Which Xiaomi smartphone to choose in 2021: a detailed guide with a comparison of models

Choosing a Xiaomi smartphone in 2021 is a tough task. A Chinese man has released more than 20 models in a year, from budget Redmis to premium Mi 11 Ultras with a price tag of 100,000 rubles. Eyes run out, and marketers pour fuel on the fire, touting each new product as a “breakthrough of the year.” But how do you know what you really need?

This article is not about abstract "best smartphones," but about specific choices for your tasks.

• 📱 Flagships 2021 – for whom it is really worth overpaying for Snapdragon 888 and 120 Hz
• 💰 Budget up to 15,000₽ — Where to find a balance between price and productivity
• 🎮 The game is called Black Shark 4 Pro vs. POCO F3: What's best for gamers?
• 📸 Cameras – which models give the best photos in 2021 (spoiler: not always flagships)

All recommendations are based on real-world tests (including benchmarks and shooting in different conditions) rather than presentation slides, and at the end of the article, a 5-step checklist that will help you decide on your choice in 10 minutes.

1. Xiaomi 2021 flagships: should you overpay?

In 2021, Xiaomi launched three top-of-the-line models: the Mi 11, Mi 11 Pro and Mi 11 Ultra, all built on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, but the differences in screens, cameras and price are huge.

Mi 11 Ultra is not just a smartphone, but the first mass-produced device with a screen 2K+120 Hz and secondary display on the back. It's overtaken even by the Samsung Galaxy. S21 Ultra in DXOMark's camera tests (143 vs 121). But there are three critical points:

• 🔋 The battery 5000 mAh sits down in 4-5 hours with active use of 120 Hz
• 💸 Price starts at 80,000₽ — more expensive than many laptops
• 📏 Dimensions: 164×75 mm 234 gram - not for small hands

Mi 11 Pro – “light” version of Ultra: the same chipset, but without a secondary display, with a camera on the camera 108 MP (instead of MP) 50+48+48 MP) and the battery on 5000 The main plus is the price from 60 000₽. Suitable for those who want flagship features, but are not willing to pay for the “chips” that you use once a month.

The Mi 11 is the most balanced variant among the flagships.

• 🔹 Screen. AMOLED 2K 120 Hz (like Ultra but without secondary display)
• 🔹 108 MP camera with Samsung optics ISOCELL
• 🔹 Battery 4600 mAh with support 55W fast-charging
• 🔹 Price from 45,000₽ — 20–30% cheaper than competitors

⚠️ Note: All flagships Xiaomi 2021 lack a slot for memory cards and 3.5 mm audio jack. If you need these features, look aside POCO F3 or Redmi K40 Pro.

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Unless you need a bell and whistle like a secondary display or maximum camera performance, the Mi 11 offers 90% of the flagship’s capabilities at 60% price.

2 Budget up to 15,000₽: Which Xiaomi Should Consider?

In the segment up to 15,000₽ Xiaomi offers two key families: the Redmi Note and the Redmi Note. POCO M. The main rule: do not take models older than 2020 – they are already outdated (for example, Redmi Note 8 Pro with Helio). G90T Loses to new smartphones 2-3 times in performance).

The Redmi Note 10 Pro is the best choice in this budget.

• 🔹 Screen. AMOLED 120 Hz (rare for public sector workers)
• 🔹 Snapdragon processor 732G — pull-out PUBG Mobile on Medium Settings
• 🔹 108MP camera (although the real quality is closer to 48MP due to binning)
• 🔹 Battery 5020 mAh with support 33W charging

Minus one, no. 5G, But in 2021, this is not critical for most regions of Russia.

POCO M3 Pro 5G — Alternatives for those who need 5G priced 4G. Here's the Dimensity 700 processor, weaker than the Snapdragon 732G, But with support for new networks), a 90 Hz screen and a 5000 mAh battery. The main drawback is a plastic case that looks cheap.

Redmi 9T — If you want maximum battery life, there's 6,000 mAh (a 2021 smartphone record), but the screen is only 60 Hz, and the Snapdragon 662 processor is a bit weak for gaming:

• 📞 Taxi drivers, couriers, logistics drivers – who need 2-3 days of autonomy
• 🎧 Audiophiles: there is a 3.5 mm connector and stereo speakers
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family use (strong body, spray protection)

⚠️ Attention: In budget Xiaomi often encountered a problem with the autofocus camera in low light. If shooting in the dark is critical, take a Samsung Galaxy A22 Instead of Redmi Note 10.

Make sure the model is not released before 2021|Check availability NFC (if you need a contactless payment)|Compare prices in official stores and on AliExpress (the difference can reach 30%)|Read reviews about a specific revision (for example, the Redmi Note 10 Pro comes with a screen from Samsung or the other one). BOE — quality is different)-->

3. Gaming smartphones: POCO F3 vs Black Shark 4 Pro

If you need a smartphone solely for gaming, the 2021 choice comes down to two models: POCO F3 Both are built on the Snapdragon 870 (an improved version of 865), but the cooling and screen approach is different.

Black Shark 4 Pro is a specialized gaming smartphone with:

• 🎮 Physical Pop-up triggers (tuneable buttons on side faces)
• 🔥 Liquid cooling system with external cooler complete
• 🖥 144 Hz screen with support HDR10+
• 🔋 Battery 4500 mAh with charging 120W (charge in 15 minutes)

Cons: price from 50,000₽ and inconvenient for everyday use (weight 220 g, aggressive design).

POCO F3 — more universal:

• 🔹 The same Snapdragon 870, but without additional cooling
• 🔹 120 Hz screen AMOLED (It is worse than Black Shark, but brighter)
• 🔹 Battery 4520 mAh with charging 33W
• 🔹 Price from 30,000₽ — almost 2 times cheaper

The key question is, how important are 144Hz and triggers to you? If you play Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile at maximum settings, take Black Shark 4 Pro. PUBG Mobile, Brawl Stars or Among Us is enough POCO F3.

4.The best cameras in Xiaomi smartphones 2021

In 2021, Xiaomi made a leap in photography: the Mi 11 Ultra overtook the iPhone 12 Pro Max in DXOMark tests, and budget models learned to shoot at night almost like the flagships of two years ago.

Top.-3 quality:

1. Mi 11 Ultra is the best camera on the market (according to DXOMark) and the main advantage is optical zoom. 5× sensor 1/1.12" (bigger than the iPhone 12). The night shoots almost without noise.
2. The Mi 11 Pro is the same 108 MP, but without a telephoto lens. It's 20,000 cheaper.₽.
3. Redmi Note 10 Pro is the unexpected leader in the budget. Its 108-MP camera uses pixel binning 9-in-1, It's a good daytime experience, but it's a bad night for flagships, but it's better than most of the 20,000 competitors.₽.

Outsiders:

• 🚫 POCO X3 Pro – despite 48 MP sensor, the camera blurs details in low light.
• 🚫 Black Shark 4 Pro – a gaming smartphone with a mediocre camera (13 MP without optical stabilization).

Secret Lifehack: Xiaomi has a hidden Pro Mode for the camera that lets you manually configure ISO, So you can turn it on:

1. Open the Camera app
2. Scroll through the left to the end.
3. Select Additional → Pro

This mode saves when shooting in difficult conditions (for example, concerts or sunsets).

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Before you buy, check which sensor is in your model's camera.Redmi Note 10 Pro could be Samsung ISOCELL HM2 (better or OmniVision OV108 (Check with the seller or look at Settings → The phone. → Full specification.

5. Xiaomi to Work: Which Models Are Right?

If you need a smartphone for work (documents, calls, instant messengers) and not for games or photos, the criteria for choosing a different one.

• 📄 Miui for Work (Sharing Personal and Work Data)
• 🔋 Long-term autonomy (from 5000 mAh)
• 📶 Stable network reception (especially important for VoLTE and VoWiFi)
• 🔒 NFC contactless

Best options:

• 📱 Redmi Note 10 Pro - the optimal balance of price and capabilities. Supports VoWiFi, has stereo speakers and IR-port-of-control.
• 📱 Mi 11 Lite - if weight (only 157 g) and thin body are important. Minus - battery 4250 mAh (enough for a day with moderate use).
• 📱 POCO M3 Pro 5G — If you want to support new networks, remember, 2021. 5G In Russia, it works only in test mode.

What to avoid:

• 🚫 Redmi 9A — no NFC and a weak processor (Helio) G25).
• 🚫 Black Shark 4 Pro – Overheats on long calls due to game optimization.

For maximum productivity in office tasks (e.g., working with Excel or PDF) It is better to choose a model with 6/8 GB of RAM. 2021 In the year even budget Xiaomi supports the expansion of RAM due to the built-in flash memory (Memory Extension technology).

Xiaomi for the elderly: simple and reliable models

If you buy a smartphone for parents or grandparents, your priorities are different:

• 📞 Large buttons and fonts
• 🔊 Loud speaker and support for hearing aids
• 🔋 Long work without recharging
• 🛡 Strong housing (preferably with water protection)

The best models for the elderly:

• 📱 Redmi 9A — The cheapest and easiest option (from 8000)₽). Here: Screen 6.53" with support for increasing the font to 200% Battery 5000 mAh (enough for 2-3 days) Google Assistant button for voice control
• 📱 Redmi Note 9 - if needed NFC It's also better with a 48 MP camera and stereo speakers.
• 📱 Mi A3 (If you find it on sale, it's got a clean Android One, no apps, and it's got a weak processor (Snapdragon 665).

Configuration for convenience:

1. Activate the mode for the elderly in Settings → Special opportunities.
2. Increase the font to 150-200% in Settings → Screen.
3. Configure a voice assistant (Google Assistant or Alice) to control without touching.
4. Install the Big Launcher launcher (large icons and simplified menu).

⚠️ Attention: Budget Xiaomi often encounters an issue with automatic updates that can knock down settings.To avoid this, disable auto-update in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.

7.Where to buy Xiaomi in 2021: Official Stores vs AliExpress

Prices for the same models can vary by 30-50% depending on where you buy, and let's look at the pros and cons of each option.

Official stores (Mi Store, Messenger, MTS):

• ✅ 12-24 months warranty (including service centers in Russia)
• ✅ Russian firmware MIUI with pre-installed services (Yandex, Mail.ru)
• ✅ Possibility of payment in installments (for example, through Tinkoff or Sberbank)
• ❌ Prices are 10-20% higher than AliExpress

AliExpress / Global versions:

• ✅ Prices are lower by 20–30% (for example, POCO F3 worth ~25 000₽ vs ~35 000₽ Russia)
• ✅ More choice of modifications (e.g. Redmi Note) 10 Pro 8/256 GB)
• ❌ The warranty is only with the seller (often you have to send the phone to China)
• ❌ There is no Russian language in the firmware (you will have to install it). MIUI EU independently)
• ❌ Risk of running into a fake (check the seller’s rating and reviews)

Gray schemes (resellers, Avito):

• ✅ The price may be lower than the official by 30-40%
• ❌ There is no guarantee (even if they say they have it)
• ❌ The risk of getting a service device (for example, after repair)
• ❌ Chinese versions are often sold without Russian support LTE-range

How to check the originality:

1. Go to Settings. → About the phone and check. IMEI IMEI.info.
2. Make sure that in the settings → Additionally. → The region is worth Russia (if you buy in Russia).
3. Check the box: the original should have a hologram and a serial number that matches the number on the phone.

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If you buy on AliExpress, choose sellers with a rating of at least 98% and orders from 1000. Pay attention to the reviews with photos - there is often a real condition of the product.

FAQ: Frequent questions when choosing Xiaomi 2021