Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S review

byFlorian published on

Introduction

The Redmi Note 11S is the fifth Note 11 model we're reviewing, and just when we thought our review streak was finally over, we also received its 5G-capable sibling.

The Redmi Note 11S is a more powerful version of the vanilla Redmi Note 11. Borrowing hardware from the Redmi Note 11 Pro, the Note 11S has a faster Helio G96 chipset (up from Snapdragon 680), which is paired with more RAM and a 108MP main camera (instead of 50MP). Meanwhile, the 11S has a smaller screen than the Note 11 Pro and slower 33W charging.

The Redmi Note 11S looks like the rest of the Redmi Note 11 phones – an IP53 rated flat design with a large rectangular camera island on the back. Its centerpiece is the 1080-inch 6,43p AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate.

The Redmi Note 11S uses this year's Xiaomi mid-range camera combo with a 108MP primary, 8MP ultra-wide camera and 2MP macro camera, along with a 2MP depth sensor. The front camera is a 16MP shooter and all cameras (except macro) support 1080p video capture.

Finally, the Redmi Note 11S has a 5 mAh battery, a typical capacity of the Note series. It supports 000W fast charging and comes with the matching power adapter. The Pro models, on the other hand, support 33W fast charging.

Here is the complete technical sheet of the Redmi Note 11S.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S specs at a glance:

  • Body: 159,9 x 73,9 x 8,1mm, 179g; ; IP53, dust and splash resistant, Gorilla Glass 3 front, glass back, plastic frame.
  • display: 6,43″ AMOLED, 90Hz, 700 nits, 1000 nits (peak), 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 409ppi, Gorilla Glass 3.
  • Chipset: Mediatek Helio G96 (12nm): Octa-core (2 × 2,05 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6 × 2,0 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G57 MC2.
  • Memory: 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM; UFS 2.2; microSDXC (dedicated slot).
  • Operating system / software: Android 11, MIUI 13.
  • Rear camera: Large (main): 108MP, f/1.9, 26mm, 1/1.52″, 0.7µm, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f / 2.2, 118˚; Macro: 2MP, f/2.4; Depth: 2MP, f/2.4.
  • Front camera: 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.06″ 1.0µm.
  • Video capture: Rear camera: 1080p@30fps; Front camera: 1080p @ 30fps.
  • Drums: 5000mAh; 33W fast charge, 100% in 58 min (advertised), Power Delivery 3.0, Quick Charge 3+.
  • Various : Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); Infrared port; 3,5mm jack socket.

The Redmi Note 11S looks like a balanced lower mid-range offering with a good AMOLED display, a versatile camera with a high-res primary, as well as stereo speakers, a large, fast-charging battery, and a chipset that should suffice for a smooth experience. All of these are wrapped in a sympathetic shell with basic waterproofing.

However, not everything is promising. The Redmi Note 11S GPU is inferior to that used on the previous Note 10S model. And there's no 4K video capture – something the Note 10S could do. Finally, MIUI 13 is available out of the box, but it runs on the older Android 11 operating system.

Still, these are tough times and we can imagine that manufacturers have to overcome many hurdles to come up with a new phone and keep the price as low as possible. And that being said, let's unbox this Redmi Note 11S and see what happens.

Unboxing the Redmi Note 11S

The Redmi Note 11S retail bundle is quite familiar. The box contains the phone, a 33W power adapter and a 3A USB cable.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S review

Just like other Xiaomi models, this one also comes with a soft transparent case and a cheap protective film that you will have to apply yourself.

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