Xiaomi Mi 10S vs Mi 10 Pro 5G: A Clash of Flagship Titans

Xiaomi's Mi series has consistently delivered impressive smartphones at competitive prices. The Mi 10S and Mi 10 Pro 5G, both released around the same time, offer compelling features, but cater to slightly different needs. This comprehensive comparison will break down their strengths and weaknesses to help you decide which one is right for you.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Mi 10S boasts a more powerful Snapdragon 870 chipset and faster wired/wireless charging, making it the performance champion. However, the Mi 10 Pro 5G retains a slight edge with its potentially superior camera system and slightly brighter display. Ultimately, the Mi 10S offers better value.

PHONES
Phone Names	Xiaomi Mi 10S	Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 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, 12, 17, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 32, 38, 40 - Global
5G bands	1, 3, 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA	1, 3, 7, 28, 77, 78 Sub6 - Global
Speed	HSPA, LTE, 5G	HSPA, LTE, 5G (2+ Gbps DL)
Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G	GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
	-	1, 3, 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China

Launch
Announced	2021, March 10	2020, February 13. Released 2020, February 18
Status	Available. Released 2021, March 12	Discontinued

Body
Build	-	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back, aluminum frame
Dimensions	162.6 x 74.8 x 9 mm (6.40 x 2.94 x 0.35 in)	162.5 x 74.8 x 9 mm (6.40 x 2.94 x 0.35 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	208 g (7.34 oz)	208 g (7.34 oz)

Display
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 5	Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Resolution	1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~386 ppi density)	1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~386 ppi density)
Size	6.67 inches, 109.2 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio)	6.67 inches, 109.2 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+, 500 nits (typ), 1120 nits (peak)	Super AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+, 500 nits (typ)

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Kryo 585 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4x1.80 GHz Kryo 585)	Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
Chipset	Qualcomm SM8250-AC Snapdragon 870 5G (7 nm)	Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+)
GPU	Adreno 650	Adreno 650
OS	Android 11, MIUI 12	Android 10, upgradable to Android 13, MIUI 14

Memory
Card slot	No	No
Internal	128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM	256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
	UFS 3.0	UFS 3.0

Main Camera
Features	Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama	Laser AF, Triple-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama
Quad	108 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.4, 123˚ (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens	108 MP, f/1.7, (wide), 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.0, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, 2x optical zoom 8 MP, f/2.0, (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.7x optical zoom, 5x hybrid zoom 20 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/2.8", 1.0µm
Single	20 MP, (wide), 1/3.4", 0.8µm	-
Video	8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps; gyro-EIS	8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps; gyro-EIS

Selfie camera
Features	HDR, panorama	HDR
Single	20 MP, (wide), 1/3.4", 0.8µm	20 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/3", 0.9µm
Video	1080p@30fps, 720p@120fps	1080p@30fps, 720p@120fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	No	No
35mm jack	No	No
Loudspeaker	Yes, with stereo speakers	Yes, with stereo speakers
	24-bit/192kHz audio Tuned by Harman Kardon	24-bit/192kHz audio

Comms
Bluetooth	5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive	5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
Infrared port	Yes	Yes
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)	GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a)
Radio	No	No
USB	USB Type-C 2.0, OTG	USB Type-C 2.0, OTG
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer
	-	Virtual proximity sensing

Battery
Charging	33W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 56 min 30W wireless, 100% in 69 min 10W reverse wireless	50W wired, PD3.0 30W wireless 5W reverse wireless
Type	Li-Po 4780 mAh	Li-Po 4500 mAh

Misc
Colors	Titanium Black, Ice Blue, Pearl White	Alpine White, Solstice Grey
Models	M2102J2SC	M2001J1G
Price	About 430 EUR	About 930 EUR
SAR	-	1.09 W/kg (head) 1.02 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	-	0.69 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body)

Tests
Battery life	-	Endurance rating 101h
Camera	-	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-	-25.2 LUFS (Very good)
Performance	-	AnTuTu: 595246 (v8) GeekBench: 3331 (v5.1) GFXBench: 42fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Xiaomi Mi 10S

More powerful Snapdragon 870 chipset
Faster wired and wireless charging
Modern chipset
10W reverse wireless charging

Potentially slightly less refined camera
Display brightness details less available

Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro 5G

Potentially superior camera system
Brighter display (858 nits)
Excellent battery life
Infinite contrast ratio (nominal)

Slower charging speeds
Older Snapdragon 865 chipset
5W reverse wireless charging

Display Comparison

Both phones feature excellent AMOLED displays, but the Mi 10 Pro 5G has a measured peak brightness of 858 nits, potentially offering better outdoor visibility. The Mi 10S display details are less readily available, but it's expected to be very good. The Mi 10 Pro's 'infinite' contrast ratio is a nominal value, but suggests deep blacks. Resolution is likely similar on both.

Camera Comparison

The Mi 10 Pro 5G is generally considered to have a slightly better camera system, although detailed comparisons are difficult without extensive testing. It likely features a more refined image processing pipeline. Both phones offer versatile camera setups with multiple lenses (wide, ultrawide, telephoto, macro), capable of capturing high-quality photos and videos. Low-light performance is expected to be good on both.

Performance

The Mi 10S takes a clear lead here. Its Snapdragon 870 is a significant upgrade over the Mi 10 Pro's Snapdragon 865, offering noticeably better CPU and GPU performance. This translates to smoother gaming, faster app loading, and overall snappier responsiveness. Both phones have ample RAM and storage, so everyday tasks won't be an issue on either.

Battery Life

Both phones boast impressive battery life, with an endurance rating of 101h. However, the Mi 10S has significantly faster charging capabilities (33W wired, 30W wireless, 10W reverse wireless) compared to the Mi 10 Pro (50W wired, 30W wireless, 5W reverse wireless). This means you'll spend less time plugged in with the Mi 10S.

Buying Guide

The Xiaomi Mi 10S is ideal for users prioritizing raw performance, faster charging, and a more modern chipset. The Mi 10 Pro 5G is a better choice for those who value camera quality, a potentially better display, and don't mind slightly slower charging speeds.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Snapdragon 870 significantly faster than the Snapdragon 865?

Yes, the Snapdragon 870 offers a noticeable performance boost over the Snapdragon 865, particularly in GPU performance, making it better for gaming and demanding tasks.

❓ Which phone has better low-light camera performance?

While both phones have good low-light capabilities, the Mi 10 Pro 5G is generally considered to have a slight edge due to its potentially more refined image processing.