The Redmi Note series is known for providing premium features in the mid-range segment. And, the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max (India) / Note 10 Pro (Global) continues the tradition. It brings an AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120Hz, a 108MP primary camera, stereo speakers, a massive battery with fast charging, and more – all under INR 20,000 / USD 300! But what are the numbers if they don’t translate to real-world usage? I’m glad to report that these numbers convert to an exhilarating experience for a device that’s priced competitively. Let’s take a deep dive into its capabilities and limitations with our Redmi Note 10 Pro Max review.

Design: Gorgeous all around

Xiaomi has introduced a new EVOL design language with the Redmi Note 10 series. The switch from Aura design from the previous generation benefits the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max to keep the weight under 200 grams while maintaining a slim profile. You might mistake it for a premium smartphone, thanks to the use of glass on EVOL design. The in-hand feel and grip is one of the most comfortable for a 6.6-inch+ smartphone. 

We received the Vintage Bronze and Dark Night color variants but it is also available in Glacial Blue. Personally, I prefer the Bronze color option since it doesn’t attract a lot of smudges and fingerprints making me recommend you to use the device without cover whole-heartedly. On the other hand, the Dark Night variant has a glossy finish to it, which makes the back panel reflective. Oh, by the way, Xiaomi bundles a silicone case with this phone so you are covered.

You’d mistake it for a premium device when you hold it

Starting with the top, you’ll find a speaker, IR blaster, and a 3.5mm audio jack, which is very near to my heart since I prefer listening to music on wired headphones. The right edge houses the SIM-card tray, while you get the volume rockers and the fingerprint sensor on the right edge, which also doubles as a fingerprint scanner. I didn’t have any problems with biometric authentication. It was easy to set up, and worked almost every time. At the bottom, you get a UBS Type-C port and another speaker grille. 

Coming to the back panel, it houses a quad camera setup in a vertically-aligned module. Fortunately, the housing is not the same as every other smartphone in the market. The smartphone uses a metallic frame to hold together the glass on the front and the back of the device.

Display: Smooth and Vibrant

The Redmi Note 10 Pro Max features a 6.67-inch display that offers a high refresh rate of 120Hz. However, it is not dynamic in nature like that of the Mi 10i. That said, I did not miss anything. The 120Hz is smooth and there were minimal stutters. Out of the box, the device is set at 60Hz so you’ll have to go to display settings to enable the high refresh rate. On the top lies the protection of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. 

The display is claimed to reach a peak brightness of 1200 nits (for supported HDR content). Practically, it is easily visible under direct sunlight and can go down enough so that you can read ebooks in the bed. I enjoyed watching Zack Snyder’s Justice League on this device. On the other hand, brighter content like The Falcon and The Winter Soldier was fun too.

Best in class media consumption experience

The colors are vibrant and bright. Pair that with the set of stereo speakers and you’ll enjoy consuming content on the smartphone. The Redmi Note 10 Pro Max offers the best in class experience for media consumption in its price range.

Performance: Satisfactory Experience

The Redmi Note 10 Pro Max is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G SoC, which is a 4G chipset based on an 8nm process. While some might not like the lack of 5G, in my opinion, it’s better than the company has invested in other departments rather than providing 5G since we are likely still a few years away from 5G reaching the masses. The chipset is paired with up to 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.2 storage. 

We received the 6GB variant. It is worth mentioning that RAM management isn’t the best out there. Even if you have four apps open in the background and you go back to the first app, it will restart. However, it is not a major issue and can be fixed easily with an update. 

The SoC is capable of providing smooth day-to-day performance as I didn’t come across any major lags in opening or closing apps or browsing through the UI or while playing games like Asphalt. It doesn’t get hot with intensive tasks and is generally a fast phone. Most users would be satisfied with the performance on offer here.

Battery: Lasts a Day Easily

The Redmi Note 10 Pro Max packs a 5,020mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging, which is the same as its predecessor. I had the display set to 120Hz, watched a few YouTube videos. streamed content online, and captured some images. Despite all of this, the phone lasted the entire day easily. Moreover, the device can be charged from 10% to 100% in under 80 minutes. Also, you get the 33W charger in the box.

Camera: 108MP for the masses!

The smartphone sports a 108MP primary camera that is accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, a 5MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth sensor. The primary camera is a Samsung ISOCELL HM2 1/1.52-inch sensor with 0.7µm pixels sitting behind an f/1.9 lens and shoots 12MP (9-in-1) pixel-binned photos by default. This is a versatile set of cameras, and the company is offering fun modes to make use of it.

Starting with the primary camera, it captures detailed images in well-lit environments. It is quick to set focus, and the dynamic range on offer is good too. As for the colors, they are mostly accurate but the greens could be oversaturated at times. Plus, the 108MP mode needs to handle shadows better. That said, a good amount of details offer quality images. Overall, the primary camera performance is really good for the price range.

In low-light situations, the Night Mode 2.0 does a good job. You get a slew of features with VLOG, Clone mode, Panorama, and one of my favorites, long exposure. The wide-angle lens comes with a noticeable fish-eye effect. Plus, the image quality is poor as compared to the primary lens. 

The macro camera is the real champ here

Coming to the 5MP macro camera, it is a champ. It captures detailed images, with vibrant colors. However, you need to make sure that there’s plenty of light. In the dim light, you’ll not get as many details in the images. Plus, your subject needs to be stationary. That said, the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max’s macro camera is the best in the segment. 

As for the 2MP depth sensor, it is present to provide better quality portrait shots, and it does the job. The edge separation is good, while the blur effect doesn’t seem artificial. On the front lies a 16MP selfie shooter, which does a pretty good job for the most part. 

The smartphone is capable of shooting 1080p@30fps with EIS for stability. It maxes out at 4K@30fps for the primary camera. 

Software: A slew of features and lesser ads

The Redmi Note 10 Pro Max runs Android 11 with MIUI 12 on top. The usual set of MIUI goodness is here. You also get an Always On Display (AOD) but it lasts under 10 seconds so it is not really “always-on.” Plus, I’m glad to report that the phone didn’t push pesky ads. The ad situation is under control here with the Themes app and GetApps pushing out ads, which can be turned off.

I noticed another bug related to the Instagram app. When switching between apps and coming back to Instagram, it inverts the colors of some UI elements as you can see in the screenshots above. It can be fixed with an update.

That said, the overall UI experience was smooth and enjoyable.

Redmi Note 10 Pro Max review: Specs

Redmi Note 10 Pro Max review: Verdict

With a SuperAMOLED display at 120Hz, premium build quality, 108MP camera, one of the best macro sensors in the segment, and excellent battery life, the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max is our recommendation for best bang for the buck in the mid-range segment.

The Redmi Note 10 Pro Max rewrites the rules of what a mid-range smartphone is capable of doing. With its AMOLED display, 108MP camera, stereo cameras, big battery, and superior build quality, the smartphone is an easy recommendation for INR 18,999 / USD 279 starting price.