In this review, we will look at Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5G which is the absolute top-end model in the Redmi Note 11 Pro series. First off the naming convention from the Marketing whizzes at Xiaomi causes you to take two gulps before you can let someone know which exact model you have. Anyhow, since we have reviewed two other Redmi Note 11 Pro devices this review will cover mainly the unique features of this smartphone compared to the lower-end models in the Redmi Note 11 series.
Design is similar to other Redmi Note 11 devices except the camera module
At first glance, the Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5G looks very similar to the other two devices that we have previously reviewed. The two biggest differences are the camera module size and the bezel around the main camera. Oh and finally Xiaomi sent us a non-black/gray smartphone for review.
I currently have a Sorta Sage Pixel 5 and Sorta Seafoam Pixel 6 so it was quite refreshing to see the Forest Green Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5G from Xiaomi for this review. Alas, the way the light bounces off this phone, with a naked eye it looks green but to the camera lens, it looks gray.
I tried 4 different cameras with the same end result. So apologies if you think that this phone doesn’t look greenish in color in the pictures. Besides the color and the camera module, it is quite difficult to tell this device apart from the other two Redmi Note 11 devices. Just take a look at the picture gallery.
Performance-wise this is the best Redmi Note 11 Pro device
Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5G gets a MediaTek Dimensity 920 processor. Using the latest TSMC 6nm production process this octa-core processor uses Arm Cortex-A78 @ 2.5GHz power cores, and Arm Cortex-A55 @ 2.0GHz efficiency cores.
Geekbench 5 scores for the Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5G are the best of the bunch. And that is to be expected since this is the flagship version of the entire series. I have not encountered any hiccups or slowdowns on the device during the week or so that I have had it. In case you are curious, my review unit has 8GB RAM and 128GB storage.
Comparison of Geekbench 5 scores of three Redmi Note 11 Pro models
Although there are differences in Geekbench 5 score across the various models, unless you are an extreme gamer or heavy user even the base Redmi Note 11 Pro should be quite satisfactory for daily browsing, surfing, or streaming.
Blazing fast charging speeds using Xiaomi’s 120W HyperCharge technology
One unique feature of the flagship Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5G is the 120W fast charging support. This is the first Redmi device to support such high wattage charging. Previously Xiaomi only included HyperCharge support for their flagship devices such as Xiaomi 11T Pro and Xiaomi 12 Pro. The overall battery life and charging experience on the Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5G is the best in the entire series thanks to a 6nm power-efficient processor, a large 5,000mAh battery, and 120W HyperCharge. For people who want a large battery and ultra-fast recharging times the top-end Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5G is a no-brainer.
What features are common across the various Redmi Note 11 devices?
Aside from the main differences that we saw above, there are quite a few shared features between all three Redmi Note 11 series devices. These include the 120Hz AMOLED Display covered by Gorilla Glass 5, the 108MP main camera, 8MP ultrawide camera, and 2MP macro camera. The front-facing 16MP selfie camera is also common across the entire series. You can check out our Flickr Gallery for the camera samples from the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G below. Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G Camera Samples - Flickr Gallery All the devices have the same 5,000 mAh lithium polymer battery and they have the same exact buttons, hybrid dual SIM tray slot, and integrated FPS power button. Storage is UFS 2.2 for all devices ranging from 64GB to 256GB. Xiaomi sent us 8GB/128GB variants for all three Redmi Note 11 Pro devices. Connectivity options are similar in terms of NFC, Cast, Nearby Share, Mi Share, and IR blaster across all devices.
Some features are slightly different amongst the three Redmi Note 11 devices
First is cellular connectivity, The base version is 4G only whereas the more expensive siblings both support 5G with chips from Qualcomm and MediaTek. Second is while all three devices have dual speakers, the premium model features SOUND BY JBL speakers.
The last feature is software. The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G and Redmi Note 11 Pro were released earlier in the year. As a result, both of those devices are on MIUI 13 right now. Whilst the latest flagship is running MIUI12.5 Enhanced version. In my review time though I wasn’t able to determine a big difference in terms of software experience amongst the three devices. And I am fairly confident that MIUI13 for the newest device should be arriving soon.
Should you buy the Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5G?
The short answer is it depends. My thinking is that both 5G versions are quite capable devices and Xiaomi is targeting different geographies via the two different 5G chipsets. Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5G has great hardware design, fairly robust performance with 5G connectivity, and 120W HyperCharge support. Besides these features, you also get good camera performance, great sounding speakers, a headphone jack, and a vibrant 120Hz AMOLED display. The list continues with a hybrid dual-SIM slot, IP53 splash rating, NFC, and all accessories in the box to get you started as soon as you open the retail box. The only thing is that with all these great features the price is also starting to creep up to where depending on the geography and promotions a Samsung A53 or even the Google Pixel 5a 5G might be a slightly better overall deal.
