stylish devices with huge camera

In the near future we can get back to work with two new smartphones at the editorial office. It is the Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro that have just been officially announced in Barcelona. We share our first impression.

Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro preview

Xiaomi has announced its new Leica smartphones, which are positioned in the high-end segment. Two powerhouses, because they are both equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. This processor has already proven its strength in other devices; such as the Galaxy S23 Ultra (review) and the OnePlus 11 (review). We have already been able to play with the new Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro in recent days. It is clear that the devices feel very fast. Both test models come with 12GB of RAM. They feature Android 13 with MIUI 14.

Speaking of the interface; this is still personal. Compare it, for example, with a device from Motorola or the Pixel, then it is striking how many things are adjusted by Xiaomi in the interface. It quickly looks very full, although this can often be a matter of getting used to. Xiaomi gives you different options and freedoms in MIUI 14. For example, you can choose to use the Always On Display.

xiaomi 13

Then the design. That of the Xiaomi 13 is very reminiscent of the iPhone with the metal straight edges. In terms of size, the Xiaomi 13 is in between the Galaxy S23 and Samsung’s Galaxy S23+. The phone fits comfortably in the hand and does not feel overly slippery. We have the phone in the color Flora Green, with a mint green color; that looks very cool. Keys and the like feel very solid.

We took the photo below with the Xiaomi 13. Later we will take a closer look at the device. What does the phone have to offer in terms of camera setup? This device also has a 50MP main lens, along with a 10-megapixel telephoto lens and a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens. It’s still a bit early to share a general impression about the photo quality, but it seems that they are not always sharp across the board. We will of course look at this in detail in a future review.

As for the sound quality, it is perfectly fine with the Xiaomi 13. In my opinion, that of the ‘normal’ model sounds just a bit warmer than that of the Pro. The smartphone also has a 4500 mAh battery with 67W charging. The 6.36 inch AMOLED screen looks good and offers a Full HD+ resolution with 120Hz refresh rate.

Xiaomi 13 Pro

Then Xiaomi’s showpiece; the Xiaomi 13 Pro. This smartphone received a lot of attention during the press conference in Barcelona. The brand provides the phone with a large camera module containing three 50MP lenses. One for telephoto, one for wide angle and a ‘normal’ lens. It is striking that when we have the Xiaomi 13 Pro in front of us, the smartphone can ‘only’ zoom 3.2x optically. With such a high-resolution telephoto lens, we would have expected to zoom at least 10x, as is also possible with the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Speaking of the S23 Ultra, its size is also reminiscent of that of the Samsung. The housing of the 13 Pro is made of ceramic and weighs quite a bit at 229 grams. There’s a 6.73-inch QHD+ AMOLED screen, which looks good. The Xiaomi also offers a 4820 mAh battery with 120W fast charging, so you have a full battery in no time. According to Xiaomi, charging takes just 19 minutes.

Back to the camera for a moment. The main camera is a 1-inch sensor, allowing even more light to fall on the sensor. This should result in even more beautiful images, including in low-light environments. This is something we will be working on in the near future; because we will of course extensively test the camera of the Xiaomi 13 Pro. The first impression is good, but it is still too early to make an extensive judgment on this. Xiaomi also gives you the option to film in 8K on the devices.

It is striking that the Xiaomi 13 Pro only comes in Ceramic White and Ceramic Black. The green color of the normal 13 is not coming to the Pro model. Quite remarkable, given that brands such as Samsung go all out with colors in their devices. Xiaomi is a bit more modest in this regard.

Do you have something you think; I would like to know that about the Xiaomi 13 (Pro)? Then let us know by leaving a comment below this post.