With the Redmi Note 10 Pro (global, Note 10 Pro Max in India), Xiaomi selects functions from its flagships and offers them in the middle segment. The latest Redmi device has a 108 megapixel camera, a Super AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz, and a design that could put some flagships in the shade. “They have to charge a fortune for that,” one would say, but that is not the case. Surprisingly, the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max starts at INR 19,000 / $ 279 (worldwide). I’ve been using it for three days and here is my hands-on preview of Redmi Note 10 Pro Max.
The Redmi Note 10 Pro Max has a glass back with curved sides. Xiaomi calls it the “Evol” design. It is available in three color options: Dark Night, Vintage Bronze, and Glacial Blue. We received the first two colors. The black is glossy and attracts fingerprints that can be easily wiped off. On the other hand, the vintage bronze color is unique and looks beautiful.
The feeling in the hand is flagship
It’s comfortable to hold and use with one hand, even though the screen is north of 6.5 inches. It’s a big phone, but it doesn’t feel like a rock in your hand. Xiaomi managed to save some weight from its predecessor and the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max weighs 192 grams, which is comparatively lighter than some phones of the same size.
On the back there is a rectangular camera module that houses four cameras. It has a two-tier design. The primary 108MP sensor is given a large silver border while the rest of the cameras are stacked on the black island. On the right edge you will find the usual volume rockers and the on / off switch, which also functions as a fingerprint scanner. It’s fast and I haven’t had any problems so far. You also get a double gesture on the power button, which you can program to trigger the Google Assistant, pull down the notification shadow, and turn on the flashlight, among other things.
At the top is the 3.5mm audio jack, the second speaker grille and an IR blaster. I’m very glad they included the headphone jack when listening to music on my AKG K371 that has a noticeable sound boost in wired form. The device offers IP53 protection for water and dust resistance.
Xiaomi does everything with the display
When you turn the phone, you are greeted by a 6.67-inch Full HD + Super AMOLED display that offers a refresh rate of 120 Hz. In particular, it’s not as dynamic as the Mi 10i, but I’m very happy with the consistent performance (more on that in the full review). Xiaomi has given everything with the display, as it offers a peak brightness of 1200 nits, 100 percent support of the DCI-P3 color gamut and TÜV Rheinland certification for low blue light emissions.
At the top is a 16-megapixel selfie shooter in one of the smallest hole cutouts in the segment. It comes with a pre-assembled plastic screen protector that I scratched within my short time with the phone. The display is under the protection of Gorilla Glass 5.
On the performance side, the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G chipset. I have yet to apply it thoroughly and have not played any games. However, it should be enough for the device. That said, we will test the performance in our full test. You won’t get 5G support with the Snapdragon 732G SoC. And for a country like India it shouldn’t be a deal breaker. Xiaomi offers LPDDR4X RAM, UFS 2.2 storage and a 5020 mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging.
The 108MP camera is a first in this segment
In terms of optics, the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max has a quad rear camera. It is led by an impressive 108-megapixel sensor, accompanied by an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, a 2-megapixel depth sensor, and a 5-megapixel macro shooter that supposedly offers “super macro” features. According to Xiaomi, a macro lens with 2x zoom was used. In theory, it should allow you to take macro shots remotely as well. Oh, and the cameras are very versatile! Here are some camera examples:
MIUI 12 is based on Android 11 on the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max. In the coming months it will be updated to MIUI 12.5. It would allow you to remove any bloatware that you are not using. So far I have not received any ads other than the GetApps app.
After our hands-on preview of the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max, I can safely say that it is emerging as a promising device. I’ll go into detail on my upcoming review later this week. Stay tuned! Also, comment below if you have any questions.
Prakhar Khanna
I’ve been in the tech industry since 2014 when I created my first blog. I worked with Digit, one of the largest tech publications in India. I am now working as a news editor at Pocketnow, where I get paid to write about cutting-edge technology. You can contact me at [email protected]
