Xiaomi was the first manufacturer to launch a phone that could capture images with 108 megapixels. It released this feature in the Xiaomi Mi Note 10, then in the Mi 10 Pro, and then in the phone in this review, Mi 10T Pro. Moreover, it continues to bet on it in a new economic mid-range model, the Mi 10i.
This option differentiates the camera since very few phones on the market include it. What is such a high resolution useful for? More megapixels do not mean better photos since more factors influence the final result. What it does provide is a higher level of detail and, therefore, the possibility of printing the picture in a much larger size without losing quality, as well as being able to divide the image with some interesting detail into other images with sufficient resolution.
cameras
The rear camera is integrated into a rectangular module with rounded corners on the left side (which protrudes quite a bit), although without reaching the excessive volume of the Galaxy Note Ultra. The 108-megapixel sensor is the one on top, the largest, and has an IOS image stabilizer and digital zoom of up to 30x. It is complemented by a 13-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, a 5-megapixel macro lens, an LED flash, and an RGB screen sensor. The 20-megapixel front camera more than meets the eye in good light.
With the primary lens, it takes excellent photos both outdoors and indoors, with a high level of detail and realistic colors. The zoom up to 10x goes well; beyond that, it looks increasingly blurry until you reach 30x. With the wide angle, you gain a viewing angle, but details are lost, and it is solved well with software; the photos are more than decent. In night mode, it takes good pictures with the scene lit and works well in less favorable light conditions. In dark environments, it takes the photo forward by the minimum. The macro lens works up to 2 cm away and captures very well what is not visible to the naked eye, such as the tiny hairs of a strawberry.
Many functions accompany this set of lenses. The camera allows you to select HDR, take selfies with a bokeh effect, scan documents, select color filters, and default light effects or aesthetic touches, choose 3:4, 9:16, and Full format, and access Google Lens. When selecting the zoom greater than 2x, a vertical sliding bar and the specific numbers (5x, 10x, and 30x) are displayed simultaneously, making finding the desired magnification a straightforward and comfortable task. The macro mode is not accessible from the More section. Still, it is activated from the three stripes icon located at the top left of the screen (with the phone in a horizontal position), and it becomes a bit strange to go to macro photography.
The video gives the option to record in 8K (up to 6 minutes), short pieces, and Vlog mode (you select default camera movements). I like two functions that increase creative options and give different results (and if you want fun): one makes it possible to record video with the Front and rear cameras at the same time (it’s called Front and rear), and you see everything on the screen; the other, called Clone, does just that, making copies of people in a photo or video.
Performance and battery
It is widespread to see mid-range phones with some high-end features, as in this case: the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor is one of them (it is below the 865+). Also, the 5,000 mAh battery, although this capacity is already so prevalent in the mid-range that it is sometimes forgotten that even some of the flagship phones are below it.
Capacity is not everything when it comes to phone consumption. This model manages energy well due to its intelligent adaptation to the refresh rate and according to the tests carried out to write this review. The device has exceeded two days by watching video four hours a day and punctually surfing the web and taking photos, with the brightness at a medium level. However, you can see this in the middle; on this phone, the screen lighting falls short (mainly outdoors). In continuous YouTube video playback at maximum brightness, autonomy has reached ten and a half hours.
With 8 GB of RAM and that processor, this phone can handle anything you throw. In fast charging, it stands out: it charges the battery to 50 percent in 30 minutes and to 100 percent in an hour, which is perfect, without being one of the best times currently (Oppo’s SuperVOOC technology, for example, fills it in 20 minutes).
Design and display
It will not cost you much to guess what the back of the Mi 10T Pro looks like if you are up to date on mobile telephony: like most phones on the market, it is shiny and has a mirror effect. It follows the same aesthetic as many others on the market, and it does not surprise me with something different. This finish looks elegant, but it is tarnished by how many fingerprints adhere to that black satin surface, according to Xiaomi. In reality, it seems more like a very dark gray. It is also very slippery, quickly solved with the included plastic cover, half transparent, half translucent, and with large Xiaomi letters on the side. This supplement has “silver ion technology for an antibacterial effect,” explains Xiaomi.
The phone does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack. It brings the fingerprint reader on the side that is as practical (especially if you are right-handed or left-handed, you have to configure it with your index finger) as fast. With dimensions of 165.1 x 76.4 x 9.33 mm, the Mi 10T Pro is a large phone and feels a bit heavy (218 grams) without being a problem. Reinforced with Gorilla Glass on the Front and the back, it feels robust and resistant.