Xiaomi Mi 11 Review

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If you’re looking for a phone with the best possible screen tech at a reasonable price, the Xiaomi Mi 11 is worth considering. It offers HDR support, a 120Hz refresh rate, and plenty of brightness.

This is a top-notch smartphone with a few minor issues that keep it from being the best option in its class. Those include the software and battery life.

Camera

The camera on the Xiaomi Mi 11 is one of the biggest draws for this phone. It combines Samsung’s 108MP ISOCELL Bright HMX sensor with a 13MP ultrawide lens and a 5MP Tele macro sensor to give you a good set of options for zooming in on subjects.

While the camera isn’t as strong in poorer lighting conditions as the iPhone 12 or Galaxy S21, it still captures detail and color in bright situations. But the lack of a telephoto camera means it can struggle to capture fine details at telephoto levels, and it tends to draw the edges harder, which can produce artifacts.

Performance

The Xiaomi 11 is an impressive device, and it’s packed with top-shelf specs. It features a big 6.81-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, an upgraded processor, and loudspeakers tuned by Harman Kardon.

While the Xiaomi Mi 11 is an excellent phone, it has flaws. It’s a little sluggish on battery, and there are some issues with its camera performance.

But it still holds its own against the competition, and it’s not a wrong choice for those who want a top-shelf phone at an affordable price.

Photo quality is good, and low-light performance is solid. Detail and dynamic range are vital, but artifacts can be problematic when using the phone in dim conditions.

Video quality is also excellent, and a slight improvement in color rendition over the Mi 10 is noticeable compared to other flagships. But a lack of a dedicated telephoto camera leaves it behind the other Android phones in DxOMark’s test suite.

Battery

The Mi 11 is a capable smartphone with a fantastic display and an excellent 108MP camera. It’s a shame that the battery life doesn’t quite meet these standards.

The battery on the Mi 11 is a 4600mAh cell. This isn’t the wrong size for a smartphone; it has wired and wireless fast charging capabilities.

But the battery performance is mediocre at best, and I didn’t see it last much longer than a day when it was used heavily. The phone’s default settings, with the screen set to FHD+ and 60Hz, saw me get about 16 hours 38 minutes on a single charge.

The Mi 11 is one of the first phones to use the Snapdragon 888 processor, which was only released in select markets earlier this year. This is a great processor for gaming, but it’s not ideal for battery life.

Design

The design of the Xiaomi 11 is a big part of what makes it one of the best-looking smartphones on the market. Its curved back and 196g weight – 31g lighter than the Galaxy S21 Ultra – make it easier to hold on to, while the 2.5K QHD+ screen with 120Hz refresh rate keeps scrolling super smooth.

The panel is a significant upgrade from the 1080p panels in other Xiaomi flagships. It’s a high-end OLED with an excellent resolution and QHD+ PPI, as well as high brightness.

It’s backed up by a Gorilla Glass Victus, which helps resist scratches. That’s all complemented by a premium audio experience, with dual stereo speakers co-developed with Harman Kardon and tuned to sound really good when playing games or listening to music.

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