Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra: Redefining Smartphone Power and Premium Design in 2021

When Xiaomi introduced the Mi 11 Ultra in 2021, it wasn’t just unveiling another high-end smartphone, it was announcing its official entry into the elite flagship league. The Mi 11 Ultra arrived as a statement of intent: bold, innovative, and unapologetically premium. From its striking design and record-breaking camera setup to its high-performance Snapdragon 888 processor and ultra-fast charging technology, Xiaomi made it clear that it could compete head-to-head with giants like Samsung and Apple.

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra represented everything the company had learned from years of pushing smartphone boundaries, and then some. It was the device that showed the world that Xiaomi could craft not just affordable phones, but world-class flagships that combine cutting-edge hardware with visionary design.

Let’s dive deep into what made the Mi 11 Ultra one of the most remarkable smartphones of its time.

A Design That Defines Confidence

The Mi 11 Ultra design is nothing short of extraordinary. Xiaomi’s engineers and designers took a bold leap with a rear panel that commands attention. The standout feature, of course, is the gigantic camera module that spans nearly the entire width of the phone’s back. It houses not only the powerful triple-camera system but also a secondary display a feature that instantly sets it apart from any other smartphone on the market.

This small AMOLED display on the back serves multiple purposes. It acts as a mirror for selfies using the rear camera, shows notifications, time, battery percentage, and even serves as a creative tool for photographers who want to frame shots from different angles. It’s a clever design choice that’s as functional as it is futuristic.

The phone’s body is made of ceramic, a material typically reserved for luxury devices. It comes in Ceramic White and Ceramic Black, both elegant and durable. The frame feels sturdy and refined, offering a premium grip that speaks to its high-end build. And with an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, the Mi 11 Ultra was Xiaomi’s most rugged flagship yet, capable of surviving accidental splashes and dust exposure with ease.

It’s not a lightweight device, tipping the scales at about 234 grams, but that heft gives it an aura of strength and luxury. The overall craftsmanship shows Xiaomi’s dedication to perfecting every curve, every button, and every finish.

A Display That Steals the Spotlight

When it comes to the Mi 11 Ultra display, Xiaomi spared no expense. The phone features a 6.81-inch Quad HD+ AMOLED display that’s among the brightest and most color-accurate screens of its era. With a WQHD+ resolution of 3200×1440 pixels, a 120 Hz refresh rate, and 480 Hz touch sampling rate, the display delivers unmatched smoothness, clarity, and responsiveness.

This display isn’t just beautiful, it’s powerful. With Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support, it delivers deep blacks, vibrant highlights, and a stunning dynamic range whether you’re watching HDR videos or playing high-end mobile games. Xiaomi also achieved a peak brightness of 1700 nits, making it one of the brightest screens available in 2021. Even under direct sunlight, visibility remains crisp and clear.

Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus protects the front from scratches and accidental drops. The edges curve slightly, blending seamlessly into the ceramic back, while the punch-hole selfie camera ensures maximum screen real estate. The experience of scrolling, gaming, or watching movies on the Mi 11 Ultra is immersive, a true feast for the eyes.

Performance That Redefines Speed

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra performance is nothing short of flagship excellence. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset, one of the fastest processors of 2021, it delivers lightning-fast performance and energy efficiency. Built on a 5nm process, this chip features a 1x 2.84GHz Cortex-X1, 3x 2.42GHz Cortex-A78, and 4x 1.8GHz Cortex-A55 setup, ensuring top-tier processing power while maintaining battery efficiency.

Paired with Adreno 660 GPU and up to 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM, the Mi 11 Ultra handles every task effortlessly. From 3D gaming to 4K video editing and heavy multitasking, there’s nothing it can’t manage smoothly. The phone’s benchmark scores rivaled or even surpassed many competitors in 2021, placing it among the fastest smartphones ever made.

MIUI 12.5, Xiaomi’s custom Android skin, enhances the performance with fluid animations, cleaner visuals, and optimized app management. Combined with UFS 3.1 storage, app loading times and file transfers are almost instantaneous. The overall experience is buttery-smooth, responsive, and satisfying, exactly what you’d expect from a premium flagship.

Camera: The Ultimate Photography Powerhouse

The biggest highlight, and the reason for the “Ultra” title, is undoubtedly the Mi 11 Ultra camera system. Xiaomi went all out here, introducing one of the most advanced and versatile camera setups ever seen on a smartphone.

The device features a triple rear camera configuration that includes:

• 50 MP primary sensor (Samsung GN2, 1/1.12” sensor size) with f/1.95 aperture, Dual Pixel Pro AF, and OIS
• 48 MP periscope telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, 10x hybrid zoom, and up to 120x digital zoom
• 48 MP ultra-wide camera with a 128° field of view

The result? Exceptional image quality in nearly every scenario. The primary camera sensor, co-developed with Samsung, is massive, the largest ever used in a smartphone at the time. This allows for better light capture, more detail, and improved color accuracy, particularly in low-light conditions.

The Mi 11 Ultra camera produces photos that rival dedicated DSLRs, especially in dynamic range and depth perception. Whether you’re capturing landscapes, portraits, or macro shots, the results are consistently stunning. Low-light performance is another major strength, with Night Mode producing crisp, detailed, and natural-looking images without excessive noise.

For video creators, the Mi 11 Ultra shines just as brightly. It supports 8K recording at 24 fps, 4K recording at 60 fps, and HDR10+ video output. The combination of optical and electronic stabilization (OIS + EIS) ensures smooth footage even while moving. Content creators loved using the rear mini-display to record vlogs or take perfectly framed selfies using the main camera, a creative edge few phones could match.

Simply put, the Mi 11 Ultra’s camera setup transformed smartphone photography. It wasn’t just a flagship feature; it was a technological statement.

Battery Life and Charging: Ultra in Every Sense

No flagship is complete without reliable battery performance, and the Mi 11 Ultra battery life doesn’t disappoint. The device is powered by a robust 5,000 mAh battery, ensuring you can go through a full day of heavy use, gaming, photography, video streaming, and social browsing, without worrying about running out of juice.

But what truly sets it apart is the charging technology. The Mi 11 Ultra introduced 67W wired charging and an equally impressive 67W wireless charging capability. Both charge speeds can fill the battery from 0% to 100% in around 36 minutes, a groundbreaking achievement for 2021.

Additionally, the phone supports 10W reverse wireless charging, allowing you to charge your earbuds, smartwatches, or even another smartphone wirelessly. It’s a level of flexibility that few devices at the time could offer. Xiaomi’s custom battery technology, combined with smart power management, ensures longevity and safety even with such high charging speeds.

This perfect blend of endurance and rapid refueling makes the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra one of the most reliable daily drivers for power users.

Software: MIUI 12.5, Smarter, Cleaner, Faster

Running on MIUI 12.5 based on Android 11, the Mi 11 Ultra delivers a smooth and modern software experience. Xiaomi’s MIUI has always been known for its customization and rich features, and this version refines it even further.

Animations are more fluid, background processes are optimized for better efficiency, and privacy features are enhanced. You get Super Wallpapers, customizable Always-On Display options, and advanced privacy controls that notify you when apps access your camera or microphone.

MIUI 12.5 also brings improved gesture navigation, dynamic icons, and reduced CPU usage for smoother multitasking. It’s not just about aesthetics, Xiaomi focused heavily on efficiency and reliability to match the device’s powerful hardware.

The system feels polished, minimal, and more refined than ever before. Even months after release, updates continued to improve the user experience, showing Xiaomi’s commitment to software evolution.

Audio and Connectivity: A Multimedia Beast

When it comes to audio, the Mi 11 Ultra doesn’t cut corners. Xiaomi partnered with Harman Kardon to tune the stereo speakers, resulting in clear, balanced, and powerful sound. Whether you’re watching movies, listening to music, or gaming, the sound quality is immersive, with deep bass and crystal-clear vocals.

The device also supports Hi-Res Audio, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6E, NFC, and 5G connectivity, ensuring future-ready performance. The under-display fingerprint sensor is fast and accurate, while AI face unlock adds convenience.

With its rich multimedia experience, the Mi 11 Ultra isn’t just for productivity, it’s built for entertainment, creativity, and everything in between.

Gaming Experience and Cooling System

For gamers, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra is a dream come true. The Snapdragon 888 chip, combined with a 120 Hz display and 480 Hz touch sampling, makes gameplay incredibly fluid and responsive. Titles like PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty Mobile, and Genshin Impact run effortlessly on high settings.

To keep performance consistent, Xiaomi implemented a three-phase cooling system, featuring a vapor chamber (VC) and advanced graphite layers. This prevents overheating even during long gaming sessions or intensive app use. The result is stable performance without frame drops or throttling, making it one of the most capable gaming flagships of its time.

Storage and Variants

The Mi 11 Ultra specifications included generous configurations for every type of user. It was available in:

• 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage
• 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage
• 12 GB RAM + 512 GB storage

With UFS 3.1 storage technology, data transfer speeds are lightning-fast. Although the phone lacks a microSD card slot, the base 256 GB model is ample for most users, especially considering its focus on 8K video and photography.

Price and Availability

When it launched, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra price reflected its premium ambition. In early 2021, it retailed around €1,199 in Europe, ₹69,999 in India, and approximately $1,199 in international markets. While this marked Xiaomi’s entry into the ultra-premium segment, the pricing was still competitive compared to rivals like the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and iPhone 12 Pro Max.

For those who wanted flagship innovation without compromise, the Mi 11 Ultra was the obvious choice. It provided groundbreaking technology at a price that, although premium, offered more value than many of its competitors.

Legacy and Impact

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra wasn’t just a phone, it was a turning point for the company. It showed the world that Xiaomi could go toe-to-toe with any brand in the high-end market. The combination of a massive camera sensor, fast charging, powerful chipset, and ceramic build made it a benchmark in smartphone innovation.

Even years later, the Mi 11 Ultra review sections across the web remain glowing. Reviewers and users alike praised its camera versatility, display quality, and overall performance. It paved the way for successors like the Mi 12 Ultra and Xiaomi 13 Ultra, both of which built upon the Mi 11 Ultra’s foundation.

For photography lovers, gamers, and tech enthusiasts, the Mi 11 Ultra represented the best of Xiaomi’s vision, blending technology, art, and performance into a single device.

Conlusion: A True Ultra Flagship

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra stands as one of the most ambitious and impressive smartphones of 2021. It combined jaw-dropping hardware with smart design and advanced innovation. From its groundbreaking Samsung GN2 camera sensor and vibrant AMOLED display to its Snapdragon 888 performance and 67W fast charging, everything about this device screamed excellence.

It’s a phone that dared to be different, one that broke conventions and set new standards for what a flagship could achieve. Whether you were drawn to its futuristic design, powerful cameras, or seamless performance, the Mi 11 Ultra delivered on all fronts.

In the world of Android smartphones, few devices managed to balance innovation, performance, and elegance quite like the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra. It remains a shining example of what happens when engineering ambition meets artistic design, a smartphone that truly earned its “Ultra” name.

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