Xiaomi Mi Note 10 128GB 108MP Penta Camera 6.47″ LTE Factory Unlocked Smartphone (International Version) (Midnight Black)
In the most interesting review of the year, Xiaomi's five-camera flagship mobile phone, Mi Note 10, competes and surpasses in smartphone performance even at double the cost!
Initially, Xiaomi became known for the low-cost mobile phones that it could offer in the (expensive) Greek market. Therefore, it was moving “under the radar” of its competitors aiming at the very high price category, that of 1000 € (and more). Starting with the Mi Note 10, Xiaomi is appearing with a different profile. The Chinese company is now a problem for the “big names” of mobile telephony, for a very simple reason: It offers a smartphone of equal quality and performance at half the cost.
The Xiaomi Mi Note 10 review that you are reading has gradually evolved into the most interesting test for 2019, as we discovered, one by one, the trump cards of Xiaomi’s flagship through testing. I have to admit it was a lot more than I imagined!
Design – construction quality
The unboxing of the Mi Note 10 immediately sends the message that a premium device is inside the box. Contact with the hardware of Xiaomi’s flagship smartphone, before it is even activated for the first time, confirms our primary impression. The metal construction of the Mi Note 10 is solid and makes it clear that no savings have been made – how this has been achieved, while the mobile phone costs half of the corresponding construction, is a case study that would be interesting to deal with at some point.
The mobile phone is one of the most advanced cameras you can find today on this type of device. The rear of the Mi Note 10 captivates the eye, as it is unique, thanks to the five cameras with advanced optical systems. The aesthetics are complemented by the coating with Corning Gorilla Glass 5.
The same goes for the front, which houses the 6.47 ″ screen. Its edges are curved (3D curvature) and the type is AMOLED – obviously made by Samsung. Its resolution is FHD +, 2340 x 1080, 398 PPI and its brightness can reach up to 600 nits, in high brightness mode, while typically up to 430 nits. The contrast is determined by Xiaomi in the ratio 400,000: 1, at least, while the DCI-P3 profile is covered. The Mi Note 10’s screen also supports HDR (HDR10) signals. At the top is the 32Mpixel selfie camera with a drop-shaped notch, while at the bottom, under the glass, there is a fingerprint sensor.
The five cameras of the main camera of the Xiaomi Mi Note 10. Also, there are dual-LED flash and soft light with dual LED. (photo: Electronicanto)
Charging and communication with a computer are done with a USB Type-C plug. On the plus side, Xiaomi’s flagship has a mini-jack connector for headphones.
The Mi Note 10 comes with a Turbo Charge 30W charger and includes a silicone case. In the device we had in our hands, the case was black, in the same color as the device, so that its aesthetics are not disturbed.
The Mi Note 10 of the test “runs” on the operating MIUI (v.11.09), built on Android 9, with 128GB of storage and 6GB of low-power RAM LPDDR4xx RAM. SoC is the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G with a top speed of 2.2 GHz.
Impressions of use
Without a doubt, the most important feature of the Mi Note 10 is the five-camera rear-facing camera, with the first 104MP sensor ever used in a smartphone. The selfie camera of the device, with a resolution of 32MP, is not insignificant. But what makes the Mi Note 10 a distinct and affordable mobile rival at double the cost is the overall experience it offers.
Xiaomi Mi Note 10: Autonomy
The connection of the supplied Turbo Charge 30W charger with the Mi Note 10 activates the homonymous feature. At 30 ′, the 5260 mAh battery is charged to about 70%, providing autonomy for more than a day. (photo: Electronicanto)
The Mi Note 10 is easy to use and, despite its large size, easily handles the city environment. The always-on feature of the screen serves as it instantly informs about the time and date, as well as the energy level of the battery. The latter seems to be indifferent to the constantly active screen (with the phone locked) and the autonomy it offers is two days. It is worth noting that we have tried mobile phones at almost double the cost, in which activating the always-on display is equivalent to reducing autonomy for about half a day.
Xiaomi’s Turbo Charge 30W charger charges the 5260mAh battery, which incorporates the Mi Note 10, by 70% in just 30 minutes, according to our tests, and 100% in about 1 hour and 20 minutes. The energy management by MIUI (v.11.09) is excellent. This means that, by charging the Mi Note 10 for just 15΄-20΄, the user can leave for his busy day in the morning and return at night with a fully functional phone, without having to drop his rhythms. for mobile phone recharging.
The screen of the Mi Note 10
The Xiaomi Mi Note 10’s screen is excellent under any circumstances.
The Mi Note 10’s AMOLED 6.47 display balances wonderfully between the demands of its user, every day and highly demanding. It is accurate when watching a video, relaxing during web surfing, fast in games, and captures the frame with sharpness before the photoshoot.
Its brightness is very high when the conditions require it and make the smartphone fully and easily usable on a sunny day, even in direct sunlight. The performance of the AMOLED panel that Xiaomi uses in the Mi Note 10 is excellent even in complete darkness.
Compared to other phones offered as “photographic”, the Mi Note 10 is superior in terms of display, as its screen is more user-friendly when reading text and prolonged use in general. We estimate that this comes from Xiaomi’s choice to design a complete smartphone, suitable for any use, rather than a dedicated mobile phone for photographic use, mainly.
The fingerprint sensor located under the glass, at the bottom of the screen, is instantaneous in response and with almost 100% success in instantly recognizing a registered fingerprint. It is worth mentioning the ability to lock and unlock individual apps, such as the photo gallery or Messenger, in addition to the central locking of the device.
Dense colors, high brightness, great contrast, accuracy, and friendliness are the hallmarks of the Mi Note 10. The sound that accompanies the image is loud, clear, monophonic, emitted by a speaker at the bottom of the frame. The sound of calls on the handset is loud and clear.
The main camera of the Mi Note 10
We now come to the main menu, the rear camera of the Mi Note 10.
The five cameras of the main camera of the Xiaomi Mi Note 10. Also, there are dual-LED flash and soft light with dual LED. (photo: Electronicanto)
At the heart of the photographic interest for the Mi Note 10 is the large Samsung ISOCELL BRIGHT HMX sensor, with a nominal resolution of 108MP, which Samsung has developed in collaboration with Xiaomi. He is flanked by two telephoto cameras. One has 12MP resolution and implements x2 zoom, while the second has 5MP resolution and implements x5 optical zoom. Also, there is a 20MP ultra-wide camera and a 2MP macro camera. The five-camera set up is supported with a dual-LED flash and a second pair of LEDs, which implement a soft light luminaire.
In short, the Xiaomi Mi Note 10’s main camera consists of the following five cameras:
Super-wide camera with 20MP sensor, 1/3 ″, with 117 πε field coverage, pixel size 1.12 μm, sensor, f / 2.2, with a 5-element lens and digital correction of the distortion. Equivalent focal length 13mm.
Normal camera with, with Samsung HMX sensor, 108MP, 1 / 1.33 ″, pixel 0.8 μm, f / 1.69, field coverage 82 °, 27MP resolution with Super Pixel 4-in-1, 1.4μm, OIS. Equivalent focal length 25mm. The resolution of the sensor images with the pixels independently (not 4-in-1) is 12,032 × 9,024.
x2 tele-camera, with 12 MP sensor, pixel 1.4 μm, ƒ / 2.0, 2x optical zoom. Equivalent focal length 50mm. The camera is recommended by Xiaomi for portraits. Equivalent focal length 13mm.
x5 tele-camera, and 5MP sensor, f / 2.0, OIS. Equivalent focal length 125mm.
Macro 2MP camera, with pixel 1.75μm, f / 2.4. Minimum focusing distance 1.5cm.
The selfie camera is 32MP, Super Pixel 4-in-1 1.6 μm, f / 2.0. Video 1080 / 30fps.
Video capture is 4K / 30fps, with super-slow 720 / 960fps.
Despite the very small focal length achieved by the super-wide-angle camera of the Mi Note 10, it does not deform even at the edges and does not vibrate. We can say that this ultra-wide camera gives the closest images to reality, not only for the Xiaomi smartphone but in general.
The normal 108MP camera of the Mi Note 10 that gives results that refer to professional cameras, rather than to a smartphone camera. Despite the 108MP resolution, the size of Samsung’s built-in HMX sensor is large and this catalyzes the high dynamic range of the sensor. The transition from one lens to another is smooth and only under difficult conditions can one suspect that they come from different cameras, with different lenses and sensors. The comparison here with (much) higher cost phones is in favor of the Note Mi 10, as its competitors show more pronounced differences in image texture.
Super-wide shot on a full-screen frame with Xiaomi Mi Note 10. Click on the image to see it in full size in a new window. (photo: Electronicanto)
The main camera with 4-in-1 Superpixel gives images that are distinguished for the performance of details and for the ability to capture scenes in very low light. This is achieved by overwriting multiple files at a raw level (Night mode 2.0). The application of this technique for the ultra-rectangular camera, through a firmware upgrade, is expected to increase its performance, but also the overall homogeneity of the five-camera set up.
The night images provided by the Xiaomi Mi Note 10’s Samsung HMX 108MP sensor are excellent for the type of device (1/13 sec, f / 1.69, 6.72mm, ISO2971). Click on the image to see it in full size, in a new window. (photo: Electronicanto)
The magnifications x2, x5, and x10 are fully usable and practically without alterations, for non-professional camera data – let alone mobile.
Wonderful are the images are given by the macro lens that allows even 15mm shots to be taken from the object. The sensor is relatively small in resolution, so it’s best not to use the x2 zoom on offer.
Should I buy the Mi Note 10? – Conclusion
And you’re asking; The Mi Note 10 is a special smartphone as it incorporates a camera with five cameras and the largest sensor resolution ever used in a smartphone. Its photographic performance is excellent and it competes directly with mobile phones at twice the cost.
However, despite this performance, if one considers the Note Mi 10 as a photographic mobile phone, one will be wronged. The credit to Xiaomi is not worth it because it offers a flagship camera phone, at a provocative price, but because it offers a lot more: A complete smartphone at a price-challenge.
If Xiaomi continues the same sales policy, I can argue, without any intention of an exaggeration, that the Mi Note 10 is the turning point, from which the smartphone market will change completely.
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