The our Xiaomi 13 review it could be very fast. If you are wondering if this smartphone is a good top of the range, we will tell you right away: it is. Complete, with a splendid screen and lots of power, but also great autonomy and fast charging. And the customization of the MIUI 14 operating system (based on Android 13) allows you to make it yours in all respects. But the truth is that among the top of the range it’s hard to go wrong: they are all phones designed to give the best that the smartphone world has to offer. So in this review we try to help you understand if, among the best smartphones of 2023, Xiaomi 13 is just the thing for you.
Our review of the Xiaomi 13
Opening the box of Xiaomi 13 that we tested for this review, we were happy to see that Xiaomi does not save on equipment, as some rivals do among the top of the range. In fact, in addition to the smartphone, we also find one simple transparent cover and above all a 67W charger. In short, everything is ready to make the most of the advanced features of this smartphone.
We then immediately turned on the smartphone, passing applications and data from our smartphone that we use daily via USB-C cable. Preparing Xiaomi 13 for use is really simple and quick: in a few minutes we were ready for the tests of our review.
Design
15.29 centimeters long, 7.15 centimeters wide and only 8.1 millimeters thick, the new Xiaomi 13 falls into the category of compact smartphones – although only a few years ago we would have considered it very large. But compactness is not only in the smallest size, but in the excellent balance of the device. That weighs 185 grams – but it feels even lighter in the hand.
The design with flat lines (so much so that the phone stands “standing” easily) and rounded corners seems to us particularly elegant, even if it doesn’t attract too much attention. On the right side you will find both the volume rocker and the power and unlock button, leaving the left empty. At the bottom the USB-C input and for the dual SIM, while both above and below we find the stereo speakers.
The shiny look of the glass on the back and the aluminum frame it holds fingerprints more than we’d like – which is a shame, because it looks just fine without the cover. Especially since the choice of colors is large and interesting.
The box on the back, top left, is also discreet and well thought out, for the three Leica cameras. Perhaps we would have expected something more daring from a top of the range, but the discretion of the black frame contributes to the elegance of the device. Which doesn’t draw too much attention to itself, but which at the same time doesn’t tire as more flashy solutions would.
Xiaomi 13 review: display
With a 6.36-inch diagonal, the display is large despite the compact design of the device, especially since the screen-to-display ratio is optimal. The screen OLED has well-balanced colors (which you can customize) and a 1080×2400 resolution. Il refresh rate da 120Hz satisfied us throughout the test and the peak brightness of 1900 nits helped us read the display even in direct sunlight. Gorgeous.
From videos on YouTube and streaming series, passing through the most graphically complex games, the Xiaomi 13 display satisfied us in all respects. Also thanks to screensaver carousel included in the OS, we enjoyed every moment with this display, from unlocking to streaming.
Also a note on audio: the stereo system produces a loud but well-balanced sound, with bass that is felt and with excellent mid-highs (the vocals in the songs on YouTube Music are very well defined). This makes hands-free calling and video chatting really good – great job across the media department.
Performance with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
In the Xiaomi 13 model that we tested for this review, the processor Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is joined by 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The result? One of the most powerful smartphones we’ve ever tested. We have never seen any slowdowns of any kind, the operating system runs smoothly as never before.
And with games? We tested Genshin Impact for over half an hour without any frame drops, even Fifa Mobile and Aspalth 9 don’t drop a second. The benchmarks we tested confirm the situation: this smartphone can really do it all. And do it to the fullest.
Geekbench 6, GPU Mark e PcMark
No unexpected warm-ups, no problem during all tests. Switching from one application to another is quick and easy, never a problem. In short: on Android, it is not possible to go faster or use more power than that demonstrated by Xiaomi 13.
Software: how MIUI 14 behaves
Xiaomi’s new smartphone uses MIUI 14 as an operating system. This is the customized version of Android 13, the latest update of Google’s operating system. This brings some interesting news, with the addition of news from Xiaomi.
A negative note are too many installed by default (they were more than we have imported from our old smartphone). In addition to social networks, Booking and other third-party applications, there are many apps from Google and as many from Xiaomi. The new positivity is that almost all of them can now be uninstalled. There are only a few essential for the functioning of the device, which however do not take up too much space.
However, the customization is excellent: right from the first start-up you can choose fonts, sizes and details for the entire operating system. We really liked the ability to control every aspect of the interface, because it allows you to control every detail but also to rely on Xiaomi’s taste, for example if you want to see a carousel of different unlock images. In short, maximum freedom to make your smartphone truly yours.
Even if you don’t like the new operating system to your liking, you can modify it as you prefer. And we didn’t encounter any noticeable problems with MIUI 14 in our test period. In addition, Xiaomi recently announced that it will provide three years of Android updates and four years of security.
Xiaomi 13 review: the camera with Leica sensors
Xiaomi 13 has a photographic department developed together with Leica experts. And it shows. The sensor Sony Exmor IMX800 da 50 MP (f/1,8 con OIS) it takes really interesting shots, with razor-sharp precision and realistic colors especially in good light conditions.
We appreciated being able to choose between realistic or vibrant shots in the two different Leica modes. Even the vibrant mode, which brings brighter shades of color, is not excessively “artificial”, although it is ready for social media immediately without filters. We loved the realistic mode: the natual colors, together with the sharp edges that the main sensor captures so well, create excellent photos.
The sensor t10MP elephotographic allows you to create really interesting bokeh effects and portraits. It also allows you to zoom up to 3.2x with the optical zoom, for excellent results. The zoom technically reaches up to 30x, with acceptable shots thanks to optical stabilization. But up to 10x the quality remains quite good.
L’ultrawide da 12MP it seems to us that it captures fewer nuances than the main one, but the quality remains good. The 32MP selfie camera is really good.
The photographic department satisfied us, but also the video one satisfied us. Records up to 8K at 24FPS and 4K up to 60FPS, and with optical stabilization it does it very well. Fully promoted in this area too: if you often make videos for social media or to capture your moments with friends and family, you have found an excellent ally.
Camera samples
Battery and charging
The 4500mAh battery is higher than the average for phones of this size and range – many competing devices have smaller solutions. Despite the beautiful and bright screen, the battery drains slowly even with a lot of use of the device. Even with some more intense gaming sessions, benchmarks and intense tests, we easily got to the end of the day with the device – for many it will last even half of the next day without recharging. The energy saving mode is also excellent: one evening we left the house around after dinner with less than 10% and came back with the phone still on, although using it normally.
The 67W charging then it is fast enough: in one forty minutes goes from 0 to 100% – if you charge it before it’s completely dry, half an hour is enough to stay away from the socket all day. Plus, there’s the astonishing 50W wireless charging. We think this combination of battery and charge is perfect for most people, even if it doesn’t break records.
Xiaomi 13 review: quality and price, is it worth it?
Xiaomi has done nothing wrong with its new smartphone: Xiaomi 13 passed our review at best. It has a screen that fully convinced us: excellent color balance, high resolution. The ultra-powerful processor and well-thought-out operating system let us do everything we wanted – including games. The battery life is good, the fast charging superlative. It really lacks nothing, including the nice and compact design.
The price depends on the cut of…