Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro - Smartphone 6+128GB, 6.67” 120Hz FHD+ AMOLED DotDisplay, MediaTek Helio G86, 108MP+8MP+2MP+2MP AI quad Camera, 5000mAh, Graphite Gray (UK Version + 2 Years Warranty)

Product Information

The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has three rear cameras, a 108-megapixel main camera that uses the Samsung HM2 sensor, a basic 8-megapixel ultra-wide and a remedial 2-megapixel macro. The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G looks quite different to its predecessor – and just about every other recent budget Xiaomi phone. Last-generation comparable Androids were large, curvy slabs that felt big. Too big for some, perhaps, but largely a good fit for an audience looking for a big-screen Android offering better value than a more crowd-pleasing Samsung.

Beyond those features, this is largely the same phone as the Redmi Note 11 Pro - it has a big FHD+ 6.67-inch screen, three rear cameras led by a 108MP monster, and MIUI software laid over Android 12. Things get worse when you get to 3D testing. I’m not really sure this needs all that much commentary: it has around half the performance of every other handset in our list, and suffice to say the difference between 41fps and 22fps in a game is very noticeable. You might also want to try the AI mode. This is an auto scene recognition mode on the surface, but applies some pretty serious changes to tone mapping and color. Images look less natural, but the added punch can be useful for scenes like sunsets. Our recommended setting is “AI off” and HDR set to “HDR Auto”. But also be mindful you may get better results through switching the HDR mode — some experimentation is required with this one. The 108 MP camera does seem to offer a strong marketing slant, but you will actually obtain better photos with the main camera than with the base model in practice. However, it is a shame that the manufacturer did not upgrade the other cameras and only offers Full HD for videos. Software & Updates: Redmi's Weak PointsOn paper that all sounds very good, but the proof is in the pudding and – to push the analogy to breaking point – this pudding is distinctly underdone. Or rather, undersaturated. As you can see from the picture below, taken on a not particularly bright day, everything looks a bit paler and more washed-out than it should. It is possible to get 2x shots, but these merely crop in from the main sensor. There are plenty of pixels to go around, of course, but this is still no substitute for a decent telephoto unit. Of course, you don’t tend to get decent telephoto hardware at this end of the market, so Xiaomi’s choice was probably the smart one. Xiaomi’s Redmi phones have often been great for battery life - that’s not the case here; we weren’t quite as blown away as we usually are. In 2021, Xiaomi broke some records in the mid-range market with the Redmi Note 10 Pro. In 2022, the manufacturer reserved its exciting innovations for the new Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5G. And although the Note 11 Pro model might not be an eye-catcher for nerds, it performs really well in everyday use. Perfectly Imperfect

It could be worse. Phones at this level often do not have software stabilization at 4K, making the entire mode of limited value. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G at least stabilizes footage at 1080p. But having a frame rate cap of 30fps rather than 60fps feels like an insult. It’s not a super-cheap phone, and has “Pro” in its name. Such titles never meant much of anything removed from the context of their own ranges, but c’mon Xiaomi. It excels in display tech, with the 6.67-inch 120Hz OLED unlikely to be significantly bettered at this price. We captured a few too many blown-out skies, and it frequently fumbles dusk scenes. The phone has the tools to avoid the primary issues these scenes raise, but the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro doesn’t always seem to use them. Although the Redmi has a significant pixel advantage over the iPhone SE and its lone rear camera, this shot of the front of a pub looks so much better through the iPhone's lens. What looks to be a flat grey building on the Note 11 Pro 5G's image is revealed to have all sorts of intricate textural detail, plus the shadows over the door and sign are basically invisible in the Redmi photo.

Software & Updates: Redmi's Weak Points

As with all macro cameras of this resolution, you might as well pretend it isn’t there. Image quality is poor, and Xiaomi doesn’t seem too proud of it either. The macro shortcut doesn’t appear in the main mode selection screen; it’s in the less-used settings area, where you switch gridlines on and off, or select a delay before the shutter fires. Xiaomi says it can get you from flat to 50% in 15 minutes; a full charge takes 42 minutes. In our tests, we reached 48% in 15 minutes, which isclose enough given it would hit 50% before the 16-minute mark. You'll find the memory is more generous. Redmi's only selling the middle member of the full Note 11 Pro 5G lineup, with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. It would have been nice to have the 8GB RAM version on sale here though, to get the most power possible out of the phone.

It would have been nice to get more than a small boost to performance, faster charging and 5G connectivity this time around. Meanwhile, the Note 11 Pro 5G’s camera has actually regressed in certain respects. The rear quad-camera includes a 64-megapixel main camera, an ultra-wide-angle camera, a macro camera, and a depth sensor. On the front, the is a 16-megapixel selfie camera. The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G can still play demanding games well enough, though. But Fortnite is limited to basic graphics settings at 30fps, and titles that actually let you use settings outside the capability of your phone – ARK: Survival Evolved, for example –will chug if you make the visuals look too nice. Budget phones at this price are rarely capable of taking great photos at night, and the Redmi Note 11 continues this tradition: if there's no or very little light available then you probably won't get the photo you're looking for, even with the night mode switched on. If there is a bit of light and your subjects keep still, you might just get something usable.READ NEXT: These are the best smartphone cameras to buy right now Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G review: Verdict It took a couple of minutes under an hour to get to full, but there may be an explanation. The phone’s screen kept on waking during charging, as the phone switched between “charging” and “fast charging” states – which seems like a bug. Even if the phone decides to switch to slower charging because of battery temperature, a sensible enough move, there’s no need to constantly wake the screen up to do so. The ace up the Redmi Note 11 Pro’s sleeve here is the provision of a 67W fast charger in the box, which Xiaomi claims is good for zero to 50% in just 15 minutes and 100% in 42 minutes. Unfortunately, I experienced a weird but persistent bug with my test unit that saw the screen powering on almost permanently whenever the phone was charging, which slowed the process considerably. Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G review: Cameras