The Xiaomi 11T is in many ways a less strong product than the Xiaomi 11T Pro in terms of specifications and capabilities. But the price makes up for it here, making this model perhaps the better choice for anyone looking for an affordable midranger from this brand.
Xiaomi 11T
MSRP € 499,-
Colors Grey, white and blue
OS Android 11 (MIUI)
Screen 6.7-inch OLED (2,400 x 1,080, 120 Hz)
Processor Mediatek Dimension 1200
RAM 8GB
Storage 128 to 256 GB (non-expandable)
Battery 5,000 mAh
Camera 108.8 and 5 megapixels (rear), 18 megapixels (front)
Connectivity 5G, 4G (LTE), Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6, GPS, NFC
Format 164.1 x 76.9 x 8.8mm
Weight 203 grams
Other IP53 Certification
Website www.mi.com/ 7.5 Score 75 
- Pros
- Battery-friendly alternative
- Update Policy
- 5g support
- Negatives
- Camera system
- design
- Many apps available
The starting price of the Xiaomi 11T is 499 euros. That is reasonable for a brand new midrange model, although the OnePlus Nord 2 offers similar specs for a hundred euros less, for example. Design-wise, the 11T is just as bland as its Pro relative and is equally unwieldy and ungainly. The device also weighs quite heavy and is therefore not always comfortable in your pocket. The buttons on the side are easily accessible. But the fingerprint scanner can sometimes throw a spanner in the works. Due to its positioning, on the right side, you sometimes accidentally press it when you take it out of a bag or your pocket.
Processor from Mediatek
The Xiaomi 11T and 11T Pro offer many of the same specs, but that does not apply to the processor. The cheaper model has a Mediatek Dimensity 1200 under the hood. While that’s a very capable and relatively fast processor, you’re sacrificing features that make the Pro unique. For example, there is no fast charging at 120 watts and that number remains at ‘only’ 67 watts. Furthermore, the processor consumes a little more energy compared to Qualcomm’s processors (the Pro has a Snapdragon 888 on board), but you don’t notice that much with a battery of 5,000 mAh. That battery still easily lasts a day and a half, although that number quickly decreases on busier days.
On board is also nice and fast working and storage memory (UFS 3.1) of 8 GB and 128 to 256 GB respectively. There is no headphone jack and no micro SD card slot, but support for 5G and the slightly slower charging are positive aspects of the smartphone. When you charge batteries at lightning speed, they deteriorate faster and therefore last less long. 67 watts is still quite fast, without in theory having much impact on the quality of the battery in the longer term. The beautiful, colorful and warm-looking 6.7-inch OLED screen, with its battery-friendly resolution of 2,400 by 1,080 pixels, also speaks for this device. High resolutions may look nicer, but a slightly lower one is – in the longer term – nicer for the battery.
The screen supports content in HDR10+, has a fine pixel density of 395 pixels per inch and supports 120 hertz for ultra-fine images. The maximum brightness varies from 800 to 1,000 nits, so you can see what you’re doing on sunny days. The Xiaomi 11T also offers stereo speakers, but does not support Dolby Atmos. In addition, the speakers have not been adjusted by Harman Kardon. No man overboard, because the speakers on smartphones are not that great. You can watch videos and play audio messages just fine, but nothing more. Great if Xiaomi can slightly reduce the price of the device in this way. What is a pity: the low IP certificate. With IP53, the device is only splash-proof.
MIUI 12.5 over Android 11
Like the Xiaomi 11T Pro, the Xiaomi 11T runs on Android 11, with MIUI 12.5 over it. That is Xiaomi’s own soft water shell, which takes a good look at what iOS does. When you pull down the quick menu from the left corner, you will see a sort of Control Panel appear. If you pull it down from the right corner, you will see your notifications. For the pure Android enthusiasts among us, it is also possible to use the old menu layout. It is also now noticeable that there are still quite a few bugs present and the software has difficulty showing so-called badges on icons (which indicate that there is a notification).
And – just like the Pro model – this device can also count on three major Android upgrades and four years of security updates. When you add that fact to the battery-friendly functions of the device, you soon arrive at a smartphone that can be interesting for many people in the longer term. Finally, it is a pity that Xiaomi again installs quite a few apps in advance. You can remove most of it, but you can’t. We understand that this can reduce costs, but it remains an annoying affair.
Camera system not your-of-the-it
The Xiaomi 11T has the same camera system as the Pro version. That means you can expect a 108-megapixel main camera, an eight-megapixel wide-angle lens and a five-megapixel macro lens. If your expectations are not too high, then you can in principle take great photos with it. Sometimes you have to make do with the quality, because details quickly disappear and colors sometimes look a bit faded. There is a nice balance between dark and light parts in a photo, provided the environment you are in is well lit.
Even now, the macro lens is not convincing, because the camera on the Xiaomi 11T sometimes has some difficulty focusing. And that is precisely the most important thing about such a lens. Pictures of an environment, natural or urban, show up best. By the way, the processor of the Xiaomi 11T also influences the video functions. You can’t record videos in 8k now, for example. In addition, there is an electronic image stabilizer, which can help somewhat with vibrations; but the results do vary. The front camera is fine and takes decent, colorful photos.
Xiaomi 11T – conclusion
At the price point of 499 euros, the Xiaomi 11T has strong competition. So as a manufacturer you have to be of good quality to at least stand out, let alone convince. Xiaomi does not completely convince with this midranger, but that does not mean that the device does not have unique qualities. The combination of the OLED screen, the extensive software support, the resolution, the slower charging speed, support for 5G and the amount of mAh ensure that the device is particularly interesting for people who plan to use a device for a long time.
That said, despite the hassle of software, updates and the camera, the OnePlus Nord 2 might be a great option for those looking for a similar phone. The Nord 2 also has an OLED screen and the same processor on board, for example. If you’re just looking for an affordable 5G device, the Oppo A74 5G is a good alternative. And otherwise you can take the Nokia XR20 into your consideration, since those smartphones have excellent specifications and a very nice update policy. For 499 euros you will unfortunately not get an OLED screen.