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Xiaomi Redmi 10 vs. Redmi Note 10: What's the difference, really?

By Liu Hongzuo - 17 Oct 2021

Xiaomi Redmi 10 vs. Redmi Note 10: What’s the difference, really?

Note: This feature was first published on 29 September 2021.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10.

Xiaomi is known for its wide selection of entry-level and mid-range phones, which can get pretty confusing at times especially if you don't follow the updates they dish out.

For example, a Xiaomi shopper might come across several Redmi variants, with this year’s models stemming from its recently launched Redmi 10 and earlier released Redmi Note 10 series. It doesn’t help that they’re all priced quite similarly too, unlike Xiaomi’s clearer Mi series flagship devices (now with a simplified branding, starting from the Xiaomi 11T series).

 

Xiaomi Redmi phones are all the same, right?

Yes and no. 

Yes, Xiaomi’s Redmi phones generally prioritise aggressive price points while fulfilling the basics, making them ideal daily driver phones for casual phone owners. 

No, in that different Redmi phones in the same generation can have vastly different hardware in terms of quality and modernity, despite sitting in the same price range. The Redmi 10 and Redmi Note 10 are really good examples of Xiaomi’s micro-differentiation.

Xiaomi Redmi 10.

Despite having similar names, Redmi 10 and Redmi Note 10 were also launched five months apart. They also have several hardware differences despite having very similar starting prices. We’ve summarised its key differences below for you. 

Xiaomi Redmi 10 vs. Redmi Note 10: What S$20 difference nets you
Feature Xiaomi Redmi 10 Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Difference(s)
Display LCD
(1080p at 90Hz)
Super AMOLED (1080p at 90Hz) Colour vibrancy and brightness, with Super AMOLED being brighter and more vibrant.
Storage type eMMC storage UFS 2.2 UFS is newer, and faster than eMMC.
Primary rear camera 50MP 48MP Higher megapixel count generally results in higher resolution images. But, more pixels in every inch don’t necessarily equate to better image quality.
Video recording Up to 1080p, 30FPS Up to 4K, 30FPS Higher video resolution recording on the latter.
Charging speed (max) 18W, wired 33W, wired Faster charging speeds offer shorter charging times, safety and battery sizes notwithstanding (both are 5,000mAh)
Chipset type MediaTek Helio G88 chipset, 12nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 678, 11nm Different chipset grades offer different tiers of performance. Here’s a good performance comparison for reference.
Official prices S$229 (4+64GB)

S$249 (6+128GB)
S$249 (4+64GB)

S$269 (6+128GB)
S$20 price difference

We put this table together because we believe in getting the most out of your purchases. Perhaps the S$20 might mean more to certain users, but it’s always good practice to be fully aware of what your money is really paying for - especially for phones with similar-sounding names and priced similarly too.

In our books, the choice is clear - the earlier launched Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 is easily the better device, not only in features but also in performance thanks to the Snapdragon processor. You can get it on Xiaomi Global flagship store on Lazada. Yes, that's right, there's a non-global Xiaomi flagship Lazada store too but it's out of stock. But fret not as both are official Lazada stores that will service the needs of Singapore and have the same warranty terms too.

 

What are my other options?

If you're really on a budget, perhaps the Redmi 10 and its S$20 savings might be a consideration that you can get it here. However, while you're at it, perhaps you can also consider other options in the market.

If you’re looking for sub-S$300 Android phones, there are (surprisingly) not as many alternatives in Singapore as we expected. These options aren’t necessarily better or cheaper than Xiaomi’s latest Redmi phones, but they fit within the S$300 budget.

Xiaomi’s sub-brand, Poco, has the Poco M3 Pro 5G at S$299 (4+64GB). It’s pricier than Redmi 10 and Redmi Note 10, but the phone offers 5G support and a better chipset (tier-wise). Also, unlike the Redmi phones, it has NFC.

Samsung has a Galaxy A12 - a 4G/LTE phone launched in 2021 with an LCD display and no NFC. But, it’s only S$228 (Lazada) - which offers even greater savings if you’re willing to give up features for better prices.

Realme has the Realme C21 (S$199) and Realme C25s (S$229), which are pretty competitive too. The latter has a huge 6,000mAh battery for power-hungry folks.

Vivo has the Y20s (S$299) and Y21 (S$229), with super entry-level specs to match. However, note that their displays are only 720p, even though they pack fast-charging and multiple camera types.

If you come across any other Android phones under S$300 that's worth a mention, do let us know as well.

Happy shopping!

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