Both the Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite and the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite represent attempts to bring key features of their flagship counterparts to a more accessible price point. However, they take different approaches. Samsung focuses on a powerful, albeit older, chipset, while Xiaomi prioritizes battery life and efficient processing. This comparison dissects these trade-offs to determine which 'Lite' phone delivers the best overall experience.
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing battery life and value, the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite is the clear winner. Its significantly superior 117-hour endurance rating, coupled with 30W fast charging, outweighs the Note10 Lite’s marginally faster processor. The Note10 Lite remains a viable option for those heavily invested in the Samsung ecosystem.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41 |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE | HSPA, LTE |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2020, January 03 | 2020, April 30. Released 2020, May 09 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, January 21 | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163.7 x 76.1 x 8.7 mm (6.44 x 3.00 x 0.34 in) | 157.8 x 74.2 x 9.7 mm (6.21 x 2.92 x 0.38 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 199 g (7.02 oz) | 204 g (7.20 oz) |
| | Stylus (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro) | - |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~394 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~398 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.7 inches, 107.8 cm2 (~86.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.47 inches, 102.8 cm2 (~87.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, HDR | AMOLED, HDR10, 430 nits (typ) |
| | Always-on display | - |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.7 GHz Mongoose M3 & 4x1.7 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 470 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 470 Silver) |
| Chipset | Exynos 9810 (10 nm) | Qualcomm SDM730 Snapdragon 730G (8 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G72 MP18 | Adreno 618 |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5.1 | Android 10, upgradable to Android 11, MIUI 12.5 E |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM | 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM |
| | UFS 2.1 | UFS 2.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | Laser AF, Quad-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 64 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF
8 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm
2 MP (macro)
Auxiliary lens |
| Triple | 12 MP, f/1.7, 27mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom
12 MP, f/2.2, 12mm (ultrawide) | - |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps; gyro-EIS | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@960fps |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.2, 25mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.06" 1.0µm |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| | - | 24-bit/192kHz audio |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | FM radio | FM radio, recording |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | USB Type-C 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass |
| | ANT+ | - |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | 25W wired | 30W wired |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Po 5260 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Aura Glow, Aura Black, Aura Red | Midnight Black, Glacier White, Nebula Purple |
| Models | SM-N770F, SM-N770F/DS, SM-N770F/DSM | M2002F4LG, M1910F4G |
| Price | About 550 EUR | About 110 EUR |
| SAR | 0.88 W/kg (head) 0.65 W/kg (body) | 1.17 W/kg (head) 0.86 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.29 W/kg (head) 1.08 W/kg (body) | 1.01 W/kg (head) 1.39 W/kg (body) |
| Pricing |
|---|
| 128GB 6GB RAM | - | € 367.55 |
| 64GB 6GB RAM | - | $ 249.99 |
| RENEWED | - | € 229.00 |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality |
Noise -93.3dB / Crosstalk -91.4dB | - |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 92h |
Endurance rating 117h
|
| Camera |
Photo / Video |
Photo / Video |
| Display |
Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker |
-27.8 LUFS (Good) |
-29.2 LUFS (Average)
|
| Performance |
AnTuTu: 258484 (v7), 341212 (v8)
GeekBench: 6103 (v4.4), 2027 (v5.1)
GFXBench: 25fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
AnTuTu: 253271 (v8)
GeekBench: 1694 (v5.1)
GFXBench: 15fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite
- More powerful processor (Exynos 9810)
- S Pen functionality
- Samsung One UI ecosystem
- Significantly shorter battery life (92h)
- Slower charging (25W)
- Potentially more thermal throttling
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
- Exceptional battery life (117h)
- Faster charging (30W)
- More efficient processor (Snapdragon 730G)
- Less powerful processor
- MIUI software experience (preference-based)
- Potentially less refined camera system
Display Comparison
Both devices feature displays with an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, suggesting deep blacks. However, the Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite edges out the Mi Note 10 Lite in peak brightness, achieving 622 nits compared to the Xiaomi’s 596 nits. While the difference isn’t massive, it translates to slightly better visibility under direct sunlight. Neither display boasts high refresh rates, a common omission in this price bracket. The lack of detailed panel technology information (LTPO, AMOLED version) makes a deeper color accuracy assessment impossible, but both are likely to offer vibrant, if not perfectly calibrated, visuals.
Camera Comparison
Both phones are listed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, lacking specific details. Without sensor size or aperture information, a direct comparison is difficult. However, the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite’s price point suggests a more modest camera system. The Note10 Lite, being positioned as a 'Note' device, likely prioritizes camera features, though the quality will fall short of the flagship Note10. The presence of a 2MP macro camera on the Mi Note 10 Lite is likely a marketing gimmick, offering limited real-world benefit. Image processing styles will also differ significantly, with Samsung typically favoring vibrant, saturated colors and Xiaomi leaning towards a more natural look.
Performance
The Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite is powered by the Exynos 9810, a 10nm chipset featuring a powerful octa-core configuration with Mongoose M3 cores clocked at 2.7 GHz. This offers a theoretical performance advantage over the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G (8nm). However, the Snapdragon 730G benefits from a more efficient manufacturing process and a more balanced core configuration (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 470 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 470 Silver). While the Exynos 9810 may win in raw benchmark scores, the Snapdragon 730G is likely to provide smoother, more sustained performance during extended gaming sessions due to better thermal management. The 8nm process node of the Snapdragon 730G contributes to this efficiency.
Battery Life
The most significant difference lies in battery endurance. The Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite boasts an impressive 117-hour endurance rating, significantly surpassing the Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite’s 92 hours. This translates to a full day of heavy use, or even two days of moderate use, on the Xiaomi. Furthermore, the Mi Note 10 Lite supports 30W wired charging, allowing for faster top-ups compared to the Note10 Lite’s 25W charging. While the Note10 Lite’s battery capacity isn’t specified, the endurance rating suggests it’s smaller, and less efficient, than the Mi Note 10 Lite’s.
Buying Guide
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite if you need the S Pen functionality and prefer Samsung’s One UI software experience, and are willing to compromise on battery life. Buy the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite if you prioritize all-day battery life, faster charging speeds, and a more affordable price point, and are comfortable with Xiaomi’s MIUI software.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Does the Exynos 9810 in the Note10 Lite overheat during prolonged gaming sessions?
The Exynos 9810 is known to generate more heat than comparable Snapdragon chips. While it's a powerful processor, extended gaming at high settings may lead to thermal throttling, reducing performance to prevent overheating. The Mi Note 10 Lite's Snapdragon 730G, built on a more efficient 8nm process, is less prone to this issue.
❓ Is the 30W charging on the Mi Note 10 Lite significantly faster in real-world use?
Yes, the 30W charging on the Mi Note 10 Lite will noticeably reduce charging times compared to the Note10 Lite’s 25W charging. Expect a faster 0-100% charge, potentially shaving off 30-60 minutes depending on usage patterns. This is a significant benefit for users who frequently need to top up their battery quickly.
❓ How does MIUI compare to Samsung's One UI in terms of user experience?
MIUI and One UI offer distinct user experiences. One UI is generally considered more polished and intuitive, with a focus on ease of use. MIUI is highly customizable but can be more cluttered with pre-installed apps and aggressive battery management. Preference is subjective, but Samsung's software is often favored by users new to Android.
❓ Is the S Pen on the Note10 Lite worth the extra cost for average users?
The S Pen is a unique feature of the Note series, offering precise input and creative possibilities. However, for average users who primarily use their phone for communication, social media, and basic tasks, the S Pen's benefits may be limited. If you don't anticipate actively using the S Pen for note-taking, drawing, or navigation, the Mi Note 10 Lite offers better value.
