Xiaomi 2021: which smartphone to choose? Comparison of the 7 best models for price, camera and hardware

2021 was a watershed for Xiaomi: the company not only strengthened its position in the budget segment, but also released flagships that can compete with the Samsung Galaxy S21 and iPhone 12. However, the variety of lines - Mi, Redmi, POCO - often puts customers at a loss: which smartphone to choose for games, photography or long-term autonomy? In this review, we will analyze 7 key models of 2021, compare them on 10 criteria and help determine the purchase.

Xiaomi’s 2021 feature is aggressive pricing even in the premium segment, such as the Mi 11 Ultra with a screen. 2K+ 120 Hz and a camera on 50 MP was cheaper than the Galaxy S21 Ultra by 20-30%. But not everyone needs bells and whistles: for everyday tasks, the Redmi Note 10 with will suffice. AMOLED-15,000-screen ₽. We will understand where the savings are justified, and where it is better to pay extra.

In the review you will find:

• 📱 Comparison of flagships and budget officers by price / quality
• 🔋 Autonomous tests: which models hold the charge longer than 2 days
• 📸 Rating of cameras (including night shooting and video) 8K)
• 🎮 Performance in games andbenchmarks
• ⚠️ Hidden flaws that the sellers are silent about

1. TOP-3 Xiaomi's flagship 2021: overpay?

Xiaomi’s flagship models received revolutionary updates in 2021: Snapdragon 888 processors, 120Hz screens and cameras developed in conjunction with Leica. But do the average user need these innovations? Let’s take a look at the three most discutible models.

Mi 11 Ultra is the main predator of the lineup. 128° sensory 1/1.12" It's still one of the best in the world in low-light detail. 234 d and its dimensions make it inconvenient for single use. 6.81" 2K AMOLED Dolby Vision is perfect for movies, but the battery is perfect. 5000 max down 6–7 active use hours (when included) 120 Hz).

The Mi 11 Lite is a lightweight version of the flagship with a focus on design (weighing only 157 g). 732G, This is a limiting feature in gaming (e.g., Genshin Impact works on medium settings), but a 64MP camera with Zeiss optics is excellent in daylight, and the main plus is the price: in 2021, the model sold for 25 000. ₽, It is 40% cheaper than the Mi 11 Ultra.

The Mi 11T Pro is the gold standard among flagships in price/opportunity ratio. Here is the same Snapdragon 888, but with improved cooling (graphite substrate), which allows you to play Call of Duty Mobile at maximum settings without trottling. The 120 Hz AMOLED screen with support for HDR10+, and the 5000 mAh battery is charged in 17 minutes thanks to HyperCharge 120W technology.

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi 2021 flagships on the Snapdragon 888 suffer from overheating under prolonged loads.If you plan to play for more than 1 hour, use the Game Turbo game booster in the settings or buy a cooling case.

💡

If you want the best camera, take the Mi 11 Ultra. For gaming and speed, the Mi 11T Pro. For compactness and design, the Mi 11 Lite.

2. Xiaomi Budget Smartphones 2021: Where Are the Savings Justified?

Redmi's 2021 lineup proved that budget doesn't necessarily mean "weak." Models like the Redmi Note 10 Pro offer a "weak" option. AMOLED-108 MP screens and cameras for 20,000 ₽ — It's something that was the domain of flagships 2 years ago?

The Redmi Note 10 Pro is Xiaomi's best-selling smartphone in 2021.

• 📸 108 MP camera with Samsung optics HM2 — best in the segment up to 25,000 ₽
• 🔋 5020 mAh battery with support 33W fast-charging
• 🖥️ 120 Hz screen AMOLED — budget-straight

But the Snapdragon 732G processor is even losing to the mid-budget Dimensity 800U in multitasking, for example, when you start Instagram, YouTube and Google Maps simultaneously, you start to slow down.

POCO M3 Pro 5G — Xiaomi’s first budget model with support 5G. Here's a Dimensity 700 processor that's 30% more powerful than the Snapdragon. 732G It's in the AnTuTu tests. IPS LCD 90Hz loses to Redmi Note 10 Pro in contrast, and 48MP camera is weaker in night shooting. ₽ 2021.

The Redmi 9T is the choice for those who want maximum autonomy. The 6000mAh battery provides up to 3 days of mixed-mode (messaging, calling, 2 hours of video per day). But here's a 60Hz IPS screen, and the Snapdragon 662 processor barely pulls PUBG Mobile at low settings. Suitable for elderly relatives or a spare phone.

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

In 2021, Xiaomi released two gaming smartphones that compete not only with the ASUS ROG Phone 5, but also with each other. Black Shark 4 is a specialized device with physical triggers and active cooling, and the POCO F3 GT is a "gaming" flagship for a wide audience. Who will win?

Black Shark 4 is equipped with a Snapdragon 870 processor (overclocked 865+), a 144 Hz AMOLED screen with a touch frequency of 720 Hz and a 4500 mAh battery with a charge of 120W. A unique feature is Shark Space magnetic triggers that convert a smartphone into a gamepad. In Call of Duty Mobile this gives an advantage in the reaction to 20-30 ms. However, the weight of 210 g and aggressive design is not everyone likes.

The POCO F3 GT uses the same Dimensity 1200 as the flagship OnePlus Nord 2, but costs 30% less. Here, the 120 Hz AMOLED screen with HDR10+ support, and the LiquidCool 2.0 cooling system allows you to play Genshin Impact at high settings without trottling. Minus - no physical triggers, and the POCO Game Turbo software buttons are less accurate.

Based on the test results:

• 🎮 Black Shark 4 wins with triggers and optimized software.
• 📱 On the day: POCO F3 GT more universal (best screen, design, software).
• 🔋 Black Shark 4 is worse off due to smaller battery.

💡

If you play PUBG Mobile or Free Fire, turn on 90 FPS in your graphics settings and turn off HDR, which will increase FPS by 15-20% without losing visual quality.

4. Camera comparison: who shoots better in 2021?

Xiaomi cameras took a leap forward in 2021 with Leica and Zeiss, but not all models are equally good, and we tested the basic scenarios: day shot, portrait, night mode and video.

The leader in detail is the Mi 11 Ultra with a sensor 50 MP 1/1.12." In daytime conditions, it beats even the iPhone 12 Pro Max in the level of detail in the shadows. Night mode uses Night Mode 2.0 algorithms that reduce noise without loss of field. Video is shot in 8K@24fps, but without stabilization - for dynamic scenes, it is better to limit yourself to 4K@60fps.

Redmi Note 10 Pro surprises with a 108 MP camera in the budget segment.Day pictures are bright, but when you zoom in you can see a lot of noise (due to the small size of the pixels 0.7µm). Night mode works only on the main camera - 8 MP ultrawide in the dark is useless. For Instagram, it will do, but for printing photos, you better choose a flagship.

The POCO F3 GT and Mi 11 Lite use 64MP cameras with Zeiss optics, and their main advantage is the natural color reproduction (without excessive saturation, like Samsung’s). However, both smartphones suffer from overexposed shots when shooting against the sun. Video is shot at a maximum of 4K@30fps without HDR support.

⚠️ Note: In models Xiaomi 2021 on MIUI 12.5, there's an autofocus bug in Macro mode. If you're shooting small objects, manually switch to the main camera, so the photos are clearer.

5. Autonomy: Which smartphones hold the charge longer?

Battery is a weak point for many Xiaomi flagships. For example, the Mi 11 Ultra with a 2K 120 Hz screen discharges in 5-6 hours of active use. But budget models often turn out to be champions in autonomy. We tested real-life mixed mode (social networks, video, games).

The leader is the Redmi 9T with a 6000mAh battery. With moderate use (4 hours of screen per day), it lasts 3 days. Even in games (PUBG Mobile in medium settings) it lasts 7-8 hours. Charging 18W is slow, but for a public sector, this is forgiven.

The POCO M3 Pro 5G with a 5000 mAh battery shows 1.5-2 days of operation. Here the Dimensity 700 processor is more energy efficient than the Snapdragon 732G, which gives +20% autonomy compared to the Redmi Note 10 Pro. Fast charging 18W is not impressive, but it supports reverse charging.

Among the flagships, the Mi 11T Pro was the best – thanks to the optimization of MIUI 12.5 Enhanced and a battery of 5000 mAh, it lasts 1.5 days with active use (including 2 hours of games).

Turn off 120Hz in screen settings (saves up to 30% charge)|

Activate Lean mode in Settings → Battery |

Turn off 5G if you are not using |

Set background limit for social networks in Settings → Annexes → Permits-->

6.MIUI 12.5: Pros and cons of firmware 2021

In 2021, Xiaomi released the global update MIUI 12.5, which promised to fix the main problems of previous versions: lags, advertising and high power consumption. Did it succeed?

The benefits of MIUI 12.5:

• ⚡ Speed: Optimized code reduces delays when opening applications by 20%.

Cons:

• 🔋 Energy consumption: background activity MIUI Eats up to 10% of the charge overnight.

How to disable ads in MIUI 12.5:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone and tap 7 times on the MIUI version to enable Developer Mode.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → Developer Mode and activate Debugging via USB.
3. Install the command via ADB: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.systemAdSolution

7. Which smartphone Xiaomi 2021 to choose for your tasks?

To avoid making a mistake with your purchase, set your priorities:

For photos and videos:

• 📸 No compromises: Mi 11 Ultra (best camera, 8K).
• 💰 Budget option: Redmi Note 10 Pro (108 MP for 20,000) ₽).

For games:

• 🎮 Professional Gaming: Black Shark 4 (triggers, 144 Hz).
• 💻 Universal flagship: POCO F3 GT (Dimensity 1200, 120Hz).

For autonomy:

• 🔋 Time maximum: Redmi 9T (6,000 mAh, 3 days of work).
• ⚡ Fast charging: Mi 11T Pro (120W, 17 minutes to 100%).

For everyday tasks:

• 📱 Price/Quality Balance: Redmi Note 10 Pro (AMOLED, 108 MP).
• 💎 Premium-replaceable: Mi 11 Lite (thin, Zeiss optics).

💡

If you are in doubt between the two models, check the availability of the NFC and IR-In 2021, Xiaomi removed them from some state employees (for example, in the port, POCO M3 Pro 5G lacking IR).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi 2021 smartphones