(Pocket-lint) – Xiaomi has officially launched the global Redmi Note 10 range. The naming convention is rather convoluted, however, as there are a lot of models and a shift in naming based on region.

There’s the Redmi Note 10 at the base of the range, the Redmi Note 10S above that (which, in India arrives as a larger-screen variant called the Redmi Note 10 Pro), and the Redmi Note 10 Pro above that again (which is the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max in India). There’s also a Note 10 5G model (not available in India), which feels like a total departure from the series.

Do keep this naming in mind when looking over the below, as we have run with the global naming and specification. So which of those Redmi Note 10 models is most fitting for you? Here we break down the differences between the four handsets.

Design

• Note 10 & 10S: 160.5 × 74.5mm × 8.3mm / 179g
• Note 10 5G: 161.8 × 75.3 × 8.9mm / 190g
• Note 10 Pro: 164 × 77 × 8.1mm / 193g
• All: Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
• All: IP53 splashproof design

Although the design language is more-or-less mirrored across each Note 10 model – ignoring the obvious differences in physical size – there are different colour options to help different models stand out.

The main trio of Note 10 devices have an Onyx Gray option, while the Note 10 5G shifts this to Graphite Gray. As you’ll see, the 5G model is largely different from the main trio – and we’re frankly not sure why it’s been made part of the series. Here’s the full colourway breakdown per model:

• • Note 10: Onyx Gray, Pebble White, Lake Green
  • Note 10S: Onyx Gray, Pebble White, Ocean Blue
  • Note 10 Pro: Onyx Gray, Glacier Blue, Gradient Bronze
  • Note 10 5G: Chrome Silver, Graphite Gray, Nighttime Blue, Aurora Green

Display

• Note 10 & 10S: 6.34-inch AMOLED, 2400 x 1080 resolution, 60Hz refresh rate
• Note 10 5G: 6.5-inch LCD, 2400 x 1080 resolution, 90Hz refresh rate
• Note 10 Pro: 6.67-inch AMOLED, 2400 x 1080 resolution, 120Hz
• All: central punch-hole front-facing camera

Although front-on the four models look the same, with the punch-hole camera front and centre, they’re different sizes on account of different displays.

The base Note 10 and its 10S counterpart get a 6.34-inch AMOLED with 60Hz refresh rate. The Note 10 Pro bumps this size up to 6.67-inch, with a doubling of the refresh rate to 120Hz – making it the top of the bunch. The Note 10 5G is in-between those, at 6.5-inch and 90Hz.

However, the India versions – i.e. the Note 10 Pro and 10 Pro Max – both feature 6.67-inch displays with 120Hz refresh. Just to add to the confusion.

Hardware

• Note 10, 10S & 10 5G: 5,000mAh battery /Note 10 Pro: 5,020mAh
• Note 10, 10S, 10 Pro: 33W fast charging / Note 10 5G: 18W
• Note 10: Qualcomm Snapdragon 678
• Note 10S: MediaTek Helio G95
• Note 10 5G: MediaTek Dimensity 700
• Note 10 Pro: Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G

The rumour for a long time was that the Note 10 series would run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 732 platform. That’s true – but only for the Note 10 Pro model.

Wind further down the series and the base Note 10 has a Snapdragon 678, while the 10S and 10 5G make a departure for MediaTek hardware instead.

It’s the first time we’ve seen MediaTek’s Dimensity 700 deployed, utilised for its 5G connectivity – which is, of course, only possible in the Note 10 5G model.

Elsewhere there’s a 5,000mAh battery minimum for all models, so great longevity, along with 33W fast-charging (it’s only 18W for the 5G model).

Cameras

• Note 10: 48MP main, 8MP wide, 2MP macro, 2MP depth / 13MP front camera
• Note 10S: 64MP main, 8MP wide, 2MP macro, 2MP depth / 13MP front camera
• Note 10 5G: 48MP main, 2MP macro, 2MP depth / 8MP front camera
• Note 10 Pro: 108MP main, 8MP wide, 5MP macro, 2MP depth / 16MP front camera

The main trio of devices features a quad rear camera setup with main, ultra-wide, macro and depth sensor. The Note 10 5G is the odd one out, once again, with a triple rear camera setup – as it ditches the ultra-wide.

The top-end model is the most accomplished, as its 108-megapixel main sensor and 5-megapixel telemacro – similar to what you’ll find on the Xiaomi Mi 11 – are a cut above. The 108MP lens uses a nine-in-one pixel method to produce 12-megapixel results as standard.

The other models are a mere 2-megapixels in the macro department and, we believe, lack autofocus for this particular camera too. This is typical of budget devices, but we would rather this optic was entirely absent – as, from past experience, results are poor.

You’ll see that there’s no optical zoom for any Redmi Note 10, which isn’t a surprise at this price point. But the only thing that we think is really absent is any form of optical image stabilisation – which we highlighted in our Note 10 Pro review, link below.

Conclusion

• Pricing: TBC

Clearly it’s all about the Note 10 Pro – effectivly a cut-price version of the Xiaomi Mi 11, which will give it lots of appeal.

Otherwise we find Xiaomi’s choice to release so many Note 10 variants simply confusing. Not to mention the name and spec shift of these handsets in different regions. Oh, and that the 5G model is such an odd-one-out that it doesn’t belong in the series as we see it.

Brush all the other models aside and opt for the Note 10 Pro (Note 10 Pro Max in India) and Xiaomi is onto a winner here. But it really needs to sort out this naming malarkey.

Writing by Mike Lowe.