Smartphones

Redmi 10: test / review

Published on: 05-10-2021 / Modified: 10-11-2022
Until a few years ago, entry-level phones from major brands (eg Samsung) were appallingly slow and offered a really limited experience. With the arrival of Xiaomi things have changed and where for 150 to 200 € you can buy a wheelbarrow from Samsung, Xiaomi offers you a bike with a nice bell.

The Redmi 10 (not to be confused with the Redmi Note 10) is an entry-level phone that could be mistaken for a mid-range phone from other manufacturers.

The Redmi 10 improves on the previous generation (Redmi 9) on many criteria. The Redmi 10 is slightly smaller and lighter without sacrificing the screen. Performance has improved slightly and for the photo, Xiaomi has integrated a Samsung sensor instead of the Omnivision sensor of the Redmi 9. Still no 5G in sight, in this price range it is rather the territory of the Poco brand. While waiting for the probable arrival of the Redmi 10A and Redmi 10C, the entry level at Xiaomi has found a new doorman.

Manufacturer web site:
https://www.mi.com
Site where I have bought the Redmi 10: https://s.zbanx.com/r/biYeYphkyzNT

Structure of my tests

I test the phones according to a pre-established structure (see below) to provide you with as much information as possible. Unfortunately, this takes a long time. Some tests like network performance tests take several days and for photo tests I sometimes have to wait until the weather is suitable to take pictures in good conditions. I am therefore obliged to publish the tests step by step, so I invite you to come back if the test is not complete at the time of your visit.

Price Redmi 10

The list below shows the prices for the Redmi 10 from more than 50 sites around the world. If you are not satisfied with any price, you can subscribe to a price alert to be the first to be notified when the price drops.

The above links are affiliate links from companies such as Amazon, Gearbest, Aliexpress,... If you appreciate my work, I would be grateful if you could purchase these products through these links. It costs you absolutely nothing but I get a small commission that allows me to buy the material I test. Thank you very much!

Timeline

September 27, 2021: Redmi 10 order on Goboo.com (introductory offer) October 4, 2021: I received the phone, the test can begin

Why this phone?

Price is a major criterion in choosing a phone, not everyone can afford an iPhone and Xiaomi understands this. I've bought almost every Xiaomi brand model this year so couldn't miss the opportunity to test out their new entry-level phone as I'm pretty sure it's going to be a hit.

When testing a lot of phones we tend to compare everything to good experiences and since the entry level cannot compete with the high end these phones receive a bad note. However, I try not to fall too much into this trap by evaluating the qualities of this kind of phone according to its selling price. I suspect that the Redmi 10 will be less powerful and produce poorer photos than the top of the range, so I'm just going to share an experience so you can pass judgment on this phone.

Unpacking

Xiaomi boxes follow and resemble each other, impossible to distinguish one model from another. The Xiaomi industrial machine has found a format and copies it for most of its phones. It doesn't affect the quality of the phone, I just see it as an indication of brand positioning. Xiaomi is a champion of recycling, they re-use all kinds of components to decline them in countless models.

The box contains the bare minimum, namely the phone, a charger, a USB cable, a manual, a semi-transparent silicone protection and a needle to open the sim drawer.

First configuration

The Redmi 11 runs under MIUI 12.5 out of the box, it is the last version of the Xiaomi overlay which is based on Android 11. The entry level is therefore not disadvantaged compared to other Xiaomi phones . The first contact with MIUI 12.5 goes through the configuration screens which have been revamped, the interface is more graphical and more pleasant to use, Xiaomi is moving away from the basic interface offered by Android. The configuration is very simple, in 2-3 minutes max the phone is operational.

The new interface is therefore a success, but it is another opportunity for Xiaomi to try to register for its cloud and they are each time smarter to get there. Read carefully what is displayed on the screen, if you are asked to log in with your Google account or your Xiaomi account, you can skip this step otherwise with one click you will register for the Xiaomi cloud. There is nothing wrong with that but if you don't want to, don't get trapped.

Finish

I had been a bit disappointed with the level of finish of the previous generation as the use of plastic was too pronounced and the back of the phone was so thin that I could feel the components of the phone with a little bit of pressure . The Redmi 10 makes a big leap forward in terms of finishes, I was really surprised when I got it in my hand the first time. The phone is still made of plastic on the back, but the plastic looks more solid. I bought the white version and the plastic on the back gives a rather successful pearlescent effect. It does not deform like the previous model and the metallic effect outline gives it a more premium character.

On the front, the phone doesn't really have a distinctive sign, nothing looks more like a Xiaomi than another Xiaomi. However, the screen occupies 83% of the available space, the borders are visible but thin enough for entry level.

The metallic effect outline gives a more premium look to the phone, it's quite rare in this price range, this phone reminds me of the white Poco F3 I bought earlier this year. To the touch the entry-level effect is palpable but visually it is very successful.

The photo unit stands out quite strongly on the back of the phone, there is no big change here compared to the previous generation, it's a bit of a shame but it is often the case in this price range, so I won't dwell on that.

The selfie camera is housed in the form of a punch clearly visible in the middle of the screen, here too there is nothing extraordinary, it must be said that even Apple does not has still not managed to clear the top of its screen so from this point of view, the Redmi 10 is doing very well.

Specifications

The information below comes from the Device Info HW application. The application provides detailed technical information about the tested phone. I bought the Redmi 10 in its 4Gb / 64 Gb version (white version), you will find the technical characteristics in the following screenshots.

If I had to go over the basics, I would say:
- 2400x1080 screen where many entry-level phones are limited
- accelerometer, magnetometer, gyroscope
- Mediatek architecture (good for GPS, Galileo support)
- Samsung sensor of 50 million pixels on the back

CPU / GPU Performance

The Redmi 10 is based on a Mediatek Helio G85 CPU, it is an entry-level processor that will offer performance to a Poco M3 or a Redmi Note 9. For the graphics part it is based on the Mali GPU G52 is a GPU found in many entry-level phones. It is not a GPU for gamers but you will be able to play simple games without problems.

Benchmark Antutu/3DMark

The Redmi 10 is not intended to obtain a very high score on Antutu, I obtained a little less than 200,000 points and that places this phone at the level of the Redmi Note 9. With this level of performance, you have a sufficiently responsive phone for all everyday tasks. If you have to run big apps or want to play big games, the phone will be slower and less responsive.

Gaming

To test the performance in game, I download the mobile PUBG game and evaluate the in-game experience, graphics level and depth of vision. This game is quite demanding and should help you evaluating the performance of a phone.

The Antutu score makes it possible to position a phone in the ranking but does not say anything about the real in-game experience. With this video you can see that the Redmi 10 is perfectly capable of running this game in HD but the textures are degraded and the movements are not perfectly fluid. This slight degradation should not affect you if you are a casual gamer, hard core gamers will have to move towards a more powerful model.

Network performance

Xiaomi has standardized the support of 4G frequencies on most models on sale, I no longer notice big differences as was the case before. The Redmi 10 covers the vast majority of 4G frequencies used in Europe (including the B28 in 700Mhz)

Signal 4G (before december 2020)

The ability to pick up the network correctly is an essential element for a phone but it is only very rarely measured. To measure a phone's ability to pick up the network, I perform a large number of measurements on the same cells to be able to compare phones under similar conditions. The signal is measured in dBm, a value of -90dBm indicates a worse signal than -70dBm. These measurements are therefore taken under real conditions and not in a laboratory, they are not scientific but give a good indication of performance.

Signal 4G (from December 2020)

I decided to change the methodology for measuring the network because I noticed that the configuration of the mobile network changes over time. This makes it more difficult to compare phones because the conditions are no longer exactly the same.

To overcome this problem, I set up a device that captures 24 hours a day about ten parameters from the mobile network (ex: cell id, rssi, rsrq, snr, frequency,...). I then place the phone next to the device for 24 to 48 hours taking the same measurements so that I can compare them.

Overview of the phones tested with this methodology

I performed over 2000 measurements to assess the network sensitivity of this Redmi 10. I performed more measurements than usual because I simply forgot to remove the phone from my test area. This is not a big deal, it makes the measurements even more reliable. I got an average signal of about -100 dBm, it is not a priori a very good signal but I cannot look at it in isolation and that is why I use a parallel probe to measure the quality of the network. The probe obtains a signal around -94 dBm. This signal level shows that the network was a little degraded during the test because I generally get a better signal but it also shows that the gap with the Redmi is quite large despite everything. With around 6 dBm of difference, the Redmi ranks in the low middle of the table, so it's not a phone that I recommend for people who live in a place where the network coverage is not very good.

Download/Upload speed

To test the download speed, I have identified some 4G cells offering good performance where I test all my devices several times to see what download and upload speed they can achieve.

Wifi performance

To test a phone's ability to receive the network properly, I take measurements near my router and then remotely (and always at the same place). This gives me an average in dBm where a value of -90 dBm indicates poorer performance than a value at -30 dBm.

Wifi signal

I measured a -21dBm signal near the router and a -65dBm signal at a distance. I have tested phones with better sensitivity but this score is quite correct, it is even in the high average.

Download/Upload speed

To test the speed in Wifi, I connect to my router in 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz (if available) and use the Ookla application to measure the speed.

GPS performance

To test the quality of the GPS signal I use the Offline Maps application and I make the same train trip in pedestrian mode. Why? In pedestrian mode, the GPS does not artificially correct the signal to stick to the road, it has no markings, so you can see the actual position. I then use an application to measure the accuracy of the signal.

The Redmi 10 runs on a Mediatek architecture which is generally more efficient at the GPS level, this is verified once again with this phone because I obtained an accuracy of 1 to 2 meters per clear sky. The Redmi 10 supports Galileo but I only detected one frequency per network, so I don't think it is dual-band.

Battery range

I loaded the Redmi 10 from 0 to 100% in 165 minutes, it is an average loading speed but I noticed a strong slowdown on the last 20 percent and it can be seen strongly on the following graph.

I reach 20% in 20 minutes then 40% in 48 minutes but it takes more than 60 minutes for the last 20 percent. It is not advisable to charge your phone with a full cycle anyway and this phone is quite slow towards the end, it will probably give you a good reason to charge it up to 80%.

I got a runtime of 664 minutes with the screen brightness at 100% and 1684 minutes with the brightness at 50%. The phone's energy efficiency at 100% is average, so the battery life is good and will give you 2-3 days of battery life in normal use if you find your balance between 50 and 100% brightness. The screen isn't overly bright at 100% but 2.5x better battery life at 50%, so you'll have to find the balance that's best for you.

Photo camera test

To test the quality of photos produced by a phone, I do a technical test (resolution, sharpness, chromatic aberration,...) in studio (identical conditions) to evaluate the technical part objectively. From the second half of 2020, I built my own laboratory to take completely objective technical measurements. I then take pictures in real conditions to see how the camera performs. I then evaluate these photos according to my criteria but I publish the photos so that you can evaluate the result according to your criteria.

Hardware

The Redmi 10 is equipped with a Samsung S5KJN1 main sensor, it is an entry-level sensor that I have not yet had the opportunity to test on another smartphone. It is currently only available on the Redmi 10 and Realme Narzo 50A (only for India). The ultra wide angle sensor is a Sony IMX 355 that I have had the opportunity to test many times, it also has a portrait sensor of 2 million pixels and an anecdotal macro sensor of 2 million pixels.

It can shoot in 4k 30 fps and can also shoot in slow motion at 120 fps.

Default app

The default app is exactly the same as on the other Xiaomi launched this year. The interface has been simplified with MIUI 12 and that's a good thing, it is still possible to dig into the options but they no longer clutter the screen as before. I noticed a little hesitation in focusing where the focus is instantaneous.

Photo quality

Photo test / studio

Main sensor: Samsung S5KJN1

Photos taken under artificial light often result in underexposed photos and I have to resort to pro / manual mode to increase the shooting time. exhibition as in the photo above. This photo shows that this sensor is able to produce well-exposed photos if asked, but on the other hand in manual mode, the underexposure is clearly visible. I was quite surprised to find good sharpness in the center of the image, the area of sharpness is not very large on the central area this sharpness is good. I notice a presence of digital noise, it has been a long time since I had seen it on daytime photos, the ISO level was however low. The colors are too dark due to the underexposure, the colorimetry test will allow to see if this sensor reproduces the colors correctly.

The AI mode does not seem to take too much liberty with the colors and I do not see a very spectacular effect at the HDR level, it may be better seen in photos taken outdoors.

This more technical photo makes it possible to verify that the sharpness is rather good. The level of detail is good in the center and it does not degrade too much on the periphery even if there is a slight degradation. The colors seem quite natural to me even if the underexposure plays a role here.
Ultra-wide-angle sensor: Sony IMX 355

The ultra-wide-angle sensor is not designed for taking close-up shots because the distortion is severe. The photo is a little more underexposed than the main sensor and the sharpness is also less good than among the sensors of this type the Sony IMX 355 does quite well. This sensor is also used in a lot of mid-range phones, I'm amazed to find it on an entry-level phone.

If you compare this photo to the previous one, you will quickly notice the differences. The sharpness is much worse and also degrades more strongly on the periphery. The facial features of the Canadian banknote are already blurry, the details of the Hungarian banknote are lost in a soup of pixels. This kind of sensor usually doesn't produce very good photos, I wasn't expecting anything else. The colors on the other hand are a little more saturated than what I have seen on other sensors of this kind.

Photo test / sunny

The brightness was not excellent for my test outdoors but it does highlight the strengths and weaknesses of this phone. The main sensor produces photos with good sharpness in the center but this sharpness degrades at the edges, which can be seen in the foliage. The colors are quite dark, the photos are a bit underexposed and the dynamic range is not very wide as I quickly found myself with a completely white sky. Using HDR alleviates the problem a bit but at the risk of getting very unnatural photos, there are some examples of HDR in the following series of photos, the result is not always very good, same for using AI. The wide-angle sensor does a bit better when it comes to colors, but the Redmi 10 is clearly not a photo champion, it's an entry-level phone that produces fairly average photos.

Technical test
For my technical tests, I test the following criteria: sharpness at center, edge sharpness, color fidelity, chromatic aberration and dynamic range. These tests are carried out in a controlled environment to allow a comparison between the different phones tested.

Sharpness
For the main sensor, I get a good sharpness in the center (neither too much nor too little) and a sharpness up to 3 times worse near the edges . For the secondary sensor, the sharpness in the center is not very good, it more or less corresponds to the sharpness of the edges of the main sensor. The secondary sensor is about 3 times less sharp than the main sensor.

Colorimetry
I got a dE of 12.83 for the main sensor and a dE of 10.11 with the secondary sensor. These are significant differences which will result in a deviation on certain colors. I notice here that the secondary sensor offers more faithful colors than the main one. These (dE) scores may seem high because the human eye can see a color difference from a dE of 3 but the best phones I have tested have a dE between 8 and 9, this Redmi's score isn't so is not too bad.

Dynamic range
Dynamic range allows you to capture dark and bright areas without losing information. The main sensor has a dynamic range a little below average, it is the same for the secondary sensor. In outdoor photos, this can be seen because you can barely make out the cloud texture when the light is not good enough.

Chromatic aberration
I detected the presence of chromatic aberrations on both sensors but the impact was quite limited.

Photo test / cloudy

Not yet available / tested

Test photo / night

Not yet available / tested

Video quality

Stabilisation

Video stabilization works quickly on entry-level phones, and the Redmi 10 is no exception. The phone does not absorb the jolts caused by my steps, the result is not catastrophic, but each step is clearly visible.

Video normale conditions

The Redmi 10 is capable of producing 1080p videos at 30 frames per second, the Redmi Note range usually allows producing 4k videos. As the videos are produced with the same sensor as the one tested for the photo, we also find the same defects but I would say here that the sharpness is less good, it sometimes seems very forced but this is done to the detriment of the image quality . The fact that the video is in 1080p also plays a role if you are watching your videos on a PC screen which has a resolution higher than 1080p. The videos produced by the Redmi 10 are therefore of fairly average quality but in this price range, it is quite common.

Video low light

Not yet available / tested

Audio quality

To test the quality of the phone's audio output, I connect the device's audio output to a measuring tool, then play sounds on all frequencies and measure the differences between the original sound and the sound produced by the phone. In this way I measure the phone's ability to correctly reproduce all sounds.

Frequency Response

This test is intended to test the device's ability to correctly reproduce all frequencies. The white line in the middle of the graph is the ideal situation and the other colors come from tests on different phones. A deviation from the reference line indicates a deviation from the ideal situation. To see good sound at all frequencies, it is therefore necessary to get as close as possible to the reference line.

The sound produced by the headphones is of better quality than that produced by the speakers. The Redmi 10 is able to reproduce most frequencies fairly faithfully, it deviates just a bit from the benchmark on high tones. With the headphones, the sound is more faithful in the bass sounds than in the treble, it's a bit the opposite of what I have seen with the speakers but it's quite normal and common.

Dynamic Range

This test is designed to test a phone's ability to play sounds at different volume levels. Here too, the phones must be as close as possible to the reference.

The sound produced by the headphones is quite powerful and does not present a significant problem of distortion. I compared the Redmi 10 with the Umidigi Bison Pro because I was testing them at the same time, I got very similar results.

Noise Level

This test aims to identify if the device under test is able to reproduce sounds without too much noise. A high score indicates a low parasite rate, a lower score indicates a higher presence of parasites.

I did not notice any interference in the sound, the values are quite close to the norm.

Screen quality

To test the screen, I use a colorimetric probe that measures the color accuracy of a screen, as well as other parameters to see if a screen is able to correctly reproduce an image. I also test the brightness level to determine if the screen will be able to display an image in full sunlight.

Colorimetry

I got a dE of 2.2 using the standard color mode of the Redmi 10. By default the phone uses the "vivid color" mode which raises the dE above 5. The "vivid color mode" "may give the impression that the image is better because the saturation is sometimes exaggerated but from a colorimetric point of view, it is the standard world which offers the best result and with 2.2 the Redmi 10 ranks in the good average of the rank.

The temperature of the white is 6628K, it is a value quite close to the standard, the white is therefore very white and not bluish like on some phones.

Brightness / Contrast

I measured a brightness of 372 cd / m² by flooding the front sensor with light and I find this measurement strange as Xiaomi displays are generally brighter. I tried varying the light input in case the light sensor was positioned otherwise but failed to get more. This brightness is sufficient for use at home or in a covered place, but in direct sunlight, the screen will not be easily read.

I measured a contrast of 1278: 1, it is an average contrast for this kind of screen type. If you are used to using an LCD type screen, you will not find any problems. On the other hand, if you come from an Amoled screen, the low contrast will be very noticeable.

Biometry

Not yet available / tested

Operating system

Not yet available / tested

Encoutered bugs

Not yet available / tested

Accessories Redmi 10

Compare Redmi 10 with the others

Test / Review conclusion

I still have to publish some results but in order not to make you wait, I will already write the conclusion. The Redmi 10 is an entry-level phone, if you keep this point in mind, the rest of the conclusion will make more sense to you.

The first thing that surprised me with this phone is its finish because even if this phone is mostly made of plastic, the level of finish is above what Xiaomi has the used to produce for its entry-level phones. I bought the white version and find this phone to be quite stylish. Its photo block may be a bit too much on the back but it's the same for most phones in this price range

This Redmi 10 is not a champion in anything at all, but I can't really find fault with it. The quality of the photos and videos is average, the sensitivity to the network is average, the wifi speed is average, the performance is average, the sound quality is good, only the GPS stands out from the average with an accuracy level of 1 meter.

Xiaomi has mastered the production of phones with good value for money and therefore when the price drops, Xiaomi uses average components but still manages to stay ahead of most of the others phones in the same price range. The Redmi 10 offers performance comparable to a Samsung Galaxy A32 by costing 100 € less and it is especially at Xiaomi that you have to find competitors. Phone prices have gone up considerably in recent months and a phone like the Redmi Note 10 that I bought for € 150 now costs € 100 more. This frees up the competition for the Redmi 10 a bit for those who don't want to pay more than 200 € but if you are willing to pay a little more I would recommend the Redmi Note 10 which is a much more balanced phone over just about all. the points tested on my site.

Strengths

GPS accuracy
Battery life (with screen at 50%)
Finish
WiFi fast enough for streaming
Screen

Weaknesses

Average photo / video quality
Screen brightness not
Average 4G network sensitivity

Alternatives to this product

Not yet available / tested