Xiaomi Mi 10 has become one of the most talked-about flagships of 2020, not only because of its powerful hardware, but also because of its unusual release time. In the era of pandemics and global lockdowns, Xiaomi has taken the ambitious step of unveiling the first device on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset ahead of its competitors. This model not only continued the Mi lineup, but also laid the foundations for future innovations of the brand – from the 108-megapixel camera to 5G support.
If you’re looking for the exact date when the Mi 10 officially went on sale, or if you want to understand why it was a turning point for Xiaomi, this article will reveal all the details. We will focus on how the pandemic COVID-19 This has influenced the company’s strategy and why the Mi 10 was the first mass-produced smartphone with support. 5G Russia.
Official dates: when Xiaomi Mi 10 was released in the world and in Russia
The Xiaomi Mi 10 was announced on February 13, 2020, at a special event in China, but due to the epidemiological situation, the presentation was held online — without the traditional pomposity and live audience.
The launch in China began on February 14, 2020, just the day after the announcement, but the global release was delayed by almost a month:
- 🌍 World Market: March 27, 2020 (online presentation for Europe and Asia).
- 🇷🇺 Russia: May 7, 2020 – official start of sales through Xiaomi partners and its own Mi Store.
- 🇪🇺 Europe: 1 June 2020 – start of deliveries to the main EU countries (Germany, France, Spain).
- 🇺🇸 US: Not officially sold (due to trade embargo against Huawei and restrictions on the sale of goods) 5G-equipment).
Interestingly, the Mi 10 was the first Xiaomi smartphone to be certified for 5G in Russia before the official launch of commercial networks, giving the company a major advantage over competitors like the Samsung Galaxy S20 or Huawei P40, which came to the market later.
Why the Mi 10 release date was unique: the pandemic and the race for the Snapdragon 865
2020 is remembered not only as the year of COVID-19, but also as a period of fierce competition between smartphone manufacturers. Qualcomm announced a new flagship Snapdragon 865 chipset in December 2019, and all brands rushed to produce devices based on it. Xiaomi won this race — the Mi 10 became the first production smartphone with this processor on the market.
However, the pandemic made adjustments:
- ⚠️ Logistics delays: Due to closed borders and air travel restrictions, Mi 10 components were delayed by 2-3 weeks.
- 📦 Component shortage: Samsung camera production ISOCELL Bright HMX (108 MP) suspended due to quarantine in South Korea.
- 💰 Rising prices: The dollar rose 15% in the first quarter of 2020, which forced Xiaomi to revise the price tags last.
Despite the difficulties, Xiaomi was able to keep the initial recommended price at the level of the price. 49 990 ruble for the basic version (8/128 GB) in Russia. For comparison, Samsung Galaxy S20 with similar characteristics, the 20% more.
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If you’re looking for a Xiaomi Mi 10 in 2026, check out 5G support in your region – some carriers (like Beeline) have turned off the outdated ranges that this smartphone worked with.
Comparison with its predecessor: how Mi 10 differed from Mi 9
The transition from the Mi 9 (2019) to the Mi 10 (2020) was one of the most notable leaps in the history of the lineup. While the Mi 9 was an "improved version" of previous flagships, the Mi 10 brought a revolutionary change.
| Characteristics | Xiaomi Mi 9 (2019) | Xiaomi Mi 10 (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) | Snapdragon 865 (7 nm+) with Adreno 650 |
| Main camera. | 48 MP (Sony IMX586), f/1.75 | 108 MP (Samsung HMX), f/1.69 with OIS |
| Screen. | 6.39″ AMOLED, 60 Hz, 1080×2340 | 6.67 AMOLED, 90 Hz, 1080×2340 with HDR10+ |
| Battery | 3300 mAh, 27 watts of charging | 4780 mAh, 30W charging (Quick Charge 4+) |
| 5G | No. | Yes (SA/NSA, ranges n1/n3/n7/n28/n78) |
The most notable improvement was the 108-megapixel camera, which was the first brand (except for experimental models like the Nokia 808 PureView) to dare to use such a sensor in a mass smartphone, but in practice users faced a problem: photo files took up to 30-40 MB in.MI (RAW) format, which quickly filled the memory.
How to turn off shooting at 108 MP on Mi 10?
Features of the Russian market: prices, configurations and promotions at launch
In Russia, Xiaomi Mi 10 debuted in three versions:
- 📱 8/128 GB: 49 990 ₽ (price-off).
- 📱 8/256 GB: 54 990 ₽.
- 📱 12/256 GB: 59 990 ₽ (exclusive to the Mi Store).
Interesting marketing move: the first customers received a gift wireless headphones Mi Air 2 (cost 4 990) ₽) or 5,000 discount ₽ The stock was only in its first week of sales and helped Xiaomi quickly buy up the initial batches.
There were pitfalls, however: for example, in some regions (Siberia, the Far East) deliveries were delayed until July 2020 due to logistical problems, and in Moscow and St. Petersburg, a smartphone could only be purchased on pre-order, with demand exceeding supply by 3 times.
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The Mi 10 was the first Xiaomi smartphone in Russia to officially support Mir Pay mobile payments, a key argument for corporate customers.
Problems and scandals: what went wrong after the release
Despite the successful launch, the Mi 10 faced several major challenges:
⚠️ Warning: The owners of the first Mi 10 batches complained of overheating of the processor during long gaming sessions. MIUI 11, which did not limit the frequency of the Snapdragon 865.The issue was fixed in the June 2020 update.
Other common complaints:
- 🔋 Fast battery discharge: Due to 5G-Modem and 90-hertz screen smartphone “eat” up to 20% charge per hour in navigation mode.
- 📸 Artifacts in the photo: When shooting in 108 MP in low light conditions, purple spots appeared (a problem with algorithms) HDR).
- 🔊 Weak speaker: The monodynamic on the lower edge did not provide stereo sound, which was a step backwards compared to the Mi 9.
The biggest scandal came in August 2020, when users discovered that Xiaomi was secretly collecting data on the browser even in incognito mode, promptly releasing a patch, but reputational damage was done, causing Mi 10 sales in Europe to temporarily drop by 12%.
Mi 10 today: Should I buy in 2026?
4 years after the release of the Xiaomi Mi 10 remains relevant conversation about its feasibility. On the one hand, the smartphone received an update to MIUI 14 (based on Android 13), which is rare for devices in 2020. On the other hand, its performance is no longer pulling modern games like Genshin Impact at maximum settings.
Pros of buying in 2026:
- ✅ Price: On the secondary market, the model can be found for 15,000-20 000 ₽ (conditionally).
- ✅ 108MP camera: Still one of the best in its class for daytime photography.
- ✅ AMOLED-90Hz screen: Even today, it looks modern.
Cons:
- ❌ No official support: The last major update came in December 2022.
- ❌ 5G-Modem is outdated: Does not support new ranges n79 (4.5 GHz used in Russia since 2023.
- ❌ Battery: Most of the units require a battery replacement (capacity drops to 70-80% of the original battery capacity).
⚠️ Note: If you are planning to buy a Mi 10 b/d, be sure to check the battery status through the engineering menu (#4636## → «Battery information. A capacity below 4,000 mAh indicates a need for replacement.