If you’re on the hunt for the flagship Xiaomi smartphone in 2020, then you’ve probably got an eye on both the Xiaomi Mi 10 and Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro.
Since phone brands have started using the ‘Pro’ moniker, it has become increasingly difficult to really judge what makes the device worthy of the tag. Sometimes the difference between the Pro and regular models are minimal, while other times it’s the opposite. Here it’s definitely the former.
Before we get into the big differences, it’s certainly worth quickly going over what is the same, because there’s quite a lot of it. Both phones look and feel the same – exactly the same. Same dimensions, weight (208g) and ports. They have the same 6.67-inch FHD+ 90Hz OLED display with curved sides and great sounding stereo speakers. Interestingly, the Pro model even has the same internal specs as you’ll find a 5G-enabled Snapdragon 865 and 8GB or 12GB LPDDR5 RAM.
They both lack the same things too; notably an IP rating and expandable storage.
So, with that out of the way, let’s have a look and see what is actually different.
1. The Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro really goes a step further with the camera
Even though both have a 108MP main camera sitting proudly at the top of the vertical camera bump, there are many things different with the camera array here. The Mi 10 Pro pairs the main sensor with an 8MP 2x optical zoom camera, a 20MP ultra wide and a 12MP portrait lens. Both the main and zoom pack OIS. Xiaomi is using a mixture of all the cameras when you’re zooming in and the results are impressive.
On the Mi 10 things aren’t quite so high-end, with a 13MP ultra wide, 2MP macro and 2MP portrait. We’re big fans of the ultra wide, however that duo of 2MP sensors are something of a disappointment.
So, by plumping for the Mi 10 Pro you’re getting better zoom, sharper ultra wide shots and a better portrait camera.
Both phones support 8K video recording at 30fps and 4K at 60fps. Both also have 20MP front cameras in the hole-punch cutout on the font.
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2. Faster charging, but a smaller battery?
Another one of the bigger differences between these two phones is the battery. Now it’s actually the Mi 10 that has the larger cell – 4780mAh vs 4500mAh – however we haven’t noticed much of a difference during our review.
The benefit of the Mi 10 Pro is that it can charge at 50w, whereas the Mi 10 reduces that to 30w. 30w is still fast though, so this doesn’t feel like a huge improvement.
Both have 30w wireless charging and 5w reverse charging.
3. The biggest difference is the price
These are two really good, really fast phones. However due to the lack of overall differences, we’d suggest the regular Xiaomi Mi 10 is the way to go – it’s also far cheaper and easier to get hold of in the UK.
The Mi 10 retails for £699, however we’ve seen it drop to less than that. The Mi 10 Pro, on the other hand, isn’t available in the UK and can be found for over £1000.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
