Category: Smartphones

Xiaomi has recently unveiled the Redmi NOTE 11 Pro+ 5G and the Redmi 10 5G which are powered by Mediatek’s Dimensity 920 and Dimensity 700 processors. The Redmi NOTE 11 Pro+ 5G is immediately available in Kenya starting at KES 45,999. It is a premium device competing with the likes of the Vivo V23 5G or the OPPO Reno6 5G but priced more affordably. The two mentioned devices cost KES 60,000.

It is the first Redmi NOTE device to feature Xiaomi’s crazy 120W fast charging which should charge the 4500mAh battery in a mere 15mins from zero. The charger is included in the box. Xiaomi says the device also ensures charging safety and stability with more than 40 safety features, as well as attaining TÜV Rheinland’s Safe Fast-Charge System certification.

The Redmi 10 5G on the other hand is an addition to the Redmi 10 lineup offering 5G at a more affordable price range. It is the first in the series to offer 5G support thanks to the new Dimensity 700 chip. It has a 5000mAh battery and comes with a 22.5w charger in the box, though it charges at 18W. The phone is set to be available in Kenya from May with pricing expected to start at KES 23,000.

Differences between the Redmi NOTE 11 Pro+ 5G and the Redmi 10 5G:

At the end of the third quarter in 2021, Xiaomi brought the Redmi 10 with a 50MP camera to the Kenyan market. The device has already been updated for 2022 with the introduction of the Redmi 10 2022 which is now available in the Kenyan market.

The prices of the Redmi 10 2022 are as follows:

• 4GB + 64GB at KES 19,499/-
• 4GB + 128GB at KES 21,499/-
• 6GB + 128GB at KES 22,799/-

Xiaomi explains that the Redmi 10 2022 features a powerful chipset and a sleek design offering exceptional performance to more people. The company boasts that the new device raises the bar yet again by offering exceptional performance at a highly affordable price.

For the rear cameras, the device features a 50MP main shooter, an 8MP ultra-wide shooter, a 2MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth camera. There’s an 8MP selfie camera.

The phone has a 6.5″ FHD+ display supporting 90Hz refresh rate. It is powered by the Mediatek Helio G88 processor, and a 5000mAh battery which supports 18W fast charging. You get a 22.5W charger in the box.

The phone runs Android 11 with MIUI 12.5. There’s no mention of whether or not the device will receive Android 12, and Android 13 later on this year. This is something Xiaomi has lagged on of late, where instead of sending out System Upgrades to Android versions, they send out MIUI upgrades. You find yourself running MIUI 13, but it’s based on Android 11, and not the latest version. It is a crazy undertaking by Xiaomi, perhaps a means of slowly splitting MIUI from Google’s Android.

The phone also aso features AdaptiveSync technology which lowers power consumption and extends battery life by adjusting the refresh rate based on the content being viewed. There’s Reading Mode 3.0, which effectively reduces eye strain by offering a paper-like quality to your reading experience.

The phone is immediately available in the Kenyan market.

Xiaomi Kenya has announced availability of the Redmi 10A in the market. This is a replacement to the Redmi 9A which has been the best phone under 10k for a long while now. Before that we had the Redmi 8A, the Redmi 7A, etc. which all topped my lists of best under 10k.

This time round however, I’m betting with the bad performance of the Kenyan shilling, the device costs more than 10k.

Prices of Redmi 10A in Kenya:

• 2GB RAM with 32GB Storage – KES 12,899
• 3GB RAM with 64GB Storage – KES 14,499
• 4GB RAM with 128GB Storage – KES 16,499

Xiaomi describes the Redmi 10A as a great entry level device with 6.53″ HD+ display, a 13MP main camera with a 2MP depth sensor, a 5000mAh battery supporting 10W charging and a MediaTek Helio G25 processor.

The phone’s storage can be expanded up to 1TB externally. The phone comes with MIUI 12.5 based on Android 11.

A huge setback is that the phone has a microUSB port. Which makes me really miss the value-for-money aspect and future proofing that Xiaomi shipped with the Redmi 8A many years ago. Unfortunately the Redmi 9A also lacked USB Type-C.

Redmi 10A Specifications