Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro Smartphone Review

It's been a year since Xiaomi released the Redmi Note 9 smartphone line-up and right on cue, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro is the leader of the pack in the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Smartphone Series which also introduces the Redmi Note 10S and Redmi Note 10 5G to the UK. 

Xiaomi say the Redmi Note 10 series brings innovation at a reasonable price with the Pro version 'upping the ante for mobile photography' in-particularly so we're looking forward to seeing if the Redmi Note 10 Pro can stand up to the hype and produce images we're impressed with. 

The Redmi Note 10 Pro is available in the UK priced at £249 (6+64GB) and £269 (6+128GB).

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro Features

On the Redmi Note 10 Pro, you get a quad-camera with a 108MP f/1.9 main wide-angle camera, 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera, 5MP f/2.4 telemacro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front is a 16MP f/2.4 camera that's built into the 6.67-inch AMOLED 120Hz DotDisplay. A 5020mAh battery is built-in along with a 3.5mm headphone jack, dual speakers, Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G processor, fingerprint sensor on the side and RAM/ROM options of 6GB+64GB, 6GB+128GB and 8GB+128GB. It's IP 53 Splash-proof tested and is slightly smaller and lighter than the Note 9 Pro. 

Key Features

• 108MP quad-camera:
  • 108MP f/1.9 wide-angle camera
  • 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera
  • 5MP f/2.4 telemacro camera with AF
  • 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor
• 16MP f/2.45 front camera
• 6.67" DotDisplay 
• 3.5mm headphone jack
• Dimensions: 164mm × 76.5mm × 8.1mm
• Weight: 193g
• IP 53 Splash-proof tested
• Colours: Onyx Gray, Glacier Blue, Gradient Bronze
• 5020mAh battery (with fast charging)

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro Handling

When you first pick the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro up, it fits the hand well and thanks to the curved edges of the frame, it feels comfortable to hold. Buttons fall just in the right place for one-handed use but you can't reach the very top of the screen with your thumb (a problem we have with most long/tall smartphones nowadays). However, for some reason, it does feel a little top-heavy. We're not sure if it's the rectangular camera unit found top right that does this but there's certainly more weight towards the top of the smartphone. If you like to know the actual dimensions, the Note 10 Pro is slightly smaller than the Note 9 Pro measuring 164mm × 76.5mm × 8.1mm and it's also a little bit lighter at 193g. 

A big plus point of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 is that it has an IP rating of IP53 which makes it splash-proof but don't be dunking it in a sink anytime soon. It's also dust-protected.  The free silicone case that's bundled with the smartphone has a cover for the USB port to further enhance its protection and it also stops the curved rear glass from getting covered in fingerprints and smudges which appear quickly and spoil the overall look of the smartphone. The case also stops the smartphone from sliding off surfaces which it has a tendency to do so be careful. The high-shine the rear glass offers does make the Redmi Note 10 look a lot more expensive than it is and we like the matt touches found at the top/bottom of the device that provide subtle accents. The luxury feel continues on the front with Gorilla Glass 5 featuring in the screen but the frame is made of plastic, one of the areas you see the mid-range savings coming in. There's also a small black bezel around the display. As for the display itself, it's bright, colours are accurate and you won't have any problems viewing the screen outdoors.

On the right side, you find the volume rocker and power button which features a fingerprint reader then over on the left are the SIM/memory card tray. Having the ability to extend storage with a microSD card is always welcomed and there's space for 2 SIM cards, too. There's a USB port on the bottom along with a headphone jack (which will please some) and stereo speakers (top/bottom). 

On the back is the rather large camera unit that looks very different from other camera unit designs seen on smartphones. It protrudes from the smartphone body quite a bit so rocks when on a desk as it can't sit flush. We've not yet decided if we like it but it does house a wide range of cameras, all of which are useful. 

The main camera is equipped with dual native ISO which allows for a higher dynamic range in images that have more detail, improved tones and better noise control. There's also a new Night mode 2.0 that's designed to reduce noise and improve the sharpness of low light images. Both of these features will be something we'll be looking closer at in the performance section of the review. 

Features found in the camera app include AI Portrait Mode, Long Exposure Mode, Pro Time-Lapse and some fun video tools such as dual video and video clones so you can play multiple parts in one frame. The camera app is very similar to other camera apps available with a shutter button at the bottom, main camera modes just above this and a few other tools at the top which include AI and HDR functions to help improve picture quality with very little effort. 

There's a portrait mode which you can also use creatively to capture shots of objects you want to introduce bokeh backgrounds to. You can control the aperture on a slider but it's a bit hit and miss with some shots looking great and others having clipping issues. The on-screen representation of how the final image will look isn't always that accurate either and could be quicker to respond when changing options. 

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 has a quad-camera set-up with a 108MP main camera, ultra-wide option, a telemacro lens and a depth sensor. The main camera is the only one that supports Night Mode. When using the telemacro lens, you get access to AF and up to 10X zoom but anything past 2X is digital. 

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Cameras At A Glance:

• 108MP f/1.9
• 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera
• 5MP f/2.4 telemacro camera with AF and 10x hybrid zoom
• 2MP f/2.4depth sensor

Battery life - The battery is impressive at 5020mAh and easily lasted a full day of use which included capturing photos/video. Wired fast charging is available but you can't use wireless charging options. 

Geekbench 5 Scores - The phone didn't allow us to run benchmark tests.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro Performance

The performance section is where we look at the image quality performance of the camera. Additional sample photos and product shots are available in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own review, photos and product ratings.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro Sample Photos

Sample Photos - For what we expect to be a very reasonably priced smartphone, the image quality has impressed us. Some may say that images can look dull but we disagree as the smartphone is just capturing more natural images than other smartphones do. Colours are accurate and detail is sharp with good dynamic range in the majority of the images. If you do want a bit more punch, you can use HDR mode to increase the dynamic range and AI also gives greens/blues more saturation.

Sometimes objects look over sharp but this didn't happen every time when using these modes and Portrait mode could be better with easy to see clipping issues where bokeh hasn't been introduced when it should be. There's also a bit of fringing/haloing around tree branches in some shots. The close-up function is good when you get the focus distance correct but Night Mode is something we'd not use unless absolutely needed as even though you can see more detail in the shot, it's very noisy and the detail is soft. 

Overall, when you compare the Redmi Note 10 Pro to other smartphones it sits alongside, it's one of the most accurate when it comes to true colour reproduction but does struggle in other areas.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro Lens test images

Lens Performance - Overall dynamic range is better in the images captured with the standard wide lens than in the images captured with the ultra-wide lens and the same can be same for sharpness/detail, too. Although, that's not saying the ultra-wide image aren't pleasing to the eye. Detail starts to fall off with the 2X lens and noise creeps in when light levels drop. Fringing also occurred around railings/tree branches when using the 2X lens. As with most smartphones, we'd not recommend going beyond the optical zoom lengths as detail and quality falls off quickly. Although, you can get pretty close to objects that are some distance away. 

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro ISO test images

ISO Noise Performance - If you switch to Pro mode, you can access ISO with options from 50-6400. We recommend you stick to the lowest ISOs possible when capturing images to minimise noise. 

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro White-balance test images

White Balance Performance - AWB does an excellent job under mixed lighting and Tungsten with just a slightly warmer tone under Fluorescent lighting. The Tungsten preset produces slightly warmer images with a touch of pink and the Fluorescent preset produced an image with a rather purple hue. 

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro Digital filters

Digital Filters - Plenty of digital filters are available when editing photos via the gallery of which a few are shown above.

Panorama mode - Panoramas are stitched well, colours are accurate and there is a good level of detail throughout the image.

Value For Money

The Redmi Note 10 Pro is available in the UK priced at £249 (6+64GB) and £269 (6+128GB), making it similar to the Redmi Note 9 Pro now priced at £264 over on Amazon UK. 

Alternatives we've reviewed, which feature in our 'best mid-range smartphone' suggestions, include the Google Pixel 4a and OnePlus 6. You also have the other Redmi Note 10 smartphones available in the new line-up to take a look at. 

For more mid-range options, have a look at our 'Top 10 Best Mid-Range Smartphones For Photography 2020' list. Alternatively, we have more smartphone options in our 'Top 10 Best Premium Smartphones for Photography' list or have a peruse at the smartphones we think are the best priced at under £300. 

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro Verdict

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro will be joining a very crowded mid-range smartphone market so it's tricky to stand out but with some of the features it has, it certainly joins a strong line-up of reasonably priced smartphones that are knocking on the door of the premium smartphone family.

Xiaomi bill the Redmi Note 10 Pro as the 'mid-range king in mobile photography' and we can see why as image quality is generally good with all of the cameras performing well under most conditions. Colours are accurate, detail is sharp and there are some clever tools built in that help make your images better, too, including HDR and AI.

Yes, low light performance could be better and when not using optical zoom quality does dropoff drastically but even the premium smartphones still struggle with this so we can forgive it. Sometimes objects look over sharp but this didn't happen every time when using HDR/AI modes and Portrait mode could be better with easy to see clipping issues where bokeh hasn't been introduced when it should be. But, when you compare the Redmi Note 10 Pro to other smartphones it sits alongside, it's one of the most accurate when it comes to true colour reproduction which has to be applauded. Some might say they're a little on the dull side but we don't think so; we just think we've all got used to seeing overcooked images so when something is more true to life, it doesn't look accurate when actually it is. Plus, you can always brighten your shots in post if you really want to. 

If 'value for money' is key when you're purchasing a smartphone then the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro should be on your list as you get a lot of features for your money. Does it come without fault? No, but what smartphone does? Plus, the cons are only small and can be forgiven considering the Redmi Note 10 Pro is available for under £300. 

Overall, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro is a mid-range smartphone that captures good images and the price should be great, too.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro is a mid-range smartphone that that captures good images and the price should be great, too.

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