Is Xiaomi Mi 11X the Best Phone to Buy Under Rs. 35,000 in India?

Xiaomi last week launched the Mi 11X alongside the Mi 11X Pro and Mi 11 Ultra in India. Unlike the other two models, the Mi 11X comes in under Rs. 30,000. The Xiaomi phone, however, doesn't make many compromises — at least on the specifications sheet. The Mi 11X comes with a Samsung-made E4 AMOLED display that has a 120Hz refresh rate. It is also powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 870 SoC. The Mi 11X specifications makes it a highly comparable device against the OnePlus Nord, but that phone is due for a refresh. On this week's episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast, host Akhil Arora speaks with Gadgets 360 reviews editor Jamshed Avari and reviewer Aditya Shenoy to discover whether the Mi 11X is the best phone to pick for its price segment.

Though the Mi 11X starts at Rs. 29,999 for the 6GB RAM + 128GB storage configuration, you can future proof yourself with Rs. 31,999 with the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage variant.

The Mi 11X comes with features such as Gorilla Glass 5 and IP53 rating that brings some level of physical endurance and resilience that could convince some people. But on software front of the Mi 11X is like the earlier Xiaomi models as it runs on Android 11-based MIUI 12, which carries some ads and bloatware. The triple rear camera setup of the phone is not that eye-catching when it comes to the megapixel count and due to the lack of a fourth (read depth) sensor — though it does offer an interesting "telemacro" sensor.

Mi 11X Review: Premium Specs at an Attention-Grabbing Price

The Mi 11X isn't really a new phone, though. Xiaomi has essentially rebranded the Redmi K40 that was launched in China in February. The Mi 11X hardware is also identical to the Poco F3 that debuted last month in some markets as the successor to the Poco F1. However, instead of bringing the Mi 11X with the Redmi or Poco branding, the Chinese manufacturer chose to give its Mi identity to the new phone in India. That's likely because it wants the Mi 11X to be seen as a premium phone, considering the legacy of the Redmi and Poco series in India.

Nevertheless, the combination of hardware and pricing makes the Mi 11X an interesting pick. The phone competes with the likes of the Realme X7 Pro 5G, Samsung Galaxy A52, and the iQoo 7.

Anthony Mackie as Captain America in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Photo Credit: Chuck Zlotnick/Marvel Studios

In the second half of the episode, Gadgets 360 chief sub-editor Shayak Majumder and deputy news editor Veer Arjun Singh — both Marvel fans — join host Akhil to discuss the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The series, centred on Sam Wilson/ Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes/ Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), finished its six-episode run last Friday on Disney+ and Disney+ Hotstar.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is all about how Sam goes from being the Falcon to the new Captain America. Bucky is secondary in the title and very much secondary in the story. The Marvel series introduced and brought back a number of villains, including Zemo (Daniel Brühl), Power Broker/ Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp), the Flag Smashers and their leader Karli Morgenthau (Erin Kellyman), and Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus).

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Review: MCU's Second Generation Off to a Rocky Start

We talk about all those characters and their arcs on The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. And we also touch upon the show's themes, its narrative failings, and that new Captain America suit. Hit play on the episode to discover our favourite parts from the new Marvel series — and how we felt it compared to its predecessor WandaVision.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Creator Malcolm Spellman Answers Your Biggest Questions

Listen to the full discussion by following the Gadgets 360 podcast Orbital, which is available on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Please rate us, and leave a review.

You can also write to us at podcast@gadgets360.com with your feedback, questions, or comments. New Orbital episodes drop every Friday.