After launching different series and models with compelling designs, Xiaomi is attempting to satisfy the fans with the Redmi 10C. Redmi 10C provides the best value performance considering the price.
The major selling point of this device is the Snapdragon 680 processor, the same processor that powers more mid-range phones but Xiaomi cut a lot of corners to this device, to deliver the ratio between price and performance.
UNBOXING. Opening the box you will get the Redmi 10C unit, sim ejector pin, set of manuals and warranty papers, and a 10W power brick, sadly not a fast charger but thankfully it has a type C cable. No free protective case and pre-installed screen protection are available.
DESIGN. The Redmi 10c has a decent design, and the back has a plastic textured design more of a slanted striped pattern, it’s not a glossy finish but looks like carbon fiber. Simple, beautiful, and not slippery.
Interestingly, the fingerprint scanner is located and embedded near the camera module. If you have big hands it won’t matter, but for small hands, it is a bit uncomfortable and will be hard to reach.
Power and volume buttons are located on the right side of the device, below are the single microphone hole, USB type C port for charging and data transferring, and single speaker grille. On the left side is the sim card tray, it supports dual sim and SD card slots. Above it is the 3.5 mm audio jack port, surprisingly the signature IR blaster is absent on this device. Flipping the phone there is a 6.71-inch screen size with a dot drop display.
The phone is moderate in thickness and not heavy, still comfortable to hold. Although, operating with one hand is difficult since it has a big screen size.
DISPLAY. It has a large IPS LCD 6.71 inches screen, with a resolution of 1650 x 720 and a 60Hz standard refresh rate. Bezels around it are decent with a wide chin below.
Quality is good but not the best, nothing special by the standards and nothing to complain about.
There are three display profiles, color temperature, and dark mode that can be used for your convenience in the settings.
SOFTWARE. The Redmi 10C comes pre-loaded with MIUI 13 based on Android 11. MIUI offers a unique style, rich functionality, and detailed customization.
There are some bloatware apps installed but can be removed. There is native advertising and intrusive notification that can frustrate you.
There is the memory extension feature which adds 1GB of virtual RAM MIUI 13 is pretty much amazing with the exemption of the second space that is available for the midrange Xiaomi phone. There are missing features like split-screen multitasking and sidebar.
BATTERY. The 10c has 5000mah battery capacity so expect really good battery life on it. Battery life is impressive since it has a 720P display plus a pretty well-optimized Snapdragon 680. Our Redmi 10C lasted almost 21 hours, but it depends on your usage. You can get enough screen time between 4-5hours on heavy usage. Average users will get around two days on it without charging.
Sadly, there is a 10W charger included. It takes about 5-6 hours to fully charge. I believe fast charging is available and supported but can be bought separately, thus giving you the ability to charge for approximately 1-2 hours.
PERFORMANCE. Being powered by Snapdragon 680 means you can expect some solid performance. Multitasking is a breeze and fast. No delays when switching multiple apps. Opening apps is amazing although unoptimized apps can be bothersome.
You can use it for some gaming and expect decent performance. Call of duty mobile runs well for the most part and you can play on very high graphics settings and medium frame rates. You might want to stick to low graphics as gameplay is choppy on very high graphics. The device can get warm when playing games for more than an hour but doesn’t throttle the performance.
CAMERA. It has a dual-camera on the rear, with 50MP main and 2MP depth. There is a 5MP camera for selfies.
The rear cameras give you decent photos and good shots with precise focus under the right lighting conditions. Photos look decent and you should be satisfied with the result. You can switch to 50MP mode to take higher-resolution photos.
The phone has a night mode but keep your expectations low as the result might not impress you. Some shots suffer from excessive noise.
The 5MP camera for selfies is nothing special. The photo looks good. Portrait mode precisely separates the background and creates a natural blur.
The phone is capable of shooting up to 1080P with 30fps from both selfie and rear.
CONCLUSION. The Redmi 10C is a good value for money, considering it is powered by mid-range chipset Snapdragon 680, which is also available in more expensive devices. However, Xiaomi cuts some corners, such as the IR blaster, fast charging, 90HZ screen refresh rate, and one camera sensor.
It is a solid device to buy and easily the best offering at this price range. You can get the Redmi 10C with a 4GB + 64GB for a price of Php6,299, while the 4GB + 128GB variant is Php7,099. It is available through e-commerce stores via Lazada or Shopee.
