Introduction
The Redmi Note 11 lineup has made its worldwide debut, and all four Notes are already in our hands. This year there is an additional 5G version for each Note and Note Pro, and it's only natural we start with the most expensive and most powerful among them - the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G.
The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is as large as the Redmi Note 10 Pro, and they both look alike. The new Note 11 Pro 5G has a similar 6.67-inch Super AMOLED screen with 120Hz refresh that sits on top of the same dual-glass IP53-rated body.
Then there is the rear camera, which has a lot in common with the Note 10 Pro, too. It has the same 108MP primary, and the same 8MP ultrawide camera. There is no depth sensor here, while the macro camera has been downgraded to a cheap 2MP shooter with a fixed focus.
There are a couple of notable upgrades, of course. The new Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G runs on the newer Snapdragon 695 5G chipset, which has a more powerful processor and a 5G modem. And while the battery capacity stays the same at 5,000mAh, the new Note offers a 67W fast charging, up from 33W on the Note 10 Pro.
All fan-favorite features are here to stay, thankfully. Stereo speakers are present, there is a 3.5mm jack, a microSD expansion slot, IR blaster, NFC.
There is only one difference between the 5G-enabled Redmi Note 11 Pro and the 4G mode - the chipset. The 5G version that we are reviewing today runs on the Snapdragon 695 chipset, while the standard non-5G model employs the Helio G96 SoC. The Helio G96 is built on a less efficient 12nm process, and we expect the 5G model and its 6nm silicon to excel in battery life.
Finally, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is the first smartphone we meet running on the latest MIUI 13. It is based on the older Android 11 OS, meaning not all cool features will be available right away.
And now, let's take a quick scroll through the specs.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G specs at a glance:
- Body: 164.2x76.1x8.1mm, 202g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back; IP53, dust and splash protection.
- Display: 6.67" Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10, 700 nits, 1200 nits (peak), 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 395ppi.
- Chipset: Qualcomm SM6375 Snapdragon 695 5G (6 nm): Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 660 Gold & 6x1.7 GHz Kryo 660 Silver); Adreno 619.
- Memory: 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM; UFS 2.2; microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot).
- OS/Software: Android 11, MIUI 13.
- Rear camera: Wide (main): 108 MP, f/1.9, 26mm, 1/1.52", 0.7µm, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2, 118˚; Macro: 2 MP, f/2.4.
- Front camera: 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide).
- Video capture: Rear camera: 1080p@30fps; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
- Battery: 5000mAh; Fast charging 67W, 50% in 15 min, 100% in 42 min (advertised), Power Delivery 3.0, Quick Charge 3+.
- Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); Infrared port; 3.5mm jack.
The last two years have been tough for the industry, and the next months are looking even grimmer. This is probably why the Redmi Note 11 Pro isn't such a major upgrade over the previous generation. The same can be said for other mid-rangers, too, like the Realme series 9.
One thing that we are missing on the new Notes, and Note 11 Pro, in particular, is the option to capture 4G videos with the main camera. We find the lack of 4K capturing inexcusable in 2022, especially when it was present on the Note 10 phones.
Despite these omissions, the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is shaping as one solid smartphone, and we cannot wait to put it through our tests. So, without further ado, here is the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G.
Unboxing the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G arrives in a white paper box along with a 67W power adapter, and a 6A-rated USB cable.
The paper compartment contains a soft sillicone transparent case and a bunch of paperwork.
The Redmi Note 11, 11S and 11 Pro retail packages also offer a thin screen protector, which you can apply later if you want. Oddly, the Note 11 Pro 5G box has no such accessory. We are not sure if this is a packaging mistake, a regional limitation, or if it's intentional. Still, it's an incredibly cheap and smudgy film, so we won't be holding this omission against the Note 11 Pro 5G.
Design, build quality, handling
All four Redmi Note 11 phones look alike, and they sure make for a lovely family photo.
Redmi Note 11, Redmi Note 11 5G, Redmi Note 11 Pro and Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
There is one major design change since Series 10 - the back panel on all phones is now completely flat. The new Notes have adopted the trendy flat shape many brands have embraced. And we do like what we are seeing here.
Redmi Note 11, Redmi Note 11 5G, Redmi Note 11 Pro and Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G and the Note 11 Pro are virtually identical as far as looks are concerned - they are of the same size, weight, and colors.
So, the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is a dual-glass smartphone with a flat Gorilla Glass 5 on top of the screen, and a flat tempered glass covering the back. We appreciate the matte finish on the back panel, it's a nice touch and feels cool (both literally and metaphorically) when handled.
The plastic frame is also flat and has a matching matte finish to the rear glass. It is quite grippy, and the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G feels secure enough in hand without a case.
The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is listed as IP53-rated for dust protection and splash resistance. This doesn't mean the phone is sealed against water, even if its card slot seems to be featuring some good rubber insulation. The IP53 rating means it is okay to use the phone when it's raining, but it's not a complete splash resistance - only for diagonally falling water drops and for up to 5 minutes exposure. It's better than nothing, of course.
The 6.67-inch Super AMOLED occupies most of the front side. It is of the same size and specs as the Redmi Note 10 Pro - a 1080p panel with 120Hz refresh, wide-color support, and a small perforation for the 16MP selfie camera. The hole is one of the smallest we've met so far, and it's not as an eyesore as on other models.
The display seems adequality bright and with lively colors, and we are thrilled to see how it does on our display test.
There is a thin grill above the screen, but so is there one on top of the phone - these are outlets for one of the speakers and sound is indeed coming from both. The second speaker is at the bottom, and its loudness seems to be almost identical to the top's.
Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has a stylish rear panel with a flat surface and matte finish. While it is slippery, it appears to be smudge-resistant, more than the usual at least, and we do appreciate this.
The camera island is the only feature of interest on the back. It is a two-step jutting-out piece surrounded by what looks like an aluminum frame. The first level has the 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro cameras, the LED flash and a bunch of labels. The top-level has the primary 108MP camera surrounded by an aperture-like texture.
Because of this rather tall camera piece, the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G wobbles a lot if used on a flat desk. You can eliminate the wobbling by using the supplied case.
We like the plastic matte frame for its shape and grip. But while it looks pleasantly flat, the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G cannot stand on its own, meaning it's not as flush as it looks.
There is nothing on the left of the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G. The right side accommodates the volume and the power/lock keys. The surface of the power key also doubles as a fingerprint scanner - it's always-on and nicely accurate. If you plan on using the Redmi without a case, you may want to change its scan trigger from Touch to Press so you can avoid unnecessary scans and denials of your palm.
The top houses the 3.5mm jack, the top speaker grille, the IR blaster and one of the microphones.
The bottom has the other primary microphone, the USB-C port, the second speaker and the ejectable card tray. The SIM slot is of the hybrid type - it can accommodate either two nano-SIM cards or a nano-SIM and a microSD card.
The new Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is as large as the Note 10 Pro but is 9g heavier at 202 grams. At 164.2 x 76.1 x 8.1 mm, the Note 11 Pro 5G is reasonably sized for a phone of such caliber.
The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G feels solid and grippy enough when handled, the size is perfect for those accustomed to 6.6-inch devices, and as far as design and build is concerned, the Note 11 Pro 5G gets an A- mark. It would have been a perfect one if only the Redmi was fully waterproofed, which is not fair to expect in this budget class, not yet at least.
Display
The Note 10 Pro's AMOLED screen was a massive upgrade over the previous generation. And since it was such a big jump ahead, it appears it didn't need to be upgraded for the Note 11 Pro. So, the Note 11 Pro 5G features the same 6.67-inch Samsung-made AMOLED screen of extended 1080p resolution and 120Hz refresh rate.
The panel's actual resolution is 1,080 x 2,400px of 395ppi. The cutout for the selfie camera is incredibly tiny, and a match to the one on the previous model. The Gorilla Glass 5 on top of everything is also unchanged from last year.
The Redmi 11 Pro 5G display supports 120Hz refresh rate and DCI-P3 colors.
Some hardware reading apps also list the screen as HDR10-capable, but Xiaomi is not advertising it as such, so you should not expect any HDR screen capabilities.
So, let's start with our display test. Xiaomi advertises the display as capable of 700nits with sunlight boost and up to 1200nits of peak brightness.
Our measurements show the display has a typical brightness of 470 nits and high maximum brightness (sunlight boost) of 746 nits. These numbers are in line with what Xiaomi has promised, as well as with the Note 10 Pro display.
The minimum brightness we captured at point white was 2.3 nits - meaning it's an excellent one.
| Display test | 100% brightness | ||
| Black, |
White, |
||
| 0 | 470 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 746 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 470 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 746 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 457 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 725 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 393 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 814 | ∞ | |
| 0.286 | 426 | 1490:1 | |
| 0.338 | 497 | 1470:1 | |
| 0 | 433 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 613 | ∞ | |
| 0.288 | 461 | 1601:1 | |
| 0.385 | 567 | 1473:1 | |
| 0 | 454 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 627 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 383 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 800 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 438 | ∞ | |
| 0 | 633 | ∞ | |
| 0.301 | 429 | 1425:1 | |
| 0.38 | 537 | 1413:1 | |
Color accuracy
The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G supports DCI-P3 wide color gamut. The phone's settings offer three different color models - Vivid (default, DCI-P3), Saturated (DCI-P3 with saturation boost), and Standard (sRGB). You can tweak the color temperature for each mode.
The default Vivid option is tuned to reproduce DCI-P3 faithfully, and we found it to be fairly accurate, excluding the slightly bluish-white and gray hues. Standard, on the other hand, has an outstanding accuracy to sRGB, including the white and gray colors.
Refresh rate
The screen supports 60Hz (Standard) and 120Hz (Maximum) refresh rates; both are static options. If you choose 120Hz, as most of the users will do, 60Hz is used only for video playback and across apps that cannot support higher than 60Hz screens. For everything else, the screen works at 120Hz.
High refresh rate gaming is possible on the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G, but its GPU is probably too weak to make it happen in most games.
Streaming
The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G comes with basic Widevine L3 DRM. Xiaomi usually updates the DRM level soon after launch where necessary. For example, the rest of the Redmi Note 11 phones all come with the highest Widevine L1 DRM. It's safe to assume this one will get it eventually, too. It won't bring HDR10 support, but it will enable Full HD streaming.
Battery life
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is powered by a 5,000mAh battery, one that supports up to 67W fast charging. This model runs on the new Snapdragon 695 5G chipset that was built on an efficient 6nm manufacturing process and we expect the phone to ace our battery test with this hardware.
And it sure did! The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G scored an excellent endurance rating of 115 hours, matching the Redmi Note 10 Pro. It did great across all test scenarios - calls, web browsing, video playback, and even standby.
The Realme 9 Pro has the same chipset and battery capacity, but it posted a higher endurance rating. That is because it has a different LCD screen, which appears to be more energy-efficient than the AMOLED on the Note 11 Pro 5G as it has a matching battery life in 3G calls and standby, but it did better on the on-screen tests.
All test results shown are achieved under the highest screen refresh rate mode. You can adjust the endurance rating formula manually so it matches better your own usage in our all-time battery test results chart where you can also find all phones we've tested.
Charging speed
One of the most notable upgrades the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G brings since the Note 10 Pro is the 67W Mi Fast Charging. The previous model supports up to 33W. Naturally, the phone ships with this power adapter and a 6A-rated charging cable.
So, according to Xiaomi, the said charger should refill 50% of the battery in 15 minutes, while a full charge should take about 42 minutes. And we've put that to the test, of course.
The 67W charger took the batter from 0% to 46% in 15 mins. A total of 30 minutes on that charger gives you 74% - and that's plenty fast for a budget mid-ranger.
30min charging test (from 0%)
Higher is better
- Realme 9 Pro+
77% - Poco X3 GT
75% - Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
74% - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
53% - Motorola Edge 20 Pro
53% - Realme 9 Pro
52% - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
50% - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
23%
Finally, a full charge took 45 minutes sharp, which is quite close to what Xiaomi has promised.
Time to full charge (from 0%)
Lower is better
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
0:45h - Poco X3 GT
0:48h - Realme 9 Pro+
0:49h - Realme 9 Pro
1:14h - Motorola Edge 20 Pro
1:17h - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
1:21h - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
1:28h - Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
2:24h
Overall, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G offers one of the fastest charging solutions within its price bracket and it's a feature that will surely tip the scales in its favor for many shoppers.
Speakers
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G offers a proper stereo speaker setup. There are two symmetrically placed speakers on its top and bottom sides, each behind dotted grilles. The top one has a second outlet just above the screen as it also doubles as an earpiece.
The sound is balanced, and it feels like both speakers are equally powerful and equally capable as far as frequencies are concerned.
The phone scored a Very Good mark on our loudness test, just as the Note 10 Pro. The sound quality has been improved since the last generation though - not only we can hear rich mid and high tones, but there is a noticeable thump. And that's why we'd give it an Excellent mark for audio quality.
There is an automatic Dolby Atmos enhancement across various media apps like Gallery, Mi Video, YouTube, and whatnot, so you can expect an even better sound experience within those.
Use the Playback controls to listen to the phone sample recordings (best use headphones). We measure the average loudness of the speakers in LUFS. A lower absolute value means a louder sound. A look at the frequency response chart will tell you how far off the ideal "0db" flat line is the reproduction of the bass, treble, and mid frequencies. You can add more phones to compare how they differ. The scores and ratings are not comparable with our older loudspeaker test. Learn more about how we test here.
MIUI 13 on top of Android 11
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G, like the rest of the Redmi Note 11 quartet, boots Android 11 with the most current MIUI 13 version. Most of the new MIUI features are under the hood, though they should make for a smoother, smarter, and more secure experience.
This version of MIUI 13 is based on Android 11, and it does not include any of the Android 12 features like the revamped widgets and their new widget page in the app drawer. There is no advanced Privacy Dashboard either with options like a protected clipboard, approximate location, updated Face Unlock algorithm. The updated File Manager and Clock app with Bedtime mode are nowhere to be found either.
Other notable missing features on Android 11 + MIUI 13 combo are the improved one-handed mode (iOS-style), and the improved camera app with zero shutter lag and motion photos.
Finally, the new live wallpapers showing microscopic stuff like how vitamin C and citric acid crystallize, as part of the Beauty of Science collaboration, are not available on the Redmi Note 11 series just yet.
Still, Xiaomi claims that MIUI has been reworked completely, even if you cannot tell that by the interface and its design alone - it looks and feels just like MIUI 12. But the new version reportedly focuses on much better resource distribution and should handle processor, RAM and storage usage better and smarter.
For example, MIUI 13 is supposed to keep track of the current use of the processor and RAM and suspend any currently unnecessary tasks to free resources and offer more fluid performance. Xiaomi promises a background process efficiency increase of up to 40% compared to the previous version.
Liquid storage is what sounds really cool and relevant for modern smartphones. Xiaomi says that in most phones the storage performance is halved in 36 months due to inefficient storage management. And this is where MIUI 13 comes - it offers 60% better defragmentation efficiency than MIUI 12 and different competitors. So the storage performance drop in 36 months should be merely 5%. This sounds impressive, so here is hoping this feature lives up to the hype.
The final optimization done within MIUI's core is power management - the new version's optimization should lead to a 10% drop in the power consumption compared to MIUI 12's.
There is also an improved Smart Sidebar for even more fluid multi-tasking with pop-up apps. And the privacy has been improved with a number of features some of which unique.
And now, let's take a closer look at MIUI 13 on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G supports an Always-on display - unfortunately, it can never be always on. It can only appear for 10s after a tap. At least, there are a lot of AOD themes you can choose from. A few of those can also be customized.
Always-on display
Breathing light is called Notification effect in MIUI 13. It can work with or without Always-on Display. Basically, that's a fancier version of the notification LED that uses the edges of the display - they flash with colors upon new notifications.
One more thing, you can choose the lockscreen clock style, too.
Notification light • Notification light • Notification light • Lockscreen clock style
You unlock the screen via the side-mounted fingerprint scanner. The reader is easy to set up, blazing-fast, and the accuracy is superb. You can set the unlock method to Touch or Press - the Press will spare you accidental misreads of your palm (that eventually lead to PIN input) if you are using the phone without a case. A 2D Face Unlock is available, too, but it is far less secure than the fingerprint option.
Biometrics
The homescreens are business as usual - they are populated with shortcuts, folders, and widgets. The leftmost pane, if enabled, is Google's Discover.
MIUI 13
MIUI 13 offers an app drawer, and it automatically organizes your apps into categories. The first is All, meaning it contains all apps. Then follow Communication, Entertainment, Photography, Tools, New, and Business. You can edit these categories or even disable them altogether.
You can disable the app drawer entirely if that's not your thing.
App drawer
Just like in MIUI 12, MIUI 13 offers an independent Notification shade and Control Center. You summon them like on the iPhones - pull down from the left part of the screen for the Notification Center, pull down from the right for the Control Center.
If you are not fond of this iPhone-ish split - you can disable the Control Center, and the shade will revert to its normal looks and operation.
Notifications • Toggles • Settings
The task switcher is familiar, too, if you've ever used a Xiaomi. It shows all of your recent apps in two columns. Tap-and-hold on any card for the split-screen and pop-up shortcuts (where available), or just swipe it left or right to close it.
There is a Floating Windows button on top of everything. You can put a compatible app in a floating state, but you only have one floating window at a time.
Task switcher • Task Switcher • Task switcher • Split screen • Floating window • Floating window
Themes have always been a huge part of MIUI, and they are available on MIUI 13, too. You can download new ones from the Themes store, and they can change wallpapers, ringtones, system icons, and even the always-on display style.
Themes
MIUI comes with its proprietary multimedia apps - Gallery, Music, Mi Video (with streaming options), FM radio. There is also an MIUI File Manager. And, of course, a Mi Remote app that uses the integrated IR blaster.
Gallery • Music • Video • FM Radio • File Manager • Mi Remote
Protective Mark is a new feature within the Gallery. It adds a text of your choosing across an entire photo as a watermark. Handy for when you are taking a photo of your ID to share with someone.
Protective watermark
MIUI also offers a Security app. It can scan your phone for malware, manage your blacklist, manage or restrict your data usage, configure battery behavior, and free up some RAM. It can also manage the permissions of your installed apps, define the battery behavior of selected apps, and apply restrictions only to certain apps.
Security
And speaking of memory, MIUI 13 offers Memory Extension option that's active by default (you can disable it if you like). It reserves of 3GB of the internal storage that serves as RAM extension. Less important memory blocks should come here.
RAM Extension
The Smart Sidebar is quite familiar - a small visible mark on the edge of the screen that expands into a menu anytime you swipe on it. You launch apps in pop-up windows from here. Of course, you can customize the actions for this menu. If you are within a multimedia app (like YouTube, Mi Video, Gallery, etc.) you will get the Video toolbox next to the shortcuts - it contains a Dolby Atmos switch, plus shortcuts for Screenshot, Record screen, Cast, and Play Video with the screen off. And, oh yes, the last one works on YouTube, no Premium subscription needed!
Smart Sidebar • Smart Sidebar • Pop-up apps • Video toolbox
Other interesting MIUI 13 improvements you may not notice at first include a better screenshot editor, a brand-new battery page with performance mode, and an option for the camera app to shoot videos with the screen turned off.
When you take a screenshot, you will notice a modern-looking interface with brushes, erasers, text and selection tools, among others.
The Battery page offers four battery modes - two power-saving types, Balanced (default), and a new Performance option that may give a small performance boost for a while but then lead to throttling. Here, you can also check the battery temperature. Note that Performance Mode is not available for all phones, but it is present only on the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G.
Finally, even if not new per se, the Camera app offers an option to Shoot with screen off. If you toggle this feature on, the screen will be turned off after three minutes of inactivity.
Camera options • Screenshot editor • Battery page and options
Some MIUI ROMs include ads in the default apps, it is a well-known thing. On our review units, the Redmi Note 11 Pro doesn't have any ads, but the Redmi Note 11, the Redmi Note 11S and the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G version do come with baked-in ad "recommendations".
You can disable those even if it's a bit tedious to do it because you have to do it for every system app that has them. For example, if you are annoyed by the app scanner's ads, just hit the settings gear, and disable recommendations. Ads in the File Manager - Settings->About should do it. Themes - go to Settings and disable Recommendations. It's not ideal, sure, but at least you can get rid of them all.
Ads • Ads • Disable ads • Disable ads
MIUI 13 has a lot of under the hood improvements that promise a smoother and faster experience right now, as well as for the next couple of years due to many optimizations. The interface is pretty much MIUI 12 with a couple of tweaks here and there. So, if you didn't expect a groundbreaking redesign, you will feel right at home with MIUI 13. We don't expect Android 12 to change that either.
Performance and benchmarks
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G employs the Snapdragon 695 5G chipset. This is a completely revamped chipset since the Snapdragon 690, and it is also newer and more powerful compared to the Note 10 Pro's Snapdragon 732G chip.
This new Snapdragon 695 5G is based on a more modern 6nm manufacturing process by TSMC, it supports mmWave 5G connectivity, and it has more modern CPU (A78) and GPU.
The octa-core processor of the SD695 has two Kryo 660 Gold (Cortex-A78) cores clocked at 2.2 GHz, and six Kryo 660 Silver (Cortex-A55) ones, working at 1.8 GHz.
The Note 11 Pro 5G and its SD695 chip offer a newer Adreno 619 GPU (vs. Adreno 618 on the Note 10 Pro). We don't expect a significant improvement, if any, as far as graphics performance is concerned.
The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is available with either 6GB or 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM. The storage options are 64GB, 128GB and 256GB, and the storage is of the UFS 2.2 kind.
Finally, the SD695 chip supports dual 5G, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, GPS. Some of the competing MediaTek chips come with Wi-Fi 6 support, so there is some room for improvement.
Let's run some tests now.
The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G CPU offers a 15% performance boost compared to the Redmi Note 10 Pro. It is also faster than the non-5G Redmi Note 11 Pro (and its Helio G96 chip).
GeekBench 5 (multi-core)
Higher is better
- Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
2832 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
2801 - OnePlus Nord 2
2792 - Realme 9 Pro+
2335 - Poco X3 GT
2310 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
2063 - Realme 9 Pro
2020 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
1780 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro
1729 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
1599 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S
1576
GeekBench 5 (single-core)
Higher is better
- Realme 9 Pro+
814 - OnePlus Nord 2
814 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
787 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
771 - Realme 9 Pro
694 - Poco X3 GT
693 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
688 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
569 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
534 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro
511 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S
502
Unfortunately, the new Adreno 619 does not offer any performance increase over the Adreno 618 within the Redmi Note 10 Pro. It is noticeably faster than the dual-core Mali-G57 inside the Redmi Note 11 Pro's Helio G96 chip.
The Adreno 619 is no chart-topper, though. There are many phones in this price bracket that offer faster graphics performance.
GFX Car Chase ES 3.1 (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Poco X3 GT
38 - OnePlus Nord 2
38 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
28 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
28 - Realme 9 Pro+
27 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
17 - Realme 9 Pro
16 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
16 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro
12 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
7.9
GFX Manhattan ES 3.1 (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Poco X3 GT
68 - OnePlus Nord 2
57 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
49 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
49 - Realme 9 Pro+
41 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
34 - Realme 9 Pro
29 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro
22 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
15
GFX Manhattan ES 3.0 (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Poco X3 GT
97 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
69 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
68 - OnePlus Nord 2
59 - Realme 9 Pro+
56 - Realme 9 Pro
41 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
41 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro
34 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
21
3DMark Wild Life Vulkan 1.1 (offscreen 1440p)
Higher is better
- OnePlus Nord 2
4224 - Poco X3 GT
3991 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
2491 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
2477 - Realme 9 Pro+
2296 - Realme 9 Pro
1211 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
1204 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
482
The AnTuTu tests put the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G around the Realme 9 Pro, which has the same Snapdragon 695 chipset, but below many new phones from within the same price segment.
AnTuTu 8
Higher is better
- OnePlus Nord 2
512164 - Poco X3 GT
506800 - Realme 9 Pro+
495096 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
429675 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
295442 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
288914 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro
261309 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
218788
AnTuTu 9
Higher is better
- OnePlus Nord 2
598022 - Poco X3 GT
578505 - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE
527663 - Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
506432 - Realme 9 Pro+
416031 - Realme 9 Pro
401894 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
382902 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 10S
330909 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro
319093
Finally, we ran the CPU Throttling and 3D Mark Stress test, and we found the Note 11 Pro to be offering great stability. It managed to keep 75% of its CPU performance under peak usage for an hour, and 99.5% of the GPU performance when using the GPU at 100%. These are some excellent numbers.
CPU stress • GPU stress
Here is the deal - the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is a snappy smartphone, as fast as the previous Note 10 Pro model. We were disappointed that there was no significant upgrade, especially in the graphics department. This alone will probably make many Note 10 Pro owners skip this Note 11 generation.
The biggest letdown is the more expensive price tag, which has put the Note 11 Pro 5G side by side with much faster smartphones like the Galaxy A52s, the Nord 2, or even Xiaomi's own 11 Lite 5G NE. And we feel the Redmi has little chance against these right now.
A familiar tri-camera setup on the back
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G uses a familiar triple-camera setup - there is a 108MP primary camera, an 8MP ultrawide shooter, and a 2MP macro eye.
The first two cameras are identical to the Redmi Note 10 Pro's, while the macro has been downgraded since last year. There is no depth sensor on the Note 11 Pro 5G either.
The primary camera utilizes a 108MP Samsung ISOCELL HM2 1/1.52" sensor with 0.7µm pixels and 24mm f/1.9 lens. The color filter is Nona-Bayer, meaning 9 sensor pixels are combined into one 2.1µm, and the output resolution is 12MP. PDAF is available. This is the only camera that supports Night Mode.
The ultrawide camera uses an 8MP Sony IMX355 sensor behind a 16mm f/2.2 lens. The focus is fixed at infinity. There is no Night Mode here.
The macro camera utilizes a 2MP GalaxyCore GC02M1 sensor behind an f/2.4 lens. The focus is fixed at about 4cm away.
The selfie camera uses a 16MP OmniVision OV16A1Q 1/3.06" sensor with 1.0µm pixels and a Quad-Bayer filter. It sits behind an f/2.4 lens, and the focus is fixed. While this camera is supposed to capture 4MP images, it saves 16MP selfies instead.
Camera app
The camera app is a rather straightforward implementation, though it does have its quirks. First, basic operation for changing modes works with side swipes (on the black bezel!), and you can also tap on the modes you can see to switch to those directly. Up and down swipes don't work for switching between the front and rear cameras; only the toggle next to the shutter release does that.
You can add, remove, and rearrange modes in the main rolodex by going to the More tab and navigating to the edit button, and you can access that from the settings menu as well. The unused modes will still be in that More tab, but you can switch to a (less intuitive) pull-out pane that's summoned from a line next to the shutter release.
The hamburger menu at the far end is where you'll find additional options, including the Super Macro mode (why here and not a mode in the rolodex?), plus the icon to access the settings. Next to that hamburger menu, you have a flash mode switch, an HDR switch, an AI toggle, shortcut to Google Lens, and a magic wand with beauty effects and filters.
On the near end, you have the camera zoom switch that operates in one of two fashions. The first one is simply tapping on one of the three dots that represent the ultra-wide, primary, and 2x digital options. Or you can tap on the active magnification and slide sideways to reveal even more zoom levels - 2x and 10x, plus a slider for intermediate magnifications.
Camera app
There's a nicely capable Pro mode, where you can tweak the shooting parameters yourself. You can use the primary and the ultrawide cameras here. You get to pick one of 4 white balance presets or dial in the light temperature with a slider, there's a manual focusing slider (with peaking as an option, particularly useful for the macro), and shutter speed (1/4000s to 15s/30s for main/ultrawide) and ISO control with range depending on which camera you're using. A tiny live histogram is available, and a toggle for zebras can be found in the hamburger menu.
As expected, there's a host of extra modes, including Long Exposure with its own set of different presets - moving crowd, neon trails, oil painting, light painting, starry sky, and star trails.
Night mode is available on the main only. There is no Auto Night mode as on previous Xiaomi models.
Photo quality
The main camera saves 12MP images by default, and those are alright. There is enough detail for this class, the white balance is spot on, and the colors are true to life. The contrast is high, while the dynamic range is good and not over the top.
The photos are not ideal - they are overrun by additive noise, which was not cleaned properly. Worse, sometimes the sharpening makes it even more obvious. And finally, all photos have soft corners, but they are not as obvious unless you are pixel peeping around there.
We looked through the lovely Redmi Note 10 Pro photos - they were incredibly balanced and natural, while for some reason, the processing on the Note 11 Pro took a turn for the worse. Not that the photos are bad, they are alright, but a notable step back from the Note 10 Pro.
Main camera, 12MP
If you expected lossless 2x zoom, we are sorry to disappoint you. It seems like the processing tries to achieve something more than simple digital zoom - like cropping the center from the 108MP image - but then it fails miserably. The zoomed photos have overwhelming noise, various image artifacts, and are excessively over-sharpened.
Main cam 2x zoom, 12MP
A 108MP mode is available, and the high-res photos are not simple upscales. Just like the regular images - the 108MP snaps offer excellent color presentation, high contrast and good dynamic. They are not that sharp, though, their detail is average, and the noise is everywhere. There is one big but.
Main cam, 108MP
But, on many occasions, shooting in 108MP and then resizing those down to 12MP will yield more detailed photos, with natural-looking sharpness and not as obvious noise. So, if you are not a fan of the default processing, this is one way to bypass it. It is a hassle, obviously, and one 108MP photo is often north of 20MB.
108MP-to-12MP
The 8MP ultrawide photos are okay for a budget ultrawide camera, that is. They offer a high dynamic range - thanks to the occasional involvement of the Auto HDR, the contrast is enough, and the distortion correction does a good job at straightening the corners.
The ultrawide images show mediocre detail and are quite soft, the colors are either a bit washed out or warmer than they should be, and despite the noise reduction processing, some noise is still visible across various spots.
These are far from the best in the class, but are not among the worst either, we'd say they are just average. But we feel these 8MP ultrawide photos are a bit worse than the ones we took with the same camera on the Redmi Note 10 Pro and that's what's disappointing.
Ultrawide camera, 8MP
And speaking of disappointment, while the Note 10 Pro had a 5MP telemacro camera with autofocus, the Note 11 Pro 5G features a much cheaper 2MP shooter with fixed focus. The 2MP macro photos, provided you shoot from exactly 4cm away, are barely okay, but that's the best we can say. They have a good dynamic range, and sometimes we are happy with the colors and contrast. But most of the time, the 2MP macro shots are soft, the colors are washed out, and we are not sure if Instagram's filters can save them.
Macro camera, 2MP
We don't want to pile up on the disappointments, but here is another one - the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has no depth sensors - something the regular Redmi Note 11 Pro offers, as well as the previous Note 10 Pro. Thankfully, it doesn't need one as the main camera, and the processing is proficient enough to save excellent portrait photos!
Indeed, the 12MP portraits from the main camera are superb - the subjects are incredibly detailed, sharp, and colorful, the contrast is excellent, and the simulated blur is quite likable. The subject separation varies from satisfying to great, depending on clothes, haircut and background complexity.
Portraits, 12MP
The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G saves good low-light photos. There is enough detail, the exposure provides a realistic look, and the color saturation is well preserved. The noise is handled well, where it matters at least, and overall we are happy with the images.
Main camera, 12MP
If you find the default photos dark, then you should switch to Night Mode. As on other Xiaomi phones, it is rather conservative and will improve the photos without turning them into daylight-like. The Night Mode images offer slightly improved exposure, higher dynamic range with restored clipped highlights and developed shadows, but probably the most important benefit is the more resolved detail and better sharpness.
Main cam Night Mode, 12MP
The 2x zoomed photos, standard or Night Mode, are cropped and upscaled from the main camera's output. They have the same quality, obviously, but their detail is halved.
2x • 2x Night • 2x • 2x Night
The 8MP ultrawide photos taken at nighttime are not usable. They are incredibly dark, and there is so much noise, which pretty much ruins everything.
Ultrawide camera, 8MP
You can get (barely) usable photos if you force the HDR as Auto HDR won't trigger it. The HDR mode cleans the noise fine, but the photo will remain dark and desaturated.
no HDR • HDR
The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G doesn't offer Night Mode on the ultrawide camera. We would have been okay with that, yet the non-5G model can do it. This weird fragmentation is beyond us.
And here are photos of our usual posters taken with the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G. You can see how it stacks up against the competition. Feel free to browse around and pit it against other phones from our extensive database.
Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G against the Realme 9 Pro+ and the the Galaxy A52s 5G in our Photo compare tool
Selfies
The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has a Quad-Bayer 16MP selfie camera, but as it often happens, it still saves 16MP photos. Those are not that sharp, they can't be, but they are still pretty good. The resolved detail is enough for the mid-range selfie purposes, the contrast is high, the subjects are always well exposed, noise is kept low, and the colors are true to life.
Selfies, 16MP
You can shoot selfie portraits if you like, and these are likable even if the subject separation is not as proficient, and you can notice some background distortion around the head and ears in particular.
Portrait selfies, 16MP
Video capturing
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G captured up to 1080p@30fps with its primary, ultrawide and selfie cameras. There is also an option to shoot 720p@30fps macro videos.
The Redmi Note 10 Pro had 4K video capturing, and the missing 4K option feels like a big downgrade, sorry Xiaomi.
Electronic stabilization is available across all cameras, except for the macro, it is always on and does a good job at stabilizing the image when necessary.
The video bitrate is about 20Mbps, while audio is recorded in stereo at 192kbps bitrate.
The 1080p clips from the main camera are good - there is enough detail and balanced sharpening. The colors are lively and true to life, the contrast is high, and the dynamic range is adequate for the purposes. The audio is good, too.
The videos could have been a bit sharper, or at least we expected them to be, but the always-on EIS is probably to blame.
The 1080p low-light videos from the main camera are pretty good, too. They are detailed, with low noise and excellent color saturation. The exposure is alright, and the dynamic range is enough. This camera will shoot good night videos when the occasion arises.
The 1080p videos from the ultrawide camera are good, too. They also present enough detail, the noise levels are tolerable, the colors are accurate, and the dynamic range is good.
Finally, here is the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G in our video tool so you can make your own comparisons.
Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G against the Realme 9 Pro+ and the Galaxy A52s 5G in our Video compare tool
The competition
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is part of one of the most iconic smartphones series of all time, and the expectations have always been big for them Notes. The Note 10 Pro has already set a high bar for its sequel to meet. But while the Note 11 Pro 5G seems like a thoughtful continuation of the series, it not only stumbles with the novelties, but it even loses some features that were available before.
We know times are tough, and they may become even tougher before things return to something that's we can call normal again. And with that in mind, let's explore the Redmi 11 Pro 5G competitors.
The 6/128 version of the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is priced at €370 in Europe, which surely isn't the most welcoming number for long-time Note fans and users alike. Usually, the Notes have been priced sub-€300 and this new price is quite high.
The 6/128 version of the Realme 9 Pro+ costs €380, about the same as the Note 11 Pro 5G. While it has a bit slower 90Hz AMOLED screen, it offers faster performance courtesy of the Dimensity 920 5G chipset, and there is a better 50MP primary camera with OIS, 2x lossless zoom, and 4K video capturing.
Then there is the regular Realme 9 Pro, now selling for €320. It has a similar 120Hz but with an IPS LCD panel. It runs on the same Snapdragon 695 5G chip and has a similar triple-camera, but instead of a 108MP, it features a 64MP primary. There are no stereo speakers, and the charging speed is 'just' 33W - we'd say these are the most notable differences. It is cheaper, though, so it makes sense, we guess.
The OnePlus Nord 2 5G is still available and is a handsome offer. It has a 90Hz AMOLED instead of 120Hz, but it offers a flagship-grade Dimensity 1200 5G chipset a high-end 50MP OIS camera on the back. The Nord 2 is about €20 cheaper than the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G, and yes, it may not have a microSD slot, FM radio and a 3.5mm jack, but it has proper oomph under the hood.
What's probably the biggest threat to the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is Samsung's Galaxy A52s 5G. This is one of the best phones in the mid-range bracket and is currently sold at about €50 cheaper than the Redmi. The Galaxy A52s is IP67-rated and is fully dust and water resistant, it has a similar 120Hz Super AMOLED screen and runs on the much more powerful Snapdragon 778G 5G chipset. It also beats the Redmi across all cameras - there is a high-end 64MP OIS primary camera, a higher-res 12MP ultrawide, a 5MP macro shooter and even a depth sensor. The 32MP selfie camera can do 4K videos, too! Right now, the Galaxy A52s makes a lot more sense than the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G.
Realme 9 Pro+ • Realme 9 Pro • OnePlus Nord 2 5G • Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
The in-house competition is fierce, too. Let's start with the Poco X3 GT. This is €80 cheaper offer with a similar screen and camera capabilities but more powerful hardware (Dimensity 1100 5G). It simply makes more sense.
Same goes for the €280 Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE - it offers a 90Hz AMOLED with a billion colors and Dolby Vision HDR video, a way more powerful Snapdragon 778G 5G chip, and a triple camera with a high-end 5MP telemacro and outstanding photo and video quality across the board.
The standard Redmi Note 11 Pro is cheaper at €330, but in addition to the connectivity cut, you will also lose some raw GPU power. And considering how weak are these chipsets, we can't just recommend the 4G model either.
But we can advise you to explore the €270 Redmi Note 10 Pro. It is pretty much the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G, without 5G, but with much better photo and video quality. And the 33W charging is still plenty fast.
Xiaomi Poco X3 GT • Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE • Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro • Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
Our verdict
The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is a great smartphone, this should not be doubted. It has an excellent 120Hz AMOLED screen, powerful speakers, outstanding battery life and charging speed, as well as adequate performance and camera experience. Its design is quite attractive, too.
The new Note is a proper member of the Redmi Note series, too, so it's not a failure or a disappointment. It launches with a price which is probably relevant to the market realities in 2022.
But unfortunately, there are many cheaper and more powerful smartphones released before the Note 11 Pro 5G, which are still very much relevant and available. Many of them are even Xiaomi-made. And that's what stands in the way of the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G to be a best-seller. That, and the lackluster upgrades, the worsened photo quality and the missing 4K video capturing.
Obviously, the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is not ideal. While it aces some aspects, it messes up others. And its price tag is not in its favor, not until it gets a sensible price tag later on. Until this happens, we cannot recommend the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G even if it is a good phone.
Pros
- Likable dual-glass design, matte finish, IP53-rated.
- Excellent AMOLED screen, bright, 120Hz, superb color accuracy.
- Top-notch battery life, incredibly fast charging!
- Loud stereo speakers, good audio.
- Up to par performance for the class, 5G.
- MIUI 13, 3.5mm jack, NFC, IR blaster, microSD.
Cons
- Minor upgrades over Redmi Note 10 Pro.
- Downgraded macro camera, missing depth sensor.
- Same graphic performance as Note 10 Pro.
- Worse camera quality than Note 10 Pro.
- No 4K video capturing.
- Expensive at launch.
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