Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro review: Smooth silky performance

Xiaomi goes back to its roots with the Mi 10T Pro. At S$749, it is around half the price of the flagship Mi 10 Pro (S$1,399), which was the firm's most expensive smartphone ever. Obviously, some of the Mi 10's premium features (curved Amoled screen and wireless charging) did not make the cut. But the Mi 10T Pro still has a high-end, 5G-capable Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor and the same 108-megapixel (MP) rear camera.

Quick specs

Compatible with Singapore's 5G networks
Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chip with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage
144Hz LCD screen
108MP triple-camera system

One thing that the Mi 10T Pro does better than the higher-end Mi 10 Pro is the screen refresh rate. The Mi 10T Pro boasts a class-leading 144Hz display that is noticeably snappier and more fluid than standard 60Hz screens. In comparison, the Mi 10 Pro has a 90Hz Amoled screen. However, the Mi 10T Pro's screen an LCD, so colours are not as vibrant as an Oled screen. This 1080p LCD screen, though, is bright enough to be used outdoors under the sun. It also has HDR10 support in Netflix

The Mi 10T Pro has a typical design for an upper mid-tier phone. Its 6.67-inch screen is flat, not curved. It is surrounded by black bezels that are a tad chunkier than what you'd find in a flagship smartphone. There is a side-mounted fingerprint sensor (I actually prefer this) instead of an in-display version. NFC is supported, which is handy for mobile payments. It lacks a microSD card slot, but its 256GB of internal storage should suffice for most users.

With its 108MP main camera, the Mi 10T Pro offers more pixels than the typical mid-range or even high-end phones. Photos in both outdoor and indoor environs generally turn out lively and sharp with relatively little noise. The dynamic range, though, could be better. Low-light performance was merely adequate — noisy and lacking in details. I also noticed overblown highlights from light sources in my night shots. The lack of a telephoto camera is another concern. While the phone offers up to 30x digital zoom, anything beyond 5x look grainy with lots of noise. The other cameras (13MP ultra-wide and 5MP macro) have their uses, but they are not of the same caliber as the main camera.

The Mi 10T Pro has a 5,000mAh battery that clocked a decent 10hr 53min in a video-loop battery test. While the phone lacks wireless charging, it does come with a 33W fast wired charger. It takes around an hour to fully replenish the battery. Overall, the Mi 10T Pro feels snappy and smooth, thanks to its 144Hz screen and powerful innards. The camera is not too bad either. At S$749, it definitely delivers in terms of value and performance.

Note: Review set provided by Xiaomi.

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