A few weeks before the new year, Xiaomi presents its flagship smartphones for 2023. We took a look at the event around the Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro and show what Samsung will have to measure itself against in the coming year.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1-Xiaomi 13: in the iPhone look
Triple camera without gap filler
Top processor and Android 13
battery and fast charging
Many colors and different materials
2-Xiaomi 13 Pro: bigger and better
Three times 50 megapixels
Bigger battery – full faster
3Xiaomi 13 series: prices and release
After Xiaomi canceled the event in early December , the time had come: The Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro were officially presented. In terms of performance, the two models are identical and are one of the first smartphones with the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. There are differences in display size, camera equipment and loading speed. These are the first flagship smartphones of 2023.
XIAOMI 13: IN THE IPHONE LOOK
It takes a good two years to develop a new smartphone. So it’s no wonder that now, just over two years after the iPhone 12 was unveiled, we’re seeing the first Android smartphones with square corners. The Xiaomi 13 comes with an angular, shiny metal frame. The back, on the other hand, is not completely flat, but is still slightly curved. The smartphone is also the first Xiaomi phone to be officially waterproof.
Like its predecessor, the Xiaomi 13 is very compact with a screen size of 6.36 inches, making it one of the handiest smartphones on the market.
The screen promises to be a real highlight. The curved edges have been eliminated and a flat AMOLED panel with very thin edges has been installed instead. The latest generation of Samsung’s displays is used, which promises a significantly higher brightness of up to 1,900 nits.
Triple camera without gap filler
Xiaomi has given the 13 a camera with three focal lengths. This is a 50-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilization . There is also an optically stabilized 10-megapixel telephoto camera with 3.2x zoom and a 12-megapixel ultra wide-angle camera. Compared to the predecessor, Xiaomi does without unnecessary modules with a few megapixels and also gives the smaller model a real telephoto camera.
The selfie camera is hidden in a punch hole in the screen. In both models, this offers a resolution of 32 megapixels and a slightly longer focal length than the main camera to facilitate selfies with several people.
Top processor and Android 13
Both smartphones are equipped with the latest processor from Qualcomm, which was only introduced a few weeks ago. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is currently the strongest chip in an Android smartphone and offers 8 cores with four different performance classes to handle demanding tasks with a lot of performance and to work in an energy-saving manner when idling. Depending on the equipment, the Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro have 8 or 12 gigabytes of RAM at their disposal.
The Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro are also the first smartphones to come onto the market with Xiaomi’s new MIUI 14 interface. This is based on Android 13 and is said to have undergone some improvements. It should run more efficiently and have fewer apps that cannot be uninstalled. No comment has yet been made on the update policy. Xiaomi currently has 3 years of Android updates and 4 years of security patches.
battery and fast charging
The Xiaomi 13 has a 4,500 mAh battery. This is quite an impressive value for the size of the smartphone. With the slightly smaller Galaxy S22 , Samsung only has 3,700 mAh. It can be charged either by cable with up to 67 watts or wirelessly with up to 50 watts. Rear charging of accessories such as headphones and smartwatches is also supported.
Many colors and different materials
At the launch of the Xiaomi 13, the new smartphone is colorful. Xiaomi offers a total of nine colors and three different finishes. The smartphone with a glass back is available in white, black and green. There is also a blue model with a plastic back with a leather look and structure. However, the latter will probably not exist in this country. A “Five Colors Special Edition” with a black frame and bright red, blue, yellow, green or gray backs is available exclusively in China.
XIAOMI 13 PRO: BIGGER AND BETTER
With a 6.73-inch screen, the Xiaomi 13 Pro is the bigger brother of the normal Xiaomi 13. But the screen is not only larger, it also offers a higher resolution. 1,440 x 3,200 pixels instead of Full HD as in the smaller model. Samsung’s latest screen technology is also used here.
On the outside, the Pro model is very different. Xiaomi relies on a classic look without the angular edges and continues to use a curved display. However, the edges are significantly less curved than on the predecessor.
Three times 50 megapixels
The camera equipment is also “pro”. Xiaomi relies on the same combination of standard, ultra wide angle and telephoto camera here – but all three sensors in this model offer a resolution of 50 megapixels. High-quality sensors are also used. When it comes to photography, the Xiaomi 13 Pro definitely has an advantage over the smaller version of the flagship.
Bigger battery – full faster
It is obvious that there is room for a larger battery in a larger case. The Xiaomi 13 Pro offers an energy storage with 5,820 mAh. The difference to the smaller model is only small. This is probably due to the charging technology. The Xiaomi 13 Pro can be charged with up to 120 watts via cable. A complete charge should only take 19 instead of 36 minutes. Wireless, on the other hand, there are no differences.
XIAOMI 13 SERIES: PRICES AND RELEASE
With the Xiaomi 13 series, the Chinese manufacturer has delivered well. Gone are the days of making compromises when it comes to waterproof housing or camera equipment.
In China, the Xiaomi 13 series will be available from December 14th. The prices for the Xiaomi 13 start at 3999 yuan (543 euros). At least 4999 yuan (679 euros) will be charged for the Xiaomi 13 Pro. Since the yuan has not changed compared to the euro in the past year, prices in this country should again be 850 euros for the small and 1050 euros for the large model.
Xiaomi has not yet announced a date for a global sales launch. Last year it wasn’t until mid-March. It may be faster this year to start at the same time as the Galaxy S23 series from Samsung. This is currently expected in mid-February.
