Don’t expect to find BOE OLED panels in 5G iPhones soon

We know that Apple has been trying to get OLED panels for its upcoming iPhones 12 lineup from BOE, but it seems that things aren’t going so well. The latest report suggests that we won’t find Chinese OLED displays in the first 5G iPhones.

New information from Digitimes claims that BOE has failed to secure Apple’s approval of its OLED panels. This is not the first time BOE fails to pass quality tests, so this means that we won’t see these displays in the first iPhone 12 shipments. BOE screens are supposed to be included in the more affordable versions of the upcoming 5G iPhones, which include the 5.4-inch and the non-Pro 6.1-inch iPhone 12. BOE’s latest downfall includes quality issues, but it hopes to begin shipping OLED panels to Apple in the last quarter of 2020. However, Apple should still be able to launch its devices in September, as LG Display should have enough displays for these entry-level devices, and Samsung Display takes care of the higher-end 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch Pro and Pro Max variants of the iPhone 12.

Source MacRumors

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Nearby Sharing – Google’s own AirDrop rival for Android – is now out in beta

Google has been working on an AirDrop like file-sharing feature called Nearby Sharing for a while now. The wait is finally over, sort of, as Nearby Sharing is now out in beta (via AndroidPolice) and is currently available for a select few users who are registered with the Google Play Services Beta testing program.

“We’re currently conducting a beta test of a new Nearby Share feature that we plan to share more information on in the future. Our goal is to launch the feature with support for Android 6+ devices as well as other platforms,” a Google spokesperson was quoted as saying by AndroidPolice.

Image: XDA-Developers

Once enabled, users will see a distinct Nearby Sharing app icon in the sharing sheet, allowing users to share images, links, videos, documents, and other content. But unlike AirDrop, the recipient will also have to consent before someone can wirelessly transfer content to their phone via Nearby Sharing.

When using Nearby sharing for the first time, users will have to configure settings such as device name, visibility status, and the connectivity medium over which they want to initiate the file transfer. There will also be three visibility options – All Contacts, Some Contacts, and Hidden. However, it is unclear when this feature will be rolled out widely, but we expect it to be released with the stable build of Android 11 later this year.

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Say goodbye to June with amazing deals on the 10.2-inch iPad and more

The last day of June and we are getting some awesome deals. We start today’s deal’s with Apple’s 10.2-inch iPad, which is getting a $50 discount on its Wi-Fi only variant with 32GB storage, meaning you can get yours for $279. If you want extra storage, you can get the 128GB variant that’s also getting a $50 discount, so you would have to pay $379.

The Razer Blade 15 is getting a $300 discount on its 2019 version with an Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage space, which means you can get it for $1,699.99.

If you’re looking for a new Chromebook, the HP 14-inch Chromebook with Touchscreen display, AMD Dual-core A4-9120 processor, 4GB RAM, and 32GB eMMC storage is available for $230 after a $50 discount on its Ink Blue or Gray color variants.

Samsung Galaxy Note10 Lite

Next up is the unlocked version of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite with 128GB in storage in any of its color options, which include Aura Black, Aura Glow, and Aura Red. It can be yours for $450 after a $100 discount over at B&H Photo Video.


If you want to spend less on a new smartphone, the Moto G7 Play is available for just $130 after a $70 discount. This device is also unlocked for you to use on your favorite network, and it includes 2GB RAM and 32GB storage space.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is also on sale, and you can get the Silver 44mm variant for $269 after a $31 discount.

Finally, we have the Beats Solo3 headphones in black. These are currently available for $159 after a $40.95 discount. Any other color option is still selling for its regular $199.95 price tag, just so you know.

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FCC classifies HUAWEI and ZTE as national security threats

Making things even more difficult for HUAWEI and fellow Chinese company ZTE, the US Federal Communications Commission (US FCC) has designated the two as threats to national security. Chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement that the action has been taken in view of evidence that the two companies are a threat to the country’s communications network and have close ties to the Chinese government.

Following the order, money from US FCC’s $8.3 billion a year Universal Service Fund can no longer be used to purchase equipment or procure services from HUAWEI and ZTE, as well as their affiliates, parent companies, and subsidiaries. HUAWEI and ZTE are yet to respond, but both companies have denied the allegations of links with the Chinese government and security risks in the past.

“Both companies have close ties to the Chinese Communist Party and China’s military apparatus, and both companies are broadly subject to Chinese law obligating them to cooperate with the country’s intelligence services,” FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said. “We cannot and will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to exploit network vulnerabilities and compromise our critical communications infrastructure.”

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Polar Unite smartwatch arrives with a less boring design and $150 price tag

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Polar has today launched a new smartwatch – the Polar Unite. Don’t get me wrong, it still borrows heavily from the Polar Ignite’s ancient form factor, but zests things up a little bit with more minimalist case design and a lot of colors to choose from, aside from being a few grams lighter. But the real kicker is its $150 price tag, which makes the Polar Unite more palatable.

You get a round IPS LCD (240×240 pixels) display and a 174 mAh Li-pol battery that is claimed to last up to 4 days with heart rate tracking enabled in watch mode, or up to 50 hours in training mode with active GPS. Talking about GPS though, it doesn’t have in-built GPS and offers GPS connectivity via your smartphone.

Polar’s new smartwatch brings FitSpark training guide that offers on-demand tailored workouts, sleep quality tracking, guided breathing exercises, continuous heart-rate monitoring, and more. On the aesthetics front, you can choose between a total of six silicone strap colors such as mint green, blue, white, and more, as well as leather and fiber bands in two sizes. It is already up for grabs from Polar’s official website.

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Love dinosaurs? Google Search puts them in your living room with AR view

Google Search lets you see a wide variety of 3D animals with the magic of augmented reality (AR). The search giant has now announced that it is adding 10 species of dinosaurs to the list, ranging from the terrifying T-Rex to the magnificent Brachiosaurus in your living room (if it fits) or neighborhood, complete with sounds of its roaring and footsteps.

All you have to do is search the name of a dinosaur species on your smartphone, scroll down, and tap on the ‘View in 3D‘ button in the knowledge card of Google Search. You will have the option of seeing the dinosaur fitted across your phone’s screen or gaze upon it in all its glorious size, provided it fits in the space you are currently in.

The 10 dinosaurs added to Google Search have been borrowed from the Jurassic World franchise and include Tyrannosaurus Rex, Velociraptor, Triceratops, Spinosaurus, and Stegosaurus among others. Users can also record AR videos and recreate scenes from the Jurassic World movies. But do keep in mind that this feature is only available on ARCore-enabled devices.

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Google acquires North, the maker of Focals smart glasses

Google has acquired North, the company behind the Focals 1.0 smart glasses. But the acquisition also brings some bad news – the Focals 2.0 project has been canceled and they won’t be shipping to consumers waiting for them. Unsurprisingly, neither Google nor North, have disclosed financial details of the acquisition.

Rick Osterloh, Senior Vice President of Google’s Devices & Services division, revealed in a blog post that North will be merged with Google’s team in Kitchener-Waterloo, Canada. However, details about any future projects that North’s team will work upon as part of Google’s team are still under the wraps.

“Over the last while, it became clear that aligning with Google would significantly advance our shared vision,” North’s co-founders wrote in a blog post. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to join Google, and to take an exciting next step towards the future we’ve been focused on for the past eight years.”

Source: Google Blog

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Motorola Edge will be sold unlocked at $700 in the US, gets a spec bump too

Motorola Edge’s price has finally been revealed – it will cost $699.99 in the US for an unlocked unit. However, Motorola has not revealed a concrete market availability plan, except for the vague ‘summer’ release that was promised when the phone made its debut earlier this year alongside the Motorola Edge+ flagship.

Aside from the price reveal, the Motorola Edge has also received an internal upgrade. Instead of the 4GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage that was originally promised, the Motorola Edge will now ship with 6GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. However, the rest of the package remains the same.

The IP54-certified Motorola Edge features a 6.7-inch FHD+ curved OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765 chip. There is a 64MP camera at the back, accompanied by a 16MP ultra wide-angle lens and an 8MP telephoto lens, while selfies are handled by a 25MP snapper.

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Qualcomm announces Snapdragon Wear 4100 Platforms for wearables

Qualcomm has unveiled the new Snapdragon Wear 4100 platforms, Snapdragon Wear 4100+ and Snapdragon Wear 4100, designed for next-generation connected smartwatches. These are based on our ultra-low-power hybrid architecture.

The Snapdragon Wear 4100+ architecture includes:

  • A high-performance SoC with improved CPU, GPU, Memory, Cellular Modem, and camera sub-systems in 12nm low power process with dual dedicated DSPs for modem/location and sensors/audio
  • An AON ultra-low power co-processor for offloading a series of use cases including display, sensors, maps, and time
  • A stronger AON software interface to manage the interactions between the SOC and the co-processor.

Basically, Snapdragon Wear 4100+ is a big processor with the small co processor and the Wear 4100 is just a big processor.

Qualcomm says that the Snapdragon Wear 4100+ architecture is engineered to deliver significant improvements in performance, connectivity, smartness, and power. Key highlights of the platforms include:

Snapdragon Wear 4100 Platform

Super-Fast Performance and Connectivity: The SoC comprises of quad-core A53 processors, Qualcomm Adreno 504 class graphics processing, faster LPDDR3 memory (750MHz), and dual ISPs with support for up to16 megapixel cameras. Snapdragon Wear 4100+ is designed to deliver more than 85% faster performance, compared to Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform, and enhances the overall user experience with faster app launches, concurrent use cases, smoother and responsive UX, and richer photo and video experiences.

The 4G LTE mode, based on 12nm process technology, has been significantly improved from our previous platform with a dedicated DSP, low power features such as eDRX ,platform-level power management, support for Cat 4/3/1 and single/dual antennas.

Smarter Always-On (AON) Co-Processor: Enhanced AON co-processor supports richer offloaded experiences. We have partitioned memory and performance to enable up to 64K colors (from 16 colors) and extend offload experiences to include continuous heart rate monitoring and sleep for health and wellness, faster tilt-to-make responsiveness, step counting, alarms, timers, and haptics for a more capable traditional watch mode.

Ultra-Low Power Platform: Low power optimizations include 12nm low power process technology, dual DSPs for optimal workload partitioning, support for dynamic clock andvoltage scaling, Qualcomm Sensor Assisted Positioning PDR Wearables 2.0, low power location tracking support, and an enhanced Bluetooth 5.0 architecture. These improvements are designed to deliver more than 25% power reductions across key use cases and bring extended battery life to the platform (compared to the previous platforms).

Richer, Enhanced Experiences: The hybrid platform approach brings rich, enhanced experiences across interactive, ambient, sports, and watch modes. In interactive mode, the platform supports additional immersive experiences with camera, voice assistant, and voice/video messaging. Further, in ambient mode, the increase in the number of colors from 16 to 64K and number kerning is designed to make readability crisper and offers more exciting design options. In sports mode, offloaded maps enhance the on-the-run experience. The traditional watch mode includes features such as heart rate, steps, alarms, reminders, and battery indicator, with minimal impact on performance or battery life.

Snapdragon Wear 4100 Platform

Graphics and animations are now more dynamic. It comes with enhanced camera, video calls, and more. The company says the transition between the Ambient Mode to the normal mode will be more seamless.

Snapdragon Wear 4100 Platform SKUs and Availability

The Snapdragon Wear 4100 platforms come in two variants:

  • Snapdragon Wear 4100+ platform which includes the main SOC (SDM429w or SDA429w) and the AON Co-Processor (QCC1110), along with the companion chips including PMIC, RF for Modem/GPS and WiFi/BT, and RFFE
  • Snapdragon Wear 4100 platform which comprises of the main SOC along with the companion chips

The Snapdragon Wear 4100 platforms support both the Android Open Source Platform (AOSP) and the Wear OS by Google OS platform. Snapdragon Wear 4100+ and Snapdragon Wear 4100are available and shipping now.

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OnePlus’ upcoming budget phone will officially debut as OnePlus Nord

The name of OnePlus’ upcoming budget phone has been a mystery so far, with fans torn between OnePlus Nord, OnePlus Z, OnePlus 8 Lite, and whatnot. Well, the smoke finally clears and the name has been officially confirmed – OnePlus Nord. What is Nord though? We don’t know, at least not yet.

In the first episode of its four-part documentary film about the upcoming phone, OnePlus founder and CEO Pete Lau revealed that OnePlus Nord will be the company’s first product below the $500 mark in the recent years. Another notable piece of information is that the phone will be sold in India and Europe.

As for fans in the US market, the company says OnePlus Nord will arrive in the hands of a select few users in the country ‘through a highly limited beta program after launch’. The video also gives us a glimpse of the phone’s design, rocking dual front-facing cameras and a flat display. It might turn out to be an early prototype design, but here it is:

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Best Xiaomi phones of 2021: these are the top Mi, Redmi, Poco and Black Shark devices

If you're looking for the best Xiaomi phone to buy, you could easily get confused by the sheer variety of devices the company puts out - the tech giant has a few different sub-brands it puts phones out under, and each of them has separate lines of devices too.

Since Xiaomi is the second-biggest smartphone company in the world, trailing Samsung and ahead of Apple, you might be wanting to try out one of its phones. The company is best known for its competitively-priced mid-ranged phones, but it actually has a huge array of handsets, from cheap models to super-powered flagships and with some niche entries too.

Xiaomi markets its phones under many sub-brands including its flagship Mi, budget Redmi, mid-range Pocophone and gaming-focused Black Shark brands, and most of those have several lines of devices too. You don't need to worry about all of that too much, though, because instead of throwing the whole intimidating array of Xiaomi phones at you, we've picked the best.

The below choices hit a range of price tags from low-end to super-pricey, with options for you if you like top-spec cameras, quick charging, long-lasting batteries or more. WIth four different brands under its wing, you can rest assured Xiaomi has something for you.

The most recent phone on this list is the Xiaomi 11T Pro, launched in September 2021 as a budget take on the Xiaomi Mi 11, the company's annual flagship launched at the beginning of the year. Some time soon we'll hopefully see the Xiaomi 12 and maybe the Xiaomi Mi Note 11 too, to further shake up the roster.

The firm might be a relative newcomer to the field but Xiaomi phones often have impressive specs and features, with prices lower than you'd expect. If you're looking for great value for money, Xiaomi is a great pick over handsets from Apple, Samsung and Huawei, providing you do your research.

As always, we're updating this list regularly to keep up to date with all the latest Xiaomi developments. 2021 is wrapping up but 2022 promises to be as busy as ever. For now, check out our ranking of the best Xiaomi phones that you can buy right now.

If you don't think you want a Xiaomi device, you can check out our list of the best phones overall, or individual lists for the best Android phone or best iPhone we've compiled. We've also got guides on the best budget phone, best camera phone and best 5G phone, and while Xiaomi has entries in lots of those guides, there are plenty of other devices too.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are coming up at the end of November and we're expecting to see plenty of discounts when it comes to popular tech. Keep an eye on our list of the best phone Black Friday deals for offers on the best Xiaomi phones, as well as our look at the best sim only Black Friday deals too. 

The best Xiaomi phones

Xiaomi Mi 11

(Image credit: Xiaomi)

1. Xiaomi Mi 11

Xiaomi's 2021 flagship

Release date: March 2021 | Weight: 196g | Dimensions: 164.3 x 74.6 x 8.6mm | OS: Android 11 | Screen size: 6.8-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3200 | CPU: Snapdragon 888 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB/256GB | Battery: 4,600mAh | Rear camera: 108MP + 13MP + 5MP | Front camera: 20MP

It's a capable camera phones
It has a powerful processor
The fingerprint scanner is temperamental
The battery life isn't amazing

The Xiaomi Mi 11 is the company's flagship for 2021, showcasing new camera modes, screen technologies and rear camera designs at a premium-phone price tag.

We gave the phone a glowing review, praising, in particular, its macro photography mode (using a bespoke rear lens), its great-looking screen with a high resolution and refresh rate, and the processing power provided by its top-end chipset.

While this phone represents the best tech Xiaomi has right now, its cost might put some people off it - despite that, if you're looking for a great smartphone from the company, it should be the first one you consider.

Read our full Xiaomi Mi 11 review

Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC

(Image credit: Xiaomi)

2. Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC

An incredible budget phone

Release date: September 2020 | Weight: 215g | Dimensions: 165.3 x 76.8 x 9.4mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.67-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2400 | CPU: Snapdragon 732G | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 64GB/128GB | Battery: 5,160mAh | Rear camera: 64MP + 13MP + 2MP + 2MP | Front camera: 32MP

Its 120Hz screen is great
The battery life is excellent
Its camera isn't amazing
It's quite large

The Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC is a surprising phone mainly because it is one. This phone has really impressive specs for a handset at its price.

The device has loads of processing power, a really long-lasting battery, and a 120Hz screen all for a really low price. If you pick this device up you're certainly getting more than you paid for, in the best possible way.

Sure, there are some quirks not everyone will like - the phone is really big, and the cameras don't match same-price competitors. But this is still a worthy buy, that's the best budget phone right now.

Read our full Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC review

Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro

(Image credit: Xiaomi)

3. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro

The best Redmi phone

Release date: March 2021 | Weight: 193g | Dimensions: 164 x 76.5 x 8.1mm | OS: Android 11 | Screen size: 6.67-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2400 | CPU: Snapdragon 732G | RAM: 6GB/8GB | Storage: 64GB/128GB | Battery: 5,020mAh | Rear camera: 108MP + 8MP + 5MP + 2MP | Front camera: 16MP

It has excellent stereo speakers
The battery life is impressive
There's no 5G
It lacks 4K stabilization

If you're looking for the best phone from Xiaomi's sub-brand Redmi, the Note 10 Pro is that phone. It has top specs and a low price, making it a solid buy.

The phone has a super-high-res 108MP main camera, a big and bold 120Hz screen and a massive 5,020mAh battery - as cheap phones go, it's a star.

Sure, there are a few things you miss out on with the Note 10 Pro - there's no 5G here, mainly - but if you don't need that, the phone is all you need.

Read our full Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro

Xiaomi 11T Pro

(Image credit: Xiaomi)

4. Xiaomi 11T Pro

A mid-range take on the Xiaomi Mi 11

Release date: September 2020 | Weight: 204g | Dimensions: 164.1 x 76.9 x 8.8mm | OS: Android 11 | Screen size: 6.67-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2400 | CPU: Snapdragon 888 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB/256GB | Battery: 5,000mAh | Rear camera: 108MP + 8MP + 5MP | Front camera: 16MP

It charges incredibly quickly
It feels fluid and  useresponsive to
It can overheat easily
The back is a fingerprint magnet

The Xiaomi 11T Pro is both a mid-range take on the Mi 11 and the year-on successor to the Mi 10T Pro, though it's worth noting that it was the first phone to lose the 'Mi' branding previously used by the company.

This is a great mid-range handset with a powerful chipset, good-looking screen, useful camera array and intuitive fingerprint scanner. If you liked the look of the Mi 11 you'll find many of its features here like the 5MP telemacro lens or plentiful camera modes.

There were a few issues with the phone though - its fingerprint sensor, though quick to use, was a bit too high for some people to reach. The main problem we had was that it got hot really quickly, which reduced processing power.

Overall, though, this is a great Xiaomi phone, and if you need a new mid-range handset it's definitely worth checking out.

Read our full Xiaomi 11T Pro review

Xiaomi Poco F3

(Image credit: Xiaomi)

5. Xiaomi Poco F3

A solid display

Release date: March 2021 | Weight: 196g | Dimensions: 163.7 x 76.4 x 7.8mm | OS: Android 11 | Screen size: 6.67-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2400 | CPU: Snapdragon 870 | RAM: 6/8GB | Storage: 128GB/256GB | Battery: 4,520mAh | Rear camera: 48MP + 8MP + 5MP | Front camera: 20MP

It has a bright, responsive display
It's a powerful device
The camera is mediocre
The UI is full of annoyances

Xiaomi's Pocophone sub-brand became very prolific between 2020 and 2021, and the Poco F3 is part of the third generation of devices.

The phone is a display and performance champion, making it great for streaming, gaming and scrolling through social media. 

As a low-cost phone there are things you're missing out on - the cameras aren't great, and there's no wireless charging, but not everyone needs those things.

Read our full Xiaomi Poco F3 review

Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro

(Image credit: Xiaomi)

6. Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro

Xiaomi's cut-price late-2020 flagship

Release date: October 2020 | Weight: 218g | Dimensions: 165.1 x 76.4 x 9.3mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.67-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2400 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB/256GB | Battery: 5,000mAh | Rear camera: 108MP + 13MP + 5MP | Front camera: 20MP

It provides top processing power
its fingerprint scanner is snappy
The back is a fingerprint magnet
It could be too big for many

The Xiaomi Mi 10T series were late-2020 additions to the Mi 10 phones, and the Mi 10T Pro is the top of that new squad, which sits above the Mi 10 but below the Mi 10T Pro. Ironically, this order goes the other way in our best Xiaomi phones round-up.

The Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro is great as a cut-price flagship - it has the same main camera, software and processing power but has a lower quality design and display to balance the books and keep the cost low. 

There are a few great additions to this phone that are absent in the Mi 10 series though like a really useful side-mounted fingerprint scanner, 144Hz display and an absolutely huge camera bump.

Read our full Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro review

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra

(Image credit: Xiaomi)

7. Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra

Xiaomi's 2021 super-phone

Release date: April 2021 | Weight: 234g | Dimensions: 164.3 x 74.6 x 8.4mm | OS: Android 11 | Screen size: 6.81-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 3200 | CPU: Snapdragon 888 | RAM: 12GB | Storage: 256GB | Battery: 5,000mAh | Rear camera: 50MP + 48MP + 48MP | Front camera: 20MP

It has mostly-great cameras
There's super-fast charging
It suffers from overheating issues
The camera bump is too big

Since you're only seeing Xiaomi's 2021 super-phone, the Mi 11 Ultra, halfway through this list, you can probably tell it has a few issues. 

The large camera bump really gets in the way, it costs a huge amount, and we found it had an overheating issue that affected performance.

Look past those issues, and you've got a fantastic phone - it charges incredibly quickly, it uses the top-end Snapdragon 888 chipset, the cameras are great, and the display looks amazing.

Read our full Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra review

Xiaomi Black Shark 3

(Image credit: Xiaomi)

8. Xiaomi Black Shark 3

A Xiaomi gaming phone

Release date: March 2020 | Weight: 222g | Dimensions: 168.7 x 77.3 x 10.4 mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.67-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2400 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 | RAM: 8GB/12GB | Storage: 128GB/256GB | Battery: 4,720mAh | Rear camera: 64MP + 13MP + 5MP | Front camera: 20MP

It's good for gaming
It is affordable for its specs
The appearance may be divisive
It's pretty big

If you're looking for a phone that's good for gaming, but don't want to splash out on a top-end device, you might find a Black Shark device great for you, and the Black Shark 3 is the third-gen phone from Xiaomi's gaming-focused subsidiary.

The Black Shark 3 has plenty of top-end specs like a Snapdragon 865 chipset, 5G connectivity, a big battery and a 90Hz refresh rate screen, but doesn't cost as much as many of its similarly-specced competitors. The phone has a great camera too, which is somewhat of a surprise.

Sure, this phone isn't for everyone, and if you're not an avid mobile gamer we wouldn't recommend it for you (not least because its design is certainly divisive), but if you're prone to a game of PUBG Mobile, Fornite or Call of Duty: Mobile, you should definitely consider it.

Read our full Xiaomi Black Shark 3 review

Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro

(Image credit: Xiaomi)

9. Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro

A decent affordable phone

Release date: March 2021 | Weight: 215g | Dimensions: 165.3 x 76.8 x 9.4mm | OS: Android 11 | Screen size: 6.67-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2400 | CPU: Snapdragon 860 | RAM: 6GB/8GB | Storage: 128GB/256GB | Battery: 5,160mAh | Rear camera: 48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP | Front camera: 20MP

It offers affordable 5G
It's relatively fast to use
The cameras are only 'okay'
It has lots of bloatware

There are plenty of Pocophone smartphones on the market right now, and the Poco X3 Pro is one of them. It's a Pro version of the NFC model, listed near the top of this article.

The handset has the same issues other Poco devices do - there's no 5G, its cameras are iffy, and it's a pretty bulky phone. But it's still a good device for its price.

There's a great processor at play here, the screen looks good and has a top refresh rate, and the battery will survive hours of gaming. 

So if you're looking for a decent gaming or streaming phone this is a good option - it's cheaper than the Poco F3 higher in this list too.

Read our full Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro

Xiaomi Mi Note 10

(Image credit: Xiaomi)

10. Xiaomi Mi Note 10

Availability hampers an otherwise-incredible phone

Release date: December 2019 | Weight: 208g | Dimensions: 157.8 x 74.2 x 9.7mm | OS: Android 9 | Screen size: 6.47-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2340 | CPU: Snapdragon 730G | RAM: 6/8GB | Storage: 128GB/256GB | Battery: 5,260mAh | Rear camera: 108MP + 12MP + 5MP + 20MP + 2MP | Front camera: 32MP

It has incredible camera capabilities
The screen looks fantastic
It has a weak chipset
We suffered from unreliable bluetooth connectivity

The Xiaomi Mi Note 10 took our top spot in this list for a long time. It never saw a successor, though, and it's very hard to find in stores now, so it's harder to recommend.

Looking at the specs list and images, you'd be forgiven for thinking this phone was a top-end flagship phone, with a curved screen, 108MP main camera and huge battery pack. But then look down to the price and you see a phone that's a third of the price of the biggest and best phones out there right now.

Sure, there are a few weaknesses that stopped us giving this phone a perfect score, but it was a close call, and using the phone for a variety of purposes is a treat.

Read our full Xiaomi Mi Note 10 review

Previous best Xiaomi phones

The following phones previously sat on our list of the best Xiaomi phones, until being removed for one of various reasons:

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