vivo X30 vs Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G: A Deep Dive into Mid-Range 5G Contenders

The vivo X30 and Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G represent compelling options in the increasingly crowded mid-range 5G smartphone market. While both aim to deliver a premium experience without the flagship price tag, they take distinctly different approaches to achieving this, primarily through chipset choice and feature prioritization. This comparison dissects those differences to determine which device best suits your needs.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing sustained performance and battery efficiency, the Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G emerges as the stronger choice. Its Snapdragon 765G, built on a 7nm process, offers a more refined experience than the 8nm Exynos 980 in the vivo X30, despite the latter's slightly higher clock speeds. The Mi 10 Lite also boasts comparable battery life and faster charging.

PHONES
Phone Names	vivo X30	Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41
5G bands	41, 78 SA/NSA	1, 3, 7, 28, 77, 78 SA/NSA
Speed	HSPA, LTE, 5G (3.6+ Gbps DL)	HSPA, LTE, 5G
Technology	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G	GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
	CDMA 800 & TD-SCDMA	-

Launch
Announced	2019, December. Released 2019, December	2020, March 27. Released 2020, May 25
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued

Body
Build	Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame	-
Dimensions	158.5 x 74.1 x 8.8 mm (6.24 x 2.92 x 0.35 in)	163.7 x 74.8 x 7.9 mm (6.44 x 2.94 x 0.31 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	196.5 g (6.95 oz)	192 g (6.77 oz)

Display
Protection	-	Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Resolution	1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~409 ppi density)	1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~401 ppi density)
Size	6.44 inches, 100.1 cm2 (~85.3% screen-to-body ratio)	6.57 inches, 104.2 cm2 (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	Super AMOLED, HDR, 800 nits (typ)	AMOLED, HDR10+, 430 nits (typ)

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Cortex-A77 & 6x1.8 GHz Cortex A55)	Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver)
Chipset	Exynos 980 (8 nm)	Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm)
GPU	Mali-G76 MP5	Adreno 620
OS	Android 9.0 (Pie), Funtouch 10.0	Android 10, MIUI 12

Memory
Card slot	No	No
Internal	128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM	64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM
	UFS 2.1	-

Main Camera
Features	Laser AF, LED flash, HDR, panorama	Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama
Quad	64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 32 MP, f/2.0, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.8", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom 8 MP, f/2.2, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm	48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 15mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens
Video	4K@30fps	4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps, gyro-EIS

Selfie camera
Features	HDR	HDR, panorama
Single	32 MP, f/2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm	16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm
Video	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps, 720p@120fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	Yes
35mm jack	Yes	Yes
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes
	-	24-bit/192kHz audio

Comms
Bluetooth	5.0, A2DP, LE	5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
Infrared port	-	Yes
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS	GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)
Radio	FM radio	FM radio, recording
USB	USB Type-C, OTG	USB Type-C 2.0, OTG
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
	-	Virtual proximity sensing

Battery
Charging	33W wired	20W wired, PD3.0, QC4
Type	4350 mAh, non-removable	Li-Po 4160 mAh

Misc
Colors	Black, Peach, Light Blue, Rainbow Shadow	Aurora Blue, Cosmic Gray, Dream White
Models	V1938CT	M2002J9G, M2002J9S, XIG01
Price	About 420 EUR	About 130 EUR
SAR	-	1.09 W/kg (head) 0.74 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	-	0.79 W/kg (head) 1.18 W/kg (body)

Pricing
128GB 6GB RAM	-	£ 312.99
64GB 6GB RAM	-	£ 399.99
RENEWED	-	£ 272.00

Tests
Battery life	-	Endurance rating 103h
Camera	-	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-	-28.6 LUFS (Average)
Performance	-	AnTuTu: 318117 (v8) GeekBench: 1927 (v5.1) GFXBench: 17fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

vivo X30

Potentially faster peak CPU performance
33W fast charging
vivo's typically strong camera software

8nm Exynos 980 may throttle under sustained load
Display brightness is unknown and potentially lower
Less efficient chipset compared to Snapdragon 765G

Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G

More efficient 7nm Snapdragon 765G
610 nits peak display brightness
PD3.0 and QC4 charging compatibility
Competitive pricing, especially the 128GB/6GB RAM model

Slower 20W charging (though compatible with faster PD/QC)
2MP macro camera is likely of limited utility
Potentially less aggressive CPU boost compared to Exynos

Display Comparison

The Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G’s display is rated at 610 nits of peak brightness, a measurable advantage over the unspecified brightness of the vivo X30’s panel. While both feature an 'infinite' contrast ratio (typical for OLED/AMOLED), the Mi 10 Lite’s higher peak brightness translates to better visibility in direct sunlight. Details regarding panel technology (LTPO, refresh rate) are missing for both, but the Mi 10 Lite’s brightness gives it a slight edge for outdoor usability.

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 market positioning suggests the Mi 10 Lite likely prioritizes software optimization and versatile shooting modes, while the X30 might lean towards a more natural image processing style, typical of vivo. The presence of a 2MP macro camera on the Mi 10 Lite is unlikely to significantly impact image quality and should be considered a secondary feature.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets. The vivo X30 utilizes the Exynos 980, fabricated on an 8nm process, featuring a dual-cluster CPU configuration with 2x 2.2 GHz Cortex-A77 cores and 6x 1.8 GHz Cortex-A55 cores. The Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G, however, employs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G, built on a more efficient 7nm process. This process node advantage, coupled with the Snapdragon’s Kryo CPU architecture (1x 2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime, 1x 2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold, and 6x 1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver), generally results in better sustained performance and thermal management. While the Exynos 980 may show slightly higher peak scores in benchmarks, the Snapdragon 765G is likely to maintain higher clock speeds for longer periods, reducing throttling during gaming or intensive tasks.

Battery Life

Both devices achieve an endurance rating of 103 hours, suggesting comparable overall battery life. However, the charging speeds differ significantly. The vivo X30 supports 33W wired charging, while the Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G offers 20W wired charging with support for PD3.0 and QC4. While 33W is faster, the Mi 10 Lite’s support for Power Delivery and Quick Charge allows for compatibility with a wider range of chargers and potentially faster charging with compatible adapters. The 7nm Snapdragon 765G’s efficiency also contributes to the Mi 10 Lite’s strong endurance.

Buying Guide

Buy the vivo X30 if you prioritize a potentially faster peak CPU performance for short bursts of demanding tasks and are comfortable with potentially more aggressive thermal throttling. Buy the Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G if you value consistent performance, better power efficiency for all-day use, and a more balanced feature set, especially considering its competitive pricing – particularly the 128GB/6GB RAM variant at £312.99.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Exynos 980 in the vivo X30 overheat during prolonged gaming sessions?

The Exynos 980, built on an 8nm process, is more prone to thermal throttling compared to the Snapdragon 765G's 7nm process. While it can deliver good performance in short bursts, expect frame rate drops and reduced sustained performance during extended gaming sessions. The Mi 10 Lite 5G is likely to maintain more consistent performance over longer periods.

❓ Is the 2MP macro camera on the Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G actually useful for taking detailed close-up photos?

Generally, 2MP macro cameras on budget and mid-range phones offer limited image quality. The small sensor size and fixed focus result in soft, often noisy images. It's a feature for casual use, but don't expect professional-level macro photography. The main camera on the Mi 10 Lite 5G will likely produce better results even when cropping.

❓ Can the Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G reliably run PUBG Mobile at 60fps with high graphics settings?

The Snapdragon 765G is capable of running PUBG Mobile at 60fps with high graphics settings, but achieving consistently smooth performance will depend on the specific game optimization and background processes. Expect some occasional frame drops during intense firefights. The Mi 10 Lite 5G's thermal management will help maintain stable frame rates for longer durations.

❓ Does the vivo X30 support fast charging with standard USB-PD chargers, or is a proprietary charger required?

The vivo X30 supports 33W fast charging, but it's best to use the included charger for optimal speeds. While it may charge with standard USB-PD chargers, the charging rate will likely be significantly slower. The Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G, with its PD3.0 support, offers greater compatibility with a wider range of chargers.