Many phone makers claim to deliver affordable phones which work like flagship phones, but the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro is the first handset we’ve found that pulls off this difficult trick. From the extraordinary screen to the extreme camera, generous RAM and processing power, and superb build quality, there’s half a dozen excellent reasons why this is our new hero phone. And that’s all the more impressive for its low price of just R5 500.
The massive, pin-sharp 6.67-inch AMOLED screen is a strong upgrade over all its competitors, and it’s running at a full 120 Hz refresh rate. Only the Samsung A32 screen offers something similar in this price range, although it’s smaller and tops out at 90 Hz refresh. The cameras have received a decent upgrade from the Redmi Note 9 Pro. The main shooter now tops out at a flagship-like 108 MP and combines 9 pixels into one (called pixel binning) to create a far more detailed and colour-balanced photo, but at manageable sizes. The results are stellar, surpassing every budget and midrange phone we’ve tested. Even the 8 MP wide angle and 5 MP macro, normally a weak point on budget phones, performed well above average.
Very few budget phones offer any kind of protective features, but the Redmi Note 10 Pro offers both IP53 waterproofing and toughened Gorilla Glass on the front. The satin finish on the back is a tactile delight offset against a matching high-gloss frame, and the stylish quad-camera set-up is one of the best arrangements we’ve ever seen on any phone. There’s also stereo speakers that get quite loud, and a headphone jack. Battery life was fantastic, running almost two full days. That’s something you won’t get on any actual flagship phone. And there’s a 35 watt fast charger in the box too.
In summary, you can’t go wrong with the Redmi Note 10 Pro. It tops our list of top value phones because you’re getting a handful of useful features not even available on some phones costing twice as much.
6.67” AMOLED screen @ 120 Hz, 6 GB RAM, 16 MP front / 108 MP + 8 MP wide + 5 MP macro + 2 MP depth rear cameras, 128 GB storage, IP53 splashproof, 5 020 mAh battery, Android 11, R5 500
