If you’re looking for a high-end smartphone with a great camera and performance for a reasonable price, the Mi Note 10 Lite is a great choice. Despite not having a 108-megapixel sensor like its bigger siblings, it can still produce usable photos and videos in good light.
The main cam’s low-light performance isn’t excellent, with images soft and smeary, but night mode improves things. The colors are pleasing, and the dynamic range is good for the class.
Camera
Mi Note 10 Lite is one of the latest mid-range phones from Xiaomi, and this time, the company has gone for a re-engineered camera module. Instead of a 108MP Samsung sensor like the other two Mi Note 10 variants, this smartphone gets a Sony IMX 686 sensor, a reference for the price category, and one in other high-end devices.
The 12MP camera on the back produces very similar photos to those of Note 10 regarding details, dynamic range, and overall image quality. Portraits are excellent, too, with pleasing background blur and perfect subject focus.
The macro mode is great for taking close-ups of subjects without getting extremely close to them. This mode also works well on non-human subjects, with similarly impressive results.
Battery
A reliable battery is essential whether on a business trip or just a few hours away from your nearest charger. The Mi Note 10 Lite offers more than enough power to last you for two days on average use with its sizeable 5,260mAh battery supports 30W fast charging out of the box.
As for the camera, you get a similar setup to the bestselling Mi Note 10, with a 64MP Samsung GW1 primary lens and an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, a 2MP macro lens and a 5MP depth sensor. It also includes a 16MP front-facing camera and features AI scene detection, night mode, and other shooting modes to help you take better photos.
A mid-range Snapdragon 730G processor powers the Mi Note 10 Lite with 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It runs Android 10-based MIUI 11 out of the box and features a 6.47-inch FHD+ (2340×1080 pixels) AMOLED display with a waterdrop notch.
Performance
The Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite is an attractive mid-range phone at its price. It has a great display, a strong battery, and excellent cameras.
It also has many other features that we don’t usually see in this budget range, such as a headphone jack and an IR blaster. Its camera is perfect, and it’s worth the extra money to get it.
The primary camera uses a 64-megapixel Quad Bayer sensor with 0.8um pixels and f/1.9 aperture. The ultra-wide cam uses an 8MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture. It also has a dedicated 5MP unit for portraits. The front camera uses a 16MP module.
Design
The Mi Note 10 Lite looks much like a premium phone, and the curved edge display is a unique feature in this category. Its design is reminiscent of the iPhone X and Redmi Note 9 series, which makes it an attractive choice for those who want a high-end device without breaking the bank.
Xiaomi has used a Sony IMX686 sensor for the primary camera on the Mi Note 10 Lite, which delivers impressive details and vibrant colors in images. The secondary and tertiary cameras, which aren’t visible on the front panel, perform well too.
The AI-enhanced camera mode produces very nice and detailed photos in daylight, but the colors can be oversaturated. Selfie portraits have a bit of an artificially sharpened look to them, too. However, they’re still perfect for a budget phone.
