The Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G: Is 120W Charging Enough to Justify the Price?
Xiaomi has kicked off the new year with a bang, introducing the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G, which they claim is India’s fastest charging smartphone. While fast charging has become a common selling point for many manufacturers, Xiaomi is the first to offer a phone capable of 120W rapid charging in the Indian market. The 11i HyperCharge 5G promises a full charge in a mere 15 minutes. But is this phone a one-trick pony, or does it hold its own against competitors in other areas? We put the 11i HyperCharge 5G through its paces to find out.
Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G Price in India
The Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G is available in two RAM variants: 6GB and 8GB, both with 128GB of internal storage. The base variant is priced at Rs. 26,999 in India, while the 8GB model costs Rs. 28,999. Xiaomi offered an early-bird discount of Rs. 1,500, and SBI cardholders were eligible for an additional Rs. 2,500 cashback at launch.
Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G Design
The Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G is a large phone with a new design featuring flattened sides. Despite its size, it remains comfortable to hold, thanks to rounded corners that prevent the phone from digging into your palms. The polycarbonate frame doesn’t feel cheap, but the 204g weight is certainly noticeable.
The 6.67-inch display takes center stage on the 11i HyperCharge 5G. A small hole-punch cutout near the top houses the front camera, and thin bezels surround the screen. The side-mounted fingerprint scanner is well positioned, making it easy to access. The volume buttons are also within easy reach. While the right side houses all the buttons, the left side is completely bare. The phone boasts stereo speakers, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an IR emitter, and a USB Type-C port.
The glass back panel of the 11i HyperCharge 5G gives it a premium look, and our Camo Green variant features a matte finish that subtly shimmers under the light. The camera module is large and sure to draw attention. Though the glass back does a good job of hiding fingerprints, Xiaomi includes a transparent case in the box, along with the 120W charger.
Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G Specifications
The Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G boasts a 6.67-inch full-HD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz maximum refresh rate. It has a peak brightness of 1200nits and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. Xiaomi has opted for the MediaTek Dimensity 920 SoC to power the 11i HyperCharge 5G, an up-and-coming chip also found in the Vivo V23 Pro in India.
The internal storage is expandable using a microSD card in the hybrid dual-SIM tray. Xiaomi also offers a memory extension feature that utilizes a portion of the internal storage as RAM. In our unit, this feature allowed us to add an additional 3GB of virtual RAM, and it is enabled by default. The Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G packs a 4,500mAh battery, slightly smaller than the battery in the Xiaomi 11i 5G launched alongside it. These two models are virtually identical, aside from their battery capacities and maximum charging speeds.
On the software front, the 11i HyperCharge 5G runs MIUI 12.5 on top of Android 11. Our unit came with the November Android security patch. MIUI offers extensive customizations, but we also noticed a large number of preinstalled apps. Luckily, you can uninstall these apps to declutter the interface. Swiping right from the home screen reveals Xiaomi’s App Vault by default. This can now be swapped for the Google Discover news feed or disabled altogether.
Theming is possible on the 11i HyperCharge 5G, allowing you to tailor the interface to your preferences. The phone also offers Dual Apps, enabling you to run two instances of the same app, and Game Turbo, providing a central hub for your games, performance management tools, and call/notification blocking during gameplay.
Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G Performance and Battery Life
The Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G’s AMOLED display is crisp, with good viewing angles and brightness. The high refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling and motion in supported games. However, the 120Hz setting is not enabled by default. The speakers are loud and the stereo sound enhances the video-watching experience. We found the side-mounted fingerprint scanner to be quick, unlocking the phone with a single tap. Multitasking was a breeze, and we were able to switch between numerous apps without hiccups.
We ran synthetic benchmarks to gauge the performance of the MediaTek Dimensity 920 SoC compared to the competition. The Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G scored 4,26,791 points in AnTuTu. It also achieved 742 and 2240 points in Geekbench 5’s single-core and multi-core tests, respectively. In graphics benchmarking app GFXBench’s T-Rex and Car Chase scenes, the 11i HyperCharge 5G scored 82fps and 21fps, respectively. The Motorola Edge 20, with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC, performed better in each of these tests.
We played Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) on the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G, which defaulted to HD graphics and ‘High’ frame rate settings. The game was playable at these settings without any issues, and we didn’t notice any stutter. After playing for 26 minutes, we observed a six percent drop in battery level, which is very good. The smartphone also stayed comfortably cool to the touch.
The Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G offered excellent battery life, easily lasting beyond a day with our usage patterns. In our HD video loop test, the phone ran for 15 hours and 57 minutes. Charging the phone was incredibly quick with the supplied 120W charger. The 11i HyperCharge 5G reached 72 percent in just 10 minutes, but it took a total of 20 minutes to charge completely. We had to toggle Boost Charging Speed in the Settings to take full advantage of the fastest possible charging speed with the 120W charger, which is not enabled by default.
Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G Cameras
The Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G features a triple camera setup consisting of a 108-megapixel primary camera with an f/1.89 aperture, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 2-megapixel macro camera. For selfies, it has a 16-megapixel front shooter. The camera app is familiar from other recent Xiaomi smartphones, offering all the expected shooting modes and quick toggles for HDR and AI. The Macro toggle remains hidden in a sub-menu, making it easy to miss.
Daylight photos captured with the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G were good. The phone quickly and accurately metered light and locked focus, although it tended to boost sharpness and contrast in the final image. This resulted in a watercolor-like effect on objects in the shadows. The ultra-wide-angle camera offered a wider field of view, and photos looked good on the phone’s display, but there was a noticeable drop in image quality compared to shots taken with the primary camera.
Close-up shots were crisp, and the phone managed colors well. Subjects also had good separation from the background with a soft depth effect. Portrait mode photos exhibited accurate edge detection, and the phone allowed us to adjust the level of blur before taking a shot. Macros are captured at only 2-megapixel resolution, but we were able to get very close to the subject.
Low-light photos taken with bright light sources nearby turned out well, and objects at a distance were recognizable. However, colors were off. With Night mode enabled, the output had slightly better details and color.
Selfies shot with the Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G had good details, and the Portrait mode delivered good separation between the subject and the background. Low-light selfies were average.
Video recording tops out at 4K for the primary camera and 1080p for the selfie shooter. Stabilization was good during the day, but at night, we observed jitter in clips recorded while walking around. Overall, the cameras performed better in daylight compared to low-light conditions.
Verdict
The Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G has made headlines for its super-fast charging capability, and this is undoubtedly the biggest selling point of this smartphone. It’s almost unbelievable that a phone battery, especially one with a relatively high capacity, can be fully charged in just 20 minutes, making it incredibly convenient for frequent travelers. The only drawback is that you’ll need to carry the bulky 120W charger with you at all times.
The Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge 5G commands a premium for its 120W fast charging technology. It currently lacks direct competition, so if you’re willing to spend a bit more, it’s definitely worth considering. However, if this particular feature isn’t a major priority for your usage, you could opt for the regular Xiaomi 11i 5G, which costs significantly less. It’s practically identical to the HyperCharge model but supports 67W fast charging (still remarkably fast). The OnePlus Nord 2 and the Poco F3 GT are also worth considering if you prioritize performance at a lower price point.
