark mode, which makes sense on AMOLED screens. Firstly, the image becomes more contrast, and secondly, the battery charge is saved great, because the black color in this type of screen does not consume energy. It makes sense to set this mode on schedule, because in the daytime with bright sun, the screen is better readable in bright mode. Also, modes can be switched from the quick access curtain simply by clicking on the corresponding shortcut.
And of course, the advantage of AMOLED is the active screen, which allows you to quickly check notifications without unlocking your smartphone. Notifications can be accompanied by interesting effects, and for the most active screen, you can choose from dozens of styles, ranging from clocks to interesting animations.
A good screen makes an impression and, accordingly, the smartphone is pleasant to use. Eyes rest when watching videos and do not strain when reading web pages.
In the reading mode, by the way, an interesting innovation appeared. You can now select Classic mode, which changes the color tone and reduces the amount of blue, or Paper mode, which adds an additional paper texture to the screen. It looks interesting and relaxes the eyes, acting like white noise. Texture intensity can be adjusted.
It is also very important that the screen supports a refresh rate of 120 Hz. In the settings, you can select 60 Hz, then the battery will be consumed less. Or 120 Hz and you get very smooth scrolling and animation. According to personal observations, in 120 Hz mode, the smartphone does not discharge much faster, so I use only it. Moreover, the screen does not always display 120 Hz, but only in applications that are supported in the system itself. The feel of the smartphone in this mode is very pleasant. It seems that the device works much faster and more responsive. After I spent a week with Redmi Note 10 Pro and returned to my personal Samsung S10, it even began to seem to me that it slows down, although it is certainly much more powerful in terms of hardware.
The screen brightness margin of the smartphone is good. In standard mode, it’s 700 nits, while in HDR mode, it can output up to 1200 nits. Indoors or outdoors, I am equally comfortable using the device.
Even just in the open air, the contents of the screen are well read.
Everything is great with the viewing angles of the screen: the contrast does not drop, there are no color distortions.
Only on a white background, at a certain angle, you can see subtle pinkish overflows. Does it interfere? Not at all. Most users don’t even notice them. For any AMOLED screens, this is a common thing.
The uniformity of brightness is good, the spread of deviations from minimum to maximum does not exceed 7.5%
And now let’s move on to the moment that probably worries you the most. This is of course about PWM, which is often used in AMOLED screens to adjust the brightness. Moreover, I did not find DC Dimming in the settings. Do you know why I didn’t find it there? Yes, because it is simply not needed here. After all, DC Dimming is a kind of «crutch» that affects color reproduction. And the presence of this mode already initially indicates that the screen is bad. And Redmi Note 10 Pro has a good screen. At a comfortable level of brightness, pulsations are practically absent. With a normal ripple coefficient of 20%, we get the following data with a heart rate monitor:
- 100% brightness — CP 5.2%
- 80% — CP 5.2%
- 60% — CP 6.4%
- 40% — CP 7%
- 30% — CP 7.5%
Excesses appear only at the minimum brightness levels:
- 20% brightness — KP 21%
- 10% brightness — CP 51%
- Minimum brightness — KP 33%
From this it follows that the smartphone will be comfortable to use at a screen brightness of 20% or more. At minimum values, some people may experience visual fatigue when reading from the screen for a long time. On the other hand, you probably don’t want to use your phone at this brightness, since it’s only about 2 nits.
Software part
The RN10 Pro has good support from the manufacturer in terms of software. The smartphone was received back in April on MIUI 12.0.3 firmware, which is based on the Android 11 operating system. After that, there was an update to MIUI 12.0.13, then MIUI 12.0.15, and most recently, the MIUI 12.0.16 update arrived. For 1.5 months I received 3 updates. Some fixed bugs that are always present at the start of sales. And some brought innovations to the firmware and improved the performance of the camera. At the moment, the firmware is as stable as possible, the bugs are cleaned and the smartphone can be fully used.
MIUI 12 does not need a special introduction, since more than a year has passed since its release and only the lazy one has not described all its features, advantages and disadvantages. In short, the system is cool, thoughtful and convenient. It already comes pre-installed with apps and services from Google, as well as a set of branded apps and tools from Xiaomi. Also pre-installed are some games and popular applications, such as office and Facebook, which, if desired, can be easily removed.
The system has everything that is necessary for a smartphone in terms of its maintenance and maintenance, and you do not need to install any third-party programs. Convenient security manager contains antivirus and antispam. There are tools for cleaning the built-in memory from useless garbage. Cloning applications and creating a second space are available, and for gamers there is a proprietary game accelerator.
Unlocking your smartphone can be set up with your face or fingerprint. Both methods work instantly, but in terms of security, the print is certainly better. It can be configured to simply touch the sensor or physically press a button. The recognition accuracy is excellent, almost always it works the first time, with those rare exceptions when you didn’t exactly hit the button with your finger.
Separately, I would like to note the presence of an NFC module in the smartphone and support for contactless payments. Many have already evaluated this type of payment and now do not consider smartphones without NFC in principle. And they are not difficult to understand, it is really very convenient.
But the shortcomings of the system include the presence of advertising, which periodically pops up in some applications. Yes, it is not difficult to disable it, and there are many step-by-step instructions on the Internet about this. But why is she on a smartphone at all? Previously, Xiaomi explained advertising by the fact that it sells smartphones almost at cost, but makes money on advertising. But now the prices of their smartphones have risen to the average market, and the ads have not been removed. Not good…
Communication, internet, navigation
There are no questions regarding the quality of communication, the smartphone confidently catches the network both in the city and beyond, where the coverage is much weaker. The smartphone manual states that the device has been configured to transmit at the highest certified power level in all frequency bands. That is, the manufacturer set it up in such a way that the transmitter power was maximum, but the SAR level was within the permitted and safe limits. This has a positive effect on the speed of the mobile Internet, in 4G+ networks the download speed at the peak exceeds 130 Mbps, on average 90 Mbps. The return is limited at the level of 25 Mbps by the operator, so we do not take it into account.
With the Internet via WiFi, the situation is as follows: there is support for the 802.11 ac standard, in the 5 GHz band the Internet speed is 284 Mbps on average, in the 2.4 GHz band — 63 Mbps. Testing was carried out with the Redmi AX6 router.
The navigation module supports GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO and BEIDOU satellites in the L1 range. The time of the first commit with the Internet turned on is 1 second. During test checks, in cloudy weather, the smartphone identified 27 satellites, 25 of which were in active connection. Positioning accuracy 1 — 3 meters.
Navigation has been tested in real conditions, both in the city and on long trips. Everything works clearly — the connection is not lost, the accuracy is excellent. There is a magnetic compass that facilitates positioning on the map and helps out a lot when navigating on foot.
Performance and synthetic benchmarks
Redmi Note 10 Pro is based on the mid-range chipset Snapdragon 732G, which includes an 8-core processor (2 cores at 2.3 GHz and 6 cores at 1.8 GHz) and an Adreno 618 video accelerator. nm and is quite cold and economical to charge. 6 GB or 8 GB LPDDR4X memory is used as RAM, which works in dual-channel mode. The performance of such a bundle with the head is enough for the system, applications and modern games. The smartphone is very responsive and fast.
To better understand its performance, let’s turn to benchmarks. In Antutu we teach about 350,000 points.
- Geekbench 5: 556 single core mode, 1782 multi-core mode
- Wild Life by 3D Mark: 1112 points
- Sling Shot Extreme by 3D Mark: 2729 points
Built-in storage speed: 88 MB/s for writing and 445 MB/s for reading. Testing was carried out with a data volume of 24 GB. In the 128 GB version, the speed will be even higher.
The speed of copying RAM is almost 24,000 MB/s.
Stress test and heating
Under prolonged loads, the processor reduces the frequency on large cores and shows an average of 79% of the maximum performance. The result is average: there are no particularly strong dips marked with a red zone, but the processor is able to work at full capacity for only a few minutes. I don’t see any special problems in this, because on a smartphone it’s not possible to load the processor 100% for a long time, even powerful games like Genshin Impact load it by only 40% — 45% (further, in the gaming features section, you can see this) .
But the graphics accelerator in demanding games is much more heavily loaded and it is he who can lead to overheating and throttling. To test the stability in games, I used the Wild Life Stress Test, which simulates a complex game load for 20 minutes and fixes the result after each pass. Here, the smartphone performed well, showing 99.6% stability. The result for 20 passes has not actually changed, which means that the smartphone will not throttle in games.
During the test, the battery was discharged by 5%, and the battery temperature increased by 5 degrees. Good result.
Gaming features
Let’s move from theory to practice. Using the Gamebench gaming benchmark as an example, let’s see how well the smartphone copes with different games.
And in order not to beat around the bush, we will immediately start with demanding games. In the Call Of Duty Mobile game, the smartphone surprised by the fact that all graphics settings were unlocked for it. You can choose very high graphics quality and very high frames per second, or crank the frame rate to the maximum, but then the graphics quality will drop to just «high».
In the first case, we will get an average fps of 39 (97% of the game time), in the second case, the average frame rate will increase to 45 (80% of the game time). And if you reduce both settings to medium, you get 53 fps (88% of the game time).
Actually, it is comfortable to play in any scenario, here you simply choose between a better picture or greater smoothness.
Next I tried CarX Drift Racing 2.
Turned the settings to ultra.
And we get 40 fps in 94% of the game time (sharp dips are loading levels between races). As you can see, the memory and processor are barely loaded, that is, as I said earlier, the load in games falls mainly on the graphics accelerator.
The next game is a beautiful action / RPG in the style of Diablo — Raziel. Graphics settings are automatically set to high.
And depending on the location, fps was from 30 to 60. On average, the benchmark got 43 fps (57% of the playing time).
Well, the last game is Genshin Impact.
On medium graphics settings, the game produces 26 fps on average (84% of playing time). In simple locations, the frequency can rise to 30, but during rain there may be drawdowns of up to 20 or lower. It will be more comfortable to play with low settings, where there are no such strong drawdowns.
I also note the capabilities of the regular Game Turbo accelerator. It allows you to set up or disable notifications during the game, run some applications in a windowed view, adjust the saturation of the picture, broadcast the game on the screen of a large TV, and also change your voice in games where the microphone is used.
Sound
We continue to study the entertainment component and move on to the sound quality in headphones.
Redmi Note 10 Pro has passed the HiRes certification and is capable of playing music in 24-bit/192kHz quality. In the default sound settings, there is a smart mode, which, depending on the type of audio content, automatically adjusts the amplitude-frequency characteristics. You can also select the playback mode manually. The sound in this mode is musical and juicy, as they say “with fat”, which gives the tracks volume and mass. The volume margin is very impressive, and the low frequencies are deep and powerful. There is an interesting «HiFi Sound» switch. In this mode, all other add-ons are disabled and the sound becomes more monitor and academic, its detail increases.
Also, to adjust the sound, you can use the 7-band equalizer or select ready-made settings for certain headphones. There is also an adjustment of the volume of frequencies depending on age. In general, a lot of things are stuffed here, you can experiment and fine-tune the sound to your preferences.
With wireless audio, things are going well, in addition to the basic SBC and more advanced AAC, there is support for the high-quality aptX HD codec. Personally, when using this codec, I don’t hear any difference compared to a wired connection, but I think everyone knows about the convenience of wireless headphones.
Camera
One of the advantages of Redmi Note 10 Pro is its camera. It shoots very well in all lighting conditions. Only flagships will be better, the cost of which starts from $500 — $700 and above. The camera application has very rich features, there are many modes, such as: documents (removes shadows and makes text clear and contrast), portrait (blurs the background), night (takes clear pictures in almost complete darkness) and of course pro, where everything is settings can be adjusted manually (white balance, focus, shutter speed, ISO, exposure). There is HDR and photo enhancement with the help of AI (artificial intelligence). But I confess that most of the time I just shot in automatic mode, when the camera itself selects the necessary parameters. And the result made me happy. The camera is perfect for those who want high-quality photos in the “take out your smartphone and shoot” mode. Pictures are obtained with natural color reproduction and excellent sharpness even at the very edges, which indicates high-quality optics.
Focusing is instant and accurate, the percentage of blurry shots due to autofocus misses is almost zero. You can be completely sure that the camera will not spoil a valuable moment and take a good picture.
Small details, such as foliage, do not merge into a mess.
Shooting on the go, just handheld, produces amazing results.
More examples of pictures taken while driving.
Shooting at close range.
The camera has a wide dynamic range, and thanks to Dual Native ISO technology, it can reduce noise and get excellent detail even in the shadows.
Indoors, the pictures are clear and without overexposure in bright areas.
Even in relatively low light, the pictures are clear. Here you need to keep the smartphone motionless, because the shutter speed increases and there is a risk of getting a blurry picture.
As for night shooting, I was pleasantly surprised. Even in automatic mode, the camera takes very decent shots. It evens out the lighting from bright signs and adds detail in dark areas. The 9in1 binning technology allows a smartphone to combine 9 pixels into 1 large one, 2.1 microns in size. This allows you to seriously increase the photosensitivity, and you can see the result below.
The capabilities of the camera in night mode really impressed me, because the result is comparable to the flagship devices. For the sake of interest, I compared the photo with my Samsung Galaxy S 10, which at the time of release was considered one of the best camera phones and in my opinion remains so today. On the left there will be a shot on the RN10 Pro, on the right on the S10. I took the first photo on a dark street, where the eyes see much less than the cameras recorded. Let’s just say that the grass in reality is almost invisible. As you can see, the S10 has better detail and aperture (the tree is visible on the left), while the RN 10 has better contrast and color reproduction. In both cases, stars are even visible in the sky above the house, perhaps even the constellation Ursa Major.
The second shot I took was in a dark park. First in auto mode. Both smartphones did an excellent job with the sky, where even the clouds became visible. The level of detail is about the same, but the S10 has a lot of noise in the picture.
And now the night mode. Detail has increased in both shots, but the S10 has noticeably more detail. Although the color reproduction is more accurate and natural in RN10 Pro.
In terms of video, the possibilities are simpler: these are either FullHD / 60 fps or 4K / 30fps. It is possible to shoot timelapses, slow motion videos and record double video (from two cameras at once).
autonomy
Here, too, everything is pretty good. The battery capacity is 5020 mAh, and a full charge is enough for a couple of days of moderate use or a day of very active use. On average, I get 9-10 hours of screen from a single charge, and this is provided that I like to play, use the mobile Internet quite actively and always set the screen brightness to high. Several indicative tests. In the first screenshot, I’ve been playing Hearthstone for over 3 hours and have also used the browser a bit. In total, the screen worked for 4 hours and 18 minutes per day and the smartphone lost 53% of its charge. Further user tests. In the second screenshot, you can see the cyclic playback of a Full HD video in full screen mode via Youtube at the maximum screen brightness — 15 hours 33 minutes. Screenshot 3 is the same, but the screen brightness has been reduced to 50%. Result 19 hours 38 minutes.
I also tested the battery in the new version of the Work 3.0 benchmark, where the load algorithms were updated to match the realities of the present time. At medium brightness, the smartphone lasted 13 hours and 12 minutes, according to the graph, it is noticeable that the performance keeps the same throughout the test, and the temperature does not increase. This indicates the absence of overheating and throttling.
Results
In my opinion, Redmi Note 10 Pro is a device that is definitely worth the money. Very strong model, perhaps the best in the middle class. Yes, the manufacturer may have saved some money here by installing an average Snapdragon 732G, but on the other hand, why pay more? Why is it more powerful if the processor pulls all modern tasks? For the sake of numbers in benchmarks? In real use, this will not give you anything. But it will give a chic AMOLED display with a very cool picture. Or a flagship camera that takes amazing pictures. And you will definitely appreciate the cool stereo sound. And in headphones, the sound is just top, only HiFi audio players with DACs are higher. The smartphone is very thoughtful, from a nice design to the features that we value most in smartphones (NFC for contactless payment, a full-fledged tray for two SIM cards and a memory card, fast charging that can charge a smartphone by 60% in just half an hour etc.). Objectively, there’s really nothing to complain about. Well, yes, there are frame drops in Genshin Impact. But if you want to play, take some Black Shark 4 on Snapdragon 870 and play for fun. And Redmi Note 10 Pro is about something else. It’s about the balance «price — features», about the maximum user experience for relatively little money. Moreover, externally and tactilely, on the screen, sound, as well as the camera, the model feels much more expensive than it actually costs. As marketers would say, you get a flagship experience in a mid-range device. In general, I liked Redmi Note 10 Pro. That’s all. Oh yes, there is still one annoying flaw. It’s an ad in a shell. Let me remind you once again that it can of course be turned off by digging into the settings. But damn it! I paid money, and now I also need to set up something there)). Now that’s all for sure.
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