Being clear about the entire Xiaomi mobile catalog is practically impossible, because when you think you have already controlled it, they go and launch another smartphone. One of the last that have passed through our hands is the Xiaomi Mi 11i . Yes, another member of a very populated family. Do you want to know what it offers? Well keep reading.
Xiaomi Mi 11i analysis and characteristics
Now that you have seen the video, I leave you with all the main characteristics that you should know about this Xiaomi Mi 11i if what draws the most attention is the technical sheet of a smartphone to be able to compare with others.
- Snapdragon 888 5G processor
- 8 GB RAM memory
- 128 or 256 GB UFS 3.1 storage
- 4520 mAh battery
- 33W fast charging system, but no wireless charging
- 6.67 ”screen at 120 Hz
- Rear camera composed of three sensors:
- Main 108 MP f1.75
- Ultra wide angle 8 MP f2.2
- 5MP telemacro
- 20 MP f2.45 front camera
- Fingerprint reader on the power button
- USB C connection
- NFC, WiFi 6 and BT 5.2 connectivity
- Price from 649 euros
As you can see and as we have told you, the Xiaomi Mi 11i is a full-fledged high-end phone.
A design as elegant as it is easy to get dirty
As a member of the Mi 11 family, the Mi 11i is a phone that has many elements in common with the rest of the proposals, especially on the back with that prominent camera module. And it is that, without becoming like the spectacular Mi 11 Ultra that we already analyzed, it seems that Xiaomi has lost the fear of putting prominent modules.
However, in general, and despite being a generously sized phone, it feels quite comfortable in hand. Whether you have it without a cover or with it, which is always appreciated. Although yes, this time the rear is not entirely premium like other proposals of the brand.
I do not see this as a big problem because the quality is good and the touch is also good, but being made of plastic it is too dirty and catches fingerprints and dust with surprising ease. So if you are one of those who like to carry the phone without a cover and always shiny, with this Mi 11i you are not going to achieve it unless you always carry a cloth in the other hand.
Physically it is what you see in the images, a striking proposal that I think will like practically everyone and especially the fans of the brand.
Large flat screen accompanied by good sound
Moving on to everything related to the multimedia experience, the Xiaomi Mi 11i makes use of a 6.67-inch diagonal AMOLED panel that offers very good quality when viewing any type of content. Both indoors and outdoors the screen performs perfectly.
Among the highlights of this screen there are three that shine clearly. The first is that with 900 nits of maximum brightness , it allows that viewing experience to be very good even when there is strong light shining directly on the screen. So you will not have problems using it even in broad daylight.
That very high level of brightness also helps to improve contrast and make colors together with the standard calibration look vibrant. Although this calibration is something that you can adjust to your liking thanks to the options offered by MIUI.
The second important feature is that the screen offers LTPO technology and that translates into the ability to display images with a maximum refresh rate of up to 120 Hz maximum. So the fluency is also very high both when you use the operating system itself and applications compatible with this refresh rate.
Of course, this screen do not look for an integrated fingerprint reader underneath it because there is none. The reader, which works well, fast and as accurate as facial recognition is located on the power button . A place that we have already seen before and once you adapt it does not pose any kind of problem when using it.
And finally, although this will already be something more personal, the Mi 11i uses a flat screen . Yes, there are still high-end terminals on Android that do not use curved panels and show that those rounded edges are not indicative of high-end, much less of being a better smartphone.
Regarding the sound, everything is fine. No type of problem, although I am not usually very demanding in this section and my only request is that when I connect a pair of headphones it offers me the experience I am looking for. Still the speakers sound powerful and at mid-high volume they don’t distort. So Xiaomi very well in this section without being the one that would stand out the most from the phone.
Performance and battery: no surprises (or almost)
The Mi 11i is a phone with a high-end technical sheet and a fairly competitive price, although this is achieved by cutting in the odd section. Because logically you can’t have everything. So each one has to decide what commitments to accept if you want a much more adjusted price.
In the case of the Mi 11i, power is not one of the sections where it has been affected. The terminal includes what the best Android of the moment carry: Snapdragon 888 processor , 8GB of RAM and UFS 3.1 storage that can be 128 or 256 GB.
With this data, the experience obtained is outstanding in all kinds of uses, from games to demanding apps and the use of the operating system itself. If you are looking for performance, it is clear that here you will not have any kind of unpleasant surprise. And MIUI may like it more or less, sometimes be criticized because they should polish certain aspects, but in general it is true that it is already one of the great layers of customization on the market. So what, again, you get is a high-end experience.
The negative point is related to the battery. The performance or capacity of the same is not bad in terms of autonomy and time of use, but it is true that it is no surprise. Still, between six and seven hours of screen on I have managed. With which the day of use meets it without problems
In addition, the battery is compatible with a 33W fast charging system that is not to break records anymore, but it is good enough to get a bonus when you need it most quickly.
Although what has struck me the most is that it lacks wireless charging. Yes, its 4,520 mHa battery cannot be charged with a wireless charger because it does not support it. So despite how these types of chargers have become popular, forget about charging the Mi 11i without having to connect any cables.
A solvent photograph in good light and adjusted in low light
The photographic proposition of the Mi 11i is good , but it is neither noticeably tall nor much less bright like the Mi 11 Ultra. Here it seems that again Xiaomi has cut a bit to be able to maintain the price of the product. Because although it is true that it offers a main sensor with 108MP and an 8MP angle , plus a 5MP remote control, although it is capable of obtaining interesting photographs, there are many others in low light conditions that can hardly be used even for the use in networks.
As I say, the problem resides practically in photos with low light. If not, if there is plenty of light, you can get eye-catching images. But if you are looking for photographic experience you will have to look at another model.
Photos taken with the Mi 11i
So, stick with the idea that it is a competent camera , but little else. It is far from being a reference within the high range.
A good high-end at a reasonable price
There is no doubt that the great value of the Xiaomi Mi 11i is in its price , it is a high-end range and its cost is much more adjusted than that of many other proposals on the market. The problem is still the same as always for Xiaomi.
Their catalog is so extensive that it is difficult to decide which is better or worse, which has this or that feature, etc., just by looking at their names and release dates. Because there is no clear or logical order, so don’t even try to understand it.
In the case of the Mi 11i, it is a proposal that seeks to position itself between the Mi 11 Lite and the Mi 11 , closer to the latter in performance and more than the former in camera. It is not a bad terminal and its price is much more attractive than many other proposals on the market.
Even so, Xiaomi itself has phones that, although they cut a bit in processor, are also cheaper and by screen, camera and user experience they are very on par. For example, the Poco F3 could be one of them, although also taking advantage of an offer of one of the variants of the Mi 11 could be valid.
So it is a good phone, I do not doubt it, but small details such as the absence of wireless charging may end up weighing you down too much if you see that on camera it is nothing to write home about either. But the last word is yours, I liked it and I know unconditional Xiaomi fans too. Only, would I buy this Mi 11i? Well possibly not, there are other models that attract me more and are not necessarily more expensive.