Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge / Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G review

Introduction

Out of the multitude of Redmi Note 11 phones out there, this may be the one to get. Unless, you live in India, where this phone is not part of the model family but is instead called the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G. You see, India already has a Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G, but it's not the one we are reviewing today. Don't blame us, blame Xiaomi for this mess. We did review that other one, too.

No matter what it's called, this phone is undoubtedly one of the better Xiaomi midrangers out there. Yes, we just spoiled our verdict for you, but hopefully, you will stay around and find out why the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G (a.k.a. Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G in India) is the best in the Redmi Note 11 series and one of the best mid-range smartphones of the season.

But before we dig into the details, we should first decipher which Redmi Note is this supposedly 'new' phone.

Everything started late last year with the first Redmi Note 11 Pro models to be announced - they were China-exclusive devices based on the Dimensity 920 5G chipset. The Pro model had a 5,160mAh battery with 67W fast charging, while the Pro+ packed a 4,500mAh cell with 120W charging.

So, this Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G is in fact the global model of the mentioned Chinese Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G, but it is also a twin sibling of the India-exclusive Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G.

Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G • Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G

In fact, the only notable difference between this Redmi and the 11i HyperCharge 5G is the absence of NFC for the Indian model. We had that one to do some comparing, and it's looking flashy and has a Xiaomi branding instead of Redmi. But throughout this review, we intend to keep this phone in the context of the Redmi Note 11 series to match its global model identity.

The Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G looks like the rest of its Pro siblings - it has a splash-resistant dual-glass design with flat panels and a flat plastic frame. It also packs the same 6.67-inch Super AMOLED screen of 1080p resolution and 120Hz refresh rate.

The most prominent change is the Dimensity 920 5G chipset, which is more powerful than the Snapdragon 695 5G and Helio G96 platforms used on the other two Redmi Note 11 Pro models. And it is the only smartphone from the new series to offer a performance increase over the Redmi Note 10 Pro.

The cameras stay the same as on the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G. You will find a tri-cam setup on the back with a 108MP primary, an 8MP ultrawide, and a 2MP macro shooter, while there is a 16MP front camera for selfies. The Dimensity 920 5G SoC allows for more image processing power and 4K video capturing, so this time around, we are actually excited to explore the camera quality.

The 4,500mAh battery with Xiaomi's 120W HyperCharge is another notable improvement over the Redmi Note 10 Pro and Redmi Note 11 Pro devices. It is advertised to achieve a full charge in mere 15 minutes thanks to the 120W charging!

The rest of the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G bits are the same as on the other models - there are JBL-tuned stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, a side-mounted fingerprint reader, a microSD expansion, a 3.5mm audio jack, NFC, IR blaster, FM radio.

And here comes the full specs sheet of the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G / Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G specs at a glance:

• Body: 163.7x76.2x8.3mm, 204g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back; IP53, dust and splash resistant.
• Display: 6.67" Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 700 nits, 1200 nits (peak), 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 395ppi.
• Chipset: MediaTek Dimensity 920 5G (6 nm): Octa-core (2x2.5 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G68 MC4.
• Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM; UFS 2.2; microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot).
• OS/Software: Android 11, MIUI 12.5.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 108 MP, f/1.9, 26mm, 1/1.52", 0.7µm, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 1.0µm; Macro: 2 MP, f/2.4.
• Front camera: 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.06" 1.0µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@960fps; Front camera: 1080p@30/60fps.
• Battery: 4500mAh; Fast charging 120W, 100% in 15 min (advertised), Power Delivery 3.0, Quick Charge 3+.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); NFC (Redmi only); Infrared port; 3.5mm jack.

It seems like Xiaomi has done everything right with the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G - it has a slightly improved display with faster touch response, more powerful hardware, much faster charging, and, of course, 5G connectivity. It retains the good display, design, and camera kit from the previous Redmi Note 10 Pro model. Well, almost, the 5MP telemacro was replaced by a basic 2MP macro camera, and we sure are not thrilled about this demotion.

No more teasing, here is the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G unpacked.

Unboxing the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G and the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G

The Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G retail bundle contains the phone itself, a 120W power adapter that's heavier than the phone itself, and a 6A-rated USB cable.

Inside the paper compartment, you will find a soft transparent case, a SIM-ejection pin, and some paperwork.

Finally, you may also notice that the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G arrives with a thin protective film already applied on its display. We always appreciate this extra, and we are glad it was applied in the factory and not left for us to manage - as it was the case with the other Redmi Note 11 devices.

The Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G has the same retail bundled as the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G, but its box looks different.