Latest Xiaomi smartphones are often the most anticipated devices to be launched in the local market. The brand has established a successful following in the Philippines for many reasons, including quality and performance for an affordable price. The story of the PH release of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 is no different. With this model, the smartphone giant has reaffirmed that they have mastered the right mix of economical and capable mobile phones. Let’s look at the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 in this review and see what the fuss is all about.
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| Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Review: Is This Really a Budget Phone? |
PHYSICAL:
Let’s establish this first: although the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 looks and feels premium, it’s an entry-level smartphone. Xiaomi really did a good job with the Note 10, as from the outside, it really looks nothing like a sub-P10k device.
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| Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Super AMOLED Display |
Its display is a 6.43-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen in 1080 x 2040 resolution. Note that the Redmi Note 10 is the first device to carry a screen of this caliber in the entry-level department. Given this, vivid colors and sharp details don't come as a surprise. The brightness of this smartphone's screen can go all the way to 1100 nits, so there shouldn't be any problem with using the Redmi Note 10 on a sunny day outdoors.
Another important thing to note is that the Redmi Note 10 has an AMOLED screen that helps save the device's battery as it's power-efficient, especially for those who love dark mode.
There's also a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 -- yet again another promising inclusion on a budget device -- plus an IP52 rating for protection from accidental water splashes.
At the top of the device, there's an Infrared blaster and a secondary microphone, while at the base, you can find the smartphone's USB Type-C port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and the main microphone.
The dual SIM tray with a dedicated slot for microSD is on the left side, while on the smartphone's right cheek are the power button/fingerprint sensor and the volume rocker.
The Redmi Note 10 is undeniably an eye-catching smartphone. Its rear part comes in a sleek-looking design with a clean, shiny, glass-like slate with just the camera module -- which is also a scene-stealer on its own -- and the Redmi label. Perhaps the only caveat we can comment about the overall look of the Redmi Note 10 is that it's prone to fingerprint and smudges, but this is nothing a clear case can't fix.
The smartphone's color options are also impressive aesthetics-wise. These include Onyx Gray, Pebble White, and Lake Green.
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SOFTWARE AND PERFORMANCE:
The Redmi Note 10 operates on MIUI 12.0.2 based on Android 11. The MIUI is among the most well-designed Android UI there is, and there really isn't a negative thing to comment about the ease of use it provides. The notification panel comes as standard, with the usual buttons and easy access to settings commonly found on other smartphones. It also allows users to instantly toggle on and off the dark mode of the device.
Sadly, there are bloatwares on the Redmi Note 10, but you can always uninstall them with just a few taps.
The internals of the Redmi Note 10 are just another set of factors that make the smartphone too good for an entry-level device. It comes with two RAM and storage combinations: 4GB/64GB and 6GB/128GB. It also has a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 678 coupled with the Adreno 612 GPU.
With all these things at play, one can easily tell that the performance the Redmi Note 10 delivers is way beyond its competitors in the budget segment. Switching between social media, messaging, and gaming applications went on like a breeze, although playing games at higher settings sometimes encounter hiccups. For this, it's better to just settle with the low and middle gaming settings in terms of graphics and audio.
Here are the results of various benchmark tests we ran on the Redmi Note 10:
- Antutu - 292,644
- Geekbench Single-Core - 546
- Geekbench Multi-Core - 1,708
- Geekbench Compute - 423
- PC Mark Work Performance 3.0 - 7,881
- PC Mark Work Storage 2.0 - 13,924
- 3D Mark Wild Life - 484
- 3D Mark Wild Life Stress Test - 484
- 3D Mark Wild Life Extreme - 146
- 3D Mark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test - 146
- 3D Mark Sling Shot - 2,222
- 3D Mark Sling Shot Extreme - 1,451
CAMERA:
As mentioned earlier, the Redmi Note 10 has a nice camera module that makes it look like a higher-end device. It's important to keep in mind that the camera module of the Redmi Note 10 is protruding, so it's better to look for a case that will cover the bump to protect the cameras from scratches.
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| 48MP Quad Cameras |
Photos taken using the Redmi Note 10 appear of high quality. Sharpness, clarity, and color accuracy hit just the right spot, and it also does a good job in producing portrait shots with a natural-looking bokeh effect.
The night shooting mode of the Redmi Note 10 is pretty impressive, too. As you can see in the photos below, it maintained the details even in dim-lit environments. The Redmi Note 10 also has several editing tools to enhance your snaps without downloading third-party photography and video editing apps. This smartphone is also capable of recording 4K, full HD, and slow-motion videos. Below are some samples. Be the judge on how the Redmi Note 10 performed.
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| 13MP Front Camera |
The front camera of the Redmi Note 10 has a generous line of shooting modes, including the AI beauty mode, where you can alter the shape of your face, your complexion, your eyes, and other facial features on the photo. Its selfie camera also has Time Lapse, Auto HDR, and AI scene detection, among many other shooting modes.
Here are some snaps we took with the front camera of the Redmi Note 10:
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| Normal |
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| Ultrawide |
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| 2x Zoom |
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| Night (Pool) |
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| Night (Driveway) |
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| Macro |
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| Selfie |
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| Portrait Selfie |
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BATTERY LIFE:
Running on a 5,000mAh battery, the Redmi Note 10 can survive a day and a half with moderate to heavy usage involving app switching and video streaming. This smartphone supports 33W fast charging, and an hour is enough for a full charge.
FINAL WORDS:
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| Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 |
We can’t emphasize this enough, but the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 is really a good deal for a price tag of P8,490 for the 4GB RAM + 64GB variant and P9,990 for the 6GB RAM + 128GB version. With all the competitive features it has, this device is totally a purchase you wouldn't regret.
How much is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 in the Philippines?
- The Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 prices in the Philippines are Php8,490 for the 4GB + 64GB variant, and Php9,990 for the 6GB + 128GB model.
- Get yours via Lazada at https://bit.ly/redminote10ph.
When will be the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 available in the Philippines?
- The Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 is now available in the Philippines since March 13, 2021.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro Specs Philippines:
- Dual SIM, dual standby, supports LTE connectivity
- 6.43-inch Super AMOLED FHD+ (2400 x 1080) DotDisplay, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection
- Dimensions: 160.5mm x 74.5mm x 8.3mm
- Weight: 178.8 grams
- MIUI 12 based on Android 11
- 2.2GHz 64-bit octa-core Kryo 460 CPU, Adreno 612 GPU, Qualcomm SDM678 Snapdragon 678 chipset
- 4GB/6GB RAM
- 64GB/128GB UFS 2.2 internal storage, expandable up to 256GB via MicroSD card, uses dedicated slot
- 48MP PDAF f/1.8 main + 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide + 2MP macro + 2MP depth quad rear cameras with LED flash, 2160p video recording at 30fps
- 13MP f/2.5 front camera, 1080p video recording at 30fps
- Multimedia player
- FM Radio
- 3.5mm audio jack
- WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
- Bluetooth v5.0
- GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
- IR Blaster
- USB Type-C
- Sensors: fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, light, proximity, gyroscope
- Battery: 5,000mAh lithium-ion polymer, non-removable, 33W fast charging
- Colors: Onyx Gray, Pebble White, Lake Green
- Price: Php8,490/Php9,990