PhonAndroid Test Redmi 10: a smartphone at a low price, but too fair to convince

Xiaomi returns to the entry-level market with the Redmi 10, a smartphone sold at 179 euros. For this price, we obviously have a product that does not spark, but does it offer a satisfactory experience? Answer in this test.

Xiaomi Redmi 10 64GB

Best prices

These prices were updated on 01/29/2022 by All4affiliates. They are listed in ascending order and excluding delivery costs. Only the prices displayed at the merchants are authentic.

Xiaomi Redmi 10 128 GB

Best prices

These prices were updated on 01/29/2022 by All4affiliates. They are listed in ascending order and excluding delivery costs. Only the prices displayed at the merchants are authentic.

With its Redmi Note 10, Xiaomi struck a blow a few months ago. The Chinese brand has indeed offered the best value for money on the market. The first model started at 199 euros. A case. But Xiaomi wants to go even further with the Redmi 10. This new smartphone wants to seduce the consumer with a price of 179 euros. An attractive price, certainly, but which also suggests a more limited experience. Is this really the case?

To sell its Redmi 10, Xiaomi does not go overboard. The brand praises the merits of a "camera with unparalleled performance" as well as "a high-end experience" thanks to its 90 Hz screen. Great promises. Is the Redmi 10 the new entry-level king or has Xiaomi really cut back too much on capacity to offer a convincing product? We will see it right away.

Price and availability

The Redmi 10 is already sold on the official Xiaomi website and at partner resellers. It is available in two versions: the first contains 64 GB of memory and is sold for 179 euros. For the 128 GB version, you will have to spend 199 euros (the price of a Note 10). The smartphone is available in three colors in both configurations. Note that this is not Xiaomi's cheapest product, since this place goes to the Redmi Note 8 2021 edition, displayed at 159 euros.

Xiaomi Redmi 10 64GB

Best prices

These prices were updated on 01/29/2022 by All4affiliates. They are listed in ascending order and excluding delivery costs. Only the prices displayed at the merchants are authentic.

Xiaomi Redmi 10 128 GB

Best prices

These prices were updated on 01/29/2022 by All4affiliates. They are listed in ascending order and excluding delivery costs. Only the prices displayed at the merchants are authentic.

Modest technical characteristics

For this price, do not expect a thunderbolt of war. However, the Redmi 10 has several interesting things to offer. What intrigues the most when looking at the technical sheet is the photo module. This is made up of four sensors, including a main one of 50 megapixels.

	Redmi 10
Screen	6.5" FHD+ 90hz IPS LCD
chipsets	MediaTek Helio G88
RAM	4GB
Storage	64 + 128 GB microSD slot up to 512 GB
Main sensor	50MP, f/1.88MP ultra-wide, f/2.22MP macro, f/2.4 2MP depth sensor, f/2.4
Front sensor	8MP, f/2.0
Battery	5000mAh18W recharge
5G	Nope
Biometrics	Side fingerprint scanner

Inside we find a modest MediaTek Helio G88 processor. So don't expect a monster of power. Regarding the screen, Xiaomi is betting on a 6.5-inch IPS LCD panel which has the particularity of having a refresh rate of 90 Hz. An interesting feature at this price. Finally, for autonomy we have a 5000 mAh battery with a fast charge of 18 watts. We must not lie to ourselves, we do not have an attractive technical sheet here. However, let's not judge the menu before tasting the main course. We will now determine if this Redmi 10 offers a decent experience for a low price.

A slightly cheap, but effective design

Xiaomi goes to the essentials with this Redmi 10. No frills or superfluous in this smartphone. It is available in three colors: white, blue and grey. Here we have the gray version, which is a bit sad, let's face it. In hand, the terminal is pleasant to handle thanks to its very balanced weight. On the scale, it weighs 180 grams, which is in the current average. It is however a little thick with its 9 mm thickness.

We have a full plastic shell. Even if the back offers rather interesting reflections, the "cheap" aspect is there. Only consolation, it is not too prone to fingerprints. We will also notice the curved appearance of this rear cover, a design code a little outdated in 2021. The mention Redmi is engraved in the plastic, as are the somewhat unsightly legal notices.

The photo module, inspired by that of the Redmi Note 10, protrudes slightly from the cover, which makes the phone a little wobbly when placed on its back. It's not very serious, but it is always worth pointing out.

The edges are also plastic. On the right side we find the volume button, as well as the one dedicated to the ignition. The latter also serves as a fingerprint sensor. It is well placed and works perfectly. We haven't had a single miss in a week of testing. What compensate for the (logical) absence of a sensor under the screen.

On the other edge, we have the hatch for two nano SIM cards as well as for a microSD card (up to 512 GB). Two loudspeakers are present on the upper and lower edges. There is also a Jack port. Its absence would have been surprising for a terminal sold at this price.

Finally, concerning the screen, it comes out slightly from the shell and displays very thick edges. This does not prevent the screen/facade ratio from exceeding 90%. A minimum today. The punch for the front camera (8 megapixels) is located at the top center and is discreet. Nothing to report on this side.

In terms of design, the Redmi 10 therefore fulfills its contract without shining. It does not avoid the “cheap” aspect, and this because of the plastic used, which could put some people off. We are not in front of a statutory object, but simply usual. It is not unpleasant to handle so far.

A screen that lacks brightness

Xiaomi had equipped its Redmi Note 10 with an AMOLED screen, a real asset for this price segment. For this Redmi 10, the manufacturer had to make concessions. We must therefore say goodbye to AMOLED for a less attractive IPS LCD panel. This does not mean that the screen is bad, far from it.

The Redmi 10 has a 6.5-inch screen with a definition of 2400 x 1080 pixels. Its particularity is to offer a refresh rate of 90 Hz. If we do not reach the comfort of a 120 Hz screen, this framerate still provides a much more pleasant use than the classic 60 Hz. Note that this rate is adaptive at 45, 60 and 90 Hz, which means that it automatically drops if you do not need it, such as when watching videos or reading. What to save a little battery.

We analyzed the screen using our probe. You should know that in the settings we have access to three modes. The saturated mode, the standard mode as well as the intense mode, which automatically switches between the other two depending on use. Note that in all three modes, it is possible to adjust the color temperature to your liking. For the purposes of our test, we took the measurements with this default temperature.

In standard mode, we have a contrast of 1280:1. It's a little tight and the blacks seem washed out. It is on this precise point that we lose the most compared to AMOLED, which offers infinite contrast. On the other hand, respect for colors is present, with an average delta E of 1.4 (below 3 being very good). We simply note somewhat dull greens and reds, but nothing dramatic. The color temperature is almost perfect, at 6400K (close to the 6500K of the video standard). On a white display, the screen pulls neither blue nor red. Finally, the maximum brightness leaves something to be desired, at 380 cd / m². This means that outside, on a bright sunny day, readability will be very limited… A big flaw.

In saturated mode, the contrast is a bit better since it goes up to 1500:1. As for the colors, this mode makes them fluorescent to flatter the user's retina (Delta E of 3.3), even if we remain in the area of ​​the acceptable. If the brightness is better than in standard mode (at 415 cd/m²) it is not yet enough to convince. Another defect, the temperature rises to 7700K. The screen therefore draws a lot towards blue. This is obvious when juggling between the two modes.

Read also – Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro test: the new benchmark for mid-range smartphones

Ultimately, we have a fairly average screen. We will point out the insufficient brightness, which really handicaps the user outside. On the other hand, we will welcome the respect for colors in standard mode, as well as the well-calibrated temperature. It is this mode that must be chosen for a better experience. The saturated mode offers him a better contrast, of course, but at the cost of a display that draws too much towards blue (but you can always adjust the temperature in the options).

The audio part, for its part, is not brilliant. The smartphone has two speakers, one on the lower edge, one on the upper edge. If they are well placed, which avoids putting the palm on it in play or when watching video, there is an almost total absence of stereo (one of the outputs is even much less powerful than the other). An unpleasant distortion is also felt at high volume. In short, the Redmi 10 is far from being a success on this point and it will be necessary to privilege listening with headphones. Shame.

A very underpowered Redmi 10, which rows and freezes

The Redmi 10 is an entry-level smartphone. Therefore, we don't expect it to rise to the top of the market, but to at least provide a satisfying experience. It is equipped with a processor designed by MediaTek, the very recent Helio G88 (engraved in 12 nm), designed precisely for this type of product. It is supported by 4 GB of RAM and has 64 or 128 GB of storage. For this test, Xiaomi lent us the 64 GB version. Note that this smartphone is not compatible with 5G networks. After our series of benchmarks, the results obtained were somewhat disappointing. Here we have one of the least powerful smartphones tested by us. Only the Gigaset GS110, aka the Lidl Phone, did worse. To give you an idea, this smartphone is half as powerful as a OnePlus Nord N10 5G, which hadn't already convinced us on this point.

The consequence of such a lack of power is greatly felt in use. If we do not reach extremes like with the Lidl Phone (which was simply shameful) we still see a great weakness in terms of fluidity. Application openings often take long seconds. When several are launched at the same time, the whole terminal is rowing. Icing on the cake, we happened to have some freezes. The smartphone freezes in full use and you have to wait a long time before seeing it return to the menu on its own (closing everything in passing). We obviously went so far as to launch Genshin Impact, the most demanding game on the PlayStore. The title of miHoYo works with the graphics at a minimum, of course, but this is done at the cost of many jerks and slowdowns. The Redmi 10 just isn't made for that. At least the SoC doesn't get too hot under your fingers.

In short, a smartphone that clearly lacks fishing. That's enough for very limited use, like calls, a little social media, GPS, or checking email, but that's about it. By pushing it a little, you will quickly reach its limits. You quickly feel cramped.

EMUI, Xiaomi's efficient overlay

The Redmi 10 is equipped with Android 11. Xiaomi obliges, we find the MIUI 12.5 overlay, the latest to date. It brings a pleasant experience and is easy to use. The settings menus are a model of clarity. For example, small diagrams explain to you what changes when you switch your screen from 60 Hz to 90 Hz. Similarly, the interface that tells you the size of the storage takes the form of a cell that fills with a liquid virtual representing your data. It's simple, effective, well thought out.

If you've used a Xiaomi smartphone before, you won't be in uncharted territory. We always have an ultra customizable overlay, easy to use and which brings some particularities compared to the others. For example, the applications are stored by themes in the dedicated drawer and the lock screens are dynamic and interactive. We appreciate the fact that some errors of the past have been adjusted. We think of the silent mode, much easier to activate than before.

This overlay is not free from defects. It is quite heavy, which coupled with this not very powerful processor can lead to jerks and crashes, as we have seen above. Let us add that the native applications are numerous and duplicate those of Google. These applications are also parasitized by advertisements. Just open Themes to see advertisements extolling the merits of another software. It's hard to swallow on a product bought full pot, even at this price. Another flaw, related to the design this time, the notification pane and the drop-down menu are two different things. When sweeping the finger down, we don't have the same thing if we do it to the left of the punch or to the right. So we are often wrong. Annoying.

Finally, note that MIUI 12.5 normally offers a very extensive Always-On-Display mode, but it will be necessary to do without it on this Redmi 10. Its LCD screen does not allow it to offer this kind of service. It's not really a surprise, but it's worth pointing out. In short, we have a good overlay, not perfect, but pleasant to use. Here, the problem comes more from the processor than from the software part.

A camera that does no miracles

Xiaomi relies heavily on its camera to attract buyers to this Redmi 10. The module on the back could almost pass for that of a mid-range or even high-end phone, at least in terms of design. It is equipped with four sensors: a main 50 megapixel (f/1.8), an ultra wide angle of 8 megapixel (f/2.2), a macro sensor of 2 megapixel (f/2.4) and a depth sensor of 2 megapixel. (f/2.4).

The main photo sensor is acceptable for this price. It offers satisfactory shots outdoors, even if there is some weakness in terms of light and color management. The readability of the details is however there (the Arc de Triomphe packed is a perfect subject for that). Interior photos display the same flaws and qualities.

The ultra-wide-angle sensor does not perform miracles, with much less precise shots, in addition to distorting straight lines. The depth sensor fulfills its contract without shining. Note the presence of a digital zoom X10 which only delivers unusable results.

The macro mode is not really the strong point of the Xiaomi Redmi 10. The smartphone has indeed difficulty in transcribing a correct image as well as its details. It will only be good for sharing your meal photos on Instagram, but forget about it for precision photos.

The night mode makes an act of presence, improving the photos only slightly. Same thing for portrait mode.

Finally, note that the sensor is not very responsive when it comes to taking stock. It will take patience to take a moving subject, such as an animal or a child.

The video, for its part, is satisfied with the minimum, since the Redmi 10 can film in 1080p at 30 FPS at the most. In short, a camera that is not catastrophic, but which only really satisfies thanks to its main sensor. We are still far, very far, from the initial promise which was a “camera with unparalleled performance”. The Redmi Note 10, almost at the same price, beats it hands down.

Decent battery life, but fast charging far from fast

The Redmi 10 is equipped with a 5000 mAh battery. We can therefore expect good autonomy. It's the case. At 90 Hz and 100% battery in the morning, we reached between 45 and 50% at bedtime, and this with normal use (a little social media, photography, gaming, etc.). We arrived at 0% late afternoon the next day. It's correct. By stalling the screen at 60 Hz, we lasted two full days.

The Redmi 10 offers fast charging of 18 Watts. This recharge is fast in name only, since we measured a replenishment of 1 to 100% in two hours on full battery. It's slow. You should therefore not hope to recharge your smartphone “quickly” before leaving for the evening.

Xiaomi Redmi 10 64GB

Best prices

These prices were updated on 01/29/2022 by All4affiliates. They are listed in ascending order and excluding delivery costs. Only the prices displayed at the merchants are authentic.

Xiaomi Redmi 10 128 GB

Best prices

These prices were updated on 01/29/2022 by All4affiliates. They are listed in ascending order and excluding delivery costs. Only the prices displayed at the merchants are authentic.