Xiaomi is reportedly refreshing its 2020 flagship Mi 10 with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 870 processor, offering improved performance while maintaining the phone’s premium features at a more accessible price point.
Key Upgrades in the Refreshed Model
Processor Upgrade
The most significant change is the move from the original Snapdragon 865 to the newer Snapdragon 870 chipset:
- CPU Performance: 10% faster than SD865
- GPU Performance: Adreno 650 with higher clock speeds
- 5G Support: Integrated X55 5G modem
Original Mi 10 (2020)
- Snapdragon 865
- 6.5″ curved AMOLED, 90Hz
- 108MP main camera
- 4,780mAh battery
- Launched at ~$699
Refreshed Mi 10 (2021)
- Snapdragon 870
- Same 6.5″ 90Hz display
- Same camera system
- Same battery capacity
- Expected at lower price
Why This Refresh Makes Sense
Xiaomi’s strategy with this refresh appears to be:
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- Extended Product Lifecycle: Keeping a successful design relevant longer
- Price Positioning: Offering near-flagship performance at mid-range prices
- Component Availability: Utilizing existing supply chains for displays/cameras
Software Support
The refreshed Mi 10 will likely launch with MIUI 12.5 based on Android 11, with potential to receive:
- MIUI 13 updates :cite[5]
- Android 12 upgrade
- Security patches for 3+ years
Recent reports indicate Xiaomi is already testing MIUI 14 for the Mi 10 series in some regions, suggesting strong ongoing software support :cite[5].
Market Impact
The refreshed Mi 10 could compete with:
- Other SD870 phones like the Motorola Edge S
- Previous-gen flagships being discounted
- Xiaomi’s own Redmi K40 series
Conclusion
The Xiaomi Mi 10 refresh with Snapdragon 870 represents an intelligent product strategy – maintaining the phone’s premium build quality and camera capabilities while offering improved performance through the new chipset. For consumers who don’t need cutting-edge features like 120Hz displays or the latest camera sensors, this could be an excellent value proposition, especially if priced competitively against newer mid-range devices :cite[1]:cite[5].
Xiaomi Mi 10 Phone
The Xiaomi Mi 10 Phone currently tops our rank of the greatest Phones available, beating even the pricier iPhone.
So unsurprisingly this is an absolutely fantastic phone. The design isn't massively changed from the previous generation, but most other elements have been upgraded. This is what we call a big boost.
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Display
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Performance
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Features
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Usability
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Battery Life