A year ago, the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 arrived in Spain, a mobile that represented a turning point within the brand. Although it was a mobile that innovated in photography by being the first with that particular 108 Mpx sensor, it was the first Xiaomi mobile that did not aspire to be a reference model in offering as much as possible at the lowest possible price, but that he was pursuing a new path in the company, a path that goes through the Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra.
At the time we called it “a tipping point,” and looking back at 2020 we can make a strong statement. The Xiaomi Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro took a step further with a rise in prices, but they also became terminals that made much less concessions in the small details, those that make the difference. They were great terminals capable of competing face to face against the best.
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 analysis: a turning point towards the premium sectorWe analyze the new Xiaomi Mi Note 10, a new bet from the Chinese manufacturer in search of pure and hard quality, without excuses for low prices.
And then the Mi 10 Ultra arrived.
Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra: Technical characteristics
- Screen:
- Size: 6.67 inches.
- Technology: AMOLED.
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz.
- Performance:
- Snapdragon 865 processor.
- 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM.
- 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage.
- Cameras:
- Rear:
- 48 Mpx main sensor manufactured by Xiaomi.
- 20MP ultra wide angle.
- 2x telephoto for 12MP portrait mode.
- 10x telephoto, up to 120x digital.
- Rear:
- Drums:
- Fast charging 120W.
- 55W fast wireless charging.
- 10W reverse wireless charging.
- Connectivity:5G, 4G LTE, Bluetooth, WiFi 6, NFC, GPS, GLONASS …
- Others:
- Fingerprint sensor under the screen.
- USB-C.
- Operating system:
- Android 10 with MIUI 12 as a customization layer.
From being cheap mobiles to giving the best of the best, Xiaomi’s long road
The Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra is not a phone for anything conventional, but it is a special edition of the company for its tenth anniversary. At a time when Xiaomi did not have its own mobile, MIUI managed to become one of the best Android ROMs (I remember seeing it on Samsung mobiles and at that time it was spectacular), to later create the Mi 1, or as it was known then like MIUI Phone.
This mobile stood out for offering technical characteristics at the level of the high-end at half the price, a strategy that they have pursued for practically its entire history until a few months ago. According to the company itself, Xiaomi has always been characterized by itsHonest Pricing, so the mere existence of this type of super terminals raises a key question.
Are you neglecting honest prices?
Seeing 1000 euros mobile phones on the brand is the first thing you ask yourself, but after comparing these super terminals with the high-end Xiaomi in previous generations, you realize that it is not that they have left honesty aside, but that in previous generations the focus on quality / price imposed invaluable restrictions on the majority of users, but in the final result they cut hundreds of euros. Because the price was honest, but the comparisons with other brands were not so honest.
At the moment that Xiaomi begins to create a mobile without restrictions, the difference is very noticeable. The quality and fluidity of the panel is spectacular, and although the mobile still has curves, the software that detects accidental keystrokes is much better worked.
The design in hand feels great, and despite everything, we continue to find details that Xiaomi is not willing to give up such as the infrared port.
The multimedia experience is amazing, and watching videos or listening to music is a delight. Although unfortunately, and as with the Mi 10, the position of the speaker is very badly located, which means that we can accidentally cover it when holding it horizontally.
The most surprising thing about this terminal is its camera system, where we do not find any kind of concessions. The main sensor takes a step back in megapixels, since instead of the 108 that the best Xiaomi phones had, it goes to “only 48”. However, it is a sensor specifically designed by Xiaomi in an attempt to demonstrate how willing the Chinese manufacturer is to become the best in terms of photography.
Photographs taken by the Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra.
Among the photos that we have been able to test, this shot has caught our attention, which shows the behavior of the main sensor. The scene was not at all simple, and proof of this is the difference in clarity between the photograph taken by a Google Pixel 4a (left) versus that of the Mi 10 Ultra (right). Although in the orange hue of the Xiaomi logo Google has been more accurate, the overall image clarity is more pleasant on the part of Xiaomi.
Pixel 4a, analysis: the best Android camera in a small mobileIn the analysis of the Google Pixel 4a we review all the key aspects of the experience of a small and impressive mobile in photography.
In other ways, such as close-ups, Xiaomi’s camera doesn’t seem to be very accurate, blurring part of the foreground object. In the photograph we have taken of the charger of the Mi 10 Ultra it is appreciated. Which by the way, 120 W, a fast charging madness capable of charging 100% of the battery in 23 minutes.
In fact, 120 is a number that is continuously repeated on the Mi 10 Ultra, and that is, in addition to the loading speed, it is also at the maximum zoom and the refresh rate of the screen.
A mobile that does not arrive in Spain, but that shows how the Xiaomi is to come
Testing the Xiami Mi 10 Ultra has been a unique experience, and that Xiaomi has given us the opportunity to try it even without having the intention of bringing it to Spain is a very clear sign that, although this is a commemorative limited edition, it means much more. .
The Mi 10 Ultra is proof that, when it comes to quality, Xiaomi can not only compete against the best, but is also finally ready. The Mi 10 Pro pointed ways, and after testing the Ultra we have it clear.
Xiaomi has the potential to create the best mobile on the market by 2021. It is not easy, but at least now they are aspiring to it.
The entry We tested the Xiaomi Mi 10 Ultra: a demonstration of muscle and ambition on the part of Xiaomi appears first in The Free Android.
