Infinix Note 12 VIP recently launched in the country and we got to check it out, taking it through its paces – in our unboxing video and full review. The Note 12 VIP is the company’s top dog in the Note 12 series, at least for now, before they launch the versions powered by Helio G99 and its 5G companion.
On the other hand, the Redmi Note 11 Pro is among the top in the Note 11 lineup – there’s a 5G version that crowns up the whole series.
So how do these note-able upgrades stack up against each other?
Design
They both rock 6.7″ Full HD(1080p) AMOLED screens with 120Hz refresh rate and, 10-bit panels with 100% DCI-P3 with 700 nits peak brightness and the similarities end there. The Note 11 Pro also comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The Note 12 VIP has glass back and front too.
Coming to the back, the Note 12 VIP feels more elegant when put against the Note 11 Pro. Infinix ships its Note in rather beautiful colours including Cayenne Grey and Force Black while the Note 11 Pro comes in Star Blue, Polar White (Phantom White) and Graphite Gray (Stealth Black).
Both phones have backs with matte finishes that make sure that no fingerprint smudges stick to the phone.
They both share the side-mounted fnngerrpint sensor and stereo speakers. The Redmi Note 11 Pro has IP53 rating that makes the phone dust resistant and splash resistant.
The Note 12 VIP has a better design but then the Note 11 Pro IP53 certification is a nice-to-have feature.
Performance
Both phones pack Helio G96 chipset with Mali-G57 MC2 GPU. They also come with 8GB RAM and RAM expansion capabilities. You can expand up to 5G of RAM and 3GB of RAM for the VIP and Note 11 Pro respectively.
For storage we have 256GB and 128GB of onboard UFS 2.2 storage for the VIP and Note 11 Pro as well.
Redmi Note 11 Pro comes running Android 11 and MIUI 13 while Note 12 VIP has XOS 10.6 and Android 12 – Google’s latest mobile operating system.
This gives the Note 12 VIP an upper edge as you’re getting a more capable RAM and storage configuration, plus runs the latest Android version.
So in terms of theroritical performance, the Note 12 VIP is a better pick if you’ll be putting your device to heavy tasks.
In my review of the Note 12 VIP, its combination handled my everyday tasks and gaming performance with grace.
But it will all come down to which user interface you prefer – between Infinix’s XOS 10.6 and Xiaomi’s MIUI 13.
Battery Life
Redmi Note 11 Pro ships with a 5000mAh battery while the Infinix Note 12 VIP has a 4500mAh battery. They both sport Type-C ports but with different charging speeds.
Infinix has 120W fast charging while Redmi has 67W fast charging which means that the Note 12 VIP juices up from empty to 85% in 15 minutes while that same time period, the Note 11 Pro charges to 51%.
By the end of the day after heavy use, the Note 12 VIP had 20% battery life and light use can pull two days. I haven’t had a chance to check the Redmi Note 11 Pro’s battery life performance, but I’m pretty sure it can pull a full day too.
However, the ultra-fast charging gives the Note 12 VIP a lead over its competitor.
Cameras
Both phones come with triple camera setups sporting a main 108MP camera and auxiliary cameras. However, the Infinix Note 12 VIP has a better 13MP ultrawide camera compared to the 8MP ultrawide on the Note 11 Pro. A 2MP depth camera completes the setup for the Note 12 VIP while a 2MP macro camera does the same for the Note 11 Pro.
For selfies they both rock, 16MP front-facing camera sit housed in the center punch-hole in their displays.
Here’s what to expect when it comes to photography from the Infinix Note 12 VIP
Selfies and Portraits
Regular Shots
Lowlight and SuperNight Mode Shots
We didn’t get our hands on a Redmi Note 11 Pro but theoretically, the Note 12 VIP has a rather more versatile setup and you’ll be pretty happy with most of the shots taken on it.
Verdict
Both phones put up a good fight and we’re glad the Note 12 VIP meets its match in this comparison review with the Redmi Note 11 Pro. Redmi Note 11 Pro boasts of the IP53 rating that’s missing on the Note 12 VIP. However, as pointed above, Note 12 VIP serves essential features that redeems it in this fight including a better design, ultra-fast charging, superlative performance and more-than-capable cameras.
This isn’t an indepth comparison review but the Note 12 VIP packs the punch when stacked against the Note 11 Pro.
Pricing and Availability
Redmi Note 11 Pro goes for around Ksh 36,000 while the Note 12 VIP goes for Ksh 42,000 at the company’s official retail stores and partner stores. They are also available online at e-commerce sites like Jumia.
A value buy is the Redmi Note 11 Pro – it ticks most checkboxes while the Note 12 VIP goes extra with basics and some more such as the 120W ultra fast charging.
Both phones offer terrific value and irrespective of which one you pick, you won’t be disappointed with the overall package.
