Xiaomi Redmi Note 11

Vibrant OLED screen ; Long battery life ; Stereo speakers

Mediocre gaming performance ; Camera stumbles with trickier scenes ; No 5G mobile internet

We get little progress this year, but the Redmi Note 11 makes a lot of sense if you value screen quality and battery life over an ability to play tough games like Fortnite well.

Stylish dual-glass design with a matte finish and a premium look, IP53-rated.

MIUI 13 implementation is lean on new features and based on the old Android 11.

Adding everything up, it just seems that the cons outweigh the pros. Or, more accurately put - we just don't feel like the cons are easy to live with. A shame, really, since the Redmi Note 11 still manages to impress in some major ways. Bottom line,...

Won't cost you much ; Bright AMOLED display ; Great battery life

Average camera quality ; Slower performance ; No 5G connectivity

Smooth 90Hz AMOLED display ; Fantastic battery life ; Fingerprint sensor ; Bargain price tag

Performance can be sluggish ; No 5G support ; Average cameras

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 is an exemplary budget smartphone option for those that don’t require flagship features, but it still dishes a handful of them out anyway.

Strong spec for a low price ; Long-lasting battery life ; Decent main camera (but forget about the macro/depth)

Various crashing / blackout / lag issues make it hard to live with ; MIUI software has ongoing irks with battery/notification controls

On paper this affordable handset reads like a hands-down winner in the budget category. In practice, however, there are performance issues that taint the experience a little too much. Look at the Moto G31 or spend a little extra on the Note 11 Pro we'd...

Impressive hardware specs ; Capable main camera (for the price) ; Long-lasting battery

Superfluous extra lenses ; Heavy-handed software ; Quicker phones cost only a little more

A capable budget handset let down by at times sluggish performance and flaky software. You get a lot for your money, but don’t have to spend a whole lot more to get a better user experience.

Excellent 90Hz AMOLED display ; Tidy design ; Strong battery life

Camera no great shakes ; MIUI is an acquired taste ; No 5G

A quietly appealing budget phone that gives you a 90Hz AMOLED display and exemplary battery life in a well-put-together design for under £200. If you don’t need 5G or a particularly great camera, it’s a great choice.

Modern, pretty design ; Beautiful AMOLED display at 90 hertz ; Solid battery life ; Expandable memory card slot

No 5G support ; Slower performance compared to the competition ; Quick Charging is too slow at 33 watts ; Camera performance is average

With the Redmi Note 11, Xiaomi once again showed how few compromises you have to accept in the mid-range smartphone market. The slim design and the brilliant AMOLED display with its refresh rate of 90 hertz are particularly impressive. Other aspects...

Impressive hardware specs ; Capable main camera (for the price) ; Long-lasting battery

Superfluous extra lenses ; Heavy-handed software ; Quicker phones cost only a little more

A capable budget handset let down by at times sluggish performance and flaky software. You get a lot for your money, but don’t have to spend a whole lot more to get a better user experience.