Redmi 11 Prime 5G: Geared Up for Next-Generation Connectivity, but Is It Enough?

Redmi 11 Prime 5G — the company's latest 5G-capable smartphone — was launched in India on September 6 alongside the Redmi 11 Prime 4G. It sports a 6.58-inch IPS display with a 90Hz refresh rate, and is powered by an octa-core 7nm MediaTek Dimensity 700 chipset. It features a 50-megapixel rear camera, along with 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 entrants in a growing line of affordable 5G smartphones, even though the next-generation connectivity is yet to be rolled out in India.

With 5G connectivity expected in certain parts of the country in time for the upcoming festival season, is the Redmi Prime 5G a smartphone worth your consideration? Orbital host Akhil Arora talks to Reviewer Pranav Hegde and Consultant Sub Editor Siddhant Chandra about Redmi's latest smartphone on this week's episode of the Gadgets 360 podcast.

Pranav says that the Redmi 11 Prime 5G will come with support for 7 5G bands, which means that it will support 22 circles from Jio and Airtel and 17 circles from Vodafone Idea in India, which are expected to roll out completely by the end of next year. It is equipped with an entry-level MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor, which means that you shouldn't be looking at this phone if you are a gamer. Phones with the Dimensity 810 should be a better choice if you're looking for a gaming phone with 5G connectivity, he says.

With most affordable phones you have to “pay the 5G tax”, Pranav says, adding that because it's a relatively new technology, everything is expensive and the cost is passed on to the consumer. While you may not get the best of 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 that the 6GB RAM option would be a better choice. 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 you want reliable day to day performance with 4G, this might be a decent option, Pranav says.

Redmi 11 Prime 5G First Impressions: Unlocking 5G at an Affordable Price

Akhil also asks whether budget 5G devices will offer reliable 5G connectivity. It depends on a variety of factors, including the modem, the number of bands, and how dense the population is where you live, according to Pranav. Since this is a budget phone with a fairly efficient processor, 5G shouldn't prevent 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 offers decent performance, he says, while the rear camera setup comprises a 50-megapixel and a 2-megapixel sensor. You might want to temper your expectations, though, and quality may vary based on certain conditions. The phone comes with Widevine L1 support for HD streaming, but you have an LCD display, which is okay for streaming content online indoors, but may feel like a downgrade when compared to other phones with AMOLED displays.

You can listen to all of that in detail and more in our episode by hitting the play button on the Spotify player embedded above.

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