One year ago it was almost impossible to find an affordable 5G phone in several countries. But now, midrange 5G phones are all around the place and they are becoming every day more affordable. Now, even the Redmi series contains 5G phones. The latest ones are the Redmi Note 9 5G and the Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G. After comparing the vanilla variant to Realme 7 5G and Moto G 5G, we decided to compare the Note 9 Pro 5G with the other devices sold in the same price range. The latest 5G phones offered at similar prices are the OnePlus Nord N10 5G and the Realme Q2 Pro, and this is a comparison between their specifications.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G vs OnePlus Nord N10 5G vs Realme Q2 Pro
| Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G | OnePlus Nord N10 5G | Realme Q2 Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 165.4 x 76.8 x 9 mm, 215 g | 163 x 74.7 x 9 mm, 190 grams | 160.9 x 74.4 x 8.1 mm, 175 grams |
| DISPLAY | 6.67 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), IPS LCD | 6.49 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), 406 ppi, 20:9 ratio, IPS LCD | 6.4 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), 411 ppi, 20:9 ratio, Super AMOLED |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G, octa-core 2.2 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 690 5G, octa-core 2 GHz | Mediatek Dimensity 800, octa-core 2.4 GHz |
| MEMORY | 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD dedicated slot | 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot | 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB |
| SOFTWARE | Android 10, MIUI | Android 10, Oxygen OS | Android 10, Realme UI |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS |
| CAMERA | Quad 108 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.2 + f/2.4 + f/2.4 16 MP front camera |
Quad 64 + 8 MP + 5 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.3, f/2.4 and f/2.4 16 MP f/2.1 front camera |
Quad 48 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.3, f/2.4 and f/2.4 16 MP f/2.5 front camera |
| BATTERY | 4820 mAh, fast charging 33W | 4300 mAh Fast charging 30W |
4300 mAh, Fast charging 65W |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Dual SIM slot, 5G | Dual SIM slot, 5G | Dual SIM slot, 5G |
Design
If I had to judge the design of these handsets, I would say the Realme Q2 Pro is the best one. It lacks the glass back found on the Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G, but it has a less invasive camera module, it is lighter and it is even more compact and thinner. But with the Note 9 Pro 5G, you actually get the best build quality. Besides the glass back, the handset also offers the IP53 certification making it splash resistant and dust resistant. It has a water-repellent body and even the Gorilla Glass 5 protection for both the front glass and the rear glass.
Display
Even when it comes to the display, I would choose the Realme Q2 Pro. It is the only device of this comparison to feature a Super AMOLED display and it can show more vibrant colors, as well as very deep blacks. Further, with the Realme Q2 Pro, you get an in-display fingerprint scanner which is definitely more comfortable than the rear-mounted and side-mounted fingerprint reader you get with Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G and OnePlus Nord N10 5G. The second place in the display ranking goes to the Note 9 Pro 5G featuring an IPS panel with a 120 Hz refresh rate and the HDR10+ certification. OnePlus Nord N10 5G has an average IPS display with 90 Hz refresh rate.
Hardware/Software
The most advanced and most appreciated hardware department is offered by the Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G which is fueled by the Snapdragon 750G mobile platform paired with up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of UFS 2.2 internal storage. But its two rivals are not far away: they provide more or less the same performance with their Snapdragon 690 5G and Dimensity 800U chipset paired with up to 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of UFS 2.1 storage. All run Android 10 out of the box.
Camera
The most stunning camera is offered by the Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G: you get the same 108 MP camera sensor found on the Xiaomi Mi 10, but it lacks OIS. The secondary sensors are the same on all of these devices: an 8 MP ultrawide lens and a pair of 2 MP sensor for macro and depth. But the main camera sensor changes: Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G gets the best one, followed by the OnePlus Nord N10 5G with a 64 MP camera. The Realme Q2 Pro has a lower-end 48 MP sensor, but you do not get huge differences in terms of photo quality if you compare it to the OnePlus Nord N10 5G.
Battery
The Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G has the biggest battery with a capacity of 4820 mAh: if you do not use the maximum refresh rate, you get a way longer battery life with this handset. But OnePlus Nord N10 5G and Realme Q2 Pro are still good battery phones with their 4300 mAh units. With Realme Q2 Pro you get the amazing 65W fast charging technology found on OPPO and Realme flagships allowing you to charge the phone a lot faster. With Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G and OnePlus Nord N10 5G, you only get 33W and 30W powers, respectively.
Price
Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G in China with a starting price of about $330/€272, while Realme Q2 Pro is priced at about $320/€265 in its base variant. The OnePlus Nord N10 5G actually sells for less than $320/€265 in China, but it costs a bit more in the global market. We do not see any reason to go for the OnePlus Nord N10 5G. The Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G offers the most advanced camera, great build quality, slightly better hardware department (with Snapdragon 750G and UFS 2.2 storage), and a bigger battery, while the advantages of the Realme Q2 Pro are mainly its Super AMOLED display and 65W fast charging. Which one would you pick?
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G vs OnePlus Nord N10 5G vs Realme Q2 Pro: PRO and CONS
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G
PROS
- Amazing camera
- Stereo speakers
- IP53 certification
- Bigger battery
- Expandable storage
CONS
- Dimensions
OnePlus Nord N10 5G
PROS
- Stereo speakers
- Worldwide availability
- Good design
- Expandable storage
CONS
- Inferior display
Realme Q2 Pro
PROS
- AMOLED display
- Faster charging tech
- Lighter
CONS
- No micro SD slot
