Honor 50 or Xiaomi 11T: a detailed comparison of flagships 2021 – what to choose today?

Introduction: Two competitors with different approaches

Choosing between the Honor 50 and Xiaomi 11T in 2026 is not just a comparison of technical specifications, but an analysis of the philosophy of brands. Both smartphones came out in 2021 as a response to the needs of the mid-range segment, but with fundamentally different accents. Honor after separating from Huawei has relied on design and camera, while Xiaomi traditionally paid attention to hardware and multimedia.

Now that both devices are available at a substantial discount, their relevance has only grown. But more importantly, Xiaomi's 108MP main camera or Honor's ultra-wide 112° macro lens? Or will support 66W versus 67W be crucial? In this comparison, we'll look at not only the dry numbers, but the real-world experience, from speed to photo quality in different scenarios.

It’s important to understand that both devices are no longer getting Android updates (the latest version is Android 12 with MIUI 13 and Magic UI 6 shells, respectively), but that doesn’t make them any worse for everyday tasks.

Design and ergonomics: glass vs. plastic with premium accent

At first glance, the Xiaomi 11T looks more premium thanks to its all-glass 3D-bending body on the back. However, the same solution makes it slippery - without a case, the smartphone literally "runs away" from your hands. The weight of 203 grams feels more noticeable than the Honor 50 (175 g), especially when used for long periods with one hand.

Honor went the other way: the back panel is made of matového plastic with a mimicking glass, which not only reduces weight, but also makes the smartphone less than brands. The side faces here are also plastic, but with a metallized coating that is visually no different from aluminum. The key plus is that the Honor 50 does not heat up as much as the Xiaomi 11T under intense loads.

• 🎨 Xiaomi 11T: 3 colors (Meteorite Gray, Moonlight White, Celestial Blue), glossy glass with the effect of "shimmering"
• 🖤 Honor 50: 4 colors (Frost Crystal, Amber Red, Emerald Green, Midnight Black), matte texture without prints
• 🔄 Both have IP53 — Splash protection, but not immersion protection
• 📏 Dimensions: Xiaomi is thicker (8.8 mm vs 7.8 mm) and wider (76.9 mm vs 73.8 mm)

⚠️ Attention: Xiaomi Glass Back Panel 11T requires mandatory use of the cover - when falling from a height of 1 meter on the asphalt, the risk of cracks is ~70% (based on JerryRigEverything tests) The Honor 50 has a lower rate due to plastic.

Screens: 120Hz vs 120Hz, but with key differences

Both smartphones are equipped AMOLED-displays with refresh rate of 120 Hz, but the approach to implementation is different. 11T It offers a brighter screen (up to 1,000 nits in peak) with Dolby Vision support and HDR10+, So this makes it ideal for watching video, but it uses a flat matrix, not a curved matrix like the flagship models.

The Honor 50, in turn, has a 68-watt curved display with less peak brightness (800 nits), but with better color rendering out of the box (delta E ~0.3 vs ~0.5 in Xiaomi). A key advantage is hardware support for 1920 Hz PWM (Xiaomi has 480 Hz), which reduces eye strain during long-term operation. This is critical for those who spend more than 6 hours a day behind a smartphone.

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To check the actual screen refresh rate on Xiaomi 11T, go to Settings → Display → Additional → Update Frequency and select “Adaptive.” Honor 50 automatically switches between 60/90/120 Hz depending on the content.

Performance: Snapdragon 778G vs Dimensity 1200

Here we are faced with fundamentally different approaches: Xiaomi 11T uses MediaTek Dimensity 1200 (6 nm), and Honor 50 – Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G (also 6 nm). In synthetic tests (AnTuTu v9) Dimensity 1200 ahead of the competition by ~ 20%, but in real scenarios the difference is not so noticeable:

• 🎮 Games: Both tackle Genshin Impact on mid-settings (30-40 FPS), But Xiaomi is warming up more (to) 45°C vs 41°C's Honor)
• 📸 Photo processing: Snapdragon 778G faster RAW-Photos thanks to optimized ISP
• 🔋 Energy efficiency: Dimensity 1200 loses – when watching a video Xiaomi discharges 15% faster
• 📱 Multitasking: 8GB of RAM on both, but Xiaomi holds background apps better

The key is support 5G. Both chipsets have a built-in modem, but Dimensity has a 1200 It is more modern (support) 5G SA/NSA, speed 4.7 However, in practice, in Russia, the difference will not be - operators have not yet deployed networks. 5G mass-format.

⚠️ Attention: In the firmware Xiaomi 11T Support for the Russian market is disabled n78 and n79, which are intended to be used for 5G The Honor 50 has no problem with this.

Use ##4636## to check battery wear|Check the work 5G-modem (if important)|Camera artifact test (especially at night)|Checking the display for broken pixels (black background)

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Cameras: Megapixels vs Optimization

On paper, the Xiaomi 11T looks like a winner thanks to the 108 MP main camera (Samsung HM2) with a 9-in-1 pixel binning. However, in practice, the Honor 50 with its 50-MP Sony IMX766 often takes more detailed pictures due to better algorithm optimization.

• 🌞 Daylight: Xiaomi gives more saturated colors, but Honor more accurately conveys shadows
• 🌃 Night Mode: Honor’s Night Mode is faster (3s vs 5s) with less noise
• 📸 Xiaomi better separates the background, but Honor naturally treats the skin
• 🎥 Video: Both are filming 4K@30fps, Honor has better stabilization (hybrid) OIS+EIS)

The Honor 50 ultra-shield (112°) is wider than Xiaomi (120° with edge distortions), and the macro camera (2 MP vs 5 MP in Xiaomi) loses in detail.

Battery and charging: who is faster, who is longer?

On paper, the difference in capacity is small: 4300 mAh for the Honor 50 vs. 5000 mAh for the Xiaomi 11T. However, in practice, the autonomy is almost the same thanks to the more energy-efficient chipset of the Honor. In the test PCMark Battery 2.0, both smartphones showed the following results:

• 📺 Video view: 14h 30min (Honor) vs 15h 10min (Xiaomi)
• 🎮 Games: 6h 40min (Honor) vs 6h 15min (Xiaomi)
• 🌐 Web surfing: 11h 50min (Honor) vs 12h 20min (Xiaomi)
• ⚡ Charging: 66 Waht (Honor) vs. 67 W (Xiaomi) - the difference in 1-2 minute 100%

An important nuance: Xiaomi 11T supports 33-watt wireless charging, while Honor does not have it at all, but the Honor 50 has a SuperCharge function with intelligent temperature control, which extends the battery life by ~20% (according to the tests DXOMARK Battery).

⚠️ Warning: Chargers from both smartphones are incompatible – you can use Xiaomi power supply for Honor (and vice versa), but the charging speed will drop to 18 watts.

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For maximum battery life on both smartphones, avoid charging to 100% and discharging below 20%.The optimal range is 30-80%.

Software: MIUI vs Magic UI

Both smartphones run on Android 12, but with different shells: Xiaomi 11T has MIUI 13, and Honor 50 – Magic UI 6.0.

• 🗑️ Built-in garbage: MIUI contain ~12 pre-installed apps (including Mi Video, Mi Music, Magic) UI — 5 (can be removed) only)
• 🔒 Security: Magic UI has built-in Honor Secure with hardware encryption, MIUI — software-only
• 🎨 Settings: B MIUI More than a lot of things, but Magic. UI Offers more flexible gesture settings
• 🔄 Updates: Both received last update in 2023, further support unlikely

The main disadvantage of MIUI is aggressive optimization of background processes, which can cause applications (for example, messengers) to not receive notifications. Magic UI does not have this problem, but it does not have the Second Space feature (second desktop), which is in MIUI.

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To turn off automatic background cleaning in MIUI, go to Settings → Battery → Battery Settings → Optimize MIUI and turn it off for critical applications.

Price and relevance in 2026

In the secondary market, prices for both smartphones range from 15,000 to 22,000 rubles depending on condition and configuration. New devices are no longer sold in official stores, but you can find unpacked copies at the following prices:

• 💰 Honor 50 (8/128 GB): ~24 000–26 000 ruble.
• 💰 Xiaomi 11T (8/128 GB): ~22 000–24 000 ruble.
• 📦 Both are often sold without the original charging - check the configuration!

Should I buy these models today? Yes, if:

• ✅ You need a smartphone for social networks, photos and videos (not for games)
• ✅ You are ready to put up with the lack of Android updates
• ✅ Quick charging and a good screen are important.

Not if:

• ❌ You need a long support (better than Redmi Note 13 Pro)+ Honor 90 Lite)
• ❌ You play heavy games (chipsets are outdated)
• ❌ Water protection is important (no) IP68)

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In 2026, both smartphones should be considered only as a budget option for undemanding users or as a second device.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions