Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 11 series has launched, and 5G is here at last

Xiaomi has launched its new Redmi Note 11 line, and 5G has arrived on the budget phone series for the very first time. That’s not all; impressive screen and camera specs could make these some of the best cheap phones around.

5G connectivity has made its debut on the budget line of smartphones as the top-end Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is equipped with the Snapdragon 695 chipset.

Brilliant specs including 120Hz refresh rates, 108-megapixel camera sensors, and 67 fast-charging are also present among the eminently affordable four phones in the series — but read on to see which one of the four new handsets is the perfect one for you.

Redmi Note 11

The series’ base model is still a force to be reckoned with. The screen is a particular standout, being a Full HD+ 6.43-inch AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and 180Hz touch sampling rate. The main camera has a 50-megapixel resolution, and it’s accompanied by an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens and two 2-megapixel sensors (one being a macro snapper, and the other a depth sensor).

Powered by a Snapdragon 680 chipset, the device also packs a considerable 5000mAh battery that can be topped up from 0-100% in just one hour thanks to its speedy 33W fast-charging.

Starting Price (4GB RAM, 64GB storage): $179 (~£132)

This device will be available to buy in the UK, with official pricing to be confirmed nearer release.

Redmi Note 11S

The ‘S’ version offers one very clear upgrade over the standard model, and that’s the main camera sensor; it clocks in at 108-megapixels rather than 50-megapixels, which is a startling spec for a modest phone such as this one. The front-facing camera has also received a bump up to 16-megapixels rather than the 13-megapixel selfie snapper of its junior sibling. This model runs on the MediaTek Helio G96 chipset rather than the Snapdragon.

Starting Price (6GB RAM, 64GB storage): $249 (~£184)

Redmi Note 11 Pro

The series’ Pro version offers a major step up in two main areas. First of all, there’s the screen, which is not only slightly bigger (at 6.67 inches) but also offers a 120Hz refresh rate and a 360Hz touch sampling rate for smoother scrolling and more responsive gaming. Then there’s the battery; while this one has the same capacity of 5000mAh, it’s compatible with blistering 67W fast-charging, and can apparently go from flat to 51% charge in just 15 minutes.

Starting Price (6GB RAM, 64GB storage): $299 (~£221)

Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G

The Note 11 Pro 5G is the undisputed king of the range, and the reason for that is in its name; this model is the first in the series to offer 5G connectivity, which it does thanks to a Snapdragon 695 chipset. If you want the highest mobile data speeds available, then this one is the right choice for you.

Starting Price (6GB RAM, 64GB storage): $329 (~£243)

This device will be available to buy in the UK, with official pricing to be confirmed nearer release.

MIUI 13

It wasn’t just hardware that was on show at Xiaomi’s big event; there’s also a new user interface that will be featured on all of the above phones and is based on the Android 11 operating system.

MIUI 13 will improve read and write efficiency by up to 60% thanks to its new data storage system named Liquid Storage, while Smart Balance automatically finds the right equilibrium between performance and power consumption, which could extend your phone’s battery life by as much as 10%. If you’re an adept multitasker, you’ll be pleased to hear that a new tool called Sidebar is part of the new package too, in the form of a floating window than can appear in-app when you want to switch over to one of your other favourites without having to head back to the home screen.