Xiaomi's next flagship might come with an ultra-smooth QHD+ display

What you need to know

• The Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro may ship with a QHD+ 120Hz display.
• New text strings in current betas of the MIUI operating system hint at this.
• Xiaomi's current top-end phones currently pair a FHD+ resolution with a 144Hz smooth display.

Xiaomi's smartphones, while offering top-end specs, have been fairly modest in their display offerings this year as far as resolution goes. The company has stuck to FHD on most of its phones, including the Mi 10 Ultra released in China this summer. Next year, it may be making a change. The company is set to introduce a phone with a 120Hz smooth display in combination with a QHD resolution panel. Proof of this was spotted by XDA Developers via new strings in betas of the MIUI 12 skin.

While the strings don't refer to the Xiaomi Mi 11 or Mi 11 Pro by name, earlier rumors already said as much. It would also be the perfect upgrade for Xiaomi owners looking to upgrade to the next big thing.

Xiaomi's higher-end phones have shipped with at least 90Hz displays all year. The company started with a 90Hz display on the Mi 10, while the Mi 10T series shipped with 144Hz displays. A 120Hz QHD smooth display would keep the smoothness of a high refresh rate while adding the sharpness of a high-resolution display.

Smooth displays have been the latest track for the smartphone specs race. Phones like Google's Pixel 4 and the OnePlus 7 Pro started with 90Hz displays while Samsung's Galaxies go up to 120Hz, and of course, Xiaomi's aforementioned phones go as high as 144Hz. Smooth displays provide a smoother scrolling experience all around the UI and make the phone feel faster, and while the battery penalty is real, a bigger battery would help alleviate that concern.

Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro

Xiaomi's Mi 10T is one of the best Android smartphones in general, the 144Hz display is just icing on a value-laden cake. It has a powerful 108MP main camera, a powerful processor, and very good battery life for a cost that undercuts other high-end Android flagships.

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