Xiaomi goes crazy with launch of new smartphones, a tablet, projector, smart band and mesh router
Today’s event looked to be rather low-key, but by the end of it Xiaomi had dumped a huge load of steaming hot tech.
- Watch the live stream here, or just check out the summary and spec sheets below.
Xiaomi 11T series
There’s loads to go through, but let’s start with the two new Xiaomi 11T smartphones; the Xiaomi 11T and Xiaomi 11T Pro, as well as the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE.
All of the specs can be viewed in the one-pagers attached, and both the 11T and 11T Pro share many key features (like dimensions, battery capacity and camera setup) but with the Pro introducing a super-fast 120W Xiaomi HyperCharge system (and bundling the necessary power brick in the box too, so you won’t need to shell out anything extra) to get you from 0% to 72% in just 10 minutes, and to 100% in 17 minutes, without overheating.
Xiaomi is so sure of the safety of its new charging tech, it has ensured it received TÜV Rheinland Safe Fast-Charge System certification, with a promise of 80% battery health remaining after 800 charges.
Neither comes with wireless charging, however, which is still a feature exclusive to the more expensive Mi 11 and Mi 11 Ultra models.
The 11T is powered by a power-efficient MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC (6nm), with the 11T Pro using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 (5nm). With a 5,000mAh battery in each (the 11T makes do with ‘only’ 65W charging forcing you to wait a whole 36 minutes for a full charge!), you can decide on whether you want strong battery life, or more power. While it remains to be seen in actual testing, it is likely the MediaTek model will run cooler and for longer between charges.
Whatever you decide you’ll still get a 6.67-inch AMOLED 120Hz flat display (the Pro gets Dolby Vision support), the same 108-megapixel primary camera, 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera and 5-megapixel telemacro camera.
There’s stereo sound on both too, although only the Pro comes with Harman Kardon branding.
Xiaomi also announced recently that the 11T Series phones will also enjoy three years of Android OS updates and four years of security updates.
Like the Xiaomi Mi 11, all models are built not only around excellent still imaging but video too, with a number of video features, including one-click AI cinema, cinematic video filters, and a Vlog mode.
The Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE is a refresh of the Mi 11 Lite 5G released earlier this year, coming with a 64+8+5MP camera setup and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 778G 5G chipset. It has a smaller 6.55-inch display (90Hz) than the 11T and 11T Pro models, along with a 4,250mAh battery and 33W fast-charging.
It includes useful features like Wi-Fi 6 and dual speakers, as well as the cinematic features mentioned above, while measuring just 6.81mm thick.
Pricing and Availability
- Xiaomi 11T: Pricing starting from €499 for the 8+128GB model and up to €549 for the 8+256GB model.
Update with UK specific pricing: £499 8+128GB & £549 8+256GB (early bird discount to £499 for 8+256GB model for those ordering before October 10th. Also order before October 22nd and get a free Mi Watch) - Xiaomi 11T Pro: Pricing starting from €649 for the 8+128GB model, €699 for the 8+256GB model, and €749 for the 12+256GB model.
Update with UK specific pricing: £599 8+128GB & £649 8+256GB (early bird discount to £549 for 8+128GB model for those ordering before September 26th. Also order before October 1st to get £50 discount at checkout) - Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE: Pricing starting from €369 with three variants; 6+128GB, 8+128GB and 8+256GB.
UK pricing to be confirmed, along with release date. - Three colour choices for 11T and 11T Pro: Meteorite Gray, Moonlight White, or Celestial Blue.
Xiaomi Pad 5
Xiaomi’s new tablet has more than a passing resemblance to a certain fruity tablet, and the Pad 5 also comes with a smart pen (although it may or may not be bundled depending on region).
With quad-stereo sound, a large 11-inch WQHD+ display with 120Hz refresh rate, a 13-megapixel camera on the back and 8-megapixel up front, plus a large 8,720mAh battery, it offers a lot of bang-for-the-buck.
It is also powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 SoC, so it won’t be a slouch in the performance department either.
Pricing and Availability
- The Xiaomi Pad 5 will retail from €349 for the 6+128GB model and up to €399 for the 6+256GB model.
Update with UK specific pricing: £369 for the 6+128GB model, with early bird pricing reducing the price to £299 for customers ordering before September 25th. - Two colour choices: Cosmic Grey and Pearl White.
Xiaomi Mi Smart Projector 2
The Mi Smart Projector 2 is a small, relatively light, portable projector with a 500 ANSI lumens output and Full HD resolution, complete with auto focussing and multi-angle auto-keystone correction, giving you a great square screen in a matter of seconds.
The projector can also accept 4K video which is scaled accordingly, running on Google’s Android TV system so you can access multiple services on the projector itself, although there’s also an HDMI input so you can project other content from different devices hooked up, or stream using Chromecast.
There are also 2x5W full-frequency speakers integrated within the unit.
Pricing and Availability
- The Xiaomi Mi Smart Projector 2 will retail from €599.
No UK availability or pricing confirmed yet.
Xiaomi Mesh System AX3000
Mesh Wi-Fi is rapidly gaining in popularity, but the performance can vary a lot. What also varies a lot is price, with many Wi-Fi 6 based systems costing considerably more than the older Wi-Fi 5 devices.
Xiaomi has now launched its own mesh networking system, using the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard and offering a maximum Wi-Fi speed of 2,976Mbps (574Mbps over 2.4GHz and 2,402Mbps over 5GHz).
This is a dual-band mesh network, which means there is no dedicated backhaul channel (you can of course connect them via Ethernet for the maximum efficiency), but the unit is priced accordingly and also looks stylish for any living room, hallway or bedroom.
Pricing and Availability
- The Xiaomi Mesh System AX3000 (2-pack) will retail from €149.
- A single pack will retail at €79.
No UK availability or pricing confirmed yet.
Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 NFC
The last new product is an updated Smart Band 6 that has had the addition of NFC, to turn it into a mobile payment device. It also gets Amazon Alexa support built in, making it the perfect remote control for smart homeowners.
Pricing and Availability
- The Mi Smart Band 6 NFC will retail from €54.90
No UK availability or pricing confirmed yet.
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