Redmi 10A Design
Redmi 10A comes with a design similar to the Redmi 10C . How to tell the difference can be seen on the back panel cover. The back panel cover of the Redmi 10C has a diagonal pattern from top right to bottom left. Meanwhile, the Redmi 10A has a vertical pattern from top to bottom. The color for the unit we received is Sky Blue. Other color options are Chrome Silver and Graphite Grey.
At the back, the camera module and fingerprint sensor are housed in one large black frame. In our opinion, the placement of the fingerprint sensor is a little bit down. Fingers need to adapt a little to reach these sensors. The fingerprint sensor is quite responsive and fast to unlock the screen. Another security option is the support for the Face Unlock feature to unlock the screen with face detection.
Overall, this smartphone is quite comfortable to hold. The back panel is also not slippery and is not easily dirty by finger marks. Considering that the entire body is dominated by polycarbonate material, the weight is relatively light.
For the placement of the power and volume buttons on the right side of the body. At the top there is a 3.5mm audio jack. On the left side of the body there are slots for SIM cards and memory cards. Redmi 10A supports the use of two Nano SIM card slots and one microSD memory card with a maximum capacity of up to 1TB. At the bottom of the body can be found a micro USB port for recharging the battery. It’s a shame it doesn’t support USB Type-C connectivity yet.
Redmi 10A screen
Shifting to the front of the screen carries a waterdrop style with a 5 megapixel front camera. This IPS screen panel measures 6.53 inches and has an HD + resolution. The screen refresh rate also does not support a high refresh rate that is pleasing to the eye.
However, this compromise needs to be understood considering the low selling price. At least, the display on the screen looks sharp. The color is also quite good. The Redmi 10A screen is also supported by two additional features, namely Sunlight Mode and Reading Mode. Sunlight Mode when activated will increase the brightness of the screen to make it more visible in very bright lighting conditions.
Meanwhile, Reading Mode when active will change the screen color to a slightly yellowish one. This mode will be more suitable for needs such as watching, browsing, or reading digital books for a long time because it will not tire the eyes quickly.
For audio on the Redmi 10A, only one speaker is available. Does not support stereo configuration with two speakers yet. The sound output is quite clear, although a little less powerful. It can still be relied on to enjoy everyday multimedia content.
Camera Redmi 10A
In the camera sector, the Redmi 10A carries a dual camera system complete with a flash. The main camera uses a 13 megapixel sensor. Meanwhile, the second camera is a 2 megapixel Depth Sensor camera which is useful for bokeh effects.
The photos from the main camera are okay in sufficient lighting conditions. Sharpness and color accuracy is quite good. However, the dynamic range is quite low. Even when shooting in HDR mode, it’s still not optimal. In some scenarios even the camera still prioritizes brighter areas. Meanwhile, dark areas or shadows in the photo still look darker and lack detail. As a result, bright dark areas in the photo will look less balanced. For example as in the following photo:
Shooting at night is available Night mode. The photos at night are quite satisfactory for the price class. In Night mode, you can see a bit of a sharpening effect and a more balanced light-dark control. Noise suppression looks quite aggressive. But, relatively safe. The photos from this camera are not the best. However, it is still worthy of being posted on social media.
No Night mode
With Night mode
No Night mode
With Night mode
Meanwhile, in portrait mode, the Redmi 10A can produce photos with a pretty neat bokeh effect with the rear and front cameras. The photos from the front camera are pretty decent. Although not too sharp and the colors are less consistent.
Redmi 10A Performance
Targeting the entry class Redmi 10A powered by the MediaTek Helio G25 chipset. The amount of RAM it carries is 3GB and the RAM expansion feature is available up to 1GB. For ROM, there are only two capacity options, namely 32GB and 64GB. The benchmark results are as follows.
For standard day-to-day use, the performance is average. Not very smooth. Sometimes there is still a little lag. Especially when switching applications, opening and closing applications or when swiping and scrolling the screen.
The gaming performance is pretty decent. The PUBG Mobile game can still be played quite smoothly at Smooth Medium settings. Meanwhile, Call Of Duty Mobile can be played at low graphics settings and medium framerates. Performance when gaming is also relatively stable. One added value of the back of the body is also not fast heat.
How about the battery life? Redmi 10A carries a battery with a capacity of 5000 mAh. This large battery capacity is very sufficient to accompany our activities all day. For charging Redmi 10A only supports 10W charging. So, it should be understood that the recharge of the battery will take longer. About 3 hours to fully charge the battery from the remaining 5% battery.
Conclusion
With the specifications and features it brings, the Redmi 10A is definitely not a frugal version of the Redmi 10C. From our tests the performance is quite adequate for not too moderate use. Such as for example for communication, replying to messages or browsing. The features it brings such as a fingerprint sensor, face unlock and camera are also sufficient to support daily activities. The battery is also relatively economical.
The cheap selling price is indeed the main attraction. USD $100 for the 3/32GB capacity and USD $106 for the 3/64GB variant. Redmi 10A can be glimpsed for anyone who just wants to taste an Android smartphone with mediocre funds. Or, it could also be a smartphone choice to support children’s online learning activities.
Pros of Redmi 10A:
– Affordable price
– The battery lasts long enough
– Adequate performance for light use
– Equipped with a fingerprint sensor
– There is a RAM expansion function
– Design similar to the more expensive Redmi 10C
Disadvantages of Redmi 10A:
– Does not support fast recharge
– Does not get accessories such as Softcase or screen protector – Does
not support USB Type-C
Redmi 10A Suitable for:
– First users of Android smartphones : Low prices are suitable for users who want to switch from feature phones to Android smartphones.
– Students : Front camera and Reading Mode support can be relied on to support online school.
– Online motorcycle taxi drivers : The efficient battery and the Sunlight mode it carries are suitable for online motorcycle taxi drivers who often do outdoor activities.
– Parents : Simple and easy-to-use features are suitable for supporting communication tools for parents.
