1. Specifications Comparison
| Feature | Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S | Honor 90 | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design | |||
| Dimensions | 160.5 × 74.5 × 8.3 mm | 161.9 × 74.1 × 7.8 mm | Honor 90 is slightly taller and thinner; Xiaomi is slightly wider, but the size differences are not drastically noticeable |
| Weight | 178.8g | 183g | Both are similar in weight, won't feel drastically different in hand. |
| Display | |||
| Size | 6.43" | 6.7" | Honor 90 has a slightly larger screen, which is better for media consumption and gaming. |
| Resolution | 1080x2400 | 1200x2664 | Honor 90 displays crisper images due to the higher resolution, noticeable in text and detailed content. |
| PPI | 409 | 435 | Honor 90 offers sharper visuals. |
| Technology | AMOLED | AMOLED | Both offer vibrant colors, deep blacks, and excellent contrast. |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | Honor 90 provides much smoother scrolling and animations. A significant difference in the overall feel of the UI. |
| Brightness | 1100 nits | 1600 nits | Honor 90 has much better outdoor visibility under direct sunlight. |
| Performance | |||
| Chipset | Mediatek Helio G95 (12 nm) | Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 (4 nm) | Honor 90 offers significantly faster processing speeds and is more power-efficient due to the newer chip. |
| AnTuTu Score | 409,874 | 701,227 | Honor 90 offers smoother performance in demanding applications and games. |
| GPU | Mali-G76 MC4 | Adreno 644 | Honor 90's GPU provides superior graphics performance, better for gaming. |
| Camera | |||
| Main Camera | 64MP, f/1.79 | 200MP, f/1.9 | Honor 90 has higher resolution for more detailed photos, and is significantly better in low-light conditions. |
| Selfie Camera | 13MP, f/2.45 | 50MP, f/2.4 | Honor 90 captures more detailed and higher-quality selfies. |
| Wide Angle Lens | 8MP, f/2.2 | Not Available | Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S has a dedicated wide-angle camera for landscape shots. |
| Portrait Lens | 2MP, f/2.4 | 2MP, f/2.4 | Similar portrait capabilities on both phones. |
| Macro Lens | 2MP, f/2.4 | Not Available | Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S can capture close-up detail with the macro camera. |
| Wide Angle + Macro | Not Available | 12MP, f/2.2 | Honor 90 has a combined wide-angle and macro lens. |
| Video | Up to 4K@30fps | Up to 4K@30fps with EIS | Both offer good video quality. Honor 90 has electronic image stabilization (EIS) for smoother videos. |
| DxOMark | Not Available | Mobile: 122 | Honor 90 has a strong overall score. |
| Battery | |||
| Capacity | 5000mAh | 5000mAh | Both offer comparable battery life, expected to last a full day with moderate usage. |
| Charging | 33W fast charging | 66W fast charging | Honor 90 charges much faster, reducing downtime. |
| Features | Reverse Charging | None | Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S can be used to charge other devices. |
| Software | |||
| OS | Android 11 (up to 13) | Android 13 | Honor 90 has a newer version of Android, which means better optimization and possibly longer support. |
| Connectivity | |||
| WiFi | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 6 | Honor 90 supports faster Wi-Fi speeds for better connectivity. |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.2 | Honor 90 has a more modern Bluetooth standard for better pairing and audio quality. |
| GPS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, BeiDou (B1) | Honor 90 has slightly more precise GPS capabilities due to additional BeiDou (B1) satellite support. |
| Storage | |||
| Internal | 64GB or 128GB | 256GB or 512GB | Honor 90 offers significantly more internal storage for photos, videos, and apps. |
| RAM | 6GB or 8GB | 8GB, 12GB or 16GB | Honor 90 has much higher RAM options, offering better multitasking and smoother operation. |
| Expandable | No | No | Neither phone supports external storage. |
| Audio | |||
| Quality | Hi-Res, Stereo Speakers | Noise Cancellation mic | Xiaomi has better playback audio quality and louder speaker system while the Honor has better noise cancellation for calls. |
| Security | |||
| Fingerprint | Side-mounted | Basic fingerprint sensor | Xiaomi offers a faster and more convenient fingerprint sensor. |
| Build | |||
| Screen Protection | Gorilla Glass 3 | Unknown | Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S has known screen protection. Honor 90 screen protection is not specified |
| Sensors | Biometric: Fingerprint; Motion: Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope; Proximity: Ultrasonic proximity virtual | Biometric: Fingerprint; Proximity: Proximity; Motion: Accelerometer, Compass, RGB | Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S has more advanced sensor array suitable for gaming and advanced proximity detection. |
| ## 2. Key Differences Analysis |
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S Advantages:
- Dedicated Wide-Angle and Macro Lenses: Offers more versatility in photography with dedicated lenses for different scenarios.
- Reverse Charging: Can be used to charge other devices, a convenient feature for emergencies.
- Hi-Res Audio and Stereo Speakers: Provides better audio quality for immersive experience.
- Side-mounted fingerprint sensor: A faster and more convenient fingerprint sensor.
- Known Screen Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 3.
Honor 90 Advantages:
- Superior Display: Larger size, higher resolution, 120Hz refresh rate and greater brightness contribute to a much better viewing experience.
- Significantly Better Performance: Faster chipset (Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 vs Helio G95) leads to much smoother performance in daily use and gaming.
- Far Superior Camera: Higher resolution cameras (200MP main, 50MP selfie) which results in more detailed and better quality photos.
- Faster Charging: 66W charging is much faster than 33W, reducing downtime.
- More Internal Storage and RAM: Significantly higher storage options and RAM which offers better performance and more space for files.
- Newer Software and Connectivity: Comes with Android 13 and Wi-Fi 6, offering better optimization, security, and faster connectivity.
- Better Bluetooth Audio Support: Supports higher quality audio codecs.
- DxOMark Score: Provides verification of good quality camera performance.
Trade-offs:
- The Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S has more versatile camera lens options with dedicated wide angle and macro, but the overall camera quality is inferior to the Honor 90.
- The Xiaomi has reverse charging while the Honor lacks this feature.
- Xiaomi has better audio playback while the Honor has noise cancellation.
- Xiaomi has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, which some may prefer to a basic one.
- Xiaomi has an unknown screen protector while Xiaomi has Gorilla Glass 3.
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S Ideal User:
- Budget-Conscious Buyers: Who want a feature-rich phone at an affordable price.
- Users Who Value Versatile Camera Options: Enjoy using wide-angle and macro lenses for photography.
- Users Who Need Reverse Charging: A convenient option to top up other devices.
- Users Who Value Audio Quality: A better audio experience with stereo speakers and Hi-Res audio
Specific Use Cases:
- Casual Photography: Capturing everyday moments with flexibility in lens options.
- Emergency charging situations: Being able to charge other devices using reverse charging.
- Media Consumption on a Budget: With a good display, but with a limited refresh rate and brightness
- Casual gaming: The Gyroscope sensor will help with some games.
Honor 90 Ideal User:
- Performance Seekers: Who need a smooth and responsive phone for demanding apps and games.
- Photography Enthusiasts: Who value high-quality images, especially from the main and selfie cameras.
- Users Who Consume a lot of Media: The larger, brighter, high refresh rate screen is better for this use case.
- Users Who Value Battery Charging Speed: The faster charging will be more convenient for some.
- Users who require ample storage: With double the storage the Honor will provide.
- Users who require the most up-to-date software: The Honor comes with a more modern version of android.
Specific Use Cases:
- Gaming: The superior chipset and refresh rate provide a smoother and more immersive gaming experience.
- High-Quality Photography: Capturing detailed photos and videos.
- Heavy Multitasking: The larger ram option will allow smooth multitasking.
- Streaming Content: The high refresh rate and brightness will be noticeable when watching videos.
- Frequent Travel: The faster charging will be useful while on the go.
Price-to-Value Ratio:
- The Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S offers good value at its price point, focusing on a versatile camera.
- The Honor 90 is a more premium phone but provides significantly higher performance, camera quality, and a better display. The price is much higher than Xiaomi, but if the budget allows it, the Honor is a better phone overall.
4. Decision Framework
Key Questions for Buyers:
- What is your primary use case? (e.g., photography, gaming, social media, productivity).
- How important is display quality to you? (e.g., size, resolution, refresh rate, brightness).
- What is your budget? (The Honor is expected to be much more expensive than the Xiaomi)
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Scenario 1: Budget-Conscious User: If the budget is tight and you just need a decent phone for day-to-day use and occasional photography, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S is sufficient.
- Scenario 2: Performance-Focused User: If you play games, heavily multitask, and need the fastest performance possible, the Honor 90 is the better choice.
- Scenario 3: Photography Enthusiast: If you value high-quality photos and selfies, the Honor 90 is the clear winner due to its superior camera hardware and processing.
- Scenario 4: Media consumption: If you spend a lot of time watching videos on your phone, the Honor 90 is better.
My Choice
If I were choosing between these two phones, I would choose the Honor 90. While the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S has some advantages like a wide-angle lens, macro lens, and reverse charging, the Honor 90 is superior in nearly every other aspect. The significantly improved display (higher resolution, refresh rate, and brightness), the much faster processor, better camera system, faster charging, increased storage, and newer software make it the obvious choice for me. The Honor 90 is more of an all-rounder offering higher-quality components and a noticeably better user experience. While it will likely come at a higher price, the performance and quality upgrades are significant enough to justify the additional cost if the budget allows.
