Xiaomi Mi 10T series: All you need to know about the budget flagships
The Xiaomi Mi 10T series is a great option for those looking for affordable flagships. Unlike the Mi 9T lineup from last year that consisted of rehashed Redmi phones, the Mi 10T phones are more premium and in line with existing Mi 10 devices. All three of them bring 5G connectivity and premium hardware, albeit at more affordable prices than Xiaomi’s Mi 10 phones.
That said, the phones do make some compromises to achieve that lower price point. They also bring some nifty new features to the table that you won’t find on the Mi 10 phones. Here’s everything you need to know about the Xiaomi Mi 10T series.
See also: These are the best Xiaomi phones you can buy
Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro, Mi 10T, and Mi 10T Lite: At a glance
The new affordable high-end flagship series from Xiaomi, which was announced on September 30, consists of the Mi 10T Lite, the standard Mi 10T, and the Mi 10T Pro. As expected, the Lite model is the most affordable, while the Pro model nets the highest configuration amongst the three. Overall, the trio is designed to offer premium flagship specs at prices that don’t burn a hole in your pocket.
The Xiaomi Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chip, and the Mi 10T Lite slots in as the first phone with the Snapdragon 750G SoC. They all offer high refresh rate screens (up to 144Hz), large batteries, and the latest MIUI 12 software. Read on for a detailed specs overview.
See also: Everything you need to know about MIUI 12
Are the Xiaomi Mi 10T phones worth buying?
The Xiaomi Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro join a crowded field of affordable Snapdragon 865 flagships. However, the Xiaomi devices do more than enough to stand out from the crowd. They come with the highest display refresh rate of the lot, the Mi 10T Pro has the highest resolution main camera, and both are priced the same or are cheaper than the competition.
There are compromises along the way. You miss out on premium features like wireless charging, and Xiaomi opts for an LCD screen over OLED. You also won’t get a telephoto lens with the 10T devices, which some phones in this price range offer.
The Mi 10T Lite, on the other hand, takes on the competition in the upper mid-range category. Xiaomi’s penchant for aggressive pricing shines through here as well, with the phone undercutting many rival devices in this range.
Unfortunately, availability is an issue, since the Xiaomi devices aren’t officially available in the US. If you can get your hands on it though, in markets across Europe and Asia, the Xiaomi Mi 10T phones are definitely worth considering.
What the experts are saying about the Xiaomi Mi 10T series
Our own Ryan Thomas-Shaw reviewed the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro and was impressed with its speed and fluidity. He found the phone to be a tad too large and heavy, and said that the design was quite common in 2020. The 144Hz refresh rate is a huge selling point, making for a super responsive and smooth experience. He also had no complaints about the performance and battery life.
More importantly, the phone offers a lot of bang for your buck. Xiaomi foregoes flagship features like wireless charging and water resistance, but makes up for it with the display refresh rate, 108MP primary shooter, and the high-end processing package. He says that it is great to have a solid, relatively affordable option in a year in which the prices of true flagships continue to skyrocket.
Since Android Authority hasn’t done a review of the Mi 10T Lite, we turn to Tech Radar’s Andrew Williams for his take on the phone. He appreciates the fact that this phone offers affordable access to 5G and that the phone feels far more premium than its price point would suggest. It’s not perfect, though. He says that the camera feels sluggish at times, and it doesn’t offer the best gaming performance in its price range.
Xiaomi Mi 10T series: Specs
Check out the table below for a quick spec comparison of all the Mi 10T series phones.
| Specs | Xiaomi Mi 10T | Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro | Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.67-inch 144Hz Refresh rate 20:9 aspect ratio 2400x1080 resolution HDR 10 |
6.67-inch 144Hz Refresh rate 20:9 aspect ratio 2400x1080 resolution HDR 10 |
6.67-inch 120Hz Refresh rate 20:9 aspect ratio 2400x1080 resolution HDR 10 |
| Body | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Aluminum alloy frame |
Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Aluminum alloy frame |
Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 165.1mm x 76.4mm x 9.33mm 216g |
165.1mm x 76.4mm x 9.33mm 218g |
165.3mm x 76.8mm x 9.0mm 214.5g |
| Performance | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G |
| Rear camera | 64MP main f/1.89 13MP ultra-wide f/2.4 5MP macro f/2.4 |
108MP main f/1.69 13MP ultra-wide f/2.4 5MP macro f/2.4 |
64MP main f/1.89 8MP ultra-wide f/2.2 2MP macro f/2.4 2MP depth f/2.4 |
| Front camera | 20MP f/2.2 | 20MP f/2.2 | 16MP f/2.45 |
| Connectivity | 5G MultiLink Wi-Fi 6 Dual SIM NFC IR blaster |
5G MultiLink Wi-Fi 6 Dual SIM NFC IR blaster |
5G MultiLink Dual SIM NFC IR blaster |
| Security | Side-mounted fingerprint sensor AI Face Unlock |
Side-mounted fingerprint sensor AI Face Unlock |
Side-mounted fingerprint sensor AI Face Unlock |
| Battery | 5,000mAh 33W wired fast charging 33W in-box charger |
5,000mAh 33W wired fast charging 33W in-box charger |
4,820mAh 33W wired fast charging 33W in-box charger |
| RAM and storage variants |
6GB+128GB 8GB+128GB |
8GB+128GB 8GB+256GB |
6GB + 64GB 6GB + 128GB |
| Colors | Cosmic Black Lunar Silver |
Cosmic Black Lunar Silver Aurora Blue |
Atlantic Blue Pearl Gray Rose Gold Beach |
How good are the Xiaomi Mi 10T cameras?
One of the biggest draws of the Mi 10T Pro is its 108MP triple camera setup. The large sensor uses pixel-binning to deliver shots comparable to a 27MP 1.6-micron pixel camera. You can also snap 33MP photos while recording 8K videos on the phone. Other sensors in the Mi 10T Pro’s rear camera array include a 13MP ultra-wide camera and a 5MP macro camera. For selfies, the phone uses a 20MP camera.
Ryan found the camera to be above average in his review. He says that the images it takes are sharp, balanced, and color accurate. It struggles in darker conditions though, and the software-based noise removal can be too aggressive.
The Mi 10T substitutes the 108MP sensor for a 64MP primary camera that results in 16MP pixel-binned shots. The rest of its camera configuration remains the same as the Pro model.
Also read: The best Android camera phones you can get
The Mi 10T Lite gets a set of four rear cameras — a 64MP main sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, a 2MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front is a 16MP shooter for clicking selfies.
You won’t get a telephoto sensor on any of the Mi 10T series phones, so if you want optical or digital zoom capabilities in a Xiaomi flagship, your options are limited to the pricier Mi 10 Pro and Mi 10 Ultra.
Will you get good battery life with the Xiaomi Mi 10T series?
None of the Mi 10T series phones borrow 120W charging from their predecessor. However, they amp up battery capacity up to 5,000mAh, which is the highest of any Mi 10 phone on the market.
In his review, Ryan found the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro’s battery life to be good. Mileage varies based on what the display refresh rate is set to, though. The good news is that even with it set to 144Hz, he was able to comfortably get a full day’s use out of the phone with everyday usage. On lighter days, with around two hours of screen-on time, he would still have as much as 70% of battery left at the end of the day.
The included 33W charger lets you charge the phone completely in around 50 minutes. It’s not the fastest charging we’ve seen, but it’s quick enough to be very convenient.
The Xiaomi Mi 10T comes with an identical setup, so we can expect the battery life to be similar. The Mi 10T Lite has a slightly smaller 4,820mAh unit, but also a lower 120Hz display refresh rate. Overall, battery life shouldn’t be a concern with any of the Mi 10T devices.
How is the performance of the Xiaomi Mi 10T series?
Under the hood, the Snapdragon 865 does all the work on the Mi 10T and the Mi 10T Pro with support for 5G connectivity and 8K video recording out of the box. The chipset is paired with UFS 3.1 storage and LPDDR5 RAM. It might not be the latest and greatest processor around, but it’s plenty fast, and performance isn’t an issue with these phones.
The Mi 10 Lite is equipped with the Snapdragon 750G which is a Qualcomm chipset that lowers the entry barrier for 5G
The base RAM on the Mi 10T Pro is 8GB, paired with 128GB and 256GB internal storage options. The vanilla Mi 10T gives you an option to start with 6GB RAM going up to 8GB. However, it only offers 128GB of storage.
The Mi 10 Lite is equipped with the Snapdragon 750G which is a Qualcomm chipset that lowers the entry barrier for 5G. The SoC stacks just under the Snapdragon 765 series which powers phones like the OnePlus Nord, Redmi K30, LG Wing, and others.
Xiaomi Mi 10T series software
Xiaomi missed an opportunity to ship its phones with the latest version of Android, with the Mi 10T series coming with MIUI 12 based on Android 10. MIUI 12 is a different take on Android, and like similar options, it includes quite a few features intended to enhance the user experience.
Key features include Game Turbo, which lets you optimize performance for gaming. Mi Remote allows you to control media devices using the phone’s IR blaster. You also get a built-in screen recorder, QR code scanner, and a slew of other pre-installed apps.
It’s not too bloated though, and the high refresh rate and optimizations make for a smooth and responsive software experience.
Continue reading: Everything you need to know about MIUI 12
Xiaomi was among the OEMs to release a beta version of the Android 11 soon after it was announced. The Mi 10T range was also upgraded to a stable version of Android 11 in February 2021.
Xiaomi Mi 10T series price and availability
The Mi 10T series launched in Europe, starting with the Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro, on October 1. Availability for the Mi 10T Lite started on October 13. Xiaomi also launched the phone in other markets it operates in, like India.
Europe
In European countries, the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro starts €450 (~$528) for the 128GB storage variant and €506 (~$594) for the 256GB model.
Meanwhile, the Mi 10T with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage is priced at €374 (~$439). It costs €493 (~$579) for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant.
The Mi 10T Lite is the cheapest of the lot and starts at €273 (~$320) for the 6GB/64GB model and €279 (~$325) for the 6GB/128GB model.
United Kingdom
In the UK, the Mi 10T Pro will set you back £559 for the 8GB/256GB configuration (there won’t be a 128GB option). There are two color options to choose from, Cosmic Black and Aurora Blue.
For the vanilla Mi 10T, there is also only one configuration: 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It costs £379. The two color choices on hand for this model are Cosmic Black and Lunar Silver.
Finally, the Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite’s two storage variants are priced at £189 and £299. There are three colorways: Atlantic Blue, Pearl Gray, and Rose Gold Beach.
India
The Xiaomi Mi 10T is priced at 32,999 rupees for the 6GB RAM option, and the price goes up to 34,999 rupees with 8GB of RAM.
Only one version of the Mi 10T Pro is available in the country, with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. This will set you back 37,999 rupees. The Mi 10T Lite is unlikely to launch in India, given Redmi and Pocophones’ availabilities.
Xiaomi Mi 10T series competition and alternatives
If you look at the competition, the Xiaomi Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro are cheaper than premium flagship phones from Samsung and even Xiaomi’s own Mi 10 series. They aim to target buyers who can’t afford to pay $1,000 to purchase a smartphone with top-shelf specs.
Mi 10T and 10T Pro alternatives
The Realme X50 Pro is a decent alternative to the Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro. It’s currently selling for $369, which is cheaper than the base Mi 10T. The Realme flagship also features the Snapdragon 865 chip but offers an OLED screen with an under-display fingerprint scanner. Its refresh rate is capped at 90Hz, but that should be enough for a smooth scrolling experience or even for mobile games. You also get six cameras on this thing, including two for clicking selfies.
Also read: The best Snapdragon 865 phones you can buy right now
Another good alternative for the Snapdragon 865 toting Mi 10T phones could be an Asus Zenfone 7 series device. The phones come with Asus’ signature flippy camera setup, a 90Hz OLED display, and a choice of upgrading to the Snapdragon 865 Plus chip (with the ZenFone 7 Pro). The only thing is, you’ll have to pay up a bit more to get a Zenfone 7 or Zenfone 7 Pro. The series starts at $615.
If you’re looking for something as cheap as the Mi 10T, you could also consider the Poco F2 Pro. It brings the Snapdragon 865 at €439 (~$515) and marries it with a large 4,700mAh battery and a 64MP quad-camera setup. It even features a headphone jack that is missing from the Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro. However, it lacks a high refresh rate screen.
You can also consider the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G. It gets a Snapdragon 865 chip, 120Hz refresh rate, and a triple camera setup starting at $699.
Finally, there is also the OnePlus 8T. We had a difficult time selecting one over the other when we put the two phones against each other. Both have flashy features and offer plenty of bang for your buck.
Mi 10T Lite alternatives
When it comes to alternatives for the Mi 10T Lite, the device is very competitively priced under €300 (~$350). It goes up against the likes of the Moto G 5G and Poco F3 in Europe and Mi 10i in India, which also offer 5G at a low entry point. The Samsung Galaxy A42 is also a decent alternative, albeit slightly more expensive. That said, if you’re willing to shell out some more dough, there are some pretty good phones you can buy.
You could consider getting the OnePlus Nord instead of the Mi 10T Lite. The phone costs €399 (~$465) and packs a Snapdragon 765G chip, 90Hz display, four rear cameras, and two front cameras. You also get the Oxygen OS experience that some people may prefer over MIUI.
Then there’s also the Mi 10 Lite in the ecosystem. The Snapdragon 765G phone is currently available at an attractive price of €299 (~$350) and packs an under-screen fingerprint sensor as well as four rear cameras headed by a 48MP sensor.
Top Xiaomi Mi 10T series questions and answers
Q. Does the Xiaomi Mi 10T series come with a headphone jack?
A: Only the Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite gets a 3.5mm headphone jack in the series. The Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro don’t sport the audio port and you’ll have to make do with USB-C.
Q. Do the phones support wireless and reverse wireless charging?
A: No, none of the Mi 10T phones support wireless or reverse wireless charging. However, they do offer 33W wired fast charging with a 33W charger in the box.
Q. Do the Mi 10T phones feature dual SIM support?
A: Yes, both the Mi 10T and Mi 10T Pro support Dual SIM connectivity. They also feature dual 4G standby which means as long as two 4G SIMs are on standby in the phone, they can both remain active to make and receive calls. The Mi 10T Lite, however, only gets a single SIM slot.
Q. Are the Mi 10T phones water-resistant?
A: Unfortunately, the Mi 10T series devices are not water-resistant and don’t carry an IP rating.
Q. Do the phones feature NFC?
A: Yes, all the three Mi 10T series phones support NFC.
Q. Is there an IR blaster on the Mi 10T series phones?
A: Yes, all the Mi 10T phones come with an IR blaster, so you can use them as remote controls for your home appliances using the Mi Remote app.
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