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Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite test / review

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Published on: 01-02-2021 / Modified: 11-12-2022
I have been testing smartphones for 2 years and one of the first phones I tested was the Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite. This phone had given me a very good impression, so I systematically bought every model in this range, buying the Mi 9 Lite and more recently the Mi 10 Lite. This Mi 11 Lite is therefore the fourth generation that I am buying.

The positioning of this product range has evolved over 4 generations. The Mi 8 Lite was close to the Redmi Note 5 with a few things to set them apart. Over time this product range has approached the premium range at Xiaomi and where a Mi 8 Lite was marketed at around € 200, the new models are positioned above € 300. Was this price increase justified? Yes because even with this higher price, these models remain very competitive and generally offer more than what the competition is able to offer in the same price range.

What does this new Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite have in store for us? The Mi 11 Lit takes over the CPU and GPU of the Redmi Note 10 Pro with a smaller screen, a smaller weight and a smaller footprint and I see a new photo sensor appear with the Samsung GW3. The photo and the video will be strong elements of this new phone.

The release date has been postponed several times but things are clearing up now, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite is available for presale at Banggood and Aliexpress

On Banggood, I found it for 254 € !! Launch offer on Banggood
On Aliexpress, it seems to be positioned at € 299. offer on Aliexpress

Manufacturer web site:
https://www.mi.com
Site where I have bought the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_AstBSx

Structure of my tests

I test the phones according to a pre-established structure (see below) to provide you with as much information as possible. Unfortunately, this takes a long time. Some tests like network performance tests take several days and for photo tests I sometimes have to wait until the weather is suitable to take pictures in good conditions. I am therefore obliged to publish the tests step by step, so I invite you to come back if the test is not complete at the time of your visit.

Price Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite

The list below shows the prices for the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite from more than 50 sites around the world. If you are not satisfied with any price, you can subscribe to a price alert to be the first to be notified when the price drops.

Timeline

April 14, 2021: Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite pre-sale purchase on Aliexpress
April 19, 2021: I received the phone, the test can start.

Why this phone?

The Mi XX Lite range is usually at the limit of the budget I can afford to buy a phone but so far I have never been disappointed. These are phones that I have never had any trouble selling after my tests, they are so in demand that when I post an ad, the phone is sold before the end of the day.

The Mi 11 Lite will probably follow the same path. This type of phone occupies a position in the middle of the range by offering good finishes, good performance and sometimes a few good photo surprises. The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite will also offer a periscopic zoom lens, this is the first time I will have the opportunity to test a phone of this type, I am curious to see what it will look like.

My purchase of the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite will be a blind purchase as I will buy it as soon as it is available, it is one of the safe bet at Xiaomi. So I will probably be one of the first to test it, it will also depend a bit on the delivery time.

Unpacking

The vast majority of Xiaomi I bought in the last 6 months were packed in the same type of box, the Mi 11 Lite brings a bit of change with its completely white box and glossy lettering. Xiaomi undoubtedly wants to position this new Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite differently. The box contains the bare minimum: the phone, a soft transparent silicone protection, a manual, a charger and a USB cable.

First configuration

Not yet available / tested

Finish

Xiaomi derives its success from the price / quality ratio but this often comes at the expense of innovation as they tend to take the good ingredients from their competitors to make it a phone at a lower price. The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite seems to follow the same direction except for the type of finish and the camera (see below). Most of the Xiaomi released in the last 12 months are large and heavy, and I have received quite a few messages from people who were hesitant to buy a Xiaomi because of the size and weight. The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite is quite large but it is very thin (6.8mm) and above all very light (157 grams!). I don't think I've tested such a light phone for at least two years and with such a screen, it's a great achievement! The phone is so light that I feel like I don't have it in my pocket, it always causes me a little stress because I always think I lost it.

Beyond its weight, I find the Mi 11 Lite to stand out quite strongly from the Redmi range with a glass back that reflects light almost like a mirror. The back is perfectly smooth over its entire surface except for the photo sensor which sticks out slightly but even here the camera only sticks out a few millimeters.

The surround is plastic but the integration with the screen and the back of the phone is smooth. The configuration of the phone is quite similar to that of the Poco F3, the SIM drawer is at the bottom of the phone and this fairly compact drawer can accommodate 2 SIM cards or a SIM card and a memory card in double-sided mode rather than in length as most phones. There is no jack output, this makes it possible to produce a thinner phone. For the rest, it's a classic configuration with the volume and ignition buttons on the right and the same fingerprint sensor as the Poco F3. Stereo sound is transmitted through a loudspeaker at the bottom of the telephone and another at the listening loudspeaker.

The screen occupies 85% of the surface, the selfie camera is placed at the top left in the form of a punch. I find that this punch is also quite thick, that of the Poco F3 is much less visible. The borders are quite thin, it is not a borderless phone but the screen offers a good experience.

Overall the level of finish is really good for a phone of this price, it takes the basics of the premium model Mi 11 by using a different reflective surface on the back. This new Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite follows the philosophy of the Lite range quite well.

Specifications

The information below comes from the Device Info HW application. The application provides detailed technical information about the tested phone.The Xiaomi Mi 11 lite takes the technical bases of the Redmi Note 10 Pro (CPU / GPU) but it differs from other Xiaomi models on many other points. The screen is smaller (6.55 inches) and uses a frequency of 90hz (240hz for games). It is also in terms of its format and its weight that this Mi 11 Lite will stand out, with 157 grams it is one of the lightest Xiaomi that I have been able to test.

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite uses UFS 2.2 memory, this is a step back from the Poco x3 Pro which costs a little less. I guess they took over the memory of the Redmi Note 10 Pro instead.

There is a 4G and 5G version of this phone and in both cases the frequency coverage is very wide. I see that the GPS should also cover two frequencies for the GPS network (L1 + L5) and two frequencies for Galileo (E1 + E5a).

CPU / GPU Performance

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G processor for the 4G version and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 780G for the 5G version. These two versions are not in the same category, the 732G is a mid-range processor also used in the Redmi Note 10 Pro where the 780G is a high-end processor that will be released the first time with the Mi 11 Lite. One can expect a performance on the level of a Poco F3 with the latter.

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite is equipped with a Qualcomm Adreno 618 graphics chipset (identical to the Redmi Note 10 Pro) in its 4G version and a Qualcomm Adreno 642 for its 5G version. Here too, the difference between the two is quite large, the 5G version should score around 600,000 points on Antutu while the 4G version should reach 300,000 points.

Benchmark Antutu/3DMark

I got a score of just over 290,000 points with Antutu and this score is almost identical to what I got for the Redmi Note 10 Pro. The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite uses the same CPU and GPU as the Redmi, so it is not surprising to find very similar performance. This is a fairly typical score for the mid-range at Xiaomi, the Mi 11 Lite is a versatile phone that will allow you to play most games (sometimes with a compromise on the graphics level) and use any what application. If you want more performance for the same price, you have to go for the Poco range.



Gaming

To test the performance in game, I download the mobile PUBG game and evaluate the in-game experience, graphics level and depth of vision. This game is quite demanding and should help you evaluating the performance of a phone. The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite offers enough performance to provide a good gaming experience in PUBG Mobile in HD mode. The game is perfectly smooth, I didn't encounter any slowdowns and the textures load quite quickly. For Fortnite on the other hand, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite does not always manage to offer a good gaming experience. The level of graphics was too high for a good gaming experience, we can clearly see slowdowns where the image freezes. To ensure a good experience, the number of details must be reduced, but for a fairly similar Antutu performance, the Poco X3 Pro does much better with Fortnite than this Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite.

Network performance

The Xiaomi Mi 11 lite in 4G version supports a wide range of frequencies which will allow you to use it anywhere in Europe. The 5G version also offers wide coverage of 14 frequencies which should cover all European countries as well.

Signal 4G (before december 2020)

The ability to pick up the network correctly is an essential element for a phone but it is only very rarely measured. To measure a phone's ability to pick up the network, I perform a large number of measurements on the same cells to be able to compare phones under similar conditions. The signal is measured in dBm, a value of -90dBm indicates a worse signal than -70dBm. These measurements are therefore taken under real conditions and not in a laboratory, they are not scientific but give a good indication of performance.



Signal 4G (from December 2020)

I decided to change the methodology for measuring the network because I noticed that the configuration of the mobile network changes over time. This makes it more difficult to compare phones because the conditions are no longer exactly the same.

To overcome this problem, I set up a device that captures 24 hours a day about ten parameters from the mobile network (ex: cell id, rssi, rsrq, snr, frequency,...). I then place the phone next to the device for 24 to 48 hours taking the same measurements so that I can compare them.

Overview of the phones tested with this methodology



I performed 2875 measurements in 4G with the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite, it is more than usual, I had simply forgotten the phone and left it longer than expected next to my test machine. The measurement is therefore still a little more reliable than usual and the result is really good. The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite uses a Snapdragon X15 modem which is also used by the Redmi Note 10 Pro. How is that interesting? I had obtained a very good score with the Redmi Note 10 Pro and these results with the Mi 11 lite confirm that the Snapdragon X15 is a good modem.

The Mi 11 Lite signals on the graph are always very close to those of my reference device. I got an average signal almost identical to my measuring device, it has not yet happened very often and it will allow the Mi 11 Lite to capture the network well. If your operator allows it, you should be able to download 500 to 600 Mbps. The 5G version uses another modem that I haven't tested yet, so I'm not sure if the network sensitivity is that good.

Download/Upload speed

To test the download speed, I have identified some 4G cells offering good performance where I test all my devices several times to see what download and upload speed they can achieve.

Wifi performance

To test a phone's ability to receive the network properly, I take measurements near my router and then remotely (and always at the same place). This gives me an average in dBm where a value of -90 dBm indicates poorer performance than a value at -30 dBm.


Wifi signal

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite uses the same wifi chipset as most Xiaomi phones in the same price range (Redmi or Poco) but yet I didn't get the same kind of result. The sensitivity to the wifi network seems less good with this Mi 11 Lite because I got a -24 dBm signal near the router where I get around -15 dBm with a Redmi or a Poco. It takes me longer to see if this is a whim of my router or if it is a poorer performance of the phone.



Download/Upload speed

To test the speed in Wifi, I connect to my router in 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz (if available) and use the Ookla application to measure the speed.

GPS performance

To test the quality of the GPS signal I use the Offline Maps application and I make the same train trip in pedestrian mode. Why? In pedestrian mode, the GPS does not artificially correct the signal to stick to the road, it has no markings, so you can see the actual position. I then use an application to measure the accuracy of the signal. I measured an accuracy level of around 3 meters with the GPS, it is an average level of accuracy, I get the same level of accuracy with all phones equipped with a Snapdragon CPU, it is necessary to move towards a Mediatek CPU to obtain better performance. I only have one frequency for the GPS and Galileo network, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite does not seem to benefit from other frequencies.

Battery range

Not yet available / tested

Photo camera test

To test the quality of photos produced by a phone, I do a technical test (resolution, sharpness, chromatic aberration,...) in studio (identical conditions) to evaluate the technical part objectively. From the second half of 2020, I built my own laboratory to take completely objective technical measurements. I then take pictures in real conditions to see how the camera performs. I then evaluate these photos according to my criteria but I publish the photos so that you can evaluate the result according to your criteria.

Hardware

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite (4G and 5G) is equipped with a Samsung GW3 main sensor of 64 million pixels. I have not yet had the opportunity to test this sensor, it is not yet very widespread. It is also used by the Samsung Galaxy A32, Nubia Red Magic 6 and Black Shark 4 Pro. This sensor is optimized for low light photos and should offer effective stabilization in 4k.

This phone is also equipped with an 8 million pixel ultra wide angle sensor, it is arguably the same as in other phones of this brand, I would see at the use if I can recognize his fingerprint.

Default app

The Mi 11 lite's default photo application is the same as that used on other Xiaomi phones running MIUI 12. If you are looking for an alternative application, know that GCAM works very well on the Mi 11 Lite.

Photo quality

Photo test / studio

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite is equipped with a 64 million pixel Samsung GW3 sensor, this is the first time I have tested this sensor, it is not very widespread. Xiaomi has decided to re-use the Sony IMX 355 for ultra wide angle photos, this sensor is however much more common, I have tested it on at least 4 phones this year. For this first photo test, I go through the different modes available (auto and pro mode) as well as the use of HDR, AI and night mode. The photo at the beginning of this paragraph was taken in manual RAW mode with exposure compensation and color balance.

As with most phones that go through the studio, the photos are mostly underexposed but I find the auto mode without HDR and AI does fine. With one or two more exposure notches, the photo would have been exposed correctly, that's what I did with pro mode. The colors are also too dark (and too cold) due to the underexposure but here with the right settings the problem can be fixed. The sharpness is quite good but the artificial depth of field is quite small on the other hand and it is clearly visible in a circular fashion. I also noticed a more pronounced vignetting than what I'm used to seeing. There is nothing dramatic at this point, everything can be fixed on the phone and phones that produce good photos without the pro mode under artificial light are quite rare. I expected better from this sensor but the tests that will follow will be much more decisive in my evaluation.

Photo test / sunny

Main sensor: Samsung GW3
The Xiaomi Mi 11 lite is equipped with a Samsung GW3 sensor of 64 million pixels, I have not yet had the opportunity to test this sensor on another phone. This sensor uses 0.7μm pixels, it is probably one of the sensors with the smallest pixels at the time of doing this test. Why is it important? A smaller pixel reduces the size of the sensor on the back of the phone and since the Mi 11 Lite is very thin, that's a good thing. A smaller pixel also captures less light and that is quite problematic for a camera, but Samsung has developed a technology called ISOCELL allowing light to be collected from the spaces between cells. In short, enough technique, let's see what this sensor has in the belly.

For this first series of photos, the conditions were really ideal, the sun dominated a slightly hazy sky and the grazing light at the end of the afternoon brought a touch of warmth to the vegetation. From the first photo, I noticed that the colors were highly saturated. At first I thought I forgot to turn off HDR or AI but no, everything was turned off. This saturation varies according to the dominance of the colors. You will notice that in the photos where the blue is dominant (by the sky or the water), the saturation is clearly more visible. This treatment produces quite vivid photos that will surely appeal to a large audience, but this choice for saturation can sometimes give the photos an unnatural aspect. I see that sometimes the sky turns a little purple. If you are the type to look for flaws in the details of your photos, you will undoubtedly also find chromatic aberration as well as mixtures of colors which are sometimes a little curious.

The other element that I noticed from the first photo is the sharpness. Looking at the freshly taken photos, I had the distinct impression that the sharpness was quite high and this was confirmed by looking at the photos on a larger screen. Sharpness is essential to take good photos, so it's a good thing but sometimes too much sharpness leads to the opposite of the expected result and this is particularly the case for the X2 zoom where I find that the quality of the photo deteriorates quite strongly. The quality always degrades with digital zoom but I find it very noticeable on this phone.

I took many photos so that you can judge if this phone will produce photos that you will like because beyond the technical aspect, there is a purely subjective aspect to it. 'appreciation of the photos. This excess saturation is not technically correct, but that does not mean that the photos will not look good.

Ultra wide angle sensor: Sony IMX 355
Xiaomi has used this ultra wide angle sensor for many phones this year and that's not a bad thing because despite the inherent flaws in the angle (distortion, smoothing, ...), this Sony IMX 355 is capable of producing beautiful photos when the light is good. The colors are correctly saturated and the level of detail is good in the center for this kind of sensor. The sharpness decreases at the periphery especially for the subjects which are close. This type of sensor should ideally be used for landscapes where the subjects are far from the lens because as the focus is fixed, you have to find the right distance to take the photos. Ultra wide-angle sensors usually don't produce very good photos, but this Sony IMX 355 does pretty well.

Photo test / cloudy

Not yet available / tested

Test photo / night

Not yet available / tested

Video quality

Stabilisation

4k video stabilization is rarely effective on the mid-range and yet this is the second time this year that I have tested a phone between 200 and 300 € capable of stabilizing 4k videos correctly . Stabilization softens the shocks caused by walking and although the recalculation of the pixels is sometimes still visible, the jerky movements are well absorbed.

Video normale conditions
The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite is capable of producing videos at 4K 30 fps, which has also become the standard in this price range. The videos produced by the Samsung GW3 sensor have the same characteristics as the photo part, the colors are richly saturated and the sharpness of the image is enhanced. The movements are smooth and the focus is fast, however I see that the exposure changes are slightly visible. Despite the resolution, the zoom is not very usable for the same reasons as those mentioned in my photo test. The sharpness is so enhanced that as soon as you use the digital zoom, the quality degrades very quickly. Here too the use of the zoom is not recommended. I did a second video in portrait mode with a high detail backdrop to show the level of sharpness this phone is capable of delivering. The work on the pixels is clearly visible, you just have to zoom in to realize that the pixels are constantly recalculated, it gives an impression of flickering.

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite therefore produces beautiful videos with a quality quite comparable to the Redmi Note 10 Pro but with more sharpness and greater color saturation.

Video low light

Not yet available / tested

Audio quality

To test the quality of the phone's audio output, I connect the device's audio output to a measuring tool, then play sounds on all frequencies and measure the differences between the original sound and the sound produced by the phone. In this way I measure the phone's ability to correctly reproduce all sounds.

Frequency Response

This test is intended to test the device's ability to correctly reproduce all frequencies. The white line in the middle of the graph is the ideal situation and the other colors come from tests on different phones. A deviation from the reference line indicates a deviation from the ideal situation. To see good sound at all frequencies, it is therefore necessary to get as close as possible to the reference line.
Dynamic Range

This test is designed to test a phone's ability to play sounds at different volume levels. Here too, the phones must be as close as possible to the reference.
Noise Level

This test aims to identify if the device under test is able to reproduce sounds without too much noise. A high score indicates a low parasite rate, a lower score indicates a higher presence of parasites.

Screen quality

To test the screen, I use a colorimetric probe that measures the color accuracy of a screen, as well as other parameters to see if a screen is able to correctly reproduce an image. I also test the brightness level to determine if the screen will be able to display an image in full sunlight.

Colorimetry

The Mi XX Lite range is often equipped with good screens, the Mi 10 Lite was also one of the best screens in terms of colorimetry. The Mi 11 Lite has a slightly less accurate colorimetry but it still offers exceptional colorimetry and is one of the best screens I have tested. To obtain the best color rendering, however, you must change the color temperature in the settings and choose the standard colors. Beyond the colorimetry, the screen can operate in 60hz (default choice) or 90hz to ensure a beautiful fluidity of the movements, the screen is also very sensitive to the touch, it also use a frequency of 240hz to have a exemplary responsiveness.



Brightness / Contrast

I had been a little surprised by the brightness announced by Xiaomi for this Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite because the data sheet indicates that the screen is capable of producing 800 cd / m², it is absolutely huge, so I first thought it was a mistake but it is not. I pushed the brightness to the maximum and used the sun mode to get just a little less than 800 cd / m². It is one of the brightest screens I have had the opportunity to test and you will be able to use it in all conditions, even under intense sun.

The Mi 11 Lite's screen is an Amoled screen, which means blacks are truly black and the contrast is almost infinite. I am seeing more and more Amoled displays in this price range so it is no longer something exceptional but if you come from an LCD / IPS display you are going to see the difference.

Biometry

The Mi 11 Lite is equipped with a side fingerprint sensor like most Xiaomi phones that came out this year, it is also often the same sensor that is used. This sensor works really great to the point that I have a hard time switching back to another type of sensor. Samsung seems to want to continue to offer sensors on the screen, it is undoubtedly more aesthetic but much less effective.

Operating system

Encoutered bugs

Not yet available / tested

Accessories Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite

Compare Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite with the others

Test / Review conclusion

I still have to finalize some details for this test but that will not change the conclusion. The Mi 11 Lite returns to its origins with an ultra thin format, light weight and a glass finish. This format is also one of the strengths of this phone because the Chinese have started a race that results in the marketing of increasingly large and heavier phones, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite is sailing against the tide and it will undoubtedly be a very good thing for all those who were tired of walking around with a brick in their trouser pocket.

Obviously, the choice of a phone does not stop with its size or its weight, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite offers other advantages. It is in particular the first Xiaomi to use the Samsung GW3 photo sensor which offers good sharpness in photos and high saturation which will make your photos more vivid (but less natural). The Mi 11 Lite also offers effective stabilization in 4k, this is quite rare in this price range and videos follow the same path as photos, sharpness is good and colors are more vivid / saturated.

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite is equipped with an Amoled screen, this gives it good contrast but that's not all, the Mi 11 Lite offers very accurate colorimetry. It ranks in the top 3 at the time of this writing. To complete the picture, I would also add that the screen is very, very bright, with 800 cd / m², you can use it in direct sunlight without any problems.

On the performance side, the Mi 11 Lite ranks average, Xiaomi sells other more powerful models at a lower price. Performance is therefore not the hobbyhorse of this Mi 11 Lite but it is powerful enough to appeal to a general public. Gamers, on the other hand, should opt for a Poco X3 Pro.

We often forget it, but at the base, a telephone is used to ... telephone. The Mi 11 Lite offers excellent network sensitivity which will allow you to keep the signal longer and achieve good download speed. Xiaomi has come a long way at this level over the past 12 months and traditional brands cannot always do better.

Does the phone have any faults? I wouldn't go that far, I would rather talk about weaknesses. I noticed a fairly significant difference in sensitivity in wifi between the 2.4Ghz frequency and the 5Ghz frequency, the signal sensitivity was better in 5Ghz, but this does not make sense. The download speed was also slower than other phones in the same price range.

Strengths

- finish, size / weight
- screen quality
- network sensitivity
- photo sharpness
- 4k video stabilization

Weaknesses

- wifi sensitivity
- wifi download speed
- photos sometimes too saturated

Alternatives to this product

Not yet available / tested

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