Review Xiaomi Mi 10i 5G: Possessing both a 120Hz screen and a 108 MP camera

With its focus on developing sub-brand Redmi, Xiaomi seems to have neglected the Mi series and was overwhelmed by competitors. The Xiaomi Mi 10i 5G is seen as an attempt by the Chinese manufacturer to remind competitors that it is a serious player in the mid-range smartphone segment.

Review Xiaomi Mi 10i 5G: Possessing both a 120Hz screen and a 108 MP camera Picture 1

The Xiaomi Mi 10i 5G has a design reminiscent of the POCO X3

When looking at the Xiaomi Mi 10i 5G, users will think of the POCO F2 Pro and POCO X3 with the outstanding and different camera module compared to the rest of the Mi series. This makes Mi 10i completely different from the Xiaomi Mi 10.

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It can be said that the Xiaomi Mi 10i 5G uses the same design as the POCO series with a little subtle changes such as the camera module location and the change of the brand name.

In addition to the highlight is a circular camera module containing 4 sensors, Mi 10i 5G also stands out thanks to the back is made of translucent glass mixed between 2 tones to create new color effects. The product has 3 color options on the back: Pacific Sunrise, Atlantic Blue and Midnight Black.

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With Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back, the Mi 10i 5G will be well protected against scratches. The new Xiaomi smartphone also offers water splash resistance with IP53 rating.

The frame sandwiched between the front and rear glass is made of plastic, but we can't ask for too much in a mid-range smartphone. The front of the Mi 10i is a 6.67-inch screen with a hole-punch camera placed in the center.

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On the right side, you get the power button and one-touch fingerprint sensor. Above the power button is the volume rocker with a very good feeling. On the left side, you have a dual SIM card slot, the bottom edge is a 3.5mm headphone jack with USB Type C standard charging and data port.

The camera module of the Mi 10i 5G is thinner and more compact than the Mi 10. However, this module is cut flat and sharp at the top and bottom of the four cameras so there is some space for dust to stick.

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Mi 10i 5G is also quite heavy with a weight of up to 214 grams, which can be explained because this smartphone owns a 4,820 mAh battery.

Overall, the Mi 10i 5G has the same luxury beauty as high-end devices in the market. With the addition of IP53 and Gorilla Glass 5 on both the front and back make the device much more sturdy.

The IPS LCD screen is the biggest minus point of the Xiaomi Mi 10i 5G

The Xiaomi Mi 10i 5G has a 6.67-inch IPS LCD panel, Full HD + resolution with an aspect ratio of 20: 9. The IPS LCD screen will disappoint many of you because in this section the expected AMOLED screen is like the OnePlus Nord 5G.

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To be fair, the IPS LCD display on the Mi 10i 5G offers a great experience when it comes to supporting HDR10 and HDR10 + content. Comes with a screen refresh rate of up to 120 Hz and a touch sampling rate of 240 Hz. However, in outdoor conditions in sunlight, the Mi 10i 5G seems exhausted when the screen is only 450 nits brightness.

The Xiaomi Mi 10i 5G also features Intelligent AdaptiveSync, which automatically adjusts the refresh rate depending on the content without requiring any manual input from the user.

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Watching movies, playing games, surfing the web, . on the 120 Hz screen, HDR10 and HDR10 + support is a great experience with Mi 10i 5G.

The powerful Xiaomi Mi 10i 5G performance destroys every opponent in the price range

During the product launch ceremony in the Indian market, Xiaomi announced the Mi 10i 5G as the most perfect mid-range flagship ever.

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Xiaomi Mi 10i 5G is powered by Snapdragon 750G chipset, combined with Adreno 619 GPU for improved graphics processing and strong 5G internet connectivity.

Xiaomi has done very well in optimizing MIUI 12 for hardware, so it is not difficult to understand when the Mi 10i 5G works extremely smoothly with everyday tasks. If you turn on the screen refresh rate to 120 Hz, the smooth feeling will increase dramatically. However you might be addicted and don't want to go back to the default 60 Hz.

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The device's gaming performance is very good, fast experience League of Legends: Speed ​​War, Mi 10i 5G completes excellently. There is no drop in frame rate, smooth image processing and response speed.

We can say, Snapdragon 750G chipset on Mi 10i 5G can completely compete fairly with Snapdragon 765G of OnePlus Nord 5G. However, Xiaomi needs to re-optimize a bit to avoid mild heat when playing games.

The battery life on Xiaomi Mi 10i 5G is wonderfully optimized

Owning a 4,820 mAh battery makes Mi 10i 5G a bit heavier, but it is a worthy trade-off when the device gives impressive usage time.

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The device allows for comfortable use through an entire day of use without worrying about the battery even when the screen is at 120 Hz. This is thanks to the great optimization of MIUI 12.

In addition to the terrible battery and great optimization, you will get a 33W fast charger included in the box that offers impressive charging speed. Mi 10i 5G can fully charge to only 70% in 30 minutes, with a full charge time taking about 70 minutes.

The camera makes the difference for the Xiaomi Mi 10i

Xiaomi has set the Mi 10i 5G apart from competitors in the segment with the Samsung ISOCELL HM2 sensor with 108 MP resolution. It is also the world's smallest 108 MP module. In addition to the 108 MP main camera, the Mi 10i 5G also has an 8 MP ultra-wide camera, a 2 MP depth sensor and a 2 MP macro camera.

The overall image quality is quite good, image details have good central sharpness, but details on the edge of the image are quite small.

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The photos taken by Mi 10i 5G also tend to be skewed in terms of oversaturation, resulting in more attractive colors and more visually striking. Overall, the Mi 10i 5G offers a significantly better experience and image quality than most of the competition.

In low light, pixel-binned photos are pretty good. However, there is still some noise in the shadow area.

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When switched to the dedicated night mode, the resulting image is much brighter, much sharper.

Macro mode produces reasonably detailed pictures, outstanding colors, looks good enough on a phone's screen, but breaks down on the big screen. This is not a bad macro camera if you want to experience it.

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If you are a fan of virtual life, the 16 MP selfie camera on the Mi 10i 5G is a great choice. The ability to smooth, brighten the skin is very good, images are sharp and full of details.

The Mi 10i 5G can also record 4K resolution video at 30 fps. However, the video quality can not be compared to the Mi 10. The recording ability of Mi 10i 5G is not very good.

Conclude

Xiaomi Mi 10i 5G was born with the mission of bringing 5G closer to users, while helping Xiaomi regain its position in the mid-range segment.

The new Xiaomi device is seen as a challenge to every competitor in the segment in terms of specifications and price. However, competitors like the OnePlus Nord 5G are still a great mid-range 5G smartphone in their own right.

Kareem Winters

Update 25 January 2021