Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S, review after first contact

The new family of Redmi mobiles has entered the Spanish market with a trio that aspires to renew Xiaomi’s excellent performance in the mid-range. There’s the Redmi Note 11S, a phone that, with the balance between features and price to which the brand is accustomed, achieves great appeal, both for the eyes and for the pocket. We checked it.

Taking advantage of the fact that MWC Barcelona brings together the most recent phone launches in the same space, we approached the Xiaomi area to see in person what the new Redmi Note 11 family looks like. already been able to analyze it. in depth, we had the interim, a 9/11 pointing to ways. Take a look at its features to understand why.

Redmi Note 11S spec sheet

A design that unifies affordable materials and a distinctive appearance

Straight edges dominate the new Xiaomi family, including the recent POCO X4 Pro and POCO M4 Pro. In the Redmi Note 11S, this results in a pleasant touch that does not disturb when you shake the phone in your hand

. The materials contribute to this: the polycarbonate on the back promotes grip.

The phone’s design is completed with a finish in three different colors that reflect light with a metallic sheen. The buttons are accessible, the fingerprint unlock button is anchored to the right side (hard to find by touch) and doesn’t give up infrared or dual speakers. It even has splash protection.

The rear modules give the phone a certain character, both for its design and for the numbers of the main camera. Leaving his performance for later, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S places the four cameras in the vertical module as it protrudes slightly from the body. Not too much, just enough for the phone to darken when placed on the table.

Nice, no-frills design, distinctive colors, inexpensive materials that don’t detract from the feel of the phone and large final dimensions without being exaggerated; At least by today’s standards. We did not notice the very heavy mobile.

Highlights and shadows for the material included

Touchdowns are generally not suitable for overtesting mobile hardware beyond finding the most glaring bugs. In the present case, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S was decisive, quite fast, we do not appreciate the slowdowns and, in short, it flows at the level of the large mid-range that it is. At least as long as you don’t overdo it.

The MediaTek Helio G96 clearly indicates that the mobile is not the most powerful on the market (and is a bit expensive for the average Xiaomi in this price segment). Sufficient memory and storage, includes more than necessary in connectivity (with the exception of 5G) and it doesn’t seem like a bad bet for those who need a phone every day without intending to squeeze it into graphics-heavy games.

The screen is an element that stands out from the rest of the hardware: 6.43-inch AMOLED, a bit saturated as standard

(adjustable), the contrast is high and the brightness seemed largely sufficient to us. We will have to check it outside when we can analyze it in depth.

We were unable to test either the battery or the load. From experience in similar mobiles, we do not think that autonomy will be a problem, quite the contrary: the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S will withstand the two days of use without too much problem. In addition, the brand has decided to equip it with a 33W fast charge: from 0 to 100 it should take a little over an hour.

Software: MIUI 13 good, Android 11 bad

The Redmi Note 11 generation comes standard with MIUI 13, a really positive point for the user because it not only includes the brand’s renewed apps, it also offers the improvements in battery management, background optimization, storage performance and memory. Of course, that it goes to market with Android 11 instead of betting on the newest Android 12 seems quite negative to us.

Quite a lot of uninstallable bloatware for the most part, a renewed interface with the new control panel, plenty of customization, a multitude of additional settings and all the added value that MIUI brings to Xiaomi phones (at the cost of becoming heavy).

A camera that shows ways in its price range

Xiaomi has decided to fill its Redmi Note 11S with cameras up to four sensors with their respective lenses. Among them are the 108-megapixel main and 8-megapixel wide-angle camera

.

We’ve been with 108-megapixel cameras for two years since the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 released them to much fanfare. Beyond the exaggerated size of the photos (as long as they are taken at their maximum dimensions, which are usually reduced), we did not have the impression that the phone took bad photos. At least given the circumstances of the scene (indoors and with artificial lighting).

The camera works fast (processing takes just over a second), detail is high even for background objectsperforms an excellent portrait mode (with the front camera, the watercolors are very visible), has a host of fun features, includes night mode and, according to our first impressions, it did not respond badly in terms of dynamic range.

With the wide angle, the results were more disappointing, especially with regard to the details. And nothing more to say about the rest: a macro camera for those who want to take pictures up close (the results are not too good) and a camera to capture depth which should help in the background bokeh in portrait mode.

Good recommendation when the price starts to drop

The Redmi Note tends to be the most recommended for someone who doesn’t want to spend over $200 on their phone. This is not the case with the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S, but surely, later, reduce your costs to a more competitive line. Not in vain, Xiaomi is the main enemy when it comes to placing its mid-range.

In the absence of a thorough analysis, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S seemed solvent, balanced, with high quality details and with a very smooth operation despite the doubts that the chosen processor raises. It can already be purchased in Europe.