It's not the first Xiaomi phone to punch above its weight, but the Mi 11 gets closer than ever to actually besting more mainstream rivals. By blending impeccable performance, a gorgeous screen and capable camera with premium styling, it both looks and feels every bit the flagship handset. MIUI continues to have its quirks, but the extensive feature list goes a long way to compensate. There's perhaps not enough breathing room between it and the Samsung Galaxy S21 to make it a proper bargain, though, and more affordable efforts from last year like the OnePlus 8T still look very competitive. Still, if Xiaomi wasn't on your radar before, it absolutely should be now.

Premium looks and quality construction; Flagship hardware at a sensible price; Hi-res main camera capable of great photos;

Secondary snappers only average; Software not as refined as big-name rivals; One or two missing features stop it from being the complete package;

The Xiaomi Mi 11 is one of the best premium phones you should consider buying, as it’s well-specced in almost every department: it has super-fast processing, a high screen resolution with extra display modes, and some camera modes and features the competition lacks. It’s just a shame that the sub-par battery life and unreliable fingerprint scanners mar the experience.

Fast performance; Some top photography modes; Good-looking screen;

Temperamental fingerprint scanner; Battery life is lacking; No telephoto camera

The Xiaomi Mi 11 is a tempting phone for the price, and will have you wanting to part with your cash for it over rivals such as the Galaxy S21. In many ways, this is an excellent device; the screen, performance and charging are all top-tier. It isn't quite perfect, though: there are some issues, especially around the software.

Strong display; Excellent performance in all areas; Likely far more affordable than similarly specced phones; Quick to charge;

It’s very big, with no smaller option; The software is buggy; No IP rating; Camera choices aren’t always the best;

The Mi 11 is almost unbeatable on hardware for the price, trouncing rivals on charging, camera, and display tech - and it looks slick too. This is a brilliant phone that's only held back by software that can't quite keep up with the competition.

Fast performance; Great main camera; Attractive design; Phenomenal value;

MIUI still sorta sucks; No IP rating; No telephoto camera;

At this price, it's certainly worth you mulling over the Mi 11. It's packed full of potential and - aside from software and a lack of optical zoom in the camera setup - brings the fight to Samsung, OnePlus, et al.

Gorgeous design with curved screen edges; Capable main camera setup - telemacro option is fun too; Smooth and fast performance; Great price for a Snapdragon 888 device;

No zoom lenses - and telemacro needs stabilisation; Some black crush from low-brightness screen; Software quirks (MIUI v12.0.1 as reviewed) such as notification fails; No water-resistance rating;

If you’ve looked at the Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus and shrugged, nonplussed by the decent-but-not-outstanding specifications, then the Xiaomi Mi 11 may be exactly what you’re looking for. It boasts the kind of specs and feature list that we expect from Samsung’s sensibly sized flagship S Series phones, and then charges less than even the simplest Galaxy S21 for the pleasure of owning the device. Xiaomi has long excelled in delivering strong on-paper specs coupled with a great value price, but then stumbled when it comes to usability and polish. It has a great chance to impress with the Mi 11, so has it done so? With its metal frame, curved Gorilla Glass Victus over the screen, and Gorilla Glass 5 for the back panel, the Xiaomi Mi 11 is made from exactly the materials we expect to find on a top-level smartphone today. The shade of the icy blue color on the back of my Mi 11 subtly changes when it catches the light, it doesn’t attract too many fingerprints, and the overall footprint ...

Stunning screen; Capable 108MP camera; Very fast wired and wireless charging;

Poor battery life; Software still needs polish; No widespread availability (yet);

Premium looks and quality construction; Flagship hardware at a sensible price; Hi-res main camera capable of great photos;

Secondary snappers only average; Software not as refined as big-name rivals; One or two missing features stop it from being the complete package;