Skip to main content

Redmi’s Note 11 global launch comes with a few big surprises

If you’ve been tracking the journey of the Redmi Note 11 series for the past few months, chances are you already know that these devices have been on sale in China for quite some time now. We also know pretty much everything there is to know about its hardware. But it turns out that Redmi could still spring a few surprises at the launch event since there are rumored to be some big difference between the Chinese model and the global model.

Hours after Xiaomi took to its social media platforms to confirm the January 26 launch date for the global Redmi Note 11 series, the good folks over at TechInsider released images of the Redmi Note 11 Pro, the top-end variant of the product lineup. The images seem to indicate that the global edition of the Redmi Note 11 will be somewhat different-looking from its China-only sibling. And if we are to believe the specs mentioned alongside the product shots, the changes may trickle over to the hardware as well.

Here is the list of changes that the global variant of the Redmi Note 11 Pro appears to have over the existing Chinese variant.

  • The camera array looks markedly different, with the positions of the lenses completely changed. The global edition seems to get a primary lens at the top, followed by two vertically stacked lenses. The Chinese model retains the position of the primary lens, but the two other lenses are positioned next to each other instead of being stacked vertically. The same goes for the A.I. logo and the LED flash module.
  • There seems to be a slight change in the battery capacity on the global variant of the Redmi Note 11 Pro with the capacity going down slightly — from 5160mAh to 5000mAh.
  • The global edition of the Redmi Note 11 Pro is likely to get a midrange Qualcomm Snapdragon chip (likely the Snapdragon 695 or the Snapdragon 750G). The Chinese variant, however, uses the MediaTek Dimensity 920 chip.
  • The color options that will be on offer also look completely different. The global variant appears to get four color options, while users in China can buy the phone in five color options.

The Chinese variants of the Redmi Note 11 series debuted in October 2021 in China and consisted of three models: The Redmi Note 11 (separate 4G and 5G models), Redmi Note 11 Pro, and the Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus.

Interestingly, the Redmi Note 11 series also saw a limited launch in India, where the company launched a single device called the Redmi Note 11T — which was basically a rebranded version of the Chinese variant of the Redmi Note 11. Xiaomi’s sub-rand Poco launched the same device as the Poco M4 Pro 5G in Europe.

The global launch of the Redmi Note 11 lineup will see these devices officially arrive in Europe, Russia, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Thailand, among other countries. But, surprisingly, one of Xiaomi’s most important markets — India — seems to be missing from the list, and Redmi fans in that country will have to stay content with the Redmi Note 11T for the time being.

Editors' Recommendations

Rahul Srinivas
Rahul is a smartphone buff turned tech journalist who has been tinkering with all things mobile since the early 2000s. He has…
The OnePlus 11 is launching on February 7 with two fan-favorite features
Event teaser for The OnePlus 11 "Cloud 11" event.

OnePlus is planning on starting the new year off with a bang by revealing the much-anticipated OnePlus 11. Launching on February 7 during the company's annual first-quarter showcase, the OnePlus 11 boasts the return of two user-favorite features: the company's signature alert slider and Hasselblad photography integration — both of which were absent on the OnePlus 10T.

Although OnePlus is still keeping most of the official details about the OnePlus 11 under wraps until February, there have been plenty of leaks and rumors surrounding the phone — and they've painted it as a worthy successor to the OnePlus 10T, the company's most recent flagship.

Read more
This Android phone charges from 0 to 100% in under 10 minutes — and you can’t have it
Xiaomi 12 Pro and charging block.

The charging benchmarks set by Android phones are quite astounding — with some phones being able to charge at 200 watts. If that wasn’t enough, a new Android phone takes it up a notch.

Xiaomi’s newly launched smartphone, the Redmi Note 12 Explorer, brings 210W charging, which is the fastest on any smartphone we've seen to date. The proprietary charging tech charges the phone to 66 percent in five minutes and up to 100 percent in about nine minutes. This is extremely impressive considering that the flagship offerings from the likes of Apple and Google take close to two hours for a complete charge.

Read more
Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus vs. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Camera clash
Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus camera module.

The budget segment is getting more competitive with each passing day in Europe and Asia due to the presence of Chinese brands. Xiaomi's Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus is the latest entrant in the Note lineup, which is known for providing high-end features on a budget. The latest phone is no different. It packs a 120Hz AMOLED display, 108-megapixel camera, 67-watt fast charging and starts at approximately $237 (converted from Indian rupees).

But how good is the 108MP camera? Does it offer anything or is it just there to make the device look good on paper? To find out, I compared the Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 108MP camera results with the industry-leading Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra's 108MP camera. In terms of pricing, it's night and day. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra starts at $1,199, almost six times more than the Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus.

Read more