New Delhi: Redmi Note series has been the most popular lineup for the Xiaomi sub-brand and the new Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G brings the best of the features in the Redmi Note line with the biggest USP being the fast charging capability. Like its predecessors, the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G also brings decent upgrades, but it also pushes the price a notch higher. However, it shouldn't be a surprise as Redmi devices, over time, have become pricier. The Redmi Note 11 Pro+ is arguably the best in the Redmi Note 11 series and rightfully so, thanks to the 108MP main camera, the 67W fast charging paired with a 5,000mAh battery, and yes, the good old standard 3.5-mm headphone jack!
The Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G was recently launched in the country at a starting price of Rs 20,999 for the base model which makes it the most expensive Redmi Note smartphone ever. I reviewed the Mirage Blue colour variant, but the device is also available in Phantom White and Stealth Black colour options too on Xiaomi's online store, Amazon India and the company's physical stores across the country. Here's how the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G fared in my review.
Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G Design, Display, Looks And Build
Talking about the Mirage Blue colour of the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G, as the name suggests, the rear of the phone reflects light in such a way that it mimicks the surface of a pool of water. When held at certain angles, the back mimicks waves in water that move when the phone is moved around in light. This is something new as most smartphones out there bring a colour changing back. Also, the back is glossy yet gives a premium feel in the hands and did not attract a lot of fingerprints and dust particles. According to Xiaomi, there's a layer of frosted glass that does the magic. Redmi is offering a design with flat edges that is a trend for 2022 and when compared to the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max, this device has a much, much flatter body. The camera module is completely different from what we have seen so far and it is a new module that houses sensors in "two steps".
Even though it makes the camera design stand out, but it also makes the device wobbly when placed on flat surfaces. Using a transparent back cover that came with the review unit slightly helped in reducing this.
Redmi has added the good old standard 3.5 mm headphone jack at the top of the phone and that got me excited as only a handful of smartphone OEMs provide a headphone jack these days. The flat edges made the phone a tad bit difficult to hold since I have smaller hands, but the device was pretty comfortable to hold against the ear. Weighing 202 gram and 8.12mm in thickness, the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G isn't the slimmest phone out there. In terms of water resistance, there is no IP53 rating, but the phone is IP53 tested that will provide some relief from splashes of water.
The smartphone has a crisp and brilliant 6.67-inch full-HD+ (1080x2400) AMOLED display with a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz which made transitions smooth and a peak brightness of 1200 nits. I missed the smart refresh rate, but I must say that I really liked the rich colour reproduction and good sunlight legibility of the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G. There's a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for protection and the device also had a layer of screen protector adhered.
Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G Camera
The Redmi Note 11 Pro+ has a triple rear camera setup led by a 108MP camera with Samsung HM2 sensor that clicked detailed pictures with well balanced colours in most lighting conditions. Unlike last year's Redmi Note 10 Pro line, the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ misses out on the 5MP telemacro camera; there's an 8MP ultra wide sensor and a 2MP macro sensor, which did not impress. The macro camera was a bit of a miss when it comes to colour accuracy. The ultra wide sensor failed to take sharp images and there was some visible warping.
For video calling and selfies, there is a 16MP sensor at the front which clicked decent images, but the images looked a tad bit artificial due to the smoothing of skin tone. There was enough depth separation in portrait shots, but overall, the selfie camera did suffer in low light.
Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G Battery And Performance
The fast charging capacity has been bumped up to 67W and when paired with the 5,000mAh battery, Redmi has done an excellent job in this department. I used it as my primary driver for few days and the battery lasted easily over day on a single charge. The claimed fast charging capacity is too big and I could get 0-35 per cent charge in about 15 minutes that pretty much spoiled me. It's safe to say that the 67W fast charging capability and the big battery were quite good for me. The 8GB/128GB variant I reviewed was pretty smooth in handling day to day tasks. A good thing is that the RAM can be further expanded by an additional 3GB.
The Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G runs Xiaomi's proprietary MIUI 13 based on Android 11 which is a disappointing. Several other brands are offering devices with Android 12 in this price bracket. Also, there has been no official word on when Android 12 will roll out for this model. The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 SoC which isn't the most powerful in this price segment, but handled everyday performance smoothly. There were instances during charging and gaming when the top rear of the smartphone got a bit warm.
Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G Final Verdict
The Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G is a decent smartphone that offers capable gaming and overall performance and excellent battery life coupled with fast charging. Its bright and big AMOLED display, addition of a 3.5 mm headphone jack and speakers give it an edge in it price segment. It should also be noted that the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G is not essentially a budget option and those who do not need a 5G device right now may consider buying options from Redmi's portfolio itself, including the Redmi Note 11S and Redmi Note 11 Pro.