Xiaomi announces 5G phones, including 11T and 11T Pro

At a real-life launch, held at London’s prestigious BAFTA venue and attended by Tech Digest, Chinese phone brand Xiaomi announced a new range of 5G enabled smartphones. 

And while you’ve probably never heard, or only vaguely heard, of the brand, Xiaomi – pronounced shau-mee – it is in fact the second-biggest mobile phone manufacturer in the world and the biggest in Europe. 

Essentially two brand new phones were announced – the Xiaomi 11T and Xiaomi 11T Pro, as well as a new version of the Xiaomi 11 Lite, complete with 5G. 

Xiaomi’s first smartphone to launch globally with the company’s proprietary 120W Xiaomi HyperCharge technology, the 11T Pro claims to offer 100% charge in just 17 minutes. This is achieved through technologies such as dual charge pumps, dual-cell battery structure, MTW, Graphene application on Li-ion battery and Mi-FC technology. 

Other features include the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset and a triple camera with 108MP wide angle, 2x telemacro, and a 120° ultra-wide angle lens. On top of that, the smartphone boasts computational filmography capabilities with one-click AI Cinema modes, 8K recording and HDR10+, allowing users to capture footage with the same smart ISO technology found in digital cameras.

The display features a number of eye care functions to protect users from eye strain, such as True Display which automatically adjusts the colour temperature according to the surrounding conditions as well as Reading Mode 3.0. Also on board is Dolby Vision as well as dedicated dual speakers with sound by audio specialist Harman Kardon.

Like the Pro version, the Xiaomi 11T also features a triple camera with 108MP high-resolution wide-angle, 120° ultra-wide angle, and 2x telemacro camera lens while AI cinema modes include Time Freeze, Magic Zoom and audio zoom where the sound of the object fades in and out as the zoom moves in and out.  Xiaomi claims the 5000mAh battery and 67W wired turbocharging means the battery can be fully recharged in 36 minutes.

In the UK, the Xiaomi 11T Pro and Xiaomi 11T will come in three stylish colours; Meteorite Gray, Moonlight White and Celestial Blue. The Xiaomi 11T Pro will go on pre-order from 24^th September with official sales starting on 1^st October. Price start at £599 for the 8GB + 128GB option with an early bird offer of £549 for those that order before 26^th September. There’s also a 8GB+256GB for £649.

On sale from October 8th, the Xiaomi 11T will cost £499 for 8GB + 128GB version and £549 for 8GB + 256GB option. There will be an early bird offer of £499 for those that order before 10^th October. Customers that also order before the 22^nd October will be able to claim a free Mi Watch.

Finally, also unveiled at BAFTA yesterday was the new Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE. An ultra-thin and lightweight 158g 5G phone, the new model is available (like the earlier model) in Truffle Black, Bubblegum Blue, and Peach Pink. There’s also a new colour to choose from – Snowflake White.

Features include 6.55” AMOLED DotDisplay, 10-bit TrueColor support and Dolby Vision, as well as a 64MP main camera, with 8MP ultra-wide angle camera and 5MP telemacro camera. The device is also equipped with a 4,250mAh battery and 33W fast charging. In the UK, Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE will go on-sale in October, though full pricing and availability haven’t been announced yet. 

Global Specs (availability will vary by region):