1. Specifications Comparison
| Feature | Xiaomi Poco F3 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G | Practical Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design | |||
| Dimensions | 163.7 × 76.4 × 7.8 mm | 164.2 × 76.1 × 8.1 mm | Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is slightly thicker (0.3mm) and taller (0.5mm), may have a slightly less sleek feel |
| Weight | 196g | 202g | Poco F3 is 6g lighter, noticeable during extended use |
| Display | |||
| Size | 6.67" | 6.67" | Identical screen sizes for both phones |
| Resolution | 1080x2400 | 1080x2400 | Identical sharpness, no difference in visual clarity |
| PPI | 395 | 395 | Identical pixel density, same level of detail |
| Technology | AMOLED | AMOLED | Both have vibrant colors, deep blacks, and good viewing angles |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | Both offer smooth scrolling and animation |
| Brightness | 1300 nits | 1200 nits | Poco F3 is slightly brighter, better visibility under direct sunlight |
| Performance | |||
| Chipset | Snapdragon 870 5G | Snapdragon 695 5G | Poco F3 has a significantly more powerful chipset, faster app loading, better multitasking and gaming |
| Antutu Score | 800,216 | 405,259 | Poco F3 scores almost double, reflects in real-world speed and responsiveness |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Adreno 619 | Poco F3 has better graphics for smoother gameplay and higher visual settings |
| Battery | |||
| Capacity | 4520mAh | 5000mAh | Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has slightly larger battery, could offer slightly longer battery life |
| Charging | 33W Fast Charging | 67W Fast Charging | Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G charges much faster, reducing downtime |
| Charging Protocol | QC3 + / PD3.0 | Not specified | Poco F3 has more versatile charging protocol support |
| Camera | |||
| Main Camera Resolution | 48MP | 108MP | Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has higher resolution, theoretically better detail |
| Main Camera Aperture | f/1.79 | f/1.9 | Poco F3 has slightly wider aperture, performs better in low light |
| Main Camera Sensor Size | 1/2" | 1/1.52" | Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has larger sensor, could capture more light and detail |
| Selfie Camera Resolution | 20MP | 16MP | Poco F3 has slightly higher selfie resolution |
| Selfie Camera Aperture | f/2.45 | f/2.4 | Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has slightly wider aperture, might have better low light selfies |
| Selfie Camera Sensor Size | 1/3.4" | 1/3.06" | Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has larger selfie sensor, might have better low light selfies |
| Wide Angle Lens | Not Available | 8MP | Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has a wide-angle lens, for group photos and landscapes |
| Macro Lens | Not Available | 2MP | Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has a macro lens for closeup details |
| Video Recording | 4K@30fps, 1080p@up to 960fps | 1080p@30fps | Poco F3 offers higher video resolution and better slow-motion recording |
| DXOMark Score | Not Available | 78 (Overall), 81 (Photo), 85 (Video) | Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G's camera is rated, though Poco F3 is not. |
| Camera Features | 4K Video, Digital zoom, etc. | Ultra stable video, RAW, Night Mode | Different extra features for each phone |
| Software | |||
| OS | Android 11, Upgradable to 13 | Android 11 | Poco F3 has had Android 13 upgrade, while the max version for Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is unknown |
| Connectivity | |||
| WiFi | WiFi 6 (802.11ax) | 802.11ac | Poco F3 has newer, faster WiFi standard |
| Bluetooth | 5.1 | 5.2 | Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has newer Bluetooth, slightly better connectivity |
| GPS | L1+L5, Galileo (E1+E5a), BeiDou (B2), NavIC | L1, Galileo (E1) | Poco F3 has more satellite support for more accurate location |
| SIM | Dual Nano SIM | Dual Nano SIM | Both support two SIM cards |
| Storage | |||
| Internal Storage | 128GB/256GB | No data | Poco F3 offers 128 GB or 256 GB storage variants, the storage on the other phone is unknown |
| RAM | 6GB/8GB | No data | Poco F3 offers 6GB or 8GB RAM variants, the RAM on the other phone is unknown |
| Expandable Storage | No | No | Neither support expandable storage |
| Audio | |||
| Audio Quality | Dolby Atmos, Hi-Res Audio, Stereo Speakers | Dolby Atmos, Hi-Res Audio, Stereo Speakers, 2 microphones | Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has 2 microphones, potentially better audio recording |
| Security | |||
| Security | Side-mounted fingerprint sensor | Side-mounted fingerprint sensor | Both have fingerprint security, but no face unlock is specified |
| Build Quality | |||
| Screen Protection | Gorilla Glass 5 | Gorilla Glass 5 | Both have similar screen protection |
| Sensors | |||
| Sensors | Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Ultrasonic proximity virtual | Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Ultrasonic proximity virtual | Both have similar sensor suites |
2. Key Differences Analysis
Xiaomi Poco F3 Advantages:
- Significantly Higher Performance: The Snapdragon 870 chipset provides a massive performance advantage over the Snapdragon 695, leading to smoother multitasking, faster app launches, and better gaming experience. This is evident from the nearly doubled AnTuTu score.
- Brighter Display: The 1300 nits peak brightness makes the Poco F3 more usable in direct sunlight.
- Superior Video Recording: The ability to record in 4K and higher frame rate slow-motion is a significant advantage for those who record videos frequently.
- More Advanced WiFi: The Poco F3 supports Wi-Fi 6 for faster and more stable wireless connectivity.
- More Accurate GPS: The Poco F3 has more supported satellite systems, leading to better location accuracy.
- Software Updates: Poco F3 has received updates up to Android 13.
- More Storage and RAM Options: Poco F3 comes with a clear choice of storage and RAM with 128 GB or 256GB internal storage and 6 GB or 8 GB of RAM
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G Advantages:
- Larger Battery: The 5000mAh battery may offer slightly longer battery life than the Poco F3's 4520mAh unit.
- Faster Charging: 67W fast charging significantly reduces charging time compared to the Poco F3's 33W.
- Higher Resolution Main Camera: The 108MP sensor could capture more detailed images in good lighting.
- Wide Angle Lens: Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has an ultrawide lens for landscape and group photos.
- Macro Lens: Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has a dedicated macro lens for close up photography.
- Newer Bluetooth: Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has Bluetooth 5.2, slightly better in terms of connectivity
- Rated Camera: The DXOMark ratings provide some insight into the camera performance, while no data was available for the Poco F3.
- Enhanced Audio Recording: The 2 microphone setup may offer better audio recording capabilities.
- Ultra Stable Video Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G offers ultra stable video recording, not available in Poco F3.
- RAW Image Support Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has a feature for saving images in RAW format which allows for more control in post-processing.
- Night Mode: Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has a dedicated night mode for capturing photos in low light.
Significant Trade-offs:
- The Poco F3 trades off battery capacity and camera versatility for much higher performance and display brightness.
- The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G trades off performance and some video recording features for slightly better battery life, faster charging, camera versatility (wide-angle, macro) and rating
3. User Profiles & Recommendations
Xiaomi Poco F3:
- Ideal User: Gamers, power users, those who prioritize performance over all else, and video creators who need high-quality video recording and a very bright screen.
- Use Cases:
- Playing demanding mobile games at high frame rates
- Editing photos and videos quickly
- Running multiple apps simultaneously without slowdown
- Capturing high-quality videos for vlogs or personal use.
- Users who value better outdoor visibility
- Users who need very precise location tracking
- Users who need fast WiFi
- Price-to-Value: Offers excellent performance for the price, especially for those who value speed and responsiveness. The price-to-value is very high.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G:
- Ideal User: Everyday users who prioritize battery life, faster charging, camera versatility and a good main camera, but are less concerned about top-tier gaming performance, as well as users that value a phone with a good camera rating.
- Use Cases:
- Long days away from a charger, with frequent usage
- Taking photos of landscapes and groups with the wide-angle lens
- Capturing detailed macro photos
- Quickly topping up the battery when in a hurry
- Taking images at night or with limited lighting.
- Price-to-Value: Offers a good balance of features for everyday usage. It's a more versatile choice, especially for camera enthusiasts. The price-to-value is good for this user profile.
4. Decision Framework
Key Questions for Buyers:
- How important is raw performance? If gaming and heavy multitasking are priorities, the Poco F3 is the clear choice. If not, the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is sufficient.
- How much do you value camera features like a wide-angle lens and a macro lens? The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G has more camera versatility than the Poco F3.
- What is more important: battery or fast charging? The Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G charges much faster and has slightly larger battery, while the Poco F3 offers more features around it.
Scenario-Based Recommendations:
- Scenario 1 (Gaming & Performance): If gaming is your primary use case, or you require the absolute fastest performance, the Poco F3 is the better option. Its superior chipset, GPU and faster WiFi make it ideal for demanding tasks.
- Scenario 2 (Photography Enthusiast): If you need camera versatility such as wide-angle, macro shots and overall good camera performance including video capabilities, the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G offers much better all-around camera capability, better battery life and faster charging which can be crucial when out taking pictures.
- Scenario 3 (Balanced Usage): If you need a balance between performance, camera capabilities, and better battery life, the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G might be more suitable. It has good all-around capabilities.
- Scenario 4 (Price-Conscious with Performance Needs): If you are on a budget but value higher performance than the average, the Poco F3 offers excellent performance at it's price.
My Choice
If I had to choose, I would pick the Xiaomi Poco F3. My primary reason is the vastly superior performance. As someone who frequently uses demanding applications and games on their phone, the Snapdragon 870 chipset is a game-changer. While I would miss the wide-angle and macro cameras, as well as the faster charging, the performance boost, brighter screen and faster WiFi is a tradeoff that I'm willing to make. Additionally, the availability of 256 GB storage and 8 GB of RAM further solidify my choice as I tend to store a lot of files and multitask frequently, as well as knowing the availability of a major Android update. The significantly better video capabilities are also very valuable.
