The midrange market is dominated by the Chinese giants; Redmi and Realme. This section also generates a wide number of customers seeking the best out of their hard-earned money. Redmi Note 11 was launched just some time ago and Realme 9i has also made its way to Nepal. Hence, today we are comparing Redmi Note 11 vs Realme 9i. Let’s find out which midrange device would take the lead.
Redmi Note 11 vs Realme 9i Design & Display
The primary concern of a smartphone is its design and aesthetics. Redmi Note 11 features what the company calls a bold design, a rectangular one on the sideways like an iPhone. On the backside, the camera module doesn’t resemble much difference from the Redmi Note 10. Whereas, Realme 9i boasts a similar design to its flagship sibling, Realme GT Neo 2. The camera module of the 9i is a rectangular one. Both phones house a fingerprint scanner embedded on the power key button and retain a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The difference becomes clear on the display side. The Note 11 has a superior 6.4″ AMOLED panel with a 90Hz refresh rate while the 9i has a 6.6″ IPS LCD panel with a 90Hz refresh rate. To note, AMOLED displays generally offer better colors and contrast ratios. Also, the deeper blacks make it stand out from an IPS LCD screen. Here, Redmi Note 11 takes the lead with a punchy display & Gorilla Glass 3 against the IPS LCD screen and Dragon Trail Pro protection of the 9i. However, that shouldn’t mean, the display on 9i is bad.
Redmi Note 11 vs Realme 9i Camera
Customers also prefer a well-performing camera in the mid-range segment. Here, the Redmi Note 11 packs in a quad-camera setup while, the 9i has a triple-camera. On the Note 11, you get a 50MP main camera plus an 8MP ultrawide sensor and 2MP+2MP depth & macro setup. Whereas, Realme 9i offers a 50MP main camera plus 2MP+2MP depth and macro cameras. The 9i lacks an ultrawide camera, which is sort of a bummer.
For the camera app, both phones have loads of features. Redmi phones tend to take true-to-life colors while Realme phones have a stronger AI for post-processing. Both phones should output similar results from the main camera. However, there is least to expect from the 2MP macro and depth sensors. Here, Redmi Note 11 takes a slight edge with an ultrawide camera.
Do Read:- Realme GT 2 Pro Officially Launched with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Chipset
Redmi Note 11 vs Realme 9i Performance
Performance is what makes a smartphone experience great. Both of the phones have the same Snapdragon 680 chipset. Performance-wise there shouldn’t be a huge gap here. Also, there is a virtual RAM expansion feature on both devices. So, what sets it apart is the skin. Redmi Note 11 runs on the latest MIUI 13 skin on top of Android 11. On the other hand, Realme 9i runs on Realme UI 2.0 & Android 11.
Xiaomi has improved a lot with its MIUI 13 ROM which seemingly offers a much cleaner experience. While the Realme UI 2.0 is going to be stale as the Realme UI 3.0 is already out in the market. The UI choice is a personal preference though. The 9i might get a Realme UI 3.0 update soon with Android 12. Similarly, the Note 11 is also on the primary list to get Android 12. MIUI 13 for now is a better option than Realme UI 2.0. Nevertheless, both of the phones shall offer similar performance.
| Category | Redmi Note 11 | Realme 9i |
| Display | 6.43″ AMOLED, 90Hz | 6.6″ IPS LCD, 90Hz |
| OS | Android 11, MIUI 13 | Android 11, Realme UI 2.0 |
| Camera | Quad Camera; 50MP+8MP+2MP+2MP Front Camera; 13MP | Triple Camera; 50MP+2MP+2MP Front Camera; 16MP |
| RAM & ROM | 4/64GB, 6/128GB, 8/128GB, UFS 2.2 | 4/64GB, 6/128GB, UFS 2.1 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM6225 Snapdragon 680 4G (6 nm) | Qualcomm SM6225 Snapdragon 680 4G (6 nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core (4×2.4 GHz Kryo 265 Gold & 4×1.9 GHz Kryo 265 Silver) | Octa-core (4×2.4 GHz Kryo 265 Gold & 4×1.9 GHz Kryo 265 Silver) |
| GPU | Adreno 610 | Adreno 610 |
| Card Slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
| Headphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | 5000mAh, 33W Pro Fast Charging | 5000mAh, 33W Dart Fast Charging |
| Price | Rs.22,999 (4/64GB), Rs.24,999 (4/128GB), Rs.26,999(6/128GB) | Rs.24,499 (4/64GB), Rs.27,999 (6/128GB) |
Pricing Comparison
Redmi Note 11 and Realme 9i both offering identical features have pricing differences though. The 9i starts at Rs.24,499 for the base 4/64GB variant while the Note 11 pricing begins at Rs.22,999 for the same variant. The price difference further increases on the 6/128GB variants with Rs.26,999 and Rs.27,999 price tags for Redmi Note 11 & Realme 9i respectively. Realme 9i is more expensive than Redmi Note 11 by a thousand rupees margin.
Also Read:- Redmi Note 11 Review, Punchy AMOLED On Budget
So, that was our comparison for the 2022 mid-range contenders from Redmi & Realme. Besides, the aforementioned things, both phones have stereo speakers, 5000mAh battery, 33W fast charging, etc. But, Redmi Note 11 takes the crown with a capable AMOLED display and an ultrawide sensor at a cheaper price. But that doesn’t mean, the 9i is not a capable mid-range device. Well, the pricing could have been better though. What do you think? Tell us what do you feel about Redmi Note 11 vs Realme 9i in the comment section below.
