Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G review

Design, build quality, handling

The Redmi Note 11s (elevens), many as they may be, do tend to keep to a certain common aesthetic. At least the bulk of earlier ones, that is - the 11E and the just announced 11T and 11T Pro (yes, they keep coming) tend to feature a different camera styling. But let's focus on the 11S 5G we have here.

It features that distinct camera island that's a staple of the lineup - the main unit is placed on top and accented with a shiny plate, while the secondary modules are stacked below. It's almost made to look like it has 5 cameras, but other than the isolated main module and the ultrawide below it, you only get a 2MP macro shooter. The other two bits are the LED flash and a red dot for... for show, really - it has no functional purpose.

A Redmi badge on the same side of the rear panel reiterates that this is not the Poco M4 Pro 5G, something you already know from the relatively restrained look of the camera cluster - if it was a Poco, you'd have the whole upper third styled to look like a camera.

The panel itself does add a bit of flair, even on our nominally less exciting Midnight Black colorway. It has that glitter-like effect under direct sunlight that we've seen on more expensive models, most recently the vivo X80 Pro.

Other color options can add yet more personality, whether it's the Twilight Blue or Star Blue colorways.

Regardless of color, it's made of plastic, though that doesn't make it feel cheap. It does hold some fingerprints, but nowhere as much as a glossy panel, and it's certainly a non-issue. Naturally for one of these frosted finishes, it's pretty slippery, but again - not the worst offender we've handled.

Over on the front, you're getting a 6.6-inch LCD surrounded by an adequately sized frame. The chin is a bit thicker, but the Redmi's bezels are no different than those on any other mainstream midranger in terms of proportions. A smallish punch hole for the selfie camera completes the 'default' look.

You may note the earpiece grille - it's one of two openings that serve the same top speaker. It's tasked with the right channel playback in the stereo speaker pair, but you can read more about the peculiarities of its operation on the next page.

The other grille for that same speaker is in the frame on top of the phone. Also here is one of the mics, as well as the IR emitter - a staple of Xiaomi smartphone feature sets.

Down on the bottom, there's the primary speaker, as well as the main mic that serves as a mouthpiece for voice calls. The USB-C port goes without saying, but we still like to point out the inclusion of a headphone jack - just to make sure manufacturers don't start thinking we've stopped caring about it and ditch it on midrangers as they have on flagships.

IR blaster on top, as usual • 3.5mm jack on the bottom

Keen-eyed readers will have spotted the lack of antenna lines along the frame of the phone - no need, as that too is plastic. So are the buttons on the right - a volume rocker that clicks positively and a power button with an embedded fingerprint reader.

Others may put that last bit in a recessed part of the frame to avoid unintentional activation, while Xiaomi's made it stick out but provided a software option to avoid accidental misreads. With that set to require a press to engage, we had a pleasant and trouble-free experience with the fingerprint reader with both the left index finger and the right thumb. You may not need the press requirement, it's just nice that the option is there, at least for us clumsier folk.

The SIM slot is on the left side of the phone, and it's a standard arrangement where you can use a two nano SIMs or a nano SIM and microSD, but not all three at the same time. Dedicated memory card slots are better, naturally, but a shared one is better than none.

You'll note the red gasket that's meant to prevent dust and water from getting into the slot. We've had info that the phone carries an IP53 rating (that's splash protection, when it comes to water), but we can't seem to find that bit at the time of writing this review. The red gasket is a nice sign, and the phone may survive rain just fine, but the IP rating has gone missing from official specsheets.

The Redmi Note 11S 5G measures 163.6x75.8x8.8mm and weighs 195g. As with oh, so many aspects of its design and build, this is just about the standard for dimensions and weight for the class. Once you've accepted the implications of handling a 6.6-inch handset, this one should be no different - an extra hand helps in certain situations but is by no means required for a phone call or the bulk of your scrolling.