Xiaomi Mi 11 - 8GB 256GB

Introduction

Mi 11 was released on January 01, 2021 by Xiaomi as the very first to have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor.

It is available in the Philippines for Php 36,990.00.

Equipped with 8 GB memory and a big 256 GB storage, it qualified as one of the best gaming phones today (as of September 2021).

It has a high resolution selfie camera and triple rear camera.

With the said specs, the device being Xiaomi's top premium phone is well deserved.

Usability

Let's see the pros and cons of using this device on different categories of phone uses.

Photography

The Mi 11 is equipped with three rear cameras. Starting from its main camera, it uses a premium quality wide camera sensor measuring 1/1.33" (inches) able to fit 108 million pixels with 0.8 micrometer size each (108 MP with 0.8µm size per pixel).

Aside from its wide camera sensor, it is also equipped with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) which helps lessen the blurriness of pics from shaking, and a basic PDAF autofocus.

It is also equipped with a 13 MP ultrawide camera that can cover a wide angle up to 123 degrees.

But being premium without a telephoto feature is a bummer. It's still possible to zoom but it will only use digital zoom which crops the image captured by the main camera.

It also has a macro camera that can help for taking macro (close up) shots.

It also features a Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR quality photographs, and is capable of making panorama shots.

The device's rear camera can also produce HDR10+ quality videos with 8K resolution at 30 fps (frames per second) or 4K resolution at 30 or 60 fps.

It is also supported with a gyro-EIS stability feature for better and stable videos.

As for its selfie camera, it has a 1/3.4” wide camera sensor that can fit a 20 MP resolution image with a 0.8µm per pixel as its size which is a little bit small for a premium phone.

It also features an HDR quality front camera and can produce 1080p video resolution at 30 fps or 720p resolution at 120 fps.

As for the image processing, it uses “Snapdragon 888” which is the best Qualcomm processor before the release of its upgraded counterpart “Snapdragon 888+” (as of September 2021) that transforms the smartphone to a professional-quality camera.

Gaming

The Mi 11 is equipped with 8GB memory and 256 GB storage. It is powered by Qualcomm's best processor, “Snapdragon 888” sso with an Octa core CPU and Adreno 660 GPU.

With the best Snapdragon processor it is equipped with, you can enjoy high graphics and gameplay of any games such as Genshin Impact, Asphalt 9: Legends, Ragnarok X: Next Gen and battle royale games like Call of Duty Mobile and PUBG with superb performance without lag or slowness.

The only enemy you might have when loading the huge maps will be your internet service provider.

This device has a 4600 mAh battery which is good enough for gaming.

It also has a very wide 6.81 inches screen size, a very wide size even among premium phones which is sought after by gamers. Wider screen view helps to have a better view and control of the game.

Multimedia

Phones usually categorized for multimedia usage are widely used for music and video streaming. So a good screen size and features, and a good speaker is a must.

Screen wise, the Mi 11 with a 6.81" wide screen size, watching series or movies will be great.

It uses an AMOLED screen which is one of the basic LED screens there is available. Its quality is below when compared to SUPER AMOLED or IPS LCD but with a small margin.

If you don't mind the quality of graphics and colors too much, it is good enough.

It has a high refresh rate of 120Hz (120 refresh per second) which will allow you to watch quick changing scenes movies and anime the best possible.

It supports video quality in HDR10+ format with up to 1500 nits video brightness at its peak.

As for audio, a stereo speaker is available. But for those who use wired earphones or headset, you might need to switch to wireless one's for this device does not have an audio jack.

It also has a 24-bit/192kHz audio bit rate which is typically a normal rate for the human ear. It can produce good sound quality for those who love listening to music.

Travel

This is the most in-demand use of smartphones nowadays. Mostly everyone uses their smartphone on their life travels, be it summer getaway, mountain hiking, and many more adventures.

With these, app support for travelling is widespread from maps to online navigation.

For phones, devices with a good storage capacity, good network connection, and a long battery life is a must.

As for the Mi 11, it is equipped with a wide 256GB storage.

Though it does not have an external memory card slot, it supports USB OTG feature as a backup.

It uses 5G data network connection which is the best network available as of 2021.

It has a GPS feature to capture location even without data, though capturing altitude is impossible since it does not have a barometer installed.

The phone is neither light nor heavy weight so carrying it along all the time while climbing on rocks is fine.

It is also equipped with a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus for screen display protection.

It has a good enough battery capacity of 4600 mAh for travels. But is it still recommended to bring a power bank just in case.

It features very high 55W fast charging, good for intensive use of the device.

The phone can also be used as a power bank for other devices with its 10W reverse wireless charging.

As for its camera, it is equipped with a high camera resolution with a stability feature.

Sadly, it does not have an optical zooming feature so you can't enjoy taking shots on faraway subjects.

As for taking video, it can take high quality video, and with stability features, you can expect a decent video output.

Lastly, the device has a compass sensor that can help when travelling in a forest or mountain.

Work and Business

Having a premium phone used for work or business will be great but expensive. Specs wise, it will be above requirements.

Processing, memory, storage wise, the device is perfect for work needs.

Mi 11 for office employees in business is a luxury. Even if it is for employees that are required to take videos and pictures, this device will be a little bit expensive for a camera without an optical zooming feature.

It is equipped with the best network available, 5G. Though since it is not fully supported yet in the Philippines, you can only enjoy its 4G LTE which is the highest supported network here.

It has features such as a fingerprint scanner that can provide an additional layer of security for the device.

Its front camera feature is on the decent enough for video conferences and any other video call.

Education

The Mi 11 is expensive if bought only for educational purposes.

Though specs wise, it is equipped with above the requirements for home learning.

It has a very wide screen which is helpful for previewing school materials and attending video calls.

And with a decent quality front camera, video quality will be great.

General Use

Phones for general use are usually bought just for communicating, some social media access and some internet browsing.

All in all, it does not need to have high specs and having so is a bit luxurious.

Mi 11 is a premium phone with very high specs so buying this phone and not maximizing its usage would be a waste.

Though if you don't mind spending a little bit much and like to have a quality device, this device will never be a bad investment especially if you will only have this for general use.

Recommendation

The device is a highly recommended phone for gaming but as a premium camera phone, you might want to check other camera phones with cheaper cost.

If you want Xiaomi Mi 11, you can check our recommendations below on when and when not to buy the device.