Verification of the capabilities and aims of Xiaomi "Mi 11 Lite 5G" as a rival to OPPO "Reno5 A": Junya Ishino's Mobile Eye (page 1/3)

　Xiaomi will introduce "Mi 11 Lite 5G" to the Japanese market. The release is scheduled for July 2nd, and the price is assumed to be 43,800 yen (including tax, the same below). The Mi 11 Lite 5G is a high-end model in the middle range, but its performance is as close to high-end as possible. At the same time, we pursue thinness. We have achieved the thinnest 6.81mm as a 5G smartphone. As a special feature of Japanese specifications, it is equipped with FeliCa and supports Osaifu-Keitai.

In 2021, Xiaomi has introduced various ranges of smartphones to the Japanese market with the keyword "redefinition". Mi 11 Lite 5G is targeting the middle-high market, which has the largest volume of SIM lock-free smartphones. More specifically, it can be said that Xiaomi has made the Mi 11 Lite 5G a rival to OPPO's "Reno5 A". Here, I would like to explain the aim while introducing the actual machine of Mi 11 Lite 5G.

Mi 11 Lite 5G packed with Snapdragon 780G and Osaifu-Keitai in a 6.81mm thin body

First, what kind of terminal is the Mi 11 Lite 5G? I would like to introduce again based on the actual machine. This model is a low-priced version of the Mi 11 series that Xiaomi announced globally in March. The back design of the camera etc. follows the flagship model "Mi 11", but it is positioned as a middle range model with reduced functions. However, its performance is rather close to the high-end model. One of them is the processor "Snapdragon 780G" adopted by the model.

　The Snapdragon 780G is a processor that Qualcomm just announced in March, and is characterized by being developed using the same 5nm manufacturing process as the "Snapdragon 888". Like the Snapdragon 888, the 5G modem is also integrated into a single chip. At the recital, more than 500,000 AnTuTu Benchmark scores were shown, and it's true that the movement of the actual machine is smooth. "Geekbench 5", which measures the processing power of CPU and GPU, also scored high as follows. As a numerical value, it is close to the high-end model that was released about two years ago and was sold as an active service until 2020.

　Contrary to the high processing power, the main body is very thin. Thickness is 6.81mm. Both the front and back are flat, and it is thick enough to fit neatly in a pocket. It has a size that makes it hard to believe that the battery capacity is 4250mAh, and it weighs 159g, which is very light. While some of the high-end models weigh more than 200g, it seems to be a valuable terminal that pursues lightness. The fingerprint sensor is integrated with the power key on the side, and when you hold it in your hand, your finger naturally hits it. Because there are physical buttons, it is easier to touch than the fingerprint sensor built into the display, and since it is on the side, it can be used even if it is placed on a desk or table.

　The main camera on the back is 64 million pixels. It also has an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera and a 5-megapixel macro camera. The 64 million pixels are compatible with the "4-in-1 super pixel" pixel binning technology, and the brightness is sufficient even when taking pictures in a room with low light. The resolution is lower due to the lower number of pixels, but the ultra-wide-angle camera is also easy to use. With a macro camera, you can get close to your subject and take close-up shots. It can be said that the "difference" from the high-end model is that the number of pixels of the ultra-wide-angle camera is low and that there is no telephoto camera.

　It is also a nice point that it supports 5G. I tried inserting a Y!mobile SIM into the trial terminal, but in the 5G area I was able to communicate at a speed of over 1 Gbps. Since it also supports frequency bands diverted from 4G to 5G, such as n3 (1.7GHz band) and n28 (700MHz band), the area where 5G communication is possible is wide. In Shibuya, where my office is located, I crossed 109 from the station and grabbed 5G almost continuously until I headed for the Shibuya main store of Tokyu Department Store. On the other hand, it does not support n79 (4.5 GHz band), which DoCoMo uses in macro stations. In the case of Docomo, there is a high possibility that the area for 5G will be narrower than the n79 compatible terminal.

　In addition to the high basic performance, the Mi 11 Lite 5G is also compatible with Osaifu-Keitai. Domestic manufacturers Sharp and overseas manufacturers OPPO have FeliCa in terminals of this range, but the options are still limited. Unlike carrier version smartphones, the SIM lock-free model requires the manufacturer to prepare a server, etc., which increases the time and effort of implementation, but it can be appreciated that the cost was properly spent to support FeliCa. There are other options if the terminal has high cost performance, but it is clear that it can be differentiated by supporting Osaifu-Keitai.

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