Initial Verdict: In this Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE unboxing, we see that Xiaomi has yet again packed a device with some of the very best specs and features they could on this device for the Philippines. Barring anything going massively wrong with the time we’re going to take to review it, this could be an easy recommendation for those looking for a thin and light smartphone with 5G capabilities.

Pros

• Thin and Light Design
• Display Features on Point

Cons

• Battery capacity might not be enough for heavy users
• A ton of bloatware out of the box

Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G NE Specs

• Snapdragon 778G processor
• 6GB/8GB LPDDR4x RAM
• 128GB/256GB UFS 2.2 storage
• 6.55-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display, 90hz refresh rate, 10-bit color
• 64-megapixel f/1.79 main camera with PDAF, 5-megapixel f/2.4 telemacro camera with AF, 8-megapixel f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle camera
• 20-megapixel selfie camera
• 4G, 5G
• WiFi, Bluetooth 5.1, in-display fingerprint scanner
• 4250mAh battery
• 33w fast charging
• Android 11, MIUI 12.5

Xiaomi is at it again and have released a trio of smartphones under the 11T family to provide us with even more options in time for the holidays. The Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE maybe the most affordable of the bunch but that doesn’t mean it gets outshined by its siblings.

Unboxing and Packaging Contents

Xiaomi has done a great job with their packaging lately and the minimalist trend continues on with this device. You’re getting a clean, white box with the name of the phone you’re getting.

Inside the packaging are the usual accessories we’ve come to know and love from all our unboxings. Aside from the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE itself, you also have the documents, jelly case, SIM ejector pin, USB-C cable, and 33W charging brick. There’s also an included USB-C to 3.5mm audio adapter so we’re sad to say that this phone doesn’t have a headphone jack.

Design

One of the highlights for this device is how thin and light it is. The Lite takes it name very seriously and is only 158 grams; a huge difference from the 11T and 11T Pro. It’s also only 6.81mm thin so if you’re on the look out for something that easily slips into your pants pocket or purse, this could be the phone for you.

In terms of handling though, the Lite isn’t as curvy as other devices and has a flat back; making it feel slightly wider. This could be considered a good thing though as it gives you more of a grip on your phone. The frame is slightly rounded to make it a bit more comfortable to hold too. We have the 11 Lite 5G NE in the Snowflake White colorway but it is available in Truffle Black, Bubblegum Blue, and Peach Pink as well. The build is primarily plastic but it has a matte finish so it’ll be less of a smudgy mess.

For a tour of the phone, you have the volume rocker and power button that pulls duty as the fingerprint scanner on the right side, which unlocks the phone restively quickly and is accurate as well.

On the top, you’ll find a mic and an IR blaster.

Most of the action is on the bottom and that’s where you’ll find the USB-C port, SIM tray, and one of the phone’s speakers.

Display

The Lite 5G NE has a 6.55” AMOLED Dot Display at Full HD+ resolution. It might not have the zippiest refresh rate but 90Hz should provide you with a slightly smoother experience.

It has all the usual traits of an OLED screen so expect better contrast ratios because of the deeper blacks and vivid colors that pop because of it. It’s also Widevine L1 certified for you Netflix addicts out there plus it supports Dolby Vision as well. You also have two speakers on the Lite 5G NE but we do wish that they had somehow retained the headphone jack.

Cameras

For the phone’s shooters, we’re getting a 20-megapixels front camera for selfies hidden away in the punch hole on the upper left hand side of the screen. For the cameras on the back, it’s lead by a 64-megapixel main. This is accompanied by an 8-megapixel ultra wide and a 5-megapixel TeleMacro.

You can check out some samples down below.

Performance and battery 

For the processor, this device is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G processor and our unit has this paired up with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage; although it can go all the way up to 8GB/256GB respectively. We’ve seen the SD778G in several smartphones recently and it should have the capabilities to take on work and play but we’ll see how the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE does as we put it through the wringer.

One of the downsides of having such a thin and light smartphone is having a smaller battery capacity. The one on the Lite is at 4250 mAh so keep that in mind if you find yourself on the road a lot. It does support 33W charging though so you should be up and running in no time; albeit much slower than the Xiaomi 11T of the 11T Pro for that matter.

The phone runs on Android 11 with MIUI 12.5 on top of it and you will see some pre-installed apps out of the box but they should be easy enough to remove if you have no plans of using them.

Wrap Up and Early Verdict

There’s definitely a lot to like about this phone but that’s just off the bad of this Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE unboxing. The display is great if you find yourself on Netflix a lot to binge-watch shows, the internals should have more than enough muscle, and it definitely won’t weigh down your EDC or everyday carry. We are a little concerned about the battery life though so we’ll see how it does as we test it over the next couple of days.

Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE Price Philippines

The Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE has a price of Php 16,900 for its base variant (6GB RAM/128GB ROM) in the Philippines, and Php 18,990 for the one with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and Php 20,990 if you want the maxed-out version with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It will be available for pre-order from October 23 until October 29 via their Authorized Xiaomi Stores and you can also check out the entire Xiaomi 11T series via their official store on Shopee.