Xiaomi has become the best option for anyone looking for value in their smartphone. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G effectively bridges the gap between the cheaper Redmi 10 5G and the pricier Note 11 Pro+ 5G, all of which were launched the same day.
It has got the simple design and display features of the normal Redmi Note 11S, but with an advanced camera and processor. The latest Xiaomi 5G phone offers more value than its price, although its global presence will be limited, unlike other phones.
However, a few things have changed in Xiaomi’s Note lineup. This year’s Redmi Note series now includes the plain Note 11S and Note 11S 5G. Given the similarities in specifications and price points, the 5G variant is a slightly better version of the base Note 11S. This explains why it’s getting a more powerful MediaTek Dimesnity 810 5G chipset.
The real question is, does the Redmi Note 11S 5G deserve a spot in this compelling best budget smartphone of the year? Let’s find out on our full review and verdict about the phone.
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Table of Contents
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G Key Specifications
- Display: 6.6-inch IPS LCD, 90Hz
- Resolution: 1080 x 2400 pixels
- Processor: MediaTek Dimesnity 810 5G
- Front Camera: 13-megapixel
- Rear Camera: 50-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel
- RAM: 4GB /6GB
- Storage: 64GB /128GB
- Battery Capacity: 5000mAh
- OS: Android 11, MIUI 13
Design
At first glance, you’ll mistake the Note 11S 5G for a flagship phone as it has the design quality and features of a high-end device despite being in the budget segment. The matte plastic finish makes it feel light but well constructed in the hand. The rear camera bump that’s tastefully handled makes the phone look more premium than we expected.
At 8.8mm, the Note 11S 5G is thinner than most budget phones we’ve come across with the squared-off edges that gave the phone an iPhone-like look. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G comes in gorgeous-looking Midnight Black, Twilight Blue, and Star Blue colour options that are eye-catching.
There’s a 3.5mm headphone jack for wired headphones and a USB-C port for charging or transferring data to other devices. The volume rockers and power button are perfectly positioned on the right side of the phone and there’s a serviceable fingerprint reader built into the power button.
With a 6.6-inch display and 163.6 x 75.8 x 8.8 mm dimensions, the Note 11S 5G has an average size you’ll find easy to handle. What we received on the Note 11S 5G and were quite disappointed with is the IP53 dust and splash resistance. We weren’t satisfied with this as it doesn’t offer protection against in-depth water. An IP68 proof would have been more preferable.
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Display
Xiaomi has excelled itself as one of the best brands when it comes to phone display with the Note 11S 5G 6.6-inch AMOLED screen. With a Full HD+ (1080 × 2400 pixels) resolution, 399 ppi density, and a 90Hz refresh rate, it’s superb and meets your requirements for everything you’ll want on a phone’s display.
The slim display is interrupted by a punch-hole cutout notch for the selfie camera which mostly stays out of the way as it’s too small to become noticeable. Just as expected, the phone’s bezels are nice and slim with more on the bottom chin.
On the phone’s display settings you can choose between the light or dark mode, vivid or saturated colour scheme, and adjustable colour temperature.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G: Camera
The Note 11S 5G comes with a quad-camera setup with three on the rear and one up front. The back camera is made up of a 50MP primary shooter, 8MP ultra-wide sensor, and 2MP macro camera. On the front is a single 13MP wide lens that’s good enough for selfies and video calls.
The rear camera does quite a great job and it’s one of the best we’ve seen in this price segment. In decent lighting, you’ll get high-quality snaps that are good enough for flaunting on social media. However, the camera lacks detail with the HDR and focus feature falling below our expectations, but still preferable to other midrange cameras out there.
While budget phones are rarely capable of taking good photos at night, the Note 11S 5G didn’t follow this tradition. The dedicated Night Mode does a great job in taking good photos that are presentable and good at least to some extent. Although the Note 11S 5G camera has many shortcomings, it can still serve a common user who needs a camera to take social media photos.
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Performance and Software
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G has specs that are above its price. Under the hood is a MediaTek Dimesnity 810 5G processor, 4GB or 6GB of RAM, and 64GB or 128GB storage options. However, there’s microSDXC card slot as well for expanding the amount of room you’ve got for storing files and apps.
These are great specs for modern-day smartphones and we didn’t expect to experience any lag or glitches while using the handset. Of course, switching between apps and web pages won’t be as swift as it’s on Galaxy S22 Ultra or iPhone 13, but then you’re paying a lot less for this phone.
One feature we’d love to get here is 5G, which is the next-gen connectivity tech. As 5G is becoming widely available, Xiaomi has added three 5G phones including the Redmi 10 5G, Note 11S 5G, and Note 11 Pro+ 5G to further expand her 5G lineup to the budget segment.
In terms of software, you’ve got the new Xiaomi MIUI 13 but with last year’s Android 11, which although it’s outdated but fine up to a point. Overall, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G OS is polished and useful enough with amazing customisable options.
Battery Capacity
If there’s one other thing we love about the Note 11S 5G, that’s definitely its battery life. A battery capacity of 5,000mAh is relatively generous, and can easily get you through a day with up to 50% still remaining by bedtime.
As expected, there’s a 33W fast charging support that can power the phone from zero to full battery within one hour. When it comes to battery life and fast charging, there’s nothing to worry about as the Note 11S 5G got you covered.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G: Price in Nigeria and Availability
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G was officially launched on March 29, 2022, and is already available for purchase in top retail phone slots in Nigeria.
Before its release, the Note 11S 5G is currently on sale for ₦145,000 ($249) for the base 4GB RAM with 64GB model, while the one with bigger 128GB storage goes for ₦163,000 ($279). Those that want bigger RAM can go for the 6GB /128GB variant that costs ₦174,000 ($299).
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Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G Full Specifications
General
- Brand: Xiaomi
- Model: Redmi Note 11S 5G
- Release Date: March 29, 2022
- Weight: 195g
- Colours: Midnight Black, Twilight Blue, Star Blue
Display
- Touchscreen: YES
- Type: AMOLED, 90Hz
- Display Size: 6.6-inch
- Screen Resolution: 1080 x 2400 pixels
- Facelock Support: YES
- In-display fingerprint scanner: No
- Sensors: Fingerprint (side-mounted)
- Dimensions: 163.6 x 75.8 x 8.8 mm (6.44 x 2.98 x 0.35 in)
Platform
- Operating System: Android 11, MIUI 13
- Chipset: MediaTek Dimensity 810 5G (6 nm)
- CPU: Octa-core (2×2.4 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)
- GPU: Mali-G57 MC2
Memory
- RAM: 4GB /6GB
- Inbuilt Storage: 64GB /128GB
- SD Card slot: Yes
Camera
- Rear Flash: Dual-LED Flashlight
- Rear Camera: 50-MP f/1.8 (wide), 8-MP f/2.2 (ultra-wide), 2-MP f/2.4 (telephoto macro)
- Video: 1080p@30fps
- Front Camera: 13-MP f/2.4 (wide)
- Front Flash: —
Connectivity
- Wi-Fi: YES
- Bluetooth: 5.1
- USB: MicroUSB-C 2.0
- GPS: YES
- WLAN: YES
Network
- SIM: Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)
- Technology: GSM | HSPA | LTE | 5G
- 3G Support: Yes
- 4G/ LTE Support: Yes
- 5G Support: Yes
- Speed: HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A (CA), 5G
Battery
- Capacity: Li-Po 5000mAh, non-removable
- Fast Charge: 33W
Price
- Price in Nigeria: ₦145,000
- Price in the US: $249
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