Realme 11 Pro+ 5G Review: A Fashion-Forward Mid-Range Smartphone That Rocks a Flagship-Level Camera

Realme is known worldwide for offering feature-rich smartphones at affordable prices, and their latest model, the realme 11 Pro+ 5G, is no exception. Available in China last month and soon to be available in India and Europe (and available in the US if you don’t mind using a reseller), the 11 Pro + 5G  boasts a 200-megapixel camera, 5,000mAh battery, 100W fast wired charging, and impressively, the base memory option starts at 8GB RAM and 256GB storage for well under $500.

These days, the smartphone market is flooded with options in every price range, but finding the perfect balance between features, performance, and affordability can be a daunting task, especially if you’re looking for something unlocked that won’t break the bank. The realme 11 Pro+ is priced as a mid-range smartphone, but as you’ll see, it punches well above its class in many ways.

Realme 11 Pro+ 5G Walk-Around

The Realme 11 Pro+ 5G boasts a sleek, modern design that belies its modest price. While it looks like almost every other Android slab smartphone from the front, complete with gently sloping sides on the right and left of the display, the back is where its updated design shines.

If you prefer something that looks a bit more “professional,” the 11 Pro+ is available with a matte Astral Black back panel, but the Oasis Green and the Sunrise Beige vegan leather back panels really shine.

Although the phone looks really stylish and feels good in hand, the materials used are (understandably) not quite as premium as you’d find on a pricier smartphone. For instance, rather than using Gorilla Glass, the front display is listed as “double-reinforced glass,” and that’s all we know about it.

The side rails and back are plastic, and while they don’t feel cheap, I would keep the realme 11 Pro+ 5G in its included TPU clear case so you can admire its beautiful back while keeping the phone protected. Even so, the realme 11 Pro+ has a very good build quality.

The realme 11 Pro+ 5G measures approximately 6.4″ long by 2.95″ wide by 0.4″ thick, and it weighs 6.6 ounces; it has a 6.7″ AMOLED display with HDR10+, up to a 120Hz refresh rate, and a peak brightness of 950 nits. A 32-megapixel front-facing camera is in the small punch-hole at the display’s top center.

I appreciate that the realme 11 Pro+ arrives with a factory-installed screen protector over the glass display.

The placement of buttons and ports is ergonomic; the fingerprint sensor is conveniently located under the display on the lower end, and it also has face unlock.

A power button and a volume rocker are on the right side.

On the top are a microphone and an outlet for the ear speaker that makes the Dolby Atmos stereo speakers sound satisfyingly loud when on speakerphone or while listening to audio.

The left side is clean.

The dual nanoSIM tray, microphone, USB Type-C charging port, and speaker are on the bottom. Unfortunately, if you were hoping for a headphone jack, there is none.

On the back is the large, round camera module.

Realme 11 Pro+ 5G Cameras

At the top of the realme 11 Pro+ 5G’s camera module, there is an LED flash; in the center is a large, flagship-level 200-megapixel lens that is based on the upgraded Samsung ISOCELL HP3 SuperZoom Camera system, which realme is rightly touting as a giant leap when compared to competitors who are still using the Sony IMX766 sensor. Also present are an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens and a 2-megapixel macro lens.

You can see the details of the vegan leather rear panel in this photo; all of the different colors and textures are quite eye-catching in person, and it’s the result of realme’s collaboration with Mateo Mennotto, a former Gucci prints and textile designer.

The combination of “stitched” vegan leather, the two-toned woven center stripe, and the large round camera module is quite nice.

One of the notable features of the realme 11 Pro+ 5G’s camera is its in-sensor Zoom technology, which enables the device to support 2x/4x lossless zoom mode by allowing the sensor to switch between different image modes while maintaining the same number of real pixels in different focal segments.

In addition to its impressive zoom capabilities, the realme 11 Pro+ 5G offers interesting camera features such as Super Group Portrait and One Take. These features use AI algorithms for intelligent composition, so you can simultaneously generate multiple “best-angled” photos.

Photos Taken with the realme 11 Pro+ 5G

Here are some photos that were taken with the realme 11 Pro+ 5G. Overall, I was quite impressed with how they came out!

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Using the realme 11 Pro+ 5G

Avi and Joshua checking out the realme 11 Pro+ in NYC.

Depending upon which region’s version of the realme 11 Pro+ you buy, it is available in the following configurations: 8GB RAM with 256GB storage, 12GB RAM with 256GB storage, 12GB RAM with 512GB storage (the version I received), and even 12GB RAM with 1TB storage.

Worth noting is that, like many of the phones under the BKK Electronics‘ umbrella (which includes OPPO, Vivo, iQOO, and OnePlus), it is possible to adjust the realme 11 Pro+’s available RAM to add as much as an additional 12GB of RAM, assuming you have enough storage space left on the phone for the boost.

But considering that even the base storage configuration for the 11 Pro+ comes with 256GB, having enough storage to share with the RAM boost feature shouldn’t be an issue for many.

The realme 11 Pro+ has a 5,000mAh battery, and in my testing, it easily lasted all day and into the next, which is quite refreshing. Although it doesn’t feature wireless charging, the 11 Pro+ does offer 100W SuperVOOC fast wired charging and a 100W GaN (EU) charger is included in the box.

Realme is touting a full charge in just 26 minutes and a 17% charge in just 3 minutes, and that seems about right. The wired charging is so fast that you might not mind that there isn’t a wireless charging option!

The 11 Pro+ is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7050 5G chipset, and it runs Android 13 with the realme UI 4.0 overlay. Realme promises two major Android updates and three years of security upgrades, which seems fair.

For my needs, the realme 11 Pro+ has proven to be quite nimble; everything ran snappily and smoothly, and there was no stalling or stuttering. I have no complaints about performance.

If I had to find something to nitpick on, it would be that there’s no splash resistance mentioned and, therefore, no official or implied IPXX rating. That’s not to say that the phone won’t be okay if it were splashed, but there’s nothing official to reassure you until it eventually happens and you find out one way or another.

Should you Buy the realme 11 Pro+ 5G?

There are quite a few features that make the realme 11 Pro+ stand out over other competitors in this price tier, namely its designer style, the 100W SUPERVOOC fast charging, the flagship 200-megapixel main camera, the all-day battery life, and the fact that even the base configuration comes with a generous 256GB of storage.

While those of us in the US will have to seek out a gray market reseller to purchase the realme 11 Pro+, I suspect anyone who does will be quite satisfied with their choice.

To learn more about the realme 11 Pro+, click here.

The realme 11 Pro Plus starts at approximately $339.63; the global version is available for early access sale directly from the manufacturer (if you live in a country they ship to), or you can check with resellers, including AliExpress, eBay, and GizTop.

Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample

What I Like: Designer style; 200-megapixel main camera snaps fantastic photos; Excellent battery life; Brilliant 6.7″ AMOLED display; Stereo speakers: 100W SUPERVOOC fast charging; 256GB storage on the base model; Up to a 120Hz display refresh rate; The price is quite reasonable

What Needs Improvement: No IP rating for dust or water resistance; No wireless charging; No headphone jack