P30 Pro has just been overpowered by a new rival you didn’t see coming

Last week was a tough time for tech fans. MWC, the biggest phone show in the world, was cancelled due to coronavirus fears meaning a swathe of feverishly anticipated announcements have been postponed. Things weren’t all doom and gloom though, Chinese tech giant Xiaomi revealed its newest flagship smartphone – the Mi 10 Pro – in China and the device quickly climbed to the top of DxOMark’s mobile camera rankings.

DxOMark really doesn’t need an introduction, but we’re going to give it one anyway. The publication is based in Paris and is renowned for conducting meticulous tests on smartphone cameras and awarding them a numbered score based on performance.

Following the reveal of the Mi 10 Pro in China, the outlet issued its verdict for the device and, much to the surprise of many Android fans, the device not only leapfrogged the quad-camera toting Huawei P30 Pro, but it also eclipsed the Mate 30 Pro 5G to clinch first place in its rankings.

Turn back the clock to March last year and the P30 Pro was sat firmly in first place on DxOMark’s site. Huawei made a big song and dance about the P30 Pro during its reveal for its quartet of lenses formed of a 40-megapixel main, 8-megapixel telephoto with a 5x optical zoom, 20-megapixel ultra wide-angle and time-of-flight sensor.

The Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro is all about megapixels. The device boasts a 108-megapixel primary sensor the Beijing firm claims should retain glorious amounts of detail, even when photos are cropped. The device also comes with an 8-megapixel telephoto, a 12-megapixel portrait and a 20-megapixel ultra wide-angle shooter. Xiaomi claims the device is able to deliver a 10x hybrid zoom that combines both optical and digital technologies.

The Mi 10 Pro sits eight points clear of the P30 Pro and one point ahead of the Mate 30 Pro with a grand total of 124. DxOMark heaped praise on the flagship for its photo and video capabilities, particularly touting its texture rendering, night performance and corner sharpness.

READ MORE: Huawei P30 Pro REVIEW: A photography maestro that sets the bar for 2019 smartphones

DxOMark’s verdict for the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro reads: “If anyone still needed convincing that Xiaomi is one of the top camera designers in the mobile business after the Mi CC9 Pro Premium Edition’s stellar performance (called the Mi Note 10 in Europe) at the end of last year, the Mi 10 Pro should definitely cement Xiaomi’s reputation.

“Despite using very similar imaging hardware as the Premium Edition, Xiaomi managed to improve the Mi 10 Pro in several key areas, thanks to a combination of refined tuning and the processing boost of the Snapdragon 865 chipset.

“The new device’s camera delivers excellent (and sometimes class-leading) results in virtually all test categories, making it a top choice for any mobile photography or videography enthusiast, as well as a very deserving new leader in our DxOMark Camera ranking.”

Don’t go thinking the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro is all about the camera and nothing else though. The device comes with a gorgeous all-screen display – complete with a single hole punch à la Galaxy S10 – along with some of the fastest internals on the market and a sizeable battery.

READ MORE: Has OnePlus just revealed what’s coming next after OnePlus 8 launch?

Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Snapdragon 865 chipset is housed under the bonnet of the Mi 10 Pro and is accompanied by up to 12GB of RAM. Technical jargon aside, this means the phone should be able to blitz through Xiaomi’s MIUI 11 operating system based on Android 10.

Xiaomi’s newest flagship also boasts an impressive 50W wired charging which, while not as fast as Oppo’s 65W Reno Ace, should be able to refill the phone’s 4,500mAh battery at rapid pace.

The Mi 10 Pro starts at 4,999 Chinese Yuan which translates to roughly £550. The device was supposed to have been unveiled on February 23 at Xiaomi’s planned showcase at MWC. But of course, this is no longer happening.

It’s expected the Beijing tech giant will reveal details on the Mi 10 Pro’s global release in the near future.

source: express.co.uk