Smartphone Comparison: Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G vs. Honor 90
1. Specifications Comparison
Design
| Feature | Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Dimensions | 161.8 × 75.3 × 8.9 mm | 161.9 × 74.1 × 7.8 mm | The Honor 90 is slightly thinner and narrower, potentially making it more comfortable to hold and use, especially for smaller hands. The Redmi Note 10 5G is slightly more bulky. |
| Weight | 190g | 183g | The Honor 90 is slightly lighter, which may be noticeable during extended use, providing a more comfortable experience overall. |
Display
| Feature | Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Size | 6.5" | 6.7" | The Honor 90's slightly larger screen provides more immersive viewing for videos and gaming and slightly more content display. |
| Resolution | 1080x2400 | 1200x2664 | The Honor 90's higher resolution results in sharper text and images, improving the visual experience, especially for detailed content. |
| Pixel Density (PPI) | 405 | 435 | The higher pixel density of the Honor 90 means a slightly crisper display with more clarity. |
| Technology | IPS LCD | AMOLED | The AMOLED display on the Honor 90 offers significantly better contrast, deeper blacks, and more vibrant colors compared to the IPS LCD on the Redmi Note 10 5G. It also has better power efficiency for dark themes. |
| Refresh Rate | 90Hz | 120Hz | The 120Hz refresh rate on the Honor 90 makes scrolling and animations smoother, improving responsiveness and fluidity. |
| Brightness | 0 nits | 1600 nits | The Honor 90's much higher brightness makes it significantly more usable in bright sunlight, and improves HDR content rendering. |
Performance
| Feature | Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Chipset | Mediatek Dimensity 700 (7 nm) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 Accelerated Edition (4 nm) | The Honor 90's newer and more efficient chipset provides significantly better performance, faster app loading, and more efficient power consumption. |
| AnTuTu Score | 381,300 | 701,227 | The Honor 90 has dramatically better performance for gaming, multitasking, and demanding applications. |
| GPU | Mali-G57 MC2 | Adreno 644 | The Adreno 644 GPU in the Honor 90 offers superior graphics performance. |
Camera
| Feature | Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Main Camera Resolution | 48MP | 200MP | The Honor 90's 200MP camera allows for much higher-resolution photos with more detail and the ability to crop without losing quality. |
| Main Camera Aperture | f/1.79 | f/1.9 | The Redmi Note 10 5G's wider aperture is theoretically better in low-light conditions. |
| Main Camera Sensor Size | 1/2" | 1/1.4" | The Honor 90's larger sensor can capture more light, resulting in better image quality, particularly in challenging lighting. |
| Selfie Camera Resolution | 8MP | 50MP | The Honor 90's higher-resolution selfie camera captures significantly more detailed selfies. |
| Selfie Camera Aperture | f/2.0 | f/2.4 | The Redmi Note 10 5G has a slightly wider aperture, theoretically offering slightly better low-light selfies. |
| Portrait Camera (Depth) | 2MP, f/2.4 | 2MP, f/2.4 | Both offer comparable depth sensing for portrait mode. The Honor 90 has larger pixels. |
| Macro Lens | 2MP, f/2.4 | Not present | The Redmi Note 10 5G has a dedicated macro lens for close-up photography. |
| Wide Angle + Macro | Not present | 12MP, f/2.2 | The Honor 90 has a wide-angle lens, also capable of macro shots. |
| Video Recording | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@60fps | The Honor 90 is capable of recording higher-resolution and higher frame rate video with digital stabilization, leading to better video quality for content creation or general use. |
| Slow-Motion Video | 120 fps | 960 fps | The Honor 90 can record significantly better slow-motion video. |
| DXOMark Score | Not tested | Main: 122, Photo: 128, Video: 126 | The Honor 90 has very good camera quality, achieving higher scores. |
| Additional Features | Night Mode | Phase detection autofocus (PDAF), Continuous shooting, RAW, Front Flash, Night Mode | The Honor 90 offers more advanced camera features such as RAW capture and a front flash. |
Battery
| Feature | Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Capacity | 5000mAh | 5000mAh | Both phones should have comparable battery life under similar usage patterns. |
| Charging | 18W Fast Charging | 66W Fast Charging | The Honor 90 charges significantly faster, reducing downtime and improving convenience. |
| Battery Features | Reverse charging | Not Present | Redmi Note 10 5G can charge other devices, which can be a useful feature. |
Other Features
| Feature | Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|
| Operating System | Android 11 | Android 13 | The Honor 90 comes with a more recent Android version, offering updated features and improved security. |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11ac | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) | The Honor 90 supports the faster Wi-Fi 6 standard for better wireless performance. |
| Bluetooth | 5.1 | 5.2 | The Honor 90 has a slightly newer Bluetooth version and better audio codec support for better audio quality and stability. |
| GPS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, BeiDou (B1) | The Honor 90 includes additional GPS systems for improved accuracy and reliability. |
| Internal Storage | 64 GB, 128 GB, or 256 GB | 256 GB or 512 GB | The Honor 90 offers more storage options, which is useful for storing many pictures, videos, and apps. |
| RAM | 4 GB, 6 GB, or 8 GB | 8 GB, 12 GB, or 16 GB | The Honor 90 offers more RAM, improving multitasking capabilities and the performance of demanding apps. |
| Expandable Storage | No | No | Neither phone has expandable storage. |
| Audio | Hi-Res Audio | Noise cancellation microphone | The Redmi Note 10 5G has Hi-Res audio which provides better audio quality, while Honor 90 offers a noise-canceling microphone for better call quality. |
| Security | Side-mounted fingerprint sensor | Basic fingerprint sensor | The side-mounted fingerprint scanner on the Redmi Note 10 5G is more convenient. |
| Screen Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Unknown | The Redmi Note 10 5G is known to have better protection from scratches and accidental drops with Gorilla Glass 3. |
| Sensors | Biometric: Fingerprint; Proximity: Proximity; Motion: Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope | Biometric: Fingerprint; Proximity: Proximity; Motion: Accelerometer, Compass | The Redmi Note 10 5G features a gyroscope that makes it better for games, while the Honor 90 has an RGB sensor that can adjust screen colors better. |
2. Key Differences Analysis
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G Advantages
- Slightly wider main camera aperture: Potentially better low-light photos (though the Honor 90's larger sensor is generally better).
- Reverse charging: Can charge other devices, acting as a power bank.
- Macro Lens: Dedicated lens for close-up photography.
- Side-mounted fingerprint scanner: Potentially more ergonomic.
- Gorilla Glass 3: Known to have superior screen protection from scratches
Honor 90 Advantages
- Superior Display: AMOLED technology with higher resolution, refresh rate, and brightness for a significantly better viewing experience.
- Significantly better Performance: More powerful chipset and GPU resulting in smoother gaming, app usage, and multitasking.
- Much higher resolution cameras: Main and selfie cameras take much more detailed photos and videos.
- Faster Charging: 66W charging drastically reduces the time to recharge the battery.
- Newer Software: Comes with a newer version of Android, providing better security and more recent features.
- Better Wireless Technologies: Supports newer Wi-Fi 6 standard and Bluetooth 5.2.
- Better Audio Codec Support: For better audio quality and stability.
- Wider Angle Camera: Offers a dedicated wide angle camera that can also be used for macro shots.
- Better Video Recording: Can record video at 4k, 60fps and has better digital stabilization and slow-motion features.
- Larger Storage and RAM Options: Provides larger options for internal storage and RAM for more performance and usage.
Trade-offs
- The Redmi Note 10 5G offers a macro lens while Honor 90 offers a wide-angle macro lens.
- The Honor 90 lacks reverse charging, a feature present in the Redmi Note 10 5G.
- The Redmi Note 10 5G's fingerprint scanner is more ergonomic.
- The Redmi Note 10 5G features Gorilla Glass 3 which is better than Honor 90's screen protection.
- The Redmi Note 10 5G has Hi-Res audio but Honor 90 has a noise-canceling microphone.
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G Ideal Users
- Budget-Conscious Buyers: Users who are looking for an affordable phone with 5G connectivity and decent performance.
- Basic Smartphone Users: People who primarily use their phones for calls, browsing, social media, and basic photography.
- Users Needing Reverse Charging: People who may need to charge other devices occasionally.
- Users needing a Macro Lens: People who want to take close-up pictures.
- Users needing a screen protector: People who need a well protected screen.
Honor 90 Ideal Users
- Multimedia Enthusiasts: Users who watch a lot of videos and want a superior display with vibrant colors, high resolution, and high refresh rates.
- Mobile Gamers: Users who want smooth gameplay and faster loading times and need a good graphics performance.
- Photography and Videography Lovers: Users who desire high-resolution photos and video with advanced video features.
- Power Users: Users that require a phone that can perform demanding tasks like multitasking with lots of apps open and running.
- Users Who Value Speed and Performance: People who need fast app loading, quick charging, and a responsive device.
- Users that need better call quality: People who need clear and uninterrupted calls.
Use Cases
- Redmi Note 10 5G: A great everyday phone for basic tasks, reliable battery, and occasional charging of other devices. Good for people who like macro photography.
- Honor 90: Ideal for immersive media consumption, smooth gaming, high-quality photography and videography, and demanding applications. Better for content creators and people who want very good photos and videos.
4. Decision Framework
Key Questions for Buyers
- How important is display quality? (The Honor 90 has a vastly superior display)
- How important is performance and gaming? (The Honor 90 is significantly more powerful)
- Is camera quality and video recording important to you? (The Honor 90 is significantly better for photos and video.)
Scenario-Based Recommendations
- Budget-Conscious User: If you are on a strict budget and want a functional phone with basic capabilities, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G may be sufficient, especially if you need a macro lens or reverse charging.
- Multimedia Enthusiast / Gamer: If you consume a lot of media and/or game on your phone and want the best possible experience, the Honor 90 is the clear choice.
- Photography and Videography Enthusiast: If you want the best possible camera experience, the Honor 90 is the clear choice, with its significantly better main and selfie cameras and video capabilities.
- Power User: If you do a lot of multitasking and need a phone that can handle demanding apps, the Honor 90 offers better performance.
My Choice
If I were to choose between the two, I would pick the Honor 90. The significantly superior display, much better performance, vastly improved camera capabilities, and faster charging make it a worthwhile upgrade, despite lacking a macro lens and reverse charging. I frequently use my phone for watching videos and playing games. The Honor 90's AMOLED display and powerful chipset, combined with its amazing camera performance, would greatly enhance my daily usage, outweighing the benefits of the Redmi Note 10 5G. While the Redmi Note 10 5G provides value at its price point, the Honor 90's performance is a bigger priority for me, so I'd be willing to pay more for its superior capabilities.
