Tech Next: Xiaomi’s new flagship

The Mi 10 certainly has the pedigree for this battle, we were impressed after spending a week with this device.

It all begins with the build, an elegant 3D curved glass design with a gorgeous curved AMOLED edge-to-edge display. The 6.67-inch (1080 x 2340 pixels) AMOLED DotDisplay with TrueColor stretches the screen: body ratio over 90%. While the specs are not in the same league as the pricier Samsung Galaxy S20+, the display offers a 90Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 1120 nits, that make it very immersive. HD videos and gaming on the device are both terrific. The stereo speaker system – one of the best we’ve tested on any smartphone, adds to the device’s entertainment creds.

The Mi 10 is powered by the best of breed Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor. Our review unit combined 8GB of RAM with 128GB of Internal memory; there’s also an 8GB/256GB available. The device blazed through our tests and intensive gaming. Xiaomi has packed this device with a robust 4780 mAh battery. The device does feel heavy in your hand (it weighs just above 200 gm) but the stellar battery life might be an acceptable compromise for many heavy duty users.

There’s a quad rear cam set-up including an impressive 108MP primary lens. A 13MP ultra-wide cam, a 2MP Macro and 2MP depth sensor complete the rear cam. It doesn’t disappoint. Low-light images are impressive and the ultra-wide lens produces terrific images too. We would have liked to see a better Macro lens but that’s a minor crib. The Mi 10 allows you to shoot 8K videos while the 20MP selfie camera holds its own too. The device is not water-proof while Mi’s custom UI is a tad busy. It’s a toned down version of what we’ve experienced on the brand’s budget devices though. The Mi 10 has what it takes to compete with the flagship devices and proves that Xiaomi can play both ends of the spectrum with equal ease. (Rs 49,999 onwards).

OPPO Enco W31: OPPO’s new wireless headphones allow you to ditch those wires and take your playlist with you. The binaural low-latency Bluetooth transmission enables the compatibility of these headphones with most smartphones. Designed to ensure consumer comfort, OPPO Enco W31 comes with an extra-secure in-ear design and is water and dust resistant. The Enco W31 is equipped with two audio modes: for pop and classical music, a balanced mode that evens out audio across the frequency range; and for rock and EDM, a bass mode that enhances low frequencies. Calls get a boost with two internal high-sensitivity microphones on each side along with the noise cancellation algorithm helping in blocking out the background noise during calls. (Rs 3,999)