Redmi 10A Review: Is It Better Than the Redmi 9A?

Xiaomi has launched another budget phone, the Redmi 10A in Nepal.

Redmi 10A price in Nepal is Rs. 13,999 (2/32GB) and Rs. 15,999 (3/64GB). It is available for purchase via authorized Xiaomi stores.

The 10A is a direct successor of the Redmi 9A which was launched last year. It brings some quality of life improvements to the table.

But, is it any better than the Redmi 9A? You’ll find out in this review of the Redmi 10A.

Redmi 10A Review

Design

• 164.19 x 77.1 x 9 mm
• 194 g

Redmi 10A takes design inspiration from the Redmi 10. It has a big square patch on the rear that embeds Redmi branding, a fingerprint sensor, and a camera module.

Redmi 10A has studry build quality even though it uses plastic.

The inclusion of the fingerprint sensor is one of the upgrades from the older Redmi 9A. Also, the Nepali variant of the Redmi 10A comes with an extra depth sensor.

ALSO READ: Redmi Note 11 Pro 4G Review: Does it Surpass Redmi Note 10 Pro?

There are volume and power buttons on the right side and a triple slot on the left. On the bottom, it has a mic, a micro USB port, and a speaker. On the top, it has a 3.5mm headphone jack.

For a budget phone, Redmi 10A is pretty slick and light as well. Overall, it has a good grip and feels good on the hands.

Display

• 6.53 inches IPS
• 720 x 1600 pixels

Xiaomi has opted to go for the same IPS panel as the Redmi 9A on the 10A. It is a 6.53 inches IPS panel with a screen resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels.

The IPS panel panel is good for the price.

The LCD panel is pretty bright as I did not have any issues using it outdoors. The color reproduction is also good but I have seen IPS panels with better color at this price tag.

Performance

• MediaTek Helio G25 (12nm)
• Octa-core (4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4×1.5 GHz Cortex-A53)
• PowerVR GE8320
• 3/4GB RAM
• 32/64GB Storage

Redmi 10A doesn’t get any upgrades in the hardware department. It is still powered by the old MediaTek Helio G25 chipset.

For memory, it comes in two configurations: 2/32GB and 3/64GB.

Our first impression of the Redmi 10A was bad because the phone was unusable at first. We encountered lags every now and then. Even the simplest tasks like accessing the notification drawer were painful. However, these problems seem to have gone since the update.

The G25 is only an entry-level chipset and an older one at that. On top of that, the MIUI is one of the heaviest skin out there. While using the phone, I could really feel that the G25 was struggling to keep everything smooth. It can handle basic tasks like app opening and switching but it won’t be smooth.

For games, I only tested Free Fire on the Redmi 10A. At the lowest setting, I was getting average fps of 43.3 with plenty of fps drops. However, the stutter was only under 1%.

So, you will be able to play some light games on the Redmi 10A but you won’t have a good experience.

Camera

• Rear Camera: 13MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1.0µm, AF
  • 2MP, f/2.4, (depth)

• Front Camera: 5MP, f/2.4

Redmi 10A has a dual camera setup on the rear with a 13MP main sensor and a 2MP depth sensor.

NORMAL PHOTOS

The 13MP sensor is capable of capturing good photos under suitable lighting. The photos look sharp with neutral colors outdoors. But, the photos still lack saturation.

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The images do not look as good indoors as noise is introduced. The color looks muted and the sharpness also takes a dip.

PORTRAIT

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Redmi 10A is probably one of the only budget phones to capture impressive portraits. For a budget phone, the background blur and edge detection are really impressive. On the plus side, the subject also looks sharp.

FRONT CAMERA

On the front, there is a 5MP selfie camera. It is not as good as the rear camera. The selfies do not look sharp and the exposure is inconsistent.

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VIDEOS

For videos, it can capture up to 1080p 30fps from the main camera.

The video quality is as expected from a budget phone. It lacks sharpness and the color is also muted. The camera suffers from exposure shift and videos are shaky as well.

OS & Battery

• Android 11
• MIUI 12.5

Redmi 10A runs on Android 11 with MIUI 12.5 out of the box.

It comes loaded with bloatware and you will notice ads frequently. We get to see the same MIUI 12.5 that we saw on the Redmi 10. However, MIUI still lags behind in optimization compared to the likes of Samsung and Realme.

Redmi 10A has the same 5000mAh battery as the Redmi 9A. In moderate usage, the Redmi 10A can easily provide up to 9-10 hours of screen-on time. So, it can provide you with up to 2 days of battery life on moderate usage. But, it only has a 10W charger that takes 3 hours and 30 mins to fully charge the phone.

Moving on to the speaker, it is loud but there’s no clarity/definition. Similarly, the rear-mounted fingerprint sensor is decent for the price.

Should You Buy Redmi 10A?

Redmi 10A is an iteration of the Redmi 9A with an updated design and a slightly better camera.

Like the Redmi 9A, it is a good device with a good display, impressive rear camera, and a big battery. However, it is now much more expensive due to various reasons. On top of that, a heavy MIUI skin and entry-level Helio G25 chipset don’t make for the smoothest experience on a budget phone. And, that’s why the Redmi 10A doesn’t provide the same value as the Redmi 9A.

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What do you think about the Redmi 10A? If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments!

Also, watch our unboxing and impressions video of the Redmi 10A.