Xiaomi’s latest flagship phones have finally made their way to Europe, and they’re looking like excellent options for anyone in need of a new smartphone.
Both devices have their benefits, the pricer Pro model has some serious photographic abilities while the regular Xiaomi 13 has a more pocketable form factor and a more attractive price.
If you’re trying to decide between these two handsets, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve done a deep dive to find out where each device excels.
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Xiaomi
Xiaomi 13
Packing the latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, an attractive Apple-inspired design, and a decent price point. The Xiaomi 13 looks like a great option.
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Xiaomi
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Xiaomi’s flagship 13 Pro sports an impressive main camera with a 1-inch sensor, a higher resolution display and a luxurious curved design.
Design
- Xiaomi 13: 152.8 x 71.5 x 7.98 mm, 189 grams
- Xiaomi 13: Flat design in Black, White or Flora Green
- Xiaomi 13 Pro: 162.9 x 74.6 x 8.38 mm, 229 grams
- Xiaomi 13 Pro: Curved edge design in Ceramic Black or White
While both models share a similarly placed camera array and central hole-punch selfie camera, the rest of the design is quite distinct.
The Xiaomi 13 has a very iPhone-esque design, with a flat front and rear and a glossy metallic bumper around the edges. It’s not a small phone, but it’s smaller than the majority of modern flagships, and a touch lighter, too. This means that it feels great in the hand, and fits easier in your pocket.
The Xiaomi 13 Pro has a design that’s more reminiscent of the 12 series, with curved edges on the display and the rear panel. It’s a much bigger phone, but the curved edges make it feel slimmer and more manageable.
The Xiaomi 13 Pro has a much more pronounced camera bump, in order to house its main camera with a mammoth 1-inch sensor. The standard 13 has a bump too, but it’s more in line with a standard flagship and can sit on your desk with minimal rocking.
The Xiaomi 13 is available in a wider range of colours, while the Pro sticks to just white and black options. Both phones are IP68 rated for dust and water resistance.
Display
- Xiaomi 13: FHD+ 6.36-inch 120Hz AMOLED display
- Xiaomi 13 Pro: WQHD+ 6.73-inch 120Hz AMOLED display
- Both: Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG, 1900 nits peak brightness
Both phones feature 120Hz AMOLED panels that enable smooth scrolling and high performance for gaming. Both peak at an astonishing 1900 nits brightness, so they’re well equipped to compete with bright sunny days.
Both phones also support Dolby Vision playback as well as HDR10+, so if you’re hoping to enjoy some Netflix on the go, you can be sure it’ll be looking its best.
The Xiaomi 13 Pro’s display is larger, at 6.73 inches, and it also has a higher resolution, too. So if display performance is high on your priorities, then you might want to spring for the more expensive model.
However, as we mentioned, the smaller size of the Xiaomi 13 means that it feels great in your pocket, and that’s something we value quite highly. It also has a flat display, which we tend to prefer, as there are no distracting reflections at the edges.
hardware and specs
- Xiaomi 13:
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- 8GB+256GB or 12GB+256GB
- 4500 mAh battery, 67W wired charging, 50W wireless
- MIUI 14 based on Android 13
- Xiaomi 13 Pro
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- 12GB+256GB or 12GB+512GB
- 4820mAh battery, 120W wired charging, 50W wireless
- MIUI 14 based on Android 13
The Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro share the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, and at this point, we’re well aware of its abilities in gaming, productivity and efficiency.
The Xiaomi 13 can be configured with 8GB or 12GB of LPDDR5X memory and has 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage. The Xiaomi 13 Pro is only available with 12GB LPDDR5X, but you can choose between 256GB and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage.
With either device, you can expect to be able to run graphically intensive games at maximum settings, run plenty of apps in parallel with no slowdown and still maintain all-day battery life.
When you need to charge, the Xiaomi 13 Pro kicks things up a notch with its included 120W HyperCharge adapter. This will take you from flat to full in just 19 minutes.
The standard Xiaomi 13 comes with a 67W wall adapter, which is no slouch either, giving you a full charge in under 40 minutes. Both phones support 50W wireless charging as well as 10W reverse wireless charging.
Cameras
- Xiaomi 13:
- Main: 50MP f/1.8 OIS
- Wide: 12MP f/2.2
- Tele: 10MP f2.0 OIS
- Selfies: 32MP f/2.0
- Xiaomi 13Pro:
- Main: 50MP IMX 989 (1-inch sensor)
- Wide: 50MP f/2.2
- Tele: 50MP f2.0 OIS
- Selfies: 32MP f/2.0
Possibly the biggest differentiator between these two devices is the camera system.
The Xiaomi 12 has fairly similar photographic hardware to last year’s Xiaomi 12. The ultra-wide has, interestingly, lost a megapixel, while the telephoto has been bumped up from 5MP to 12MP. All in all, it’s a pretty standard camera array, with the main camera being the standout performer.
If mobile photography is of high priority, then you’ll likely want to look towards the Xiaomi 13 Pro. Its main sensor is the highlight, using the same impressive Sony IMX989 that wowed us on the Vivo X90 Pro recently.
This camera is inherited from last year’s China-only Xiaomi 12S Ultra, and we’re excited that it has finally made its way to our shores. The large sensor offers gorgeous natural bokeh, better low-light performance and excellent detail.
The main shooter is backed up by dual 50MP auxiliary cameras, a 75mm equivalent telephoto with OIS and 14mm equivalent ultra-wide. This makes for a very well-rounded camera setup, and though we haven’t had the chance to fully explore its capabilities yet, it could prove to be one of the most capable systems on the market.
For selfie snaps, both phones feature a 32MP punch-hole camera. It’s a great camera, and the only thing that lets it down is the lack of autofocus, but that’s something that’s still very rare to find in front-facing cameras.
Conclusions
In most areas, it’s clear that the Xiaomi 13 Pro is the superior device. It has a larger, higher resolution display, charges faster and has a vastly superior camera selection.
However, the Xiaomi 13 has strengths of its own. It’s more compact and lightweight, has a lovely flat display, has more color options and is available at a lower price.
When it comes to gaming and performance, the devices pack almost identical hardware, so if that’s where your priorities lie, then you can’t go wrong with either option.
If you’re more of a mobile photography enthusiast, then the Xiaomi 13 Pro is the obvious choice, so long as your budget can accommodate the extra outlay.
Either way, we think you’ll be very pleased with your choice, both phones are excellent performers and packed with top-notch hardware.
