Redmi Note 11S first impressions: When specs matter more than design

Xiaomi’s smartphone portfolio is a bit of a confusing one at the moment, as the company continues to launch new phones at a rapid pace. The latest additions are the Redmi Note 11 and the Redmi Note 11S, which form the new Redmi 11-generation. We don’t have a new Pro or Pro Max model in this new series to replace the hugely popular Redmi Note 10 Pro (Review) at its price point, but the new Redmi Note 11S that we’ll be reviewing today could offer you what you’re looking for at a cheaper price.

The Redmi Note 11S is a 4G-only smartphone and its crowning feature is its 108-megapixel primary camera. It’s worth noting that Xiaomi has managed to offer this for a very aggressive starting price of just Rs. 16,499. The rest of the features of the Redmi Note 11S are also at par with what you’d expect from a phone in this segment in 2022. While there’s still a lot of testing to be done before our full review is out, here’s a quick first look at what makes the Redmi Note 11S so special.

The design of the rear camera module looks quite similar to that of the Redmi Note 11T 5G (Review), the first phone in the Redmi 11 series, and was launched a few months ago for around the same price. However, the Redmi Note 11S actually has four camera sensors and not just a design illusion as seen on the Redmi Note 11T 5G. In addition to the 108-megapixel main sensor, the Note 11S has an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera, a 2-megapixel depth sensor, and a 2-megapixel macro camera. The 16-megapixel selfie camera placed in the hole-punch cutout on the front has a chrome ring around the lens, making it look quite prominent.

The Redmi Note 11S looks dull, especially in this black color. Stains are also very easily visible on the matte finish
Photo credit: Roydon Cerejo

Xiaomi played it a little too safe with the design for my taste. The Redmi Note 11S has a very forgettable aesthetic. The blue and white color options might stand out more, but the black unit I received looks pretty boring. I’m all for matte finishes on phones as they’re generally more fingerprint resistant, but smudges and dust are easily visible on the Redmi Note 11S’s rear panel. The entire chassis is made of plastic, but feels well put together. Xiaomi has retained the headphone jack, which is nice, and even thrown in an IR emitter, as is customary.

The 6.43-inch full-HD+ AMOLED display on the Redmi Note 11S is a step up from the LCD panel on the Note 11T 5G. It has a 90Hz refresh rate and a claimed peak brightness of up to 1,000 nits. The benefits of an OLED panel, such as deep bezels and a wider color gamut, should result in a much better video watching experience. This phone also has stereo speakers, which has now become a standard feature of most Redmi smartphones.

The Redmi Note 11S is powered by the MediaTek Helio G96 SoC, which we’ve seen in phones like the Realme 8i (Review) and is also expected to power the upcoming Realme Narzo 50. It’s built on a relatively older 12nm manufacturing process, so on paper it’s not as power efficient as MediaTek’s recent Dimensity SoCs or even the Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G that powered the Redmi Note 10 Pro. It’s a decently powerful SoC nonetheless and we’ll be testing its performance in the full review.

The bezel around the front camera of the Redmi Note 11S is quite prominent
Photo credit: Roydon Cerejo

You can get the Redmi Note 11S with 6GB RAM and 64GB storage for Rs. 16,499. Next up is the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant, which is priced at Rs. 17,499, followed by the top-end variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, which is priced at Rs. 18,499 in India.

The internal storage is expandable thanks to a dedicated microSD card slot. The Redmi Note 11S has a 5,000mAh battery and supports 33W fast charging. A compatible charger is included in the box. There’s a side-mounted fingerprint sensor and an IP53 rating for dust and water resistance. You get MIUI 13 based on Android 11 out of the box.

In the short time that I’ve been using the Redmi Note 11S so far, I’ve found it to be well-built and fairly robust. The bland design is a little unappealing to me, but provided you use a case then this really shouldn’t be an issue. My bigger concern, however, is how the Redmi Note 11S fits into Xiaomi’s existing line-up. We know the launch of the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is inevitable given that it’s already been unveiled globally , and it might very well arrive in India as the Redmi Note 11E. If you’re looking for a 4G-only Redmi smartphone, the Redmi Note 10 Pro is still available and offers better specs than the Redmi Note 11S.

That said, I’ll reserve my final verdict until I’m done testing the Redmi Note 11S, so be sure to check back with Gadgets 360 soon for the full review.