Xiaomi Mi 10i launched in India with 108MP camera, 120Hz display, 5G and more; here are all the details

There was no doubt that Xiaomi’s Mi 10i will end up being the most affordable phone in India with a high-resolution 108MP camera. But, like clockwork, Xiaomi managed to pull yet another rabbit out of its hat on launch day. So, let’s just get started with that before diving into the details. The Mi 10i comes in 6GB/64GB, 6GB/128GB, and 8GB/128GB configurations. And here are the prices.

• Xiaomi Mi 10i 6GB/64GB: Rs 20,999
• Xiaomi Mi 10i 6GB/128GB: Rs 21,999
• Xiaomi Mi 10i 8GB/128GB: Rs 23,999

As someone who writes about tech for a living, you’re not allowed to be left stunned by price tags—even fancy spec sheets—because none of that guarantees that x, y, or z product is great. It could swing either way and so it’s better to keep your emotions in check until the time you’ve experienced the product in person. But I have spent some time with the Mi 10i, and even though it is still too early to pass a verdict, I have absolutely no doubt in saying that, I am stunned by the Mi 10i India price. The fact that the Mi 10i is a ‘Mi’ product and not coming from ‘Redmi,’ is another icing on the cake—for potential buyers.

Also Read Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro 5G review: Out to eat OnePlus’s lunch

OnePlus phones had this effect once upon a time, but in the last one year or so, there are clear signs that that momentum is shifting. With the recently launched Mi 10 and Mi 10T Pro (Mi 10T), Xiaomi was out to eat OnePlus’s lunch. It’s doing the same with the Mi 10i, and with its eyes firmly set on the OnePlus Nord territory, things are bound to get very interesting in the days to come. After having cemented its position in the budget segment, which is the price segment under Rs 20,000, Xiaomi’s next frontier seems to be the mid-range (and possibly beyond) and OnePlus definitely has something to think about.

Xiaomi Mi 10i specs, features

The Mi 10i is essentially a rebadged Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G. It has Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on the front as well as on the back—this has a frosted matte finish in the pacific sunrise model I have for review. This particular model is teal at the top and gradually turns peachy towards the bottom. This colour theme extends on to the sides as well—which is plastic by the way. The Mi 10i also comes in more conventional black and blue. The phone is IP53-certified for splash-resistance and has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner for biometric authentication. Rounding off the package are dual stereo speakers and headphone jack—plus a Xiaomi staple IR blaster.

The Mi 10i has a 6.67-inch 1080p+ resolution IPS LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The screen is capable of automatically adjusting to the content on screen as a measure to save battery—Xiaomi calls this Adaptive Sync.

Also Read Mi 10T Pro, Mi 10T are Xiaomi’s answer to OnePlus 8T; here’s everything to know

Under the hood, the Mi 10i packs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 750G processor. This is paired with up to 8GB LPDDR4X RAM and up to 128GB UFS2.2 storage — this is also expandable. Software inside the phone is Android 10-based MIUI 12. Xiaomi says the Mi 10i offers a ‘clean’ MIUI 12 experience with Google Apps which is to say it does not show any ads. The phone is further powered by a 4,820mAh battery with 33W fast charging support. Xiaomi says it has built 11 temperature sensors on the back of the device to effectively modulate the on-device temperature.

The Mi 10i has four cameras on the back. This is a combination of 108MP (Samsung’s latest ISOCELL HM2 sensor) main, 8MP ultra-wide-angle, and two 2MP cameras, one for depth and another for macros. On the front, the phone has a 16MP camera housed inside a punch hole cutout.

Xiaomi Mi 10i availability

The Mi 10i will be available across Mi.com, Mi Homes, Amazon, Mi Homes and Mi Studios starting January 7. This is for the 6GB/128GB and 8GB/128GB models only though. The 6GB/64GB model availability is yet to be announced.

Watch this space for our full review of the Xiaomi Mi 10i.