Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Review: Does not compromise

After spending some time with Android 12 on the Nokia X20, it's time to try out all the new features that MIUI 13 offers. To help you understand, I'm reviewing the Redmi Note 11 series today.

The Redmi Note 11 is part of the Redmi Note 11 series, announced in Kenya on February 17th, 2022. If my memory serves me well, the Note 11 takes after the Redmi Note 10, released in 2021, and has likewise performed admirably.

I have to say one thing here before we jump into the full details of the device. The Note 11's AMOLED display and the pleasant design the smartphone presents above and beyond its reasonable pricing are astonishing.

Why am I a fan of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 smartphone?

• It's light and comfortable to handle
• A brilliant AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of 90 Hz
• Long battery life and a quick recharge time

The Redmi Note 11's greatest turn-offs

• Photos of poor quality in 2022
• A weak smartphone based on performance level

in the box:

• Transparent protective silicone shell
• Charger with 33 watts
• USB Type-C cable

 Design

When you hold the Redmi Note 11 series in your hands, the first thing that will catch your eye is its size.It is quite much smaller and very light in weight. In comparison to its older sibling, the Redmi Note 10 smartphone we have a new chipset with the Note 11, which is logically quicker. The main image sensor has been upgraded from the previous generation to 50 megapixels (plus two megapixels). Above all, its screen has a refresh rate of 90Hz and a touch sampling rate of 180 Hz.

If you've seen the Oppo Reno6 5G, you'll see that the Redmi Note 11 shares certain ideas from it, such as the flat edges that is also quite smilar to the iPhone 12. The grip is still superb, and the smartphone's back features a matte surface that repels fingerprints. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same with the smartphone's front. 

Sticking to the front of the phone, it doesn't seem like Xiaomi set aside any time to focus on the display area to lower bezels and increase icon space.

I am not a hater, but my most significant likes on the device are still there. Of course, I appreciate the fingerprint sensors, headphone port, and two speaker grills are all properly located at the bottom end of the smartphone. We also have IP53 rated for dust resistance and has Gorilla Glass 3 protection on the screen.

Screen

At this pricing point, the 90Hz display was probably my most extraordinary turn, but let's clarify some issues. The panel has a diagonal of 6.43 inches and shows Full HD + resolution, which brings out the most in your photos. But, as is customary, things go awry in terms of colorimetry. It's simple: the default display setting on the Redmi Note 11 is too chilly. By default, the picture looks to be much too blue.

Audio

I am happy with what we've been given on this range. Redmi is making a tiny attempt by updating a pair of speakers that, at the very least, provide stereo sound. Naturally, the sound balance isn't ideal. The ill-defined highs rub shoulders with the non-existent bass. However, the level is just right, allowing you to listen to music without the need for headphones or earbuds. Furthermore, the phone is Bluetooth 5.0 compliant, allowing it to connect to any pair of wireless headphones or headsets.

Performance

Xiaomi has opted to spread its cards far and wide this year. The Redmi Note 11 smartphone has a Snapdragon 680 processor under the hood, a unique feature. A 6-nanometer SoC with an 8-core CPU (2.4 GHz) and an Adreno 610 GPU.During my testing here at sledge.co.ke, there is no question about its performance.

Also Read:

The best Xiaomi Phones and Prices in Kenya in 2022

The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G Full specifications and Price

Antuntu pushes it above the 250,000-point threshold, where the Geekbench shows a significant boost in multi-core job performance (+ 34%) but a dip in single-core task performance (- 23 percent ).

The Redmi Note 11's most significant flaw is unquestionably its 4 GB of RAM. In reality, this makes navigation very difficult: even the tiniest opening of an application seems excruciating and sometimes even results in disconcerting notifications like the Interface no longer responds.

The MIUI 13 user interface

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 is the first smartphone to be released in 2022 that runs on the company's most recent overlay, MIUI 13. Android 11, not Android 12, disappointed me a little bit as I expected to play around with it. 

For the Redmi Note 11, we may anticipate three or four years of security updates, which isn't terrible for an entry-level or mid-range Android device. We may also expect a maximum of two years of support for significant upgrades.

Unfortunately, Xiaomi has not abandoned its nefarious practice of cramming unwanted software onto their devices in 2021. These pre-installed programs (I counted 23) use 2.78 GB of your phone's capacity and are often tough to remove. Fortunately, they can be removed quickly and in bulk.

Battery

With a 5,000 mAh battery, we anticipate the Redmi Note 11 to provide mountains and miracles. There's no mistake about it: even if we're the sort who can't get enough screen time, we can easily last two days. I achieved roughly 34 hours of standby time and over 10 hours of screen time by moving between listening to my Spotify playlist, reading notes, social networking, and, yes, a lot of texting throughout the day.

For charging your phone from 0% to 100%, you'll need 1 hour of battery. Thanks to the included 33W charger, you'll have regained 60% of your battery life in only 30 minutes.

Image

As far as photography is concerned, Xiaomi has taken a significant stride forward, particularly for devices produced after December 2021.

Wide Angle sensors

The Redmi Note 11's wide-angle is mediocre. Even though it boasts 50 megapixels, Redmi's sensor cannot capture enough light to produce high-quality images. Worse, digital processing is utterly revolting. Make your own decision. Take a look at the example below to see for yourself:

Ultra wide-angle

Based on my last paragraph, don't judge me too harshly; entry-level ultrawide lenses are seldom remarkable. The Redmi Note 11 does not reinvent the wheel, instead of assuming control of a module that no one anticipated to be in this state. Of course, the broader field of view provided by this lens will be appreciated. However, compared to a wide-angle shot, we lose so much information that it's not worth it.

Zoom

Let's take a look at the zoom capabilities of the Note 11. It simply crops a picture obtained with a wide-angle sensor without a separate sensor. Because the latter is substandard, the results in "zoom" are just as bad - if not worse.

Portrait

Because the portraits use the same sensor as the most iconic images, it's only logical that they aren't very satisfying. Even if the clipping is rather excellent, we observe that the skin is, on the one hand, incredibly smooth, and on the other side... sometimes greenish, owing to the contribution of a depth of field module.

Finally, the 13-megapixel front camera sensor pushes the sharpness slider even farther than its counterpart at the back. Of course, it smoothes down the roughness of the skin. However, this does not create beautiful photographs. Everything lacks contrast in this example, and the shadows are still filled with noise.

Night Mode

The Redmi Note 11 does not shine in night photography due to the peculiarities of the numerous sensors. The photos lack clarity, and the dark regions are swamped with noise, whether filmed inside or outside.

Video:

Let's use video to emphasize the message. The Redmi Note 11 is not a good choice for someone who shoots videos daily. We can only shoot in 1080p at 30 frames per second at best. It didn't matter in 2021. Filming at 60 frames per second is difficult! Even at 720p, it's a chore to watch.

Price and availability of the Redmi Note 11

The Redmi Note 11 has been available in Kenya for months and can now be purchased from any retail store on February 17th. It was released in the following colors and configurations: graphic gray (tested model), twilight blue, and celestial azure.

4+64 GB: KES 19,999

4+128 GB: KES 22,499

Closing thoughts

Isn't it complicated? It doesn't have to be that way in the first place. I haven't played with previous year's models, so I can't tell you which is better. Still, the performance is acceptable for me, except for occasional lagging difficulties while playing specific intensive programs.

Of course, having an OLED display, which is also incredibly bright, is a plus. This one, however, is under-calibrated. So, what does the Redmi Note 11 have going for it? Without a doubt, its two-day or longer battery life makes it one of the greatest smartphones on the market in its category.