Xiaomi’s Redmi series of devices returns in the form of the Note 10 Pro with some high-end specs for this budget device that puts the competition to shame.
Never before has Xiaomi stuffed flagship specs like the 120hz screen or the 108MP which has now overshadowed the competition like Samsung and their A-Series.
While the price of the Note Pro might not scream high-end, it more than holds its own with phones that cost upwards of €100 more.
The Basics
A lot of progress has been made in the design department when you compare the Redmi Note 10 Pro to Note 9. Gone is the plastic rear of the Note 9 and replaced with Gorilla Glass 5, front and back, to give it that premium feel in hand.
GG5 on the front protects a 120hz 6.67 FullHD+ AMOLED display with minimal top and side bezels. A little chin bezel helps with one-handed use. What has really impressed me is the size of the selfie camera lens. Certainly one of the smallest on the market, it’s easily ignored and doesn’t sully too much of the display’s real estate.
On the side of Note 10 Pro, you have the volume rocker and just below that you have the power button with the side-mounted fingerprint scanner. I much prefer this style of fingerprint scanner rather than the in-screen style as they’re more reliable.
On the top, you have a 3.5mm headphone jack as well as a stereo speaker setup. It’s not a heavy phone either. Switching between Note 10 Pro and my main, POCO F2 Pro, you notice the heft that the POCO has -which isn’t a surprise given F2 Pro’s chassis is dominated by aluminium.
Fresh Camera Look
Xiaomi overhauled their camera arrangement with the launch of the MI10T series and you’ll be happy to know that Note 10 Pro’s camera module takes inspiration from that line of devices.
It’s led by a 108MP main sensor supported by an 8MP Ultrawide, 5MP macro and 2MP Depth. You will have to turn on the 108MP mode from the camera settings as it’s not automatically selected. There’s a slight bulge on the phone so there’s a wee bit of wobble on flat surfaces.
There are so many options and filters included in the Note 10 Pro such as clone, dual video, slow motion and time-lapse; just to name a few.
The Insides
Specs-wise, Note 10 Pro certainly packs a fair punch for the price. We have the Qualcomm SnapDragon 732G processor, a healthy 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage.
Redmi Note 10 Pro comes with Android 11 along with Xiaomi’s MIUI 12 on top which adds a bunch of customisation options for you to fiddle around with. MIUI has come a long way in recent times and MIUI 12 it’s one of my favourite OS’.
Battery life won’t be an issue for most folks as a hefty 5020 mAh should keep you away from the charger. But if not, a 33W fast charger comes included which fully charges the phone in a little under an hour.
Redmi Note 10 Pro will launch in early April with pricing revealed closer to launch. Keep your eyes peeled for our full review in the coming days.