With the Xiaomi 11T Pro and 11T, the Chinese manufacturer is again trying to establish itself by offering a high-end technical sheet for an affordable price.
Presentation
Driven by the desire to occupy all price segments of the smartphone industry, Xiaomi has bet a lot on the 11T Pro and 11T. Two smartphones straddling the middle and high end and trying to compete with devices often sold more expensive.
Xiaomi 11T price in Pakistan is 74,999, but already available at a lower cost on the official website – the Xiaomi 11T looks a lot like its predecessor. It is almost impossible to tell them apart from the naked eye. But this more affordable version has chosen a different SoC, which may impact its performance and autonomy. At this price, it also faces serious competitors such as the Honor 50, the Oppo Reno 6, or the Realme GT Neo 2.
Ergonomics and design
The Xiaomi 11T adopts a design and characteristics (network, connectivity) in all respects similar to its big brother. We, therefore, refer you to the 11T Pro test for more details.
Screen
Xiaomi masters its mid-range and high-end smartphone screens. This 11T has a 6.67-inch AMOLED panel in Full HD + definition (1080 x 2400 pixels). It is DisplayMate A+, and HDR10+ certified. Unlike its big brother, it is incompatible with the Dolby Vision standard.
It is possible to choose a refresh rate of 60 Hz or 120 Hz – the rate then varies between 60 and 120 Hz automatically, depending on the application used. Unsurprisingly, this second mode offers certain fluidity, provided that the application supports it. In our tests, the screen displayed a peak brightness of 818 cd/m². An excellent value, slightly better than the 11T Pro, allows it to remain readable even in direct sunlight and to compensate for a reflectance of 50.2%. The minimum brightness reaches two cd/m², making it a good ally for nighttime viewing.
Oled technology makes it possible to offer an almost infinite contrast. The persistence is zero, and the tactile delay is contained (50 ms). A layer of Gorilla Glass Victus protects the whole.
As on the 11T Pro, the values displayed by default are not ideal. We end up with a delta E of 2.9 – which remains almost perfect – and a temperature too cold (7749 kelvins). A passage in the parameters to activate the “Original colours” mode makes it possible to drop the delta E to 1.4 and the temperature to 6747 kelvins – for a video standard at 6500 K). Its competitors are all very well equipped on this side, but the Xiaomi 11T panel is even better. That is an excellent point!
Performance
While the Xiaomi 11T Pro was equipped with a Snapdragon 888, this more affordable model opts for a MediaTek Dimensity 1200 engraved in 6 nanometers. This 5G chip has 8 GB of RAM and 128 or 256 GB of storage. On paper, therefore, it does not offer as much power as the Pro.
However, he shares the same score (100) as him about multitasking. Suffice it to say that there will be no problem navigating through numerous tabs or embarking on long sessions on social networks.
This SoC is certainly not as powerful as Qualcomm, but it still allows you to play the vast majority of games on the Play Store in good condition. On our test protocol, the Xiaomi 11T managed to maintain an average of 59 fps at 60 Hz and 62 fps at 120 Hz. It will be possible to get into games of Call of Duty or Genshin Impact in good conditions, even if we advise you to space out your playing time because the phone tends to heat up after half an hour. The graph above shows that only the Honor 50 stands out on this point, even if it is a little less good at multitasking.
Our performance tests are carried out with viSer, the application developed by SmartViser.
Photo
The 11T offers the same photo configuration as the Pro version. We are therefore entitled to a 108 Mpx wide-angle module whose lens opens at f / 1.8, an 8 Mpx ultra wide-angle (f / 2.2), and a macro module of 5 Mpx (f/2.4).
| MAIN MODULE |
|---|
108 megapixels
f/1.8
eq.26mm
| ULTRA WIDE-ANGLE MODULE |
|---|
8 megapixel
f/2.2
/
| MACRO-MODULE |
|---|
5 megapixels
f/2.4
eq. 50mm
Main module: 108 MP, f/1.8, eq. 26mm
The 108MP main sensor captures shots at 12MP by default. Like its competitors, it benefits from pixel-binning technology, but for its part merges nine pixels into one (instead of four most of the time) to capture more light when it runs out.
In good light conditions, the two smartphones engage in a good duel. We also note that the software processing of the 11T is different from that of the 11T Pro. Its big brother offered a strong contrast, less pronounced here, which is more pleasing to the eye. Faced with the Honor 50, we can mainly see a difference in colourimetry and general hue. Honor opts for a warmer rendering, while Xiaomi does the opposite. The 11T offers a bit more sharpness, as seen in the face, lion’s mane, or map of our test scene.
At night, the 11T shot is better exposed. It allows more detail to be recovered and colours to be better preserved. The Honor 50 tries to compensate with strong digital smoothing and more contrast, without managing to do better.
108 MP mode
The 11T is capable of capturing full-definition shots at 108MP. This mode does not always bring a significant change to smartphones. We isolated an area of identical size (0.90 Mpx) to compare the two shots. You can see the difference in definition.
Whether day or night, this mode does not provide a significant gain in detail or better general colourimetry. It makes it possible to reframe strongly in the shots, which can prove useful during retouching, but the latter also occupies much more memory space. Therefore, it is advisable to stay in the standard mode or use it knowingly.
Ultra wide-angle module: 8 Mpx, f/2.2, 120°
We also find here an ultra-wide-angle of 8 Mpx. These sensors have become widely available, but are still rarely convincing. As on the 11T Pro, the latter struggles to seduce our test scene.
By day, the rendering is not very convincing. We can certainly distinguish all the elements of the scene, but the whole lacks sharpness and sharpness. The different color patterns are rather well rendered, and the more pronounced contrast offers a slightly more flattering rendering than the Honor 50. You can’t see it in this part of the image, but the distortion is quite significant.
In the dark, the Honor 50 takes over, without shining. The level of detail collapses and clearly limits the use of this mode in these conditions.
Front and video module
A 16 Mpx sensor (f / 2.5) is housed in a central punch on the front. The rendering of selfies is quite good and detailed in good light conditions, even if the colors lack a bit of liveliness. The result is more disappointing at night, and the sensor fills in by smoothing much more. The portrait mode is quite effective but can always be deceived by long hair or flyaways.
The 11 T’s wide-angle sensor can shoot in 4K at 30 fps and Full HD at 60 fps. It turns out to be convincing in use. We benefit from good stabilization, flattering color rendering, and dynamic management. It is, therefore, one of the best in exercise in its price range. In short, we don’t regret not being able to film in 8K like on the Pro. It is possible to use the ultra wide-angle in Full HD at 30 fps. The rendering is also interesting, even if the colors seem more washed out and we necessarily lose detail.
Autonomy
The 11T is equipped with a 5000 mAh battery, just like the 11T Pro. This large accumulator is therefore supposed to ensure good autonomy. On our Aim test protocol, it managed to last 22 h 04 min. An excellent score gave the overall performance offered by the device. Nevertheless, this test was carried out “out of the box,” calibrated in 60 Hz mode. Once switched to 120 Hz, it lasted 18 h 20 min, which remains a good result. Switching to an SoC other than that of the 11T Pro, therefore, has a beneficial effect on endurance. An aspect that can make the difference between the two.
The 11T Pro recharged in 20 minutes thanks to its impressive 120W charging pad and HyperCharge technology. This model offers, this time, a block of 67 W, which is still much more powerful than those of competitors like Apple or Google. It only takes 38 minutes to refuel. Even a short recharge allows it to recover autonomy quickly.
Our battery tests are automated by viSer, the application developed by SmartViser.
The results obtained with viSer come from measurements carried out in real conditions of use (calls, SMS, videos, launching of applications, web browsing, etc.).
Sustainability
Our sustainability score helps determine the sustainable aspect of the smartphone for both the consumer and the environment. It is based on the repairability index, durability criteria (protection index, standard connectors, warranty period and updates, etc.), and an assessment of CSR policies (Social Responsibility of companies). You can find all the analysis details in our article presenting the sustainability score.
The table summarizing the sub-scores of its repairability index is available below.
UI & OS
The Xiaomi 11T runs Android 11 with the MIUI 12.5 overlay, released in the spring of 2021. This latest, cleaner version improved software optimization and battery management. The Chinese firm seems on the right track, even if the interface is not always as readable as possible. To discover its features in-depth, we refer you to our article dedicated to this interface:
CONCLUSION
Even if it is strongly inspired by the Xiaomi 11T Pro, this 11T manages to make a strength of its main difference while being more affordable. It still offers a good finish and a high-quality screen but logically offers less raw power than its brother under Snapdragon 888. This drop in speed still has an advantage: it allows it to be much more enduring, which may be more important for most users. It recharges a little slower than the Pro, but the difference remains negligible daily. The icing on the cake and the photos’ software processing seem less supported and deliver a more precise result during the day—a very good model in its price range.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- High-quality OLED panel.
- Efficient chip in multitasking and gaming.
- Well-made wide-angle module.
- Very good autonomy.
- Fast charging at 67W.
Cons
- Messy back.
- No microSD port.
- Disappointing ultra-wide-angle module.