1. Specifications Comparison
Design
| Feature | Xiaomi Mi 11 | Motorola Razr 40 | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | Standard | Foldable | Motorola Razr 40 offers a unique, compact form factor when folded, making it more pocketable; Xiaomi Mi 11 is a traditional slab phone |
| Dimensions | 164.3 × 74.6 × 8.1 mm | 170.8 × 74 × 7.4 mm | Razr 40 is taller but thinner when unfolded. Mi 11 is shorter and slightly thicker. |
| Weight | 196g | 188.6g | Razr 40 is negligibly lighter, barely noticeable in practical use. |
| Build Quality | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus (screen) | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus (screen) | Both offer similar scratch resistance for the screen. No other build details known for Razr 40 |
Display
| Feature | Xiaomi Mi 11 | Motorola Razr 40 | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 6.81" | 6.9" | Very similar screen sizes. Difference is not noticeable in day-to-day use |
| Resolution | 1440x3200 | 1080x2640 | Xiaomi Mi 11 offers a much sharper and more detailed display due to significantly higher pixel count. |
| PPI | 515 | 413 | Xiaomi Mi 11 provides notably clearer text and images due to its higher pixel density. |
| Technology | AMOLED | Missing | Xiaomi Mi 11 has an AMOLED panel which provides superior contrast, deeper blacks, and vibrant colors. |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 144Hz | Motorola Razr 40 offers slightly smoother scrolling and animations, although most users won't perceive a massive difference. |
| Brightness | 1500 nits | 1400 nits | Xiaomi Mi 11 offers better visibility in direct sunlight due to the higher peak brightness. |
Performance
| Feature | Xiaomi Mi 11 | Motorola Razr 40 | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 (4 nm) | Xiaomi Mi 11 has a flagship-level chipset from 2021, offering generally faster processing, particularly in demanding tasks and gaming. |
| AnTuTu Score | 806,139 | 699,600 | Xiaomi Mi 11 shows better synthetic benchmark performance, indicating better overall speed and responsiveness. |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Adreno 644 | Xiaomi Mi 11 has a more powerful GPU, resulting in better gaming performance and smoother graphics. |
Camera
| Feature | Xiaomi Mi 11 | Motorola Razr 40 | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Camera | 108MP, f/1.85, 1/1.33" sensor | 64MP, f/1.8, sensor details missing | Xiaomi Mi 11 captures images with more detail due to its much higher resolution. Razr 40 has a slightly wider aperture for low-light performance |
| Selfie Camera | 20MP, f/2.3, 1/3.4" sensor | 32MP, f/2.45, sensor details missing | Motorola Razr 40 offers higher resolution for selfies, while Xiaomi Mi 11 has a slightly wider aperture for low-light. |
| Wide Angle Lens | 13MP, f/2.3, 1/3.06" sensor | Not available | Xiaomi Mi 11 has a dedicated wide-angle lens for capturing expansive landscapes or group photos. |
| Macro Lens | 5MP, f/2.0, 1/5" sensor | Not available | Xiaomi Mi 11 has a dedicated macro lens for capturing close-up shots. |
| Wide Angle + Macro | Not Available | 13MP, f/2.2, sensor details missing | Motorola Razr 40 combines macro and wide angle in one lens, providing more flexibility than Mi11's dedicated lens setup. |
| Video | 8K up to 30fps, 4K up to 60fps, 1080p up to 240fps with HDR, EIS | 4K@30fps with EIS, 1080p@30/60fps with EIS | Xiaomi Mi 11 offers significantly more recording options, including higher resolutions and frame rates. Both offer stabilization. |
| DxOMark Selfie | Main: 112, Photo: 100, Video: 133 | Not tested | Xiaomi Mi 11's Selfie camera performance is known to be good based on DxOMark ratings, making it good for social media and video calls. |
Battery
| Feature | Xiaomi Mi 11 | Motorola Razr 40 | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 4600 mAh | 4200 mAh | Xiaomi Mi 11 may offer slightly longer battery life due to its larger capacity. |
| Charging | 55W wired, 50W wireless, 10W reverse wireless | 33W wired, 8W wireless | Xiaomi Mi 11 charges significantly faster both wired and wirelessly, reducing downtime. |
| Features | Reverse, 2*2250mAh | Reverse, Wireless 8W | Mi 11 offers more flexibility and faster wireless charging, and a split battery configuration, while Razr has only a single cell |
2. Key Differences Analysis
Xiaomi Mi 11 Advantages:
- Superior Display: Higher resolution, higher pixel density, and AMOLED technology, resulting in a sharper, more vibrant, and color accurate display.
- Stronger Performance: Flagship-level chipset and GPU for smoother, faster performance in all tasks, including demanding apps and games.
- More Versatile Camera: Dedicated wide-angle and macro lenses, 8K video recording, better video quality, better selfie performance (based on DxOMark scores).
- Faster Charging: Significantly faster wired and wireless charging.
- More Battery features Additional features like split cell design and reverse wireless charging.
Motorola Razr 40 Advantages:
- Foldable Design: Unique and compact form factor, very pocketable when folded.
- Newer Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.3 for potentially better connectivity and efficiency.
- Newer OS: Shipped with Android 13 vs Android 11 for Xiaomi.
- Side-mounted fingerprint sensor A more convenient biometric security
- Dolby Atmos: Better spatial audio experience
- Dual Function Camera: More flexibility with it's ultrawide + macro dual purpose lens.
Trade-offs:
- Xiaomi Mi 11 sacrifices portability due to its larger, non-foldable design.
- Motorola Razr 40 compromises on display quality and raw performance for its foldable design and more compact form. It also lacks dedicated Macro and Wide Angle lenses.
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
Xiaomi Mi 11 - Ideal For:
- Power Users: Individuals who prioritize top-tier performance for demanding tasks, gaming, and multimedia consumption.
- Multimedia Enthusiasts: Users who value a high-resolution, vibrant display and advanced camera features for photos and videos.
- Users who want a traditional form factor phone
Use Cases:
- High-end mobile gaming
- Viewing/editing photos and videos.
- Video editing or creation using the phone's 8k video capability
- Daily use for social media and streaming.
Motorola Razr 40 - Ideal For:
- Fashion-Conscious Users: Those who prioritize unique design and portability.
- Users valuing compact size: Those who prefer a smaller phone, or want to take up less space when not in use
- Minimalist users: For those who want a simple and functional user experience
- Early Adopters: Users interested in the latest tech, with less emphasis on pure performance.
Use Cases:
- Quick social media interactions.
- Those who want a phone that is small when folded
- Everyday phone use with a focus on portability
- Casual content consumption
Price-to-Value:
- The Xiaomi Mi 11 offers exceptional value for its performance and display capabilities. The price may be lower due to it being older.
- The Motorola Razr 40 would be more expensive as it's a folding phone with the latest design and OS, with more emphasis on style than raw power.
4. Decision Framework
Key Questions to Consider:
- Do you prioritize portability and a unique form factor (foldable)? If yes, the Motorola Razr 40 is the clear choice. If not, the Xiaomi Mi 11 is better in most aspects.
- How important is display quality (resolution, brightness, color)? If it's a high priority, the Xiaomi Mi 11 has a significantly superior display.
- Do you need the best raw performance and camera quality? If yes, the Xiaomi Mi 11 is the stronger option.
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Scenario 1: Power User on a Budget: If you need top performance and a great camera on a budget, choose the Xiaomi Mi 11.
- Scenario 2: Compact/Stylish Design: If having a small, stylish, foldable phone is key, choose the Motorola Razr 40.
- Scenario 3: Balanced User: If you want a balanced experience with an emphasis on display, then the Xiaomi Mi 11 is the choice.
My Choice:
I would personally choose the Xiaomi Mi 11. While the Motorola Razr 40's foldable design is intriguing, the Mi 11 offers a superior display, significantly better performance, more versatile camera capabilities, and much faster charging—all of which align more closely with my needs as a power user and multimedia enthusiast. The folding design would be a novelty but would compromise on core functions, while the Mi 11 provides all the features I value in a phone. The price to value ratio is also higher with the Xiaomi phone in this comparison.
