Xiaomi Mi 11
Now the world’s third-largest smartphone maker, Xiaomi wants to fast-track its way to the front of the flagship queue… but is the Mi 11 good enough?
A cheap flagship phone? Mi likey!
€749 / stuff.tv/mi11
There’s nothing like a bit of political turmoil to help you get ahead. With Huawei still shut out from Google services and the Play Store, another Chinese maker is eyeing up its vacant seat.
The Mi 11 might be the way to make that happen. Not only is it the first out of the gate with Qualcomm’s latest silicon, but it promises whip-crack wired and wireless charging speeds, premium design and a truly flagship-grade display. Oh, and a very reasonable price.
You get butch Gorilla Glass Victus up front and a giant camera module dominating the back. Everything is curved and blends seamlessly into an aluminium frame, with a punch-hole camera and under-display fingerprint sensor completing the look.
There are a few places where Xiaomi has skimped, like the lack of waterproofing; but with this combination of specs, build quality and affordability, the
Mi 11 is certainly a contender.
From Mi to you
Curved glass spilling over all four sides (1) hints at something special, but the 6.81in OLED panel beneath is the real treat here. At a whopping 3200x1440 resolution it’s among the sharpest, most detailed around – and it has an ultra-smooth (adaptive) 120Hz refresh rate.
Bring Mi sunshine
Colours are punchy and max brightness is retina-searing at night. With that in mind, HDR10+ support is a given, and compatible videos look stunning – even if contrast isn’t handled as deftly as on the very best. Stereo speakers with Harman Kardon processing offer real punch too (2).
Don’t bring Mi down
A Snapdragon 888 chip with built-in 5G delivers more than enough power to run anything Android-based, and run it well. Every app performs flawlessly, and 8GB of RAM makes multitasking a breeze. It’s an absolute speed demon, and should stay snappy for years.
Look what you made Mi do Xiaomi’s MIUI interface looks like pure Android, but dig deeper and you’ll discover it borrows liberally from IOS. That includes a control centre full of quick access buttons and smart home shortcuts, transparency effects… and icons that wouldn’t look out of place on an iphone.
Killing Mi softly
Graphics performance is equally top-notch, with the Mi 11 able to handle just about any Play Store game at its highest settings. The 120Hz display (3) really comes into its own here, elevating fast-paced shooters with fluid frame rates, although the phone does run hot with the most demanding titles.
It’s not the first Xiaomi to punch above its weight, but the Mi 11 gets closer than ever to bettering more mainstream rivals. By blending impressive power, a gorgeous screen and slick styling, it feels truly premium. Perhaps the price isn’t low enough to make it a game-changing bargain… but if Xiaomi wasn’t on your radar before, it should be now. @Tommorgan3
STUFF SAYS ★★★★✩
There are missteps with the camera and software, but with its cutting-edge performance the Mi 11 still trades blows with the best