Recently, Xiaomi Singapore is going on a launch frenzy in the local market, launching a series of notable smartphones like the flagship Xiaomi Mi 11 (Review) as well as the ultra-value Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 4G (Review) and Mi 11 Lite 5G.
This month, the company returns to the scene with the brand new budget-friendly Redmi Note 10 5G that’s currently one of the most affordable 5G smartphone in the local market, carrying a palatable price tag of just S$329 (US$248).
Despite it’s low-price, the Redmi Note 10 5G doesn’t skimps on any of it’s core specs, bringing along a buttery-smooth display, high performance 5G chipset, 48MP triple-cameras, mammoth battery capacity, as well as fast-charging support.
This makes the Redmi Note 10 5G a really attractive option within the highly-competitive, budget 5G segment which was previously dominated by the likes of the Realme 7 5G and Samsung Galaxy A32 5G to name a few.
So, if you’re in the market for a new 5G smartphone that wouldn’t break the bank, then you may probably want to check out our Redmi Note 10 5G review before narrowing down on your choices.
Design & Display
The Redmi Note 10 5G is undeniably a beautiful-looking phone on the outside, dressed in a soft gradient color scheme that gives the phone a cheerful and lively outlook.
Personally, I’m a huge fan of the shimmering matte finish of it’s rear panel which kind of gives off an impression that the phone features a more premium frosted glass back. The thing we like about having a matte-like finish is that it always handles fingerprint smudges way better than those with a glossy finish.
Similarly, it’s also worth mentioning that it’s plastic back is really durable too. It easily survived a couple of drops from more than a meter’s height without any cracks and hardly any scratches – and that’s a real life testament for how hardy the Redmi Note 10 5G is.
With an overall dimension measuring 161.8 x 75.3 x 8.92 mm, the Redmi Note 10 5G is an average-sized smartphone that fits comfortably on the palm. Most importantly, it’s side edges and rear panel do offer sufficient grip to ensure the phone doesn’t slides off when using it with one hand.
Coming to the front side, the Redmi Note 10 5G greets us with a 6.5” central-hole display accompanied by has some really slim bezels along it’s four sides. Just like most other smartphones within this segment, the Redmi Note 10 5G’s front display also settles with an IPS LCD panel that offers a FHD+ screen resolution.
However, what really sets the phone apart from the crowd is none other than it’s buttery-smooth 90Hz refresh rate which makes scrolling and animations feel extremely fluid.
Furthermore, it also gets the same AdaptiveSync feature as other Xiaomi’s flagship phones like the Mi 11 which automatically switches the refresh rate between 30Hz/ 50Hz/ 60Hz/ 90Hz based on the onscreen contents. That basically means a high refresh rate will be triggered only when necessary to conserve battery life.
Similarly, the front display can also gets really bright, allowing the screen to remain visible even under harsh sunlight, especially when you’re in outdoor places. What’s interesting however, is that the Redmi Note 10 5G is also equipped with 360° ambient light sensors which makes auto brightness works like a charm on the device too.
For biometric authentication, the Redmi Note 10 5G relies on a side-mounted fingerprint scanner (embedded within it’s power button) which offers an accurate and quick unlocking process that’s way more convenience than having to manually key in pin numbers every time you unlock the screen.
Performance
The Redmi Note 10 5G is powered by an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 700 chipset that’s fabricated under an advanced 7nm process – similar to many of the flagship chips like MediaTek’s own Dimensity 1000 chipset.
For certain, the Redmi Note 10 5G is one of the few smartphones around the S$300 mark that utilizes a silicon of this calibre, aside from the Samsung Galaxy A22 5G which is probably it’s closest competitor at this price range.
Besides offering promising performance for it’s users, the MediaTek Dimensity 700 chipset also futureproofs the Redmi Note 10 5G with it’s integrated 5G modem that allows the phone to take advantage of the next-generation’s mobile network once it’s available in the local market.
On a day-to-day usage, the Dimensity 700 had been proven to be a reliable workhorse for an average user. I hardly encountered any stuttering when multi-tasking or even gaming (on default settings). Paired with the fast refresh rate of it’s front display, everything feels silky smooth when using the device.
In the memory department, you can get up to 6GB LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB UFS 2.2 storage depending on the model you’re getting. If the storage capacity isn’t sufficient for your productivity or entertainment needs, you’ll be glad to know that it can be further expanded via a microSD card too.
Cameras
Despite being marketed as a budget-friendly smartphone, the Redmi Note 10 5G do have a pretty decent triple-camera setup at the back which probably performs beyond your expectations.
These cameras include a 48 megapixels (f/1.79 aperture) main camera, 2 megapixels (f/2.4 aperture) macro camera for close-up shots, as well as a 2 megapixels (f/2.4 aperture) depth sensor for portrait photography.
In the default shooting mode, you do get pretty flattering images that are among the best I’ve seen within this price range. They possess acceptably wide dynamic range along with great amount of details thanks to the utilization of a pixel-dense imaging sensor.
For those who prefers more vibrancy in their photos, the HDR mode in the camera’s setting does a great job in boosting color contrast within the photos without making them look unnatural.
Even in low-light environment, it’s main camera also manages well with a dedicated night mode which works intelligently in brightening the scene to dial up contrasts and details that are otherwise non-visible to the eyes.
Overall, image noise is also kept fairly low even though digital artifacts could appear slightly more noticeable in some of the night shots. Despite that, image quality is still great considering it’s price.
Those who enjoy natural photography can take advantage of it’s nifty 2x digital zoom to bring the subject closer to you. In fact, this is a highly usable feature that’s capable of clicking sharp images with natural background bokeh effect.
Rounding out the camera package will be an 8 megapixels front-facing camera that clicks decent selfies with good exposure and dynamic range. Color reproduction appears natural so long the beautification mode is turned off.
Battery & Charging
To power your everyday usage, the Redmi Note 10 5G relies on a massive 5,000mAh battery that easily provides you with more than a day’s worth of battery life under normal usage.
In fact, even if you add in several hours of gameplay in between, it’s hardly enough to bring it’s battery level down below the 15% mark. That’s exactly how enduring it’s battery life is. Despite that I’m not surprised at all since most of the Xiaomi smartphones I’d reviewed so far exceled in this aspect.
Yes, the Redmi Note 10 5G might be a budget phone, but the phone do carry support for 18W fast-charging via it’s USB-C port. Charging a flat battery to it’s full capacity using it’s bundled charger will take around 2 hours which is decent for a phone of this price especially if you take into account it’s huge battery capacity.
Verdict
All in all, the Redmi Note 10 5G is a superb smartphone for those on a tight budget. The phone gets all the basics right, putting forward a smooth and immersive display, best-in-class performance, reliable camera system, fast-charging capability, as well as support for next-gen’s 5G connectivity. Let’s not forget that it’s gorgeous design on the outside is a huge plus too.
So if you’re interested in getting the Redmi Note 10 5G, the device is priced at just S$329 in Singapore and is available for purchase through Xiaomi’s official store on both Shopee and Lazada.
