The Redmi 11 Prime 5G – the company’s latest 5G-enabled smartphone – was launched in India on September 6, along with the Redmi 11 Prime 4G. It features a 6.58-inch IPS display with a 90Hz refresh rate and is powered by an octa-core 7nm MediaTek Dimensity 700 chipset. It has a 50-megapixel rear camera, an 8-megapixel selfie camera. The handset is backed by a 5,000mAh battery with support for 18W wired charging. The Redmi 11 Prime 5G is one of the latest entries in the growing line of affordable 5G smartphones, though the next-generation connectivity is yet to be rolled out in India.
With 5G connectivity expected in some parts of the country during the upcoming festive season, is the Redmi Prime 5G smartphone right for you? Orbital host Akhil Arora discusses Redmi’s latest smartphone with critic Pranab Hegde and consulting sub-editor Siddhant Chandra in this week’s episode of the Gadgets 360 podcast.
Pranav says the Redmi 11 Prime 5G will support 7 5G bands, which means it will support 22 circles from Jio and Airtel and 17 circles from Vodafone Idea in India, which is expected to be fully rolled out by the end of next year. The Varsh is equipped with an entry-level MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor, which means that if you’re a gamer, look no further than this phone. If you’re looking for a gaming phone with 5G connectivity, a phone with Dimensity 810 should be a good choice, he says.
With affordable phones you have to “pay the 5G tax”, says Pranav, adding that since it is a relatively new technology, everything is expensive and the cost is passed on to consumers. While you may not get the best value, you’ll be ahead of the curve with 5G connectivity — especially if you live in a metro where 5G is expected to be available by the end of the year.
Akhil asks if the 4G RAM model of the Redmi 11 Prime 5G will be enough for users, and Pranav says the 6GB RAM option would be better. But what about the 4G variant of the Redmi 11 Prime?
Compared to the Redmi 11 Prime 5G, the company’s 4G model only comes with an additional third camera and a powerful 4G chipset in the same price range. If you’re not a gamer and want reliable day-to-day performance with 4G, this could be a good option, says Pranav.
Redmi 11 Prime 5G First Impressions: Unlocking 5G at an affordable price
Akhil also asks whether budget 5G devices will offer reliable 5G connectivity. According to Pranav, it depends on various factors including the modem, the number of bands and how dense the population is where you live. Since this is a budget phone with a fairly efficient processor, 5G won’t stop you from using the phone for two days on a single charge.
What about the camera and streaming capabilities, Sid asks Pranav. The Redmi 11 Prime 5G has a selfie camera that performs well, he says, while the rear camera setup includes 50-megapixel and 2-megapixel sensors. You may have to lower your expectations and quality may vary based on certain circumstances. The phone comes with Widevine L1 support for HD streaming, but you have an LCD display, which is fine for streaming content online at home, but can feel a bit subdued compared to other phones with AMOLED displays.
You can hear it all in detail and more in our episode by hitting the play button on the Spotify player embedded above.
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