Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro: official release date, technical features and why this smartphone became a legend of 2020

Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro has become one of the most talked about flagships of 2020 – not only due to the powerful hardware, but also because of the company’s ambitious strategy to enter the premium segment. Many users are still interested in when Xiaomi 10 Pro came out, what innovations it brought and what differed from the base model Mi 10. In this article, we will analyze not only the exact release date, but also the context of the device: why Xiaomi decided to compete with the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and Huawei P40 Pro, what technologies debuted in this model, and how it influenced the further flagships of the brand.

If you’re planning to buy the Mi 10 Pro today (like in the secondary market) or just wondering about the history of smartphones, this article will help you understand the key points. We’ll also compare the announcement dates and the start of sales in different regions, talk about the pitfalls of the first firmware and answer the question whether the model is relevant in 2026.

Official release date Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro: chronology of events

Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro was unveiled to the public on February 13, 2020 at a special event in China, but it was only the date of the announcement – the first sales began on February 18, 2020 exclusively in the domestic market of China. The global release took place much later, European and Asian markets (excluding China) received the device only on March 27, 2020.

This delay was due to several factors:

• 📦 Logistics problems due to pandemic COVID-19, which was just gaining momentum in early 2020.
• 🌍 Need to adapt firmware to regional communication standards (e.g. band support) 4G/5G Europe).
• 📱 Testing camera stability and performance on international versions MIUI.

Interestingly, in Russia, the Mi 10 Pro was released only in June 2020, 4 months late compared to China, due to certification and contracting with local retailers, and the price at launch was about 60,000 rubles for the version with 8/256 GB of memory.

Why is the Mi 10 Pro release date important to Xiaomi’s history?

The release of the Mi 10 Pro was a watershed moment for the brand for several reasons:

1. The first true premium flagship. Xiaomi has previously positioned itself as a brand with “flagship specs at an average price.” Mi 10 Pro was billed as a direct competitor to the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and Huawei P40 Pro, at a price comparable to the top models of competitors.
2. The debut of the Snapdragon 865.It was one of the first smartphones on the market with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset, which supported 5G networks and offered 25% better performance compared to the Snapdragon 855.
3. 108-megapixel camera. Xiaomi was the first among manufacturers to massively introduce the Samsung ISOCELL Bright HMX sensor with a resolution of 108 MP - this was the main marketing move of the model.

The Mi 10 Pro was also the first Xiaomi smartphone to be officially sold on carrier networks in Europe (e.g., Germany via Deutsche Telekom), signaling the company’s desire to move beyond online retail and gain a foothold in offline stores.

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If you're looking for the Mi 10 Pro today, look for the firmware version. China models (with the C suffix in the room, like the M2001J1C) don't support Google Services out of the box. Global versions have the G suffix (M2001J1G).

Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro: What makes it unique?

Let’s take a look at the key features that have driven the model’s popularity (and criticism) in 2020.

But not everything was perfect, for example, the lack of a memory card slot and the weight of 208 grams caused complaints, and many users complained about overheating during long-term shooting of video in 8K, which was due to unoptimized cooling of the first batches of devices.

Comparison with competitors: how Mi 10 Pro looked on the background of the Galaxy S20 Ultra and Huawei P40 Pro

In 2020, the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro competed with two main flagships:

• 📱 Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra (out February 14, 2020) – price from $1400, 108MP camera, but with autofocus issues.
• 📱 Huawei P40 Pro (released March 26, 2020) – price from €999, Leica camera with 50 zoom×, without Google Services.

The advantages of the Mi 10 Pro on this background:

• ⚡ Price: 1.5-2 times cheaper than competitors with similar characteristics (for example, in Europe, the Mi 10 Pro was worth it). €999 vs €1399 for S20 Ultra).
• 🔋 Charging: 50W against 45W Huawei and 25W Samsung.
• 🎮 Performance: in tests, the Snapdragon 865 beat the Exynos 990 (in the S20 Ultra) on schedule.

But there were downsides:

• 📸 Camera: despite 108 MP, photo processing was inferior to Huawei P40 Pro (especially in the HDR).
• 🌍 Localization: MIUI 11 had fewer features for European users compared to One UI or EMUI.
• 🔄 Updates: Xiaomi promised 2 years of major Android updates (up to Android 12), while Samsung provided 3 years.

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The Mi 10 Pro’s main advantage in 2020 was price/quality, offering 90% of the top flagships’ capabilities at 60% of their cost.

How to buy Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro in 2026: is it worth it?

If you’re considering the Mi 10 Pro today, here’s what to consider:

⚠️ Warning: The smartphone no longer receives official security updates (the last one was released in early 2023), which means data protection vulnerabilities when using banking applications or payment systems.

Where to look:

• 🛒 Secondary market: Avito, Yula, Facebook Marketplace. Price: 15,000-25,000 rubles (depending on condition).
• 🌐 Chinese marketplaces: AliExpress, Taobao (new devices may remain in stock: ~$200–$300.
• 🔧 Service centers: sometimes sell refurbished models with warranty.

Before buying, be sure to check:

Should I buy in 2026?

• ✅ Yes, if you want a low-cost smartphone with a good camera for photos (but not videos) and performance for everyday tasks.
• ❌ Not if you plan to use it for longer than 1-2 years or need long-term update support.

Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro Problems and How to Solve Them

Despite being a flagship, the Mi 10 Pro had typical “diseases” that showed up over time.

1. Overheating when charging, especially noticeable when using 50W-hot-weather. ⚠️ Warning: If the smartphone is heated above 45°C when charging, disconnect it from the grid and let it cool. Constant overheating shortens battery life.
2. pixel burnout on AMOLED-It occurs after 2-3 years with heavy use (for example, constant display of time in a status bar).
3. Problems with 5G. Some firmware modules 5G Disables spontaneously - helps reset network settings (Settings) → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting settings).
4. MIUI slows down. Over time, the interface begins to “slow down.” Solution: disable animations in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (stamp 7 times in the version to turn on the developer mode, then in Settings → Additional → For developers, set Windows animation = 0.5×).

For most problems, there are solutions in the form of custom firmware (for example, LineageOS or Pixel Experience), but their installation requires unlocking the bootloader and can deprive you of warranty (if it is still valid).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions about Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro