Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G review

New MIUI over old Android

The Redmi Note 11S 5G runs on that combination of new MIUI 13 and old Android 11 we saw on some of the latest Redmis. Not having Android 12 is not a huge deal, since Xiaomi isn't typically eager to introduce features native to new OS releases (we're still waiting for Notification history), while MIUI updates tend to bring the same features, regardless of the underlying OS version. Still, it's not a good look.

In any case, you should be benefiting from MIUI 13's improved resource distribution for a smarter handling of RAM, storage, and processor use.

What you won't be getting is an always-on display feature - it doesn't play nicely with LCDs.

Similarly, you can't have an underdisplay fingerprint sensor with an LCD, though OLEDs don't guarantee you one either, as evidenced by numerous side-mounted implementations on OLED-having handsets.

Anyways, you unlock the screen via the side-mounted fingerprint scanner. The reader is easy to set up, blazing-fast, and the accuracy is superb. You can set the unlock method to Touch or Press - the Press will spare you accidental misreads of your palm (that eventually lead to PIN input) if you are using the phone without a case. A 2D Face Unlock is available, too, but it is far less secure than the fingerprint option.

Passwords and security • Fingerprint settings • Fingerprint settings • Face unlock

The homescreens are nothing unusual - they are populated with shortcuts, folders, and widgets. The leftmost pane, if enabled, is Google's Discover.

MIUI 13 offers an app drawer that comes with a search box and automatic app categorization. The first 'category' is All, for all your apps, and then there's Communication, Entertainment, Photography, Tools, New, and Business. You can edit these categories or even disable them altogether.

You can disable the app drawer entirely if that's not your thing - an option you get on Redmi and Xiaomi builds, but on Poco ones.

Lockscreen • Homescreen • Folder view • App drawer

Just like in MIUI 12, MIUI 13 offers an independent Notification shade and Control Center. You summon them like on the iPhones - pull down from the left part of the screen for the Notification Center, pull down from the right for the Control Center. You can side-swipe to switch between them, too.

If you are not fond of this iPhone-ish split - you can disable the Control Center, and the shade will revert to its normal looks and operation.

Classic notification shade • Expanded toggles • Control center split

The task switcher is familiar, too, if you've ever used a Xiaomi. It shows all of your recent apps in two columns. Then again, just like on the Redmi Note 11 proper, holding down an app in the two-column list does not bring up split-screen options, and there's essentially no split-screen feature.

You can still spawn a single Floating Window app at any time, though. There is an interface for that above the two recent apps columns. The app needs to support free form mode, too.

Another thing apparently missing is the option for a regular-looking task switcher with side-scrollable cards.

MIUI task switcher • Floating window

Themes have always been a huge part of MIUI, and they are available on MIUI 13, too. You can download new ones from the Themes store, and they can change wallpapers, ringtones, and system icons. There are no Super Wallpapers on the Redmi Note 11S 5G, though.

Themes

MIUI comes with its proprietary multimedia apps - there's Gallery, and Music and Mi Video (both with local and streaming options). A MIUI File manager is also on board. And, of course, a Mi Remote app that uses the integrated IR blaster. There's also an FM radio app, which requires headphones to be plugged in to serve as an antenna.

Gallery • Music • Video • File Manager • Mi Remote • FM radio

The default image editor baked into the Gallery app has a nifty new Protective watermark feature. It can overlay a pro-looking custom watermark text for you.

Protective watermark

MIUI also offers a Security app. It can scan your phone for malware, manage your blacklist, manage or restrict your data usage, configure battery behavior, and free up some RAM. It can also manage the permissions of your installed apps, define the battery behavior of selected apps, and apply restrictions only to certain apps.

And speaking of memory, MIUI 13 offers Memory Extension option that's active by default (you can disable it if you like). On our review device, we had 2GB of the internal storage reserved to serve as RAM extension. Less important memory blocks should come here.

Security • Memory extension

The Redmi Note 11 taught us not to take any feature for granted, and similarly to that phone, there's no Smart Sidebar on the Redmi Note 11S 5G. Once again though, Video toolbox, is here, which lets you launch video apps in pop-up windows, Screenshot, Record screen, Cast, and Play Video with the screen off, including in YouTube with no Premium subscription. The only caveat is that the apps where you want the feature enabled need to be whitelisted in advance.

No Sidebar, but yes Video toolbox

Also widely available on other phones with MIUI, Game Turbo is both the hub you can use to launch your games and an in-game utility for improving your gaming experience. It includes classic functionality like screen recording and limiting incoming notifications.

Game Turbo

Some MIUI ROMs include ads in the default apps, and that was the case on our Redmi Note 11S 5G review unit. You can disable those even if it's a bit tedious to do it because you have to do it separately for every system app that has them.

Performance and benchmarks

The Redmi Note 11S 5G features the Mediatek Dimensity chipset, a fairly popular SoC we've seen in a number of budget-conscious handsets that must have 5G in the feature set. It's made on a 6nm production process which proved beneficial for longevity, though the flipside is that it's hardly a powerhouse. Still, the octa-core CPU in a 2+6 configuration (2x2.4 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) should be just fine, and it's only the Mali-G57 MC2 that's proven underpowered in the past.

Three RAM and storage versions exist, though maybe not all will be available everywhere. We have the top-of-the-line 6GB/128GB spec, and the alternatives are 4GB/64GB and 4GB/128GB.

In GeekBench, the Redmi Note 11S 5G ended up trailing what we perceive to be our main rivals - the Galaxy A33 5G (Exynos 1280) and the Realme 9 Pro (Snapdragon 695). They each have newer cores in the powerful clusters than the Redmi (A78 and A77 vs. A76), and it shows most notably in the single-core benchmark, with the gap narrowing under multi-threaded load.

GeekBench 5 (single-core)

Higher is better

• Samsung Galaxy A33 5G
  742
• OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
  694
• Realme 9 Pro
  694
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
  688
• Poco X4 Pro 5G
  687
• OnePlus Nord N20 5G
  676
• Honor Magic4 Lite
  666
• Sony Xperia 10 IV
  662
• Realme 8s 5G
  616
• Realme 9 5G
  610
• Poco M4 Pro 5G
  597
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G
  588
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S
  526

GeekBench 5 (multi-core)

Higher is better

• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
  2063
• Poco X4 Pro 5G
  2063
• Realme 9 Pro
  2020
• OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
  1956
• OnePlus Nord N20 5G
  1945
• Sony Xperia 10 IV
  1908
• Honor Magic4 Lite
  1906
• Samsung Galaxy A33 5G
  1900
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S
  1873
• Realme 8s 5G
  1842
• Realme 9 5G
  1823
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G
  1820
• Poco M4 Pro 5G
  1797

In Antutu, the Redmi holds on to that 10% gap it posted in multi-core GeekBench.

AnTuTu 9

Higher is better

• Realme 9 Pro
  401894
• OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
  399306
• Sony Xperia 10 IV
  396008
• Samsung Galaxy A33 5G
  394918
• Honor Magic4 Lite
  387218
• Poco X4 Pro 5G
  384646
• Realme 8s 5G
  383409
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
  382902
• OnePlus Nord N20 5G
  380672
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G
  360255
• Poco M4 Pro 5G
  353663
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S
  308741

In graphics benchmarks, the Realme is only slightly more powerful than the Redmi, but the Galaxy proves to have a significantly more potent GPU.

GFX Car Chase ES 3.1 (onscreen)

Higher is better

• Samsung Galaxy A33 5G
  20
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
  17
• OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
  17
• Honor Magic4 Lite
  17
• Poco X4 Pro 5G
  17
• Sony Xperia 10 IV
  16
• OnePlus Nord N20 5G
  16
• Realme 9 Pro
  16
• Realme 9 5G
  14
• Realme 8s 5G
  14
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G
  13
• Poco M4 Pro 5G
  13
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S
  12

GFX Car Chase ES 3.1 (offscreen 1080p)

Higher is better

• Samsung Galaxy A33 5G
  23
• Honor Magic4 Lite
  21
• Sony Xperia 10 IV
  20
• OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
  20
• OnePlus Nord N20 5G
  20
• Poco X4 Pro 5G
  20
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
  19
• Realme 9 Pro
  19
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G
  16
• Poco M4 Pro 5G
  16
• Realme 9 5G
  16
• Realme 8s 5G
  16
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S
  14

GFX Manhattan ES 3.1 (onscreen)

Higher is better

• Samsung Galaxy A33 5G
  35
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
  30
• OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
  30
• Poco X4 Pro 5G
  30
• Honor Magic4 Lite
  29
• OnePlus Nord N20 5G
  29
• Realme 9 Pro
  29
• Sony Xperia 10 IV
  28
• Realme 9 5G
  25
• Realme 8s 5G
  24
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G
  23
• Poco M4 Pro 5G
  23
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S
  21

GFX Manhattan ES 3.1 (offscreen 1080p)

Higher is better

• Samsung Galaxy A33 5G
  38
• Sony Xperia 10 IV
  35
• OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
  35
• Honor Magic4 Lite
  35
• OnePlus Nord N20 5G
  35
• Realme 9 Pro
  35
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
  34
• Poco X4 Pro 5G
  34
• Realme 9 5G
  27
• Realme 8s 5G
  27
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G
  26
• Poco M4 Pro 5G
  26
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S
  24

GFX Manhattan ES 3.0 (onscreen)

Higher is better

• Samsung Galaxy A33 5G
  56
• OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
  43
• OnePlus Nord N20 5G
  42
• Poco X4 Pro 5G
  42
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
  41
• Honor Magic4 Lite
  41
• Realme 9 Pro
  41
• Realme 9 5G
  39
• Sony Xperia 10 IV
  39
• Poco M4 Pro 5G
  37
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G
  36
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S
  32
• Realme 8s 5G
  28

GFX Manhattan ES 3.0 (offscreen 1080p)

Higher is better

• Samsung Galaxy A33 5G
  60
• Honor Magic4 Lite
  50
• Sony Xperia 10 IV
  48
• OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
  48
• OnePlus Nord N20 5G
  48
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
  47
• Poco X4 Pro 5G
  47
• Realme 9 Pro
  47
• Realme 9 5G
  41
• Realme 8s 5G
  41
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G
  40
• Poco M4 Pro 5G
  40
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S
  37

3DMark Wild Life Vulkan 1.1 (offscreen 1440p)

Higher is better

• Samsung Galaxy A33 5G
  2260
• Poco M4 Pro 5G
  1232
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S 5G
  1231
• Realme 8s 5G
  1231
• Realme 9 5G
  1228
• Sony Xperia 10 IV
  1213
• Honor Magic4 Lite
  1211
• Poco X4 Pro 5G
  1211
• Realme 9 Pro
  1211
• OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G
  1209
• OnePlus Nord N20 5G
  1205
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
  1204
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 11S
  1101

Midrange chipsets of this caliber tend to at least offer stable performance, and that's more or less true with the Redmi Note 11S 5G. In the CPU Throttling test, it maintained 79% of its peak performance for essentially the entirety of the one-hour run, though it did drop to roughly that level fairly quickly - not even 2 minutes into the test. The GPU, meanwhile, posted an 87% stability rating in 3DMark's Wild life stress test - pretty solid.

CPU throttling test • 3DMark Wild life stress test