Redmi Note 11S Review: Good Day-To-Day Performer But Nothing Disruptive

Redmi Note 11S Hardware & Software Specifications

The Redmi Note 11S comes fairly packed with the latest hardware and most modern smartphone features for its price. The handset flaunts a bright and fluid 90Hz 1080p AMOLED screen with 1000 nits of peak brightness and a DCI-P3 wide color gamut.

There is a massive 108MP main camera without 4K video recording support, which is disappointing. The smartphone is powered by the MediaTek G96 SoC and is available in three configurations: 6GB + 64GB, 6GB + 128GB, and 8GB + 128GB.

Most Basics Are Covered

There's a dedicated microSD card slot, a big 5,000 mAh battery with a 33W Pro fast charger, a Type-C charging port, and a 3.5mm audio jack, all in a slim and ergonomic (179g) device that's easy to use with one hand. Sadly, the Redmi Note 11S runs on MIUI 13 based on Android 11 and does not come with Android 12.

The handset should receive two major software updates, including the Android 12 update, which should be arriving soon. We tested the Redmi Note 11S with 6GB/128GB and here is how it performed.

Redmi Note 11S Day-To-Day Performance

With moderate tasks, the Redmi Note 11S delivers satisfactory performance. It is easy to use multiple apps, edit 1080p videos on the go with apps like Vita, record long 1080p 30fps videos, and perform all day-to-day tasks without facing any performance hiccups. Most commonly used apps (including native ones) such as Instagram, Twitter, camera, Netflix, etc. ran without any glitches or crashes.

Smooth UI Navigation & App Scrolling

The MIUI 13 runs smoothly on the 6GB/128GB variant (LPDDR4X RAM & UFS 2.2). The interface feels more responsive than Vivo and iQOO smartphones available in the same price range. The 90Hz refresh rate panel plays an important role in making the UI navigation and app switching/scrolling a smooth experience.

Redmi Note 11S Can Also Run Popular Game Titles

The Redmi Note 11S can also run the demanding games such as BGMI and COD Mobile; however, a bit of graphics tweaking is recommended for a smooth gameplay experience. Games such as Stickman legends didn't require any tweaking and ran smoothly at maximum (Ultra) graphics settings. The budget phone doesn't heat much and if it does, the temperature comes down to normal levels quickly.

Decent Battery Life

As far as the battery life is concerned, the big 5,000 mAh battery can easily survive a day's heavy usage and will last for a day and a half with light to moderate use. The bundled 33W fast-charger takes about 90-95 minutes to refuel the hefty battery from flat to 100%.

Redmi Note 11S Multimedia Performance

The sub-20K smartphone proved to be a good multimedia smartphone, thanks to a bright AMOLED display and stereo speakers support that produces loud and clear sound. The 6.43-inch AMOLED screen is vivid and bright (1000 nits peak brightness) and produces richer colors than similarly priced smartphones with LCD panels. The OLED display lacks HDR10 support, which is a letdown; however, you do get the useful WideVine L1 certification for streaming HD content on OTT platforms.

Stereo Speakers & 3.5mm Audio Jack

And while the stereo speakers are good for the price, Redmi has also offered a 3.5mm audio jack Hi-res audio certification for compatible wired earphones/headphones. You can enjoy immersive audio through your old and trustworthy wired earphones/headphones.

Redmi Note 11S Camera Hardware & Software

As with most Redmi phones, the Note 11S also packs a feature-rich camera app and a quad-lens camera system led by a massive 108MP Samsung HM2 primary sensor. The other three sensors include- an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, 2MP macro sensor, and a 2MP depth sensor.

Despite a massive 108MP main sensor, you cannot shoot 4K videos and have to settle down with 1080p 30fps videos, which is a letdown. Here's how the camera performed in our testing.

Crisp 108MP & 12MP Pictures in Daylight

• Thanks to the massive 108MP main camera, the Redmi Note 11S captures crisp shots in daylight.
• Both 12MP pixel-binned and the 108MP high-resolution pictures show a wide dynamic range and vibrant colors.
• The 108MP pictures, which can go up to 40MB, have more natural colors and fine details than the pixel-binned 12MP shots. I would recommend shooting in 108MP mode and performing post-processing later for better overall results.

Inconsistent Portraits & Subpar Macros

• The 2MP depth sensor is highly inconsistent. I have seen handsets delivering better portraits with just software-induced bokeh. The software processing could use some improvements.
• As expected, the 2MP macro shots mostly fail to impress. Redmi could have ditched the 2MP macro for a bigger 5MP depth sensor.
• Although the big 108MP sensor (1/1.52") could have let in a good amount of light, indoor shots show noticeable noise.
• The 108MP sensor is highly focused on the center of the image and leaves the corners softer, especially while shooting images with close-up subjects.

Decent Wide-Angle Pictures

• The 8MP wide-angle lens can deliver some nice pictures if you are shooting in good lighting.
• The loss in details and the color shift is fairly visible but the overall pictures come out pretty good for the phone's price.
• The 1080p 30fps videos are mostly good for bright shooting conditions.

Should You Be Worried About Lack Of 5G Connectivity?

India is inching closer to the 5G deployment and buying a 4G smartphone in 2022 seems a bit of a compromise. If you want future assurance from your handset, the Redmi Note 11S isn't the one we recommend. If you switch handset in a year or so, the Redmi Note 11S won't be a bad purchase; however, you must know that the sub-20K price-point does offer some good 5G handsets.

In fact, Xiaomi's very own Redmi Note 11T is a 5G-enabled smartphone with a starting price of Rs. 16,999. Below are some more alternatives in this sub-20K price segment.

Redmi Note 11S Alternatives

The sub-20K market offers a myriad of both 4G and 5G handsets. Here we have only listed the ones we recommend as good alternatives to the Redmi Note 11S. The list includes- the Redmi Note 11T (5G), Realme 9 Pro 5G, Realme 9 5G SE, iQOO Z3 5G, and Redmi Note 10 Pro to some extent. The Realme Naro 50-series also offers some good sub-20K devices with modern features and good overall performance.

Verdict

The Redmi Note 11S packs some good-to-have features and it delivers satisfactory day-to-day performance; however, there's nothing extraordinary about this handset. You can easily find a better overall package in the same or slightly higher price-point. We recommend checking the above alternatives for the better returns of your investment.