iPhone 11 or Xiaomi 10 Pro โ€“ which is better to buy in 2026?

Choosing between the iPhone 11 and Xiaomi 10 Pro in 2026 is not just a technical comparison, but an analysis of the philosophy of the two brands: Apple offers a closed but stable ecosystem with a long lifespan, and Xiaomi offers open Android capabilities with advanced hardware at a more affordable price. Both smartphones were released in 2019, but their relevance today varies dramatically.

On the one hand, the iPhone 11 still gets iOS updates (including iOS 17), and its chip is still on the table. A13 Bionic will cope with most modern tasks. On the other hand, the Xiaomi 10 Pro on the Snapdragon 865 has not been updated for a long time, but offers a unique 108-megapixel camera and a unique camera for its time. AMOLED-So, what's the middle ground? Let's go through the points, from performance to the little things that make the choices.

In this article, you will find not only dry numbers from the specifications, but also real tests: how smartphones work today, whether to overpay for the Apple brand, and what pitfalls both devices are melting 4+ years after release. We tested them for charging speed, autonomy, photo quality in 2026 and even tested how they cope with modern games like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile.

1. Design and ergonomics: glass vs metal

At first glance, both smartphones look premium, but the approach to design brands fundamentally different. iPhone 11 retains the classic style of Apple: aluminum body, matte glass on the rear and the neckline โ€œmonobrovโ€ on the front. Xiaomi 10 Pro is the same trend 2019-2020: glossy glass with a gradient design, curved edges of the screen and cut-out drop.

The ergonomics of the iPhone 11 It wins by being compact (150.9 ร— 75.7 ร— 8.3 mm 162.6 ร— 74.8 ร— 9 Xiaomi's mm) and weight in 194 d 208 It's more convenient to hold with one hand, and the matte coating doesn't collect fingerprints. 10 Pro offers a more modern frameless design with AMOLED-A display that looks more expensive in the background IPS-phonograph.

  • ๐Ÿ“ iPhone 11: compact, matte glass, aluminum inserts, IP68 (dust-proof)
  • ๐ŸŽจ Xiaomi 10 Pro: glossy glass with a gradient, curved screen, IP53 (spatter-proof)
  • โš–๏ธ Weight: 194g vs 208g - the difference is noticeable with prolonged use
  • ๐Ÿ”‹ Connector: Lightning (iPhone) vs. USB-C (Xiaomi โ€“ the latest is more universal

Pay attention to the protection from moisture: iPhone 11 can be safely taken in the rain or wash under the tap (IP68), whereas Xiaomi 10 Pro with IP53 is afraid of even heavy spray.

๐Ÿ“Š Which design do you like better?
Classic iPhone 11
Modern Xiaomi 10 Pro with curved screen
I'm more interested in ergonomics than appearance.
Not really.

2. Screens: IPS vs AMOLED - which is better for the eyes?

Here's Xiaomi. 10 Pro is clearly leading the way: 6.67-inch AMOLED-resolution-screen 2340ร—1080, support HDR10+ and frequency of renewal 90 Hz. The picture is juicy, black is the deepest, and the scroll of content looks smoother than on an iPhone. 11 equipped 6.1-inch IPS-resolution-screen 1792ร—828 standard 60 Hz.

But it's not so clear:

  • ๐ŸŒž Brightness: iPhone wins on the street (625 nits vs 500 nits at Xiaomi)
  • ๐ŸŽฎ Frequency: 90 Hz for Xiaomi vs 60 Hz for iPhone โ€“ the difference is noticeable in games and scrolling
  • ๐Ÿ”„ Autoturn: Xiaomi has issues with screen rotation sensor (frequent bug)
  • ๐Ÿ‘๏ธ Security: both screens support reading mode (warm tones for the eyes)

Who's better for what?

โš ๏ธ WARNING: If you watch a lot of video or play, AMOLED-Xiaomi 10 Pro will provide more saturated colors and smoothness. But for working in the sun or reading long text, the iPhone 11 is more practical due to better brightness and lack of flickering (PWM) low-brightness.

ParameteriPhone 11Xiaomi 10 Pro
Screen typeIPS LCDAMOLED
Size6.1"6.67"
Permission1792ร—8282340ร—1080
Frequency of update60 Hz90 Hz
Support for HDRDolby VisionHDR10+

3.Performance: A13 Bionic vs Snapdragon 865 in 2026

On paper, the Snapdragon 865 in the Xiaomi 10 Pro looks more powerful: 8 cores with a clock speed of up to 2.84 GHz and the Adreno 650 graphics accelerator. But in reality, Appleโ€™s A13 Bionic benchmarks bypass it in optimization and energy efficiency. In Geekbench 6, AnTuTu, the difference is not fundamental, but in the long run the iPhone works more stable.

We tested both smartphones in 2026:

  • ๐ŸŽฎ Games: Genshin Impact at maximum settings - Xiaomi warms up stronger and starts to triple after 20 minutes. iPhone holds 60 FPS fallless.
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Xiaomi is โ€œkillingโ€ background apps more aggressive because of MIUI, But iOS keeps them longer.
  • ๐Ÿ”‹ Heating: Snapdragon 865 heats up to 45ยฐC under load, A13 Bionic - up to 40ยฐC.
  • ๐Ÿ•’ Updates: iPhone gets iOS 17, Xiaomi stuck on Android 12 (last updated โ€“ 2022).

Key conclusion:

๐Ÿ’ก

The iPhone 11 in 2026 is faster and more stable thanks to the optimization of Apple, while the Xiaomi 10 Pro loses due to outdated software and problems with overheating.

If you need a smartphone for long-term use (3-4 years), the iPhone 11 is the clear choice, while for gamers, the Xiaomi 10 Pro may seem more interesting at the expense of 90 Hz, but only until the trottling begins.

4.Cameras: 108MP vs Apple's dual system

On paper, the Xiaomi 10 Pro is tearing up the iPhone 11 thanks to the 108MP main module (Samsung ISOCELL Bright HMX) with optical stabilization. But in reality, itโ€™s more complicated: Apple uses computational photography and neural networks for processing, while Xiaomi relies on โ€œrawโ€ resolution.

Let's compare the key scenarios:

  • ๐ŸŒ„ Daylight: Xiaomi gives more details (108 MP), but iPhone better handles dynamic range.
  • ๐ŸŒƒ Night shooting: Night Mode in iPhone 11 bypasses Xiaomi in the purity of the frame and the absence of noise.
  • ๐ŸŽฅ Video: iPhone shoots 4K@60fps With better stabilization, Xiaomi is only 4K@30fps.
  • ๐Ÿ‘ค Portrait Mode: Apple has a more accurate edge segmentation (thanks to LiDAR in iPhone 12)+, But 11 uses software).

โš ๏ธ Attention: 108-megapixel photos Xiaomi 10 Pro weigh 20-30 MB each! If you shoot a lot, be ready to quickly fill up memory. iPhone saves pictures in an optimized format HEIF (weight ~2โ€“5 MB).

ParameteriPhone 11Xiaomi 10 Pro
Main camera.12 MP, f/1.8108 MP, f/1.7
Ultrashire12 MP, f/2.420 MP, f/2.2
Telephoto.โ€”12 MP, f/2.0 (2x zoom)
Night mode.Got it (automatic)Got it (handheld)
Video 4KUp to 60 fps.Up to 30 fps.

๐Ÿ’ก

If you are interested in a camera for social networks (Instagram, TikTok), choose the iPhone 11 โ€“ its video and photos โ€œout of the boxโ€ do not require revision. Xiaomi 10 Pro is suitable for enthusiasts who are ready to process RAW-shots in Lightroom.

5. Battery and charging: who lives longer?

The Xiaomi 10 Pro is ahead of the iPhone in terms of battery capacity: 4500 mAh versus 3110 mAh. But in practice, the difference in autonomy is not so great because of the optimization of iOS.

  • ๐Ÿ“บ Video playback: Xiaomi โ€“ 18 hours, iPhone โ€“ 15 hours (at the same brightness).
  • ๐ŸŽฎ Xiaomi discharges in 4-5 hours, iPhone โ€“ in 5-6 hours.
  • ๐Ÿ”Œ Fast charging: Xiaomi supports 50 watts (100% in 45 minutes), iPhone โ€“ 18 watts (100% in 1.5 hours).
  • ๐Ÿ”„ Wireless charging: iPhone only (up to 7.5W).

Pitfalls:

โš ๏ธ Note: Xiaomi 10 Pro battery after 4 years of operation loses up to 30% of capacity (according to users with AliExpress โ€” ~15-20% Powered by iOS Charge Control.

โ˜‘๏ธ How to extend the life of a battery?

Done: 0 / 4

6.Software: iOS 17 vs Android 12

Here, the iPhone 11 is the undisputed leader: in 2026 it gets iOS 17 with new chips like contact posters, improved Siri and the โ€œStandByโ€ mode. Xiaomi 10 Pro stuck on Android 12 with the shell of MIUI 13 โ€“ the last update came in 2022.

What does that mean in practice?

  • ๐Ÿ”’ Security: iPhone gets monthly patches, Xiaomi doesnโ€™t (risk of vulnerabilities).
  • ๐ŸŽฎ Games: New Call of Duty Mobile versions PUBG You may not be able to run on Xiaomi because of Android.
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Some banking applications (SberBank, Tinkoff) require Android 13+.
  • ๐Ÿ”„ Customization: MIUI It allows you to change the themes of icons, iOS โ€“ no.

Can you upgrade Xiaomi 10 Pro to Android 13?
Officially, no. Informal firmware (like LineageOS) exists, but requires unlocking the bootloader and can deprive you of encryption (a risk for banking applications).

7.Price and relevance in 2026

In the secondary market, prices vary greatly:

  • ๐Ÿ’ฐ iPhone 11: 25 000โ€“35 000 โ‚ฝ (depending on memory and condition).
  • ๐Ÿ’ฐ Xiaomi 10 Pro: 15 000โ€“22 000 โ‚ฝ.

Should you pay more for your iPhone? Yes, if you care about:

  • ๐Ÿ•’ Long-term updates (support through 2026-2026).
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Stable work without lags.
  • ๐Ÿ”ง Easy resale (iPhone keeps the price better).

Choose the Xiaomi 10 Pro if:

  • ๐Ÿ’ธ Budget capped at 20,000 โ‚ฝ.
  • ๐ŸŽฎ You need 90Hz and AMOLED.
  • ๐Ÿ“ธ Youโ€™re ready to put up with outdated software for a 108MP camera.

๐Ÿ’ก

In 2026, the iPhone 11 is an investment in durability, and the Xiaomi 10 Pro is a lot for enthusiasts who are willing to put up with shortcomings for the sake of unique features (for example, 108-MP camera).

FAQ: Frequent questions

โ“ Does the iPhone 11 support the 5G?
No, the iPhone 11 only works with 4G/LTE networks. For 5G, you need to take an iPhone 12 or later.
โ“ Can you put two Xiaomi 10 Pros? SIM-memory-card?
No, the slot is hybrid: either two nano-SIMs or one SIM + microSD (up to 512 GB).
โ“ Which smartphone is better for gaming?
For casual games (Among Us, Brawl Stars) both are fine. For heavy projects (Genshin Impact, Diablo Immortal), the iPhone 11 is more stable - it does not warm up or triple.
โ“ How long will the battery last in 2026?
When used carefully: iPhone 11: 4-5 hours of screen per day (at 80% of the capacity of the original). Xiaomi 10 Pro: 3-4 hours (the battery degrades faster).
โ“ Can I officially unlock the bootloader on Xiaomi 10 Pro?
Yes, but it voids the warranty (if it's still valid) and could cause problems with the Widevine L1 (Netflix in HD won't work).