Mi 9T lineup didn’t get a Lite version, this year’s 10T family did. And you can say that the Mi 10T lite is the spiritual successor to the vanilla Mi 9T since it has the mid-range specs and everything, whereas the vanilla Mi 10T is closer to the Pro version this time around.

 

 

 

 

 

Another interesting thing to note here is that the Mi 10T Lite 5G carries the same screen size as its other two siblings – 6.67 inches. The only difference is the punch-hole positioning for the front camera and the screen refresh rates. The Lite “settles” for 120Hz instead of 144Hz and moves the front-facing camera in the center.

Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G specs at a glance:

Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct. Read more

The back of the device is also radically different than the rest of the Mi 10T’s. But compared to other Xiaomi phones, it’s not very unique. The camera module’s placement and design are strikingly similar to the Poco X3. Other features like the camera setup, the battery capacity, fast charging, and stereo speakers are pretty much in line with the rest of Mi 10Ts.

 

 

 

 

The most significant difference is in the chipset, of course, which can also be considered as the key selling point. It’s the Snapdragon 750 5G, and it’s one of the newest additions to Qualcomm’s portfolio. A successor to the Snapdragon 730G with improvements to the overall performance, adds a couple of actually usable features and still sits right under the Snapdragon 865G in pricing while delivering the same 5G capabilities. But more on that later.

At a price hovering around €270, the Mi 10T 5G shapes up to be a pretty good deal considering all the hardware and software features it has to offer. However, it will be curious to see if it’s any better than other Xiaomi-branded phones from earlier this year, which have all fallen to this price point. So not only does the Mi 10T Lite face external but some internal competitions as well.

Unboxing the Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G

There’s nothing out of the ordinary inside the retail box. You will find the usual user manuals, a 33W-capable fast charger, a USB-A to USB-C cable for file transfer and charging as well as a transparent silicone case.

 

 

 

 

Alternatives

The Mi 10T Lite appears to be aimed at the European market, judging by its notable absence from the Indian market.

 

 

 

 

At the time of writing, the Mi 10T Lite 5G 64GB starts at £200 in the UK but is considerably more expensive (€280) in the Eurozone for some inexplicable reason. The 128GB version is £225 in the UK and €320 in the Eurozone.

This makes drawing general comparisons really hard. For instance, its close competitor, the Mi 10 Lite 5G, is more expensive in the UK but cheaper in the EU.

The Mi 10 Lite 5G has a crisp, bright AMOLED panel but no high refresh rate. It offers roughly the same performance and arguably a better camera experience. Sadly, the stereo loudspeakers aren’t included in the specs sheet, and when it comes to battery endurance and charging, the Mi 10T Lite 5G has the edge over its close sibling.

Then there is the Poco X3 NFC – again by Xiaomi. It doesn’t have 5G, but it is also €50 less expensive. A great all-rounder with similar camera performance, the same 6.67-inch 120Hz IPS LCD panel, stereo speakers, the same fast charging tech but slightly longer battery life. The chipset is the only thing that’s inferior to the Mi 10T Lite. So in case you really like the Mi 10T Lite 5G, but it’s a bit out of reach, and you don’t care about 5G, the Poco X3 NFC may make all the sense.

 

Realme has a budget 5G contender, too, in the face of the Realme 7 5G. It doesn’t get any cheaper than the Mi 10T Lite, but these two are head to head in pretty much all departments. We guess the choice here will be down to brand preference or any available options for carrier subsidies.

 

 

Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC • Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5G • Realme 7 5G

 

 

 

Verdict

The Mi 10T Lite 5G is a great phone. It’s powerful, feature-packed, and offers some high-end features like HRR, stereo loudspeakers, and excellent haptic feedback. Although there are some similarly-priced alternatives with OLED panels, this IPS screen is one of the good ones. It’s sufficiently bright (in most cases), supports HDR10, goes up to 120Hz and the smart refresh rate control makes the whole experience even more worthwhile. Bonus points for not having those annoying halos around the punch-hole camera and the bezels.

 

 

 

 

The battery life and charging speeds are great, while the Snapdragon 750G seems to be packing a punch, beating even the Snapdragon 765G in some CPU-intensive scenarios. Adding the IR blaster, the mature MIUI 12, and the dedicated microSD card slot into the mix, you get a decently-priced all-rounder. Our only complaint would be the camera’s overall performance.

We feel like the Mi 10 Lite 5G is too close to the Mi 10T Lite 5G performance and price-wise, so some users will be drawn to the former due to its more competent camera performance and OLED display. And we would totally get that. We are sure you would be happy with either one.

Pros

• Good build with Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and back
• Great IPS LCD panel with variable 120Hz HRR (in gaming, too), tiny selfie punch hole and dual-sided light sensor
• Great battery life and fast charging
• Stereo loudspeakers
• IR blaster, microSD card slot, FM radio , good haptic motor.
• Mature and feature-rich MIUI 12 with granular refresh rate control

Cons

• Expected sharper and more detailed photos from the main 64MP camera.