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Redmi Note 10 vs Redmi Note 9: The older Redmi phone may actually be better for gaming

The Redmi Note 10's GPU lags behind the Redmi Note 9's. (Source: Xiaomi)
The Redmi Note 10's GPU lags behind the Redmi Note 9's. (Source: Xiaomi)
The Redmi Note 10 lineup is Xiaomi's current bread and butter for the mid-range segment. Sometimes, though, newer doesn't mean better, and it appears that last year's Redmi Note 9 may actually edge the Redmi Note 10 in some important performance tests.

Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 10 lineup months ago. At this point, the phones in the series are known commodities. Some Redmi Note 9 owners  may remain undecided on whether to upgrade or not, so this should help with that by showing how much difference there is in performance across the two devices—if there's any at all.

The Redmi Note 9 is powered by MediaTek's Helio G85, while the Redmi Note 10 comes equipped with the Snapdragon 678. The Redmi Note 9 records a score of 356 on Geekbench's single-core test. The Redmi Note 10 betters it as one would expect, with a score of 531 showing a massive 49% improvement. In the multi-core test, the Redmi Note 9 and its Helio G85 come away with a score of 1259. The Redmi Note 10 remains ahead here but with a much slimmer lead—its 1541 score in the test only showing a 22% advantage.

A few weeks ago, I reported that the Redmi Note 10 somehow managed to keep up with the Redmi Note 10 Pro on AnTuTu. I questioned the validity of the scores listed on AnTuTu's website. To prevent further doubt, I've managed to find a Redmi Note 10, and run those tests myself. The results are a lot more logical now.

The Redmi Note 10 earns a score of 94273 on AnTuTu's CPU test. The Redmi Note 9 only manages a score of 74066 on the same test, handing over a 27% advantage to the newer phone. In the GPU test, the Redmi Note 9 manages a score of 41644, while the Redmi Note 10 earns a score of 30196. Again, confusing numbers that somehow show the Redmi Note 9 with a more powerful GPU than the Redmi Note 10.

That isn't a fluke either. Moving on to BaseMark GPU 1.2, the Redmi Note 9 continues to prove it has a better GPU, as it records 19.23 fps versus the Redmi Note 10's 15.32 fps. That advantage to the older phone continues across other tests on BaseMark too.

At this point, it's safe to conclude that the Redmi Note 10 and its Snapdragon 678 offer about 30% better CPU performance than the Redmi Note 9. Roles are reversed in the GPU department, though, as the older MediaTek-powered phone holds about a 35% advantage there. 

Buy the Redmi Note 10 on Amazon.

Redmi Note 9 AnTuTu.
Redmi Note 9 AnTuTu.
Redmi Note 10 AnTuTu.
Redmi Note 10 AnTuTu.
The Redmi Note 9 consistently edges the Redmi Note 10 graphically.
The Redmi Note 9 consistently edges the Redmi Note 10 graphically.
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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2021 06 > Redmi Note 10 vs Redmi Note 9: The older Redmi phone may actually be better for gaming
Ricci Rox, 2021-06- 6 (Update: 2021-06- 6)