Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G (Pro 5G+) evaluate: Pricing itself out of contention

The Redmi Note collection offered over 240 million gadgets globally within the closing 5 years, and a large reason why for that momentum will also be attributed to price. From the very starting, Xiaomi undercut its opponents and delivered the most productive price range telephones in the event you had been after worth for cash, permitting the logo to transform the third-largest phone producer globally.

But there used to be constantly a concern that Xiaomi would not be capable to maintain its pricing merit, and in this type of situation any other emblem may just simply outmaneuver it. In 2022, it seems like that second is right here — the Redmi Note 11 Pro and Pro 5G get started off at an important top class in maximum international markets, and that places Xiaomi at an obstacle. 

Because with out the worth on be offering, the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is solely any other price range phone with its personal set of compromises, and in a class the place there may be masses of selection, it temporarily will get overshadowed.

That mentioned, the Redmi Note 11 Pro keeps its merit in key markets like China and India, with Xiaomi opting to forego income to deal with its marketplace place. But within the likes of the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, and different European nations, the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is a deficient appearing if you are in search of worth.

Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G: Price and availability

The Redmi Note 11 Pro and 11 Pro 5G had been unveiled on the finish of January, and at the moment are making their technique to international markets. There are two fashions this yr: a typical 4G choice and a 5G-enabled variant that I’m checking out. The 4G-based fashion is powered by way of MediaTek’s getting older Helio G96, whilst the 5G model will get the Snapdragon 695.

The Note 11 Pro with 4G is to be had in 3 variants: the 6GB/64GB fashion prices the similar of $299, the 6GB/128GB variant is $329, and the 8GB/128GB choice will set you again $349.

The Note 11 Pro 5G may be offered in the similar 3 configurations, with the 6GB/64GB choice beginning off at $329, the 6GB/128GB variant indexed for $349, and the 8GB/128GB fashion for $379.

Xiaomi presented the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G in India on March 9, with that software branded because the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G. Other than an added Plus moniker to the identify, the software is similar to the worldwide Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G I’m reviewing right here. 

Because Xiaomi is eager to carry directly to its place as the biggest phone emblem in India, the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ is a lot more inexpensive within the nation: the 6GB/128GB fashion is ₹20,999 ($273), the 8GB/128GB choice is ₹22,999 ($300), and the 8GB/256GB variant is ₹24,999 ($325). On best of this, you get attractive cashback provides that knock the cost down by way of an extra ₹1,000 ($13).

Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G: Design

Xiaomi likes to change up the design of the Redmi collection with each era, and as such there is not any design consistency or a broader imaginative and prescient on this space. Last yr’s Redmi Note 10 Pro had a fascinating design with the oblong rear digital camera island and flowing curves on the again, however for 2022, Xiaomi went with an oblong chassis that appears to be the flavour du jour for price range Android producers in this day and age.

The boxy design makes the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G unwieldy to carry and use.

The boxy design with flat facets makes it tougher to carry and use the phone, it does not have the similar presence as closing yr’s fashion, the rear digital camera housing appears busy, and the black colour choice is uninteresting — there is not any design aptitude right here. The phone is to be had in blue and white colour choices along with black, and you are taking a look at the ones variants as a substitute.

The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G comes with a plastic mid-frame, and the edges have a matte end. The again is made out of glass, and also you get a layer of Gorilla Glass 5 to verify there may be some resistance to tumbles. There’s a matte texture on the again as neatly, however it’s liable to smudges. 

The digital camera housing protrudes moderately somewhat from the chassis, so you’ll be able to realize a tight quantity of wobble when the usage of the phone on a flat floor. Other design mainstays come with a three.5mm jack, IR blaster, and a hybrid SIM tray that allows you to fit in a microSD card in the second one SIM card slot.

Redmi telephones introduced within the closing 18 months have featured a side-mounted fingerprint sensor as same old, and that hasn’t modified with the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G. The sensor is speedy to authenticate and dependable, and the ability button is situated the place your thumb rests at the aspect, so it’s simply available.

Like closing yr, you get IP53 mud and water resistance, and whilst that does not imply you’ll submerge the phone underwater, it must climate the occasional downpour with none problems. 

I appreciated the curvy design of the Redmi Note 10 Pro, and I’m now not in particular fond of the adjustments that Xiaomi made right here; the flat facets and again make the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G uncomfortable to carry and use. And at 202g, the phone is 9h heavier than its predecessor, and moderately unwieldy.

Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G: Screen

Xiaomi fortunately did not make too many adjustments to the display screen, with the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G that includes the similar 6.67-inch AMOLED panel with 120Hz refresh fee and FHD+ answer. This is one of the most productive panels you’ll be able to in finding within the price range class; Xiaomi has constantly delivered AMOLED monitors with very good colour calibration out of the field, and that’s the reason the case at the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G as neatly.

This continues to be one of the most productive monitors you’ll be able to in finding within the price range section — and the stereo sound is incredible.

There are skinny bezels on either side, and Xiaomi did a just right task maximizing the display screen actual property. There’s no HDR10 right here, however you get colourful colours and very good visibility below daylight. There are 3 display screen modes to choose between — Vivid, Standard, and Saturated — and also you get to tweak the colour steadiness for each and every mode for your tastes.

Xiaomi continues to restrict its telephones to 60Hz out of the field, so when you arrange the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G, you will have to pass into the settings to manually transfer to 120Hz mode. Another bugbear is the always-on mode; it does not if truth be told keep on all through the day, however as a substitute kicks in for 10 seconds each time you get a notification.

The one space the place the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G excels is audio; the phone has a three.5mm jack and same stereo channels that get loud. The stereo sound makes so much of distinction when enjoying video games, and Xiaomi did an incredible task turning in this option as same old throughout maximum of its portfolio.

Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G: Performance and battery

Last yr’s Redmi Note 10 collection lacked 5G connectivity, and whilst the usual is but to debut in nations like India, Xiaomi is hedging its bets and freeing two variants within the Redmi Note 11 collection. The Redmi Note 11 Pro is the default 4G fashion and contours the 12nm MediaTek Helio G96, and the Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G (Pro+ 5G in India) is powered by way of the 6nm Snapdragon 695.

The Snapdragon 695 comprises respectable positive factors over closing yr’s Snapdragon 732 because of the truth that it provides more recent Cortex A78 cores, however in maximum day by day use instances, there is not any distinction between the 2. Gaming, for example, is extensively unchanged, with the likes of PUBG Mobile operating at medium settings on each telephones.

You would possibly not in finding any significant positive factors from closing yr.

I did not have any problems with lag or throttling within the week that I used the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G, and it’s dependable for the entirety from surfing and social media to occasional gaming. Of route, the most important addition with the Snapdragon 695 is 5G connectivity. 

The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has the needful 5G bands for each and every area, with the worldwide fashion getting 12 bands in overall (n1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78) and the Indian model that includes seven 5G bands (n1,3,5,8,28,40,78).

Although the Snapdragon 695 options Qualcomm’s FastConnect 6200 machine, it does not have a Wi-Fi 6 modem — you are restricted to Wi-Fi ac right here. There is Bluetooth 5.1 and NFC in maximum international markets (Indian unit nonetheless does not get one), and the standard collection of sensors.

As for the battery aspect of issues, the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has a 5000mAh battery, and whilst that is unchanged from closing yr, the phone lasts somewhat longer because of the extra effective 6nm node. I were given neatly over an afternoon’s value of use out of the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G, averaging over 5.5 hours of screen-on-time.

The phone additionally fees at 67W, with the bundled 67W charger taking slightly below 50 mins to totally rate the phone. A15-minute rate nets round 45% rate, and whilst it does not moderately measure as much as the 65W same old that is used on units just like the Nord 2, it’s nonetheless a substantial distinction over the Note 10’s 33W tech.

Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G: Cameras

The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G keeps a well-recognized digital camera configuration: there is a 108MP Samsung HM2 sensor joined by way of an 8MP wide-angle lens and a 2MP macro. Up entrance, you’ll be able to discover a 16MP digital camera that is similar to closing yr.

The digital camera is a downgrade from closing yr — there is not any 4K video.

The digital camera interface itself hasn’t modified in MIUI 13, and also you get the standard capturing modes in conjunction with toggles for AI, HDR, timer, flash and the more than a few lenses. The handbook mode provides you with granular keep watch over, and whilst the phone defaults to 12MP pictures when the usage of the 108MP sensor, there’s a full-res mode to be had.

A noticeable trade this yr has to do with video recording — the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is proscribed to 1080p, with out a choice for 4K. That’s a atypical omission taking into account closing yr’s fashion had 4K at 30fps, and maximum telephones on this class be offering the characteristic as same old. 

This is an inherent limitation within the Snapdragon 695 and now not one thing enforced by way of Xiaomi. Still, the shortage of 4K video places the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G at a definite downside.

As for the digital camera itself, the HM2 sensor has been utilized in over a dozen Xiaomi telephones thus far, and it’s dependable in maximum eventualities. It produces footage with just right dynamic differ and distinction ranges in sunlight scenarios, with masses of element. Similarly, footage taken in low-light stipulations had just right element and dynamic differ with correct colours. There is visual noise across the edges and the phone is conservative with shadows, however you’ll transfer to the Night mode ekes out higher dynamic differ and element.

The sensor has its obstacles and is not moderately as just right as its rapid opponents, but it surely does not have any main shortcomings both. That mentioned, the auxiliary cameras don’t seem to be definitely worth the bother; the wide-angle lens struggles with colours and has a tendency to skew to heat tones, and it fares poorly in low-light eventualities. The 2MP macro is laughably dangerous and would not have been incorporated within the first position.

Xiaomi is not providing any significant positive factors right here, and in a couple of spaces like 4K video, the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is at the backfoot when noticed subsequent to its predecessor.

Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G: Software

Xiaomi wiped clean up MIUI over the past two years, getting rid of commercials inside the UI and tackling the bloatware factor. The result’s that MIUI 13 is fluid, trendy, and most often nice to make use of. What you will not like is the truth that the phone nonetheless runs Android 11 out of the field, which is what the Redmi Note 10 Pro introduced with over a yr in the past.

The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is launching with the similar Android model as its predecessor.

For the Redmi Note 11 Pro collection to release with an older model of Android is inexcusable, and what makes this example that a lot more irritating is that Xiaomi has launched telephones with Android 12 this yr — the Xiaomi 12 collection runs the most recent model of Android out of the field. 

So within the case of the Redmi Note 11 collection and different price range/mid-range fashions, Xiaomi is deliberately providing an older model of Android so it does not have to offer further OS updates down the road. The result’s that the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G would possibly not get Android updates previous Android 13.

Will the phone be out of date in two years? Not moderately. Xiaomi has constantly prioritized MIUI updates in choose of Android platform builds, and it stands to reason why that the Redmi Note 11 collection generally gets a minimum of 3 or 4 MIUI releases. But the truth stays that those units will pass over out on maximum of the Android options that Google will liberate over the approaching years.

As for what it is like to make use of the phone each day, the MIUI 13 construct at the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G misses out on Android 12-based options like a privateness dashboard, retooled widgets, and recording signs. 

Xiaomi now defaults to its iOS-style cut up notification pane with the Control Center, and it’s irritating to make use of as you’ll be able to preferably wish to see each toggles and notifications whilst you pull down the colour. Thankfully, you’ll transfer to the usual notification pane from the settings.

Xiaomi must reconsider its tool scenario.

There’s additionally a integrated app drawer that is sourced from POCO, a floating home windows mode that is moderately helpful, and many of customizability. I did not realize a lot in the best way of distinction over MIUI 12, however Xiaomi notes that it made a number of under-the-hood tweaks to make MIUI 13 that a lot more useful resource and storage-efficient.

But the most important letdown is that the phone nonetheless runs Android 11 out of the field, and with best two assured platform updates, it’s going to best see Android 13. Contrast that to what Samsung is doing with its Galaxy A chain — the place the 2022 fashions gets 4 Android OS updates — and also you start to see simply how a lot flooring Xiaomi has to hide on this space. Even Realme is doing a greater task with tool; the Realme 9 Pro/Pro+ include Android 12 out of the field.

Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G: The festival

The defining theme within the price range section over the past 3 years has been the contention between Xiaomi and Realme. Both manufacturers ship near-identical merchandise and regularly undercut each and every different. While Xiaomi used to be in a position to outmatch Realme a couple of occasions up to now, the momentum is at the latter for 2022.

The Realme 9 Pro+ is the perfect choice to the Redmi Note Pro 5G; it has beefier {hardware} within the shape of the Dimensity 920, higher cameras, 4K video recording, and identical garage configurations. The perfect section is that the 9 Pro+ runs Android 12 out of the field, which means it’s going to get another Android replace. 

The Realme 9 Pro+ prices €380 ($415), or €10 greater than the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G within the area. In India, it’s to be had for ₹24,999 ($325), ₹4,000 ($52) greater than the similar fashion of the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G.

The Nord 2 may be a cast contender, taking into account it prices the similar because the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G in Germany and different nations within the area. The Nord 2 has a good sooner Dimensity 1200, a lot better cameras, bloat-free tool, and a design that is more uncomplicated to carry and use.

And if you are coming from a Xiaomi phone and do not wish to transfer clear of MIUI, the Redmi Note 10 Pro continues to be a super selection in 2022. It has the similar digital camera {hardware} however with 4K video recording, a greater design, same AMOLED display screen, and the similar Android model below the hood.

Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G: Should you purchase it?

You must purchase this if:

• You need a phone with a colourful AMOLED display screen
• You need multi-day battery lifestyles with speedy charging
• You want a 3.5mm jack and stereo sound
• You’re in search of the cheap phone for gaming

You should not purchase this if:

• You need the most recent model of Android
• You’re in search of long-term Android updates
• You intend to video for your phone
• You need a just right worth

With the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G, Xiaomi has made up our minds to play it protected. That’s now not a nasty factor essentially taking into account closing yr’s Redmi Note 10 Pro introduced massive upgrades, however Xiaomi may have executed extra to distinguish the phone. 

While the phone has reasonably sooner interior {hardware} and higher charging tech, it does not fluctuate in any significant technique to its predecessor. In reality, the design is not as just right as closing yr, and the digital camera is worse off because of the shortage of 4K video recording. 

Then there may be the tool scenario; with the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G operating Android 11 and slated to get simply two model updates, it’s on an equivalent footing with the Redmi Note 10 Pro. 

With so much of choices readily to be had, I will’t assist however really feel that the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is a deficient appearing on this class. The Realme 9 Pro+ provides you with extra worth in your cash because it has Android 12 out of the field, and also you recover cameras. 

The Redmi Note 10 Pro continues to be the default selection if you do not care about 4G, and if you wish to have to change to 5G, the Realme 9 Pro+ is the most obvious choice.