Xiaomi Mi 11 buyer’s guide: Everything you need to know
Xiaomi launched the Mi 11 in China in late December, marking the first launch for a Snapdragon 888-powered phone. We had to wait a while for a wider release, but the Chinese brand has finally brought the series to global markets.
The phone packs plenty of premium features you might not even see on rival flagship phones, although that’s not to say there isn’t room for improvement compared to its competitors.
Scroll down to find out everything we know about the Xiaomi Mi 11, from specs and price to availability and more. We’ll also be updating the article as new information surfaces.
See also: Everything you need to know about buying Xiaomi phones
Xiaomi Mi 11: At a glance
The Xiaomi Mi 11 is part of the Chinese manufacturer’s Mi series of flagship phones, with these phones usually launching early each year. The Mi series has traditionally offered affordable flagships, but last year saw the Mi 10 series take a price hike.
Xiaomi has gradually been adding more premium features to the Mi series over the years. This has seemingly culminated in the Mi 11, which packs flagship-style features like ultra-fast wireless charging, a QHD+ OLED screen, and a 120Hz refresh rate.
The Mi 11 launched in China in late December 2020, before making its way to European markets in early February.
Is the Mi 11 worth buying?
Xiaomi’s Mi series is usually positioned as the device of choice for those who want a flagship experience but don’t want to pay $1,000 or more. At €749, the Mi 11 is essentially undercutting the Galaxy S21 (€850 in Europe) and matching the S20 FE, but playing in that same broad affordable flagship category.
In other words, those expecting your typical affordable Xiaomi flagship like the Mi 10T series might be disappointed. Still, those who liked the idea of a sub-$1,000 flagship but want some premium extras might be happy here.
The Mi 11 also earned a “recommended” award from us, and you can find out why below.
What reviewers are saying about the Mi 11
Our own Eric Zeman reviewed Xiaomi’s flagship, and he called it an “enticing” alternative to Samsung and Apple’s top-flight smartphones. In fact, he felt that just a few downsides kept it from achieving true greatness.
Eric bemoaned the lack of an IP rating, the very good but not class-leading cameras, and the lack of an IP rating. He further lamented the lack of a software update promise and missing microSD card slot. The former is particularly interesting owing to Samsung now offering three years of Android version updates.
There’s plenty to like about the phone nonetheless, and Eric specifically praised the design, “excellent” screen, flagship horsepower, and “stellar” sound from the stereo speakers. Another point of praise for our reviewer was the €749 price tag, which is €100 cheaper than the Galaxy S21 in Europe.
What other reviewers from around the web think
- GSMArena reckoned the Mi 11 “has everything to quickly become a bestseller.” The team liked the phone’s design, saying it was attractive with premium build quality. They also noted that the Xiaomi device packed the “best” screen and a charger that was “blazing fast.” It wasn’t all good though, as they criticized the lack of a telephoto camera, lack of an official IP rating, and the movie effects which were “nothing special.”
- Sam Byford of The Verge “strongly recommended” the Mi 11 if you live in a market where it’s available. But he stopped short of saying it was so great you should actually import it if you’re in the US. He praised the performance, display, battery life, and MIUI 12. Sam felt that the camera category was the main area where the phone fell short of big-name rivals, lamenting image quality in mixed lighting and the lack of a telephoto camera.
- CNET‘s Sareena Dayaram said Xiaomi’s flagship phone was easy to recommend, pointing to the price, speed, display, speakers, and reliable cameras. Sareena noted a few downsides though, such as the missing telephoto camera, the lack of easy US availability, and no IP rating.
What AA readers think of the phone
We ran a poll shortly after the Mi 11 was unveiled for the first time, and almost 2,500 votes were cast. Here’s how you voted.
Almost 80% of polled readers felt the Mi 11 was hot, compared to 20% of respondents not liking what they saw. It’s also interesting to note that this poll took place before the global launch, so pricing outside China wasn’t known just yet.
Xiaomi Mi 11 specs
| Xiaomi Mi 11 | |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.81-inch AMOLED 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 92.4% body/screen ratio 120Hz WQHD+ HDR10+ |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Adreno 660 GPU |
| Memory | 8GB LPDDR5 RAM |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB |
| Battery | 4,600mAh 55W wired charging 50W wireless charging 55W charger in box |
| Camera | Rear: Main: 108MP, f/1.85, 1/1.33-in sensor, OIS Ultra-Wide: 13MP, f/2.4, 123-degree FoV Telephoto macro: 5MP, f/2.4, 3cm to 10cm range Front: Selfie: 20MP f/2.2, punch-hole cutout |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.2 Wi-Fi 6 5G (Sub-6GHz) |
| Dimensions | 164.3 x 74.6 x 8.06mm |
| Weight | 196g |
What are the Xiaomi Mi 11 features?
Xiaomi has several major draw-cards with this device, with the first being the Snapdragon 888 processor for smoother performance and gaming. The chipset also drives that QHD+ 120Hz OLED screen, with Xiaomi citing DisplayMate testing to claim it’s among the best mobile displays out there.
Another major selling point is the battery and charging arena, as it’s packing a 4,600mAh battery that’s on the large side in 2021. You won’t need to wait for ages to get it topped up, as Xiaomi is delivering 55W wired charging and 50W wireless charging. In both cases, your phone will be topped up in under 55 minutes, with wired charging taking 45 minutes.
See also: The best Xiaomi phones you can buy
The Xiaomi Mi 11 doesn’t have the most impressive camera setup, but it’s far from bad. You’re getting a 108MP main camera (with OIS), a 13MP ultra-wide snapper (123-degree field of view), and a 5MP telephoto macro lens. Don’t expect telephoto or periscope zoom cameras here, unfortunately. Nevertheless, you’re also getting features like 8K recording and a night video mode.
We’ve seen heart-rate monitors on smartphones before, but Xiaomi is integrating this functionality into the in-display fingerprint sensor. This will be activated via a firmware update though, so we’ll be sure to try it out once the update rolls out.
What’s up with that screen?
Xiaomi is stepping up its display game in a big way with the Mi 11, bringing a QHD+ OLED screen and a 120Hz refresh rate to the table. This makes for a big upgrade in theory over the Mi 10 Pro, which yielded an FHD+ 90Hz OLED panel.
The Chinese brand also lets you crank the refresh rate to 120Hz at QHD+ resolution too, rather than limiting the high refresh rate to FHD+ resolution. So you can indeed get the best of both worlds.
How good are the cameras?
The Mi 11 packs a triple rear camera setup, featuring a 108MP main camera, 12MP ultra-wide snapper, and a 5MP telephoto macro lens. Our own Eric Zeman felt that image quality in general was good but not threatening the likes of Apple and Samsung.
Eric felt the main camera could struggle to keep details in the dark areas of a scene, while noting that images from the ultra-wide shooter were a little soft and prone to noticeable distortion in some situations. He also felt that the telephoto macro lens required a steady hand and that the 5MP resolution was a “definite limitation.”
Xiaomi also includes a few extra camera-related features, such as 8K recording, dual video option, super moon mode, night time-lapse, and more.
What about battery life?
Xiaomi’s phone has a 4,600mAh battery, and our reviewer said it was rare for the phone to dip below 50% after a full day of usage. Eric noted that the best the phone did was one and a half days with heavy usage. It’s worth noting that these results were achieved at FHD+ and 60Hz.
Unfortunately, cranking the resolution and refresh rate to the maximum meant the phone barely had enough juice to make it through the day, our reviewer explained.
Thankfully, the device takes just under 50 minutes to go from zero to 100% capacity, thanks to 55W fast charging. You’re also getting 50W wireless top-ups and 10W reverse wireless charging.
Is it a nippy performer?
The Mi 11 is one of the fastest phones you can get on paper thanks to the addition of the Snapdragon 888 chipset. This is the most cutting-edge Android phone processor on the market right now and it aced synthetic benchmarks, delivering similar results as the Galaxy S21. It even broke the record in our in-house Speed Test G benchmark, completing it in just 75 seconds.
We found that benchmarks translated into great real-world performance too, as Eric called it “exceptionally fluid and quick.” He noted that a game like Asphalt 9 was no match for the phone, as there was no lag at all. So those hoping to play heavyweight games with all the effects turned up should look at this device.
Phone software and updates
Expect to find MIUI 12 atop Android 11 here, and the consensus is that MIUI 12 is much better than prior versions of Xiaomi’s Android skin. There is some bloatware here, but most of it can be removed.
Xiaomi promises that the phone will get MIUI 12.5 in the coming weeks, and it brings a few notable tweaks and additions. For one, the firm reckons that it will let you remove more bloatware than Android and iOS phones. The upcoming update will also deliver better gestures, clipboard controls, and system/battery optimizations.
Unfortunately, Xiaomi isn’t dishing out any Samsung-style promises for three years of version updates. But it traditionally delivers two Android version updates, and occasionally updates MIUI without updating the underlying Android version.
Xiaomi Mi 11 vs Mi 10: What’s new?
There are a few areas where the Mi 11 has received upgrades compared to last year’s phone. You can check them out below.
- Design: The new phone features a frosted glass back compared to the standard glass back on last year’s phone. But the big change is the camera housing, which adopts a circular design compared to the vertical housing seen on the Mi 10.
- Display: The Mi 11 not only delivers a higher refresh rate (120Hz vs 90Hz), but also ups the resolution (QHD+ vs FHD+).
- Cameras: Xiaomi’s latest device packs a triple camera rather than the Mi 10’s quad camera system. You’re still looking at the same main and ultra-wide cameras (108MP and 13MP respectively), but the Mi 11 ditches the old phone’s 2MP depth sensor. Furthermore, the macro lens has been upgraded from 2MP on the Mi 10 to a 5MP telephoto macro on the new one.
- Battery: You’re actually getting a slightly smaller battery this year, with the Mi 11 offering a 4,600mAh pack versus the Mi 10’s 4,780mAh battery. We get a charging boost across the board though, as the Mi 11 delivers 55W wired, 50W wireless, and 10W reverse wireless charging. The Mi 10 has 30W wired, 30W wireless, and 5W reverse wireless top-ups.
Competition and alternatives
There are quite a few alternatives to the Xiaomi Mi 11 if you’re not completely sold on it or want to shop around first. You can check these alternatives out below.
Samsung Galaxy S21 ($800, €849 in Europe): The base Galaxy S21 is arguably Xiaomi’s biggest competition, as it packs the same Snapdragon 888 processor (or Exynos 2100 in some markets), a triple rear camera setup with 8K recording, wireless charging, and a pretty slick 120Hz OLED screen too. The Mi 11 bests the S21 when it comes to wired charging and wireless charging speeds, battery capacity, screen resolution, and pricing in Europe. Meanwhile, the S21 edges out the Xiaomi device by virtue of offering water resistance and a hybrid telephoto camera.
Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G (€759): The firm’s older flagship might also be worth considering if you want a similarly-priced device. It doesn’t have the latest flagship processor, 8K recording, and ultra-fast charging, but it has a couple of advantages over the S21 and Mi 11. These advantages include a more flexible camera arrangement in theory (thanks to a proper telephoto camera) and microSD expansion. Otherwise, the S20 FE also packs wireless charging, Dex support, and a battery that’s similarly sized as the Mi 11’s pack.
Xiaomi Mi 10i (Rs 23,999/~$328): Like the idea of a 5G Xiaomi phone with a 108MP camera but don’t want to spend a ton of money? That’s where the sub-$300 Mi 10i comes in, having recently launched in India. It doesn’t have a flagship processor, wireless charging, or an OLED screen. But the Snapdragon 750G chipset should do the job well enough, while the aforementioned 108MP camera punches above its weight according to our own Dhruv Bhutani. Throw in a 120Hz LCD screen, 4,820mAh battery with 33W charging, and 128GB of base storage and there’s still plenty to be happy about for the price.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro (Rs 18,999/~$260): Another Xiaomi phone comes recommended, as the mid-range Redmi Note 10 Pro (or Note 10 Pro Max in India) actually has a lot in common with the Mi 11. 108MP main camera? Check. 5MP telephoto macro lens? Yep. 120Hz OLED screen? Indeed. This definitely scratches some of the same itches as the Mi 11, but you are losing out on 5G, a QHD+ resolution, wireless charging, 8K recording, and flagship power (it has a Snapdragon 732G SoC).
What about the Mi 11 Pro?
Xiaomi launched the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro (seen above) simultaneously last year, but it seems like the manufacturer is going it alone with just the vanilla Mi 11 this time around. There’s no word on when a Mi 11 Pro will launch, but we’re guessing it will likely launch in the first half of the year if it is indeed coming.
As for specs, last year’s Mi 10 Pro gives us some idea of what to expect. For one, the Pro version offered two telephoto cameras for improved image quality across several zoom factors. The phone also offered a higher resolution ultra-wide camera and faster wired charging. So it stands to reason that we could see better zoom quality, faster charging, and a better ultra-wide snapper with a Mi 11 Pro.
Interestingly enough, a YouTuber prematurely went hands-on with a so-called Mi 11 Ultra, and it looks like a beast of a phone. The phone packs an IP68 design for what could be the first time in the series, a small rear screen next to the rear cameras, an ultra-high resolution camera setup (50MP main, 48MP ultra-wide, 48MP periscope), and faster wired/wireless charging. There’s no word if this will actually be the “Pro” variant or if the Pro model will be a different device altogether. But it seems like the Ultra’s launch is around the corner.
Where to buy the Mi 11?
The Mi 11 has launched in Europe and China, and you can check out pricing below.
Europe
- Xiaomi Mi 11 (8GB/128GB): €749
- Xiaomi Mi 11 (8GB/256GB): €799
China
- Xiaomi Mi 11 (8GB/128GB): 3,999 yuan
- Xiaomi Mi 11 (8GB/256GB): 4,299 yuan
- Xiaomi Mi 11 (12GB/256GB): 4,699 yuan
The Mi 11 is clearly more expensive in Europe than it is in China, as we saw with previous releases. But Xiaomi also says they’ll also offer a two year warranty and a one-time free screen repair within the first year of owning the phone in Europe.
There’s no word on an Indian release, but Xiaomi doesn’t always bring the Mi series of flagships to the market. It did so for the Mi 10 and the Mi 10T series, so there’s still hope that the firm will bring the Mi 11 to the region.
Unfortunately, Xiaomi doesn’t offer phones in the US and we doubt that will change soon given the country’s relations with China right now.
Top Xiaomi Mi 11 questions and answers
Q: Does the Mi 11 have a charger in the box?
A: Yes, you’re getting a 55W GaN charger as well.
Q: Does the Mi 11 support wireless charging?
A: It supports 50W wireless charging.
Q: Does it offer a microSD slot?
A: No, it unfortunately has fixed storage only.
Q: What kind of speakers should you expect?
A: The Mi 11 has stereo speakers tuned by Harman Kardon.
Q: What color options are available for the Mi 11?
A: The phone is available in Midnight Gray and Horizon Blue, but Xiaomi says additional colorways are coming.
Q: Does it have a headphone port?
A: Unfortunately, the Mi 11 lacks this feature.
Q: Is the phone available in the US?
A: It isn’t available in the US, but you can likely import it via third-party websites.
Help others out
That’s all you need to know about the Xiaomi Mi 11! We’ll be updating this article with more information as soon as we get it.
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