Xiaomi Mi 10T Review - A top of the range… entry level
This year Xiaomi has really given us inside with the release of new smartphones, often different from each other only for some minimal technical specifications while other times instead it is the same models of the brand that compete at home, because the differences with the previous models , still completely in vogue, go for a handful of euros. One of the latest models arrived on the market concludes the generation number 10 of Xiaomi smartphone, or the Mi 10T, accompanied by a Pro model and a Lite variant and the one that is in the middle has been snubbed by many reviewers.
We will therefore take care of talking to you about Xiaomi Mi 10T in this complete review, discovering its characteristics and above all understanding if it is worth the purchase, for a device that on balance is a top of the range.
The sales package already makes us understand that we will be faced with a rather impressive smartphone, but the dimensions of the box are too exaggerated, as if to give a slap to what Apple has reserved for us with its iPhones 12. In any case, the inside we will find:
- Xiaomi Mi 10T;
- soft transparent TPU cover with XIAOMI logo on the back;
- USB / USB Type-C cable;
- multilingual manuals and warranty including the Italian one;
- wall power supply with European socket and max output 11V / 3A - 33W;
- pin for removing the SIM slot;
- Type-C / 3,5mm jack adapter for wired earphones.
SAR values: Head 0,574 W / kg, Body: 0,996 W / kg (5mm distance).
As mentioned, Xiaomi Mi 10T certainly does not enjoy good ergonomics, sometimes even being uncomfortable to hold. This is not so much due to the generous dimensions, open at 165,1 x 76,4 x 9,33 mm and not so much at the 218 grams of weight, but rather to the fact that this is unbalanced towards the upper part of the terminal, making it look even heavier than reality. The curved edges that run through the entire frame help slightly in the undertaking of using the Mi 10T with a single hand but you will certainly have to resort to the supplied protective cover, which in turn also eliminates the step that is created between the body and protrusion of the photographic module, thus allowing you to use the smartphone on flat surfaces without the annoying shaky movements.
In some ways a shame, because the cover will cover the splendid opaque effect returned by the rear body of Mi 10T, made of Corning Gorilla Glass 5, which enjoys an excellent oleophobic treatment which therefore resists fingerprints and dirt in general as well as than being Splash Proof. Apart from the photographic compartment on the rear we do not find other disturbing elements since the fingerprint sensor has been inserted inside the power button, placed on the right profile together with the volume rocker.
The beauty of the profiles made of shiny metal can be appreciated above all by looking at the left side of the smartphone which is completely smooth, while the upper and lower profile are slightly “cut”, thus breaking the rounded line of the side frame. Right at the top we find the secondary microphone for noise suppression, the IR transmitter and a small slot that will convey the stereo sound emitted by the ear capsule, in combo with the speaker that we find on the lower frame, where the main microphone is also located. 'Type-C charging input with OTG support (no video output) and finally the SIM tray, which houses 2 SIMs in nano format but without the possibility of inserting micro SD.
The introduction of the biometric sensor on the side, below the power button, was a really good choice by Xiaomi for its Mi 10T, giving not only a premium look to the phone but above all this type of sensor, more traditional compared to an in-display, it always remains reliable and fast. In addition, the engineers who developed the design of Xiaomi Mi 10T have just guessed the position, which matches perfectly with the position of the thumb of the right hand or with the index of the left hand. And whether it is unlocked with the right or left hand, the fingerprint sensor has always guaranteed excellent reactivity and very high efficiency, recognizing our finger in 100% of cases.
However, it is possible to entrust the unlocking of Xiaomi Mi 10T also to the face recognition function, which has also always been accurate, fast and reliable, even in conditions of decidedly poor if not absent ambient light.
Before introducing anything else, let's also talk directly about audio, because as mentioned poco first, Xiaomi Mi 10T offers stereo sound thanks to the combination of the audio transmitted by the lower speaker and ear capsule. One of the best stereo effects that I have been able to appreciate on a smartphone, also considering a good wealth of personality thanks to the low tones and an excellent balance of the sound spectrum in general. Strangely, the audio does not seem to satisfy our interlocutor during the call, if we use the speakerphone, thus forcing us to opt for the traditional call with ear capsule, which is very small and therefore in certain situations it may not coincide well with our ear. and therefore consequently create problems with the proximity sensor, which does not always work in the correct way.
Too bad because even on call you could appreciate the stereo sound as for music and video in general. The small dimensions of the capsule are partly justified by the fact that the upper frame of the display is very contained, still hosting the sensors (proximity and brightness) as well as a small LED for monochrome notifications, which will therefore compensate for the absence of the Always on Display function. In fact, there has been much discussion that Xiaomi for its Mi 10T, a top of the range, has opted for the adoption of an IPS and non-AMOLED LCD panel, which is distinguished by a punch hole in which the selfie camera is drowned, positioned in the upper left.
But what may seem like a defect, it is not, indeed this 6,67-inch diagonal screen in Full HD + resolution (1.080 x 2.400 pixels), form factor in 20: 9, was even better than the AMOLED panel for example of the Xiaomi Mi Note 10. Excellent visibility under direct sunlight, thanks to a brightness of 500 nits (peak of 650 nits), but above all what satisfies is the color rendering, super defined and faithful, with support also for HDR10 content , TÜV Rheinland certified, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 e 144Hz refresh rate.
There is no shortage of software features that further improve the visual experience such as reading mode, night mode and the ability to calibrate both temperature and white point of the display based on our personal taste as well as a specific Sunlight Display 3.0 function that improves further the already excellent visibility under direct sunlight. But it is precisely the high value of the refresh rate that contributes to a fluidity of the contents displayed on a truly impressive screen which is accompanied by an excellent touch, making the entire browsing experience on the panel truly excellent. We can of course use both the virtual keys and the comfortable gestures and possibly set the refresh rate value manually both on the classic 60 Hz and on 90 Hz, thus saving on energy consumption.
So even if it is not an AMOLED unit, the display of Xiaomi Mi 10T is in my opinion really satisfying from the qualitative point of the contents displayed. Too bad, despite the Widevine L1 DRM support on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, support is still lacking while on Netflix and Disney + we could enjoy the highest quality in high definition.
One might think that such a high refresh rate negatively affects battery life, which on Xiaomi Mi 10T is expressed with a capacity of 5000 mAh. Yet, although I have always used the device with a value of 144 Hz, I have always managed to take home a typical stressful day, always with use in 4G, therefore not having to worry about running out of energy. It is true that there is no wireless charging but we have the support for fast charging from 33W which completely recharges the smartphone in less than 2 hours, but thanks to the MMT (Middle Middle Tab) technology, that is, the charging takes place starting from the center of the battery and then expands , we will be able to get 25% recharge in just 50 minutes.
Xiaomi Mi 10T is a real top of the range and its maximum expression is found in the hardware used. In fact, under the hood we have the performing Qualcomm Snapdragon 86 processor, octacore solution with maximum clock at 2.84 Ghz which is flanked by the Adreno 650 GPU, assisted by 6 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 128 GB of internal memory UFS 3.1 as well as LiquidCool technology that allows not to overheat the device in the most stressful phases of use.
Needless to say, Xiaomi Mi 10T as regards the use of applications in everyday life runs wonderfully, even with considerable apps open in the background, but even during the most extreme gaming we can benefit from a user experience perfectly in line with expectations, exploiting graphic details at the highest quality with more demanding titles such as Call of Duty Mobile, Asphalt 9 etc ..
Too bad that the MIUI 12 interface based on Android 10 and September 2020 security patches gets in the way of the party. The problem arises first of all due to the presence of the advertising that Xiaomi still integrates on its terminals and that I cannot justify on a top of the range, but above all for the small bugs that occasionally come out and which at times have also led to an automatic restart of the terminal. Nothing that cannot be solved with a future OTA update, but precisely due to the fact that we are in the presence of a top of the range, this is unacceptable, also because we could find ourselves in the condition that time passes before Xiaomi Mi 10 T becomes perfect , a time that has already made the terminal old, considering the speed at which the technology runs.
And if you are wondering, MIUI 12 on Xiaomi Mi 10T in some ways is close to Android Stock, as for the dialer which therefore does not allow the recording of calls or the messages app. For the rest, I don't dwell on MIUI 12 too much because we know it so well that the time has already come to talk about the new generation. However, all the functions we are used to are not lacking, such as the Second Space, the cloning of apps and the Game Turbo as well as themes and lots of customizations also related to privacy.
Xiaomi Mi 10T offers the latest 5G connectivity technology (NSA only), on which I cannot express myself a little because where I live I am not reached by this frequency but above all because my operator still does not offer this service. However, I can say that I was disappointed with the 4G + connection in general, in fact I often found myself with a poor signal and therefore a really embarrassing internet browsing. Even during the use of the hotspot function, the connection often fell and the problem was not related to the SIM, as the same then inserted on other terminals worked perfectly.
The rest of the connectivity is instead promoted, relying on a Bluetooth 5.1, WiFi 6, GPS with connection of Galileo satellites and above all NFC sensor for mobile payments with full support for Google Pay.
We have already noticed how on the back of Xiaomi Mi 10T there is an impressive photographic module that consists of a 64 MP primary sensor to which are added two 13 MP wide-angle lenses with FOV of 123 ° and 5 MP for use of macros. The photographic interface is the same that we have already appreciated on other models, making it easy and complete, enriching itself with particular functions such as that of cloning the subject for truly unique photos and videos.
The quality during the day is really satisfactory, with a good white and color balance, also taking advantage of the automatic HDR and possibly the AI function. Good detail rendering and general quality also appreciable for the wide-angle camera, although this maintains less faith in the naturalness of the original colors. The blur of the portraits is good but definitely improved and overall the shots are noteworthy, but nothing exciting, definitely subdued if we think that shooting is a top of the range. In fact, at night it seems that the painstaking work done in recent years by the developers has been lost along the way, obtaining photos with digital noise even using the Night Mode or specific functions for zero lighting.
Same considerations for the 20 MP selfie camera sensor, indeed perhaps slightly worse, obtaining excellent shots for social media but nothing more. We find in optimal light conditions, a decent quality that gets lost in the evening. However, you can also use the night mode for this room, which in some situations may not excel, but at least manages to save you the final shot.
Xiaomi Mi 10T also allows you to record videos in 8K at 30fps, but this possibility is perhaps more marketing than useful, while for everyday life we have the possibility of capturing videos in both 4K and 1080p at 60fps, albeit in these conditions yes it feels very much the absence of stabilization, which instead comes into play at 4K and 1080p resolutions at 30fps, but we specify that this is of the digital EIS type. The automatic focus, fast and cinematic type, is appreciable, but only in 1080p 30fps mode, with the help of the Utra Video Stable function, we can obtain a showy quality, which on the whole was good as well as excellent is the audio captured by microphones. Maybe I repeat myself, in general we have poco to complain, but from a top of the range I would have expected more especially because the competitors are able to do better even in the mid-range of the market.
PROJECTED IMPACT
Xiaomi Mi 10T is available on Amazon with Prime shipping at the list price of 499 euros but with a super offer from a seller we can go down to 419 euros using the discount coupon. A truly stunning price for a top of the range in consideration of the hardware offered, but what is told in this review maybe will make you desist from buying and honestly I have stopped trusting any updates that could improve the situation.
The fact that no one has talked about this terminal reminds me of the Mi Mix 3 5G, practically left to itself. Objectively we are in a period in which mid-range processors are able to keep up with the high-end ones, still allowing you to carry out every situation with speed, reliability as well as counting on a good camera, excellent autonomy and good display. The choice is therefore completely personal, whether or not to buy this Xiaomi Mi 10T, but perhaps the advice is to wait for a further drop in price as well as the software developments to come. Considering the drop in price that Xiaomi Mi 10 is undergoing, I would personally redirect my purchase towards him.
Xiaomi Mi 10T historical prices
Price history for Xiaomi Mi 10T - Smartphone 6 + 128GB, 6,67 "Full HD + display, Snapdragon 865, 64MP AI ...
Statistics
| Current price | 399,99€ | April 16 2024 |
| Highest price | 503,99€ | January 3 2024 |
| Lowest price | 181,99€ | October 18, 2023 |
Last price change
| 399,99€ | March 20 2024 |
| 399,83€ | March 20 2024 |
| 399,99€ | March 20 2024 |
| 399,83€ | March 20 2024 |
| 399,99€ | March 20 2024 |
Better xiaomi mi 10t pro or oneplus 8 t? Thanks