Chinese smartphone maker, Xiaomi, yesterday launched the Xiaomi 13 series globally. The Xiaomi 13 series was initially launched in China last year globally, but has now been launched globally by the company, just before the Mobile World Congress 2023 (MWC 2023) in Barcelona.
A huge chunk of the Xiaomi 13 series promotional material revolves around how good the cameras are, and this mostly due to the company’s partnership with Leica and the presence of a 1-inch Sony IMX989 sensor on the Pro model.
Xiaomi 13 Pro and Xiaomi 13
Both the 13 Pro and 13 are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, 8 or 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and speedy 256GB UFS 4.0 storage.
When it comes to the display, the Xiaomi 13 Pro packs a 6.73-inch QHD+ AMOLED panel, the regular 13 has a more compact 6.36-inch 120Hz AMOLED display.
Xiaomi uses a 3D curved ceramic body on the 13 Pro and offers the phone in Ceramic White and Ceramic Black colors. As for the Xiaomi 13, it features glass panels at the front and rear, sandwiching its aluminum chassis.
Xiaomi 13 Pro Specs
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| RAM | 12GB LPDDR5X |
| Storage | 256GB UFS 4.0, Hybrid microSD card slot |
| Display | 6.73-inch WQHD+ AMOLED display, 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate, 1900 nits peak brightness, HDR10, Dolby Vision, Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Battery | 4,820mAh, 120W HyperCharge, 50W turbo wireless charging, 10W reverse wireless charging |
| Front camera | 32MP f/2.0 89.6° FOV |
| Rear cameras | 23mm 50MP Sony IMX989 f/1.9, HyperOIS + 75mm 50MP f2.0 telephoto, OIS + 14mm 50MP f2.2 ultra-wide; Leica filters, 8K video recording, 4K 60fps video recording with Dolby Vision |
| Connectivity | Dual-SIM 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, GPS |
| OS | Android 13-based MIUI 14, 3 OS upgrades and 5 years of security updates promised |
| Ports | USB Type-C |
| Colors | Ceramic Black, Ceramic White |
| Biometrics | In-display fingerprint scanner |
| Miscellaneous | IP68, 3D ceramic back, Dual speakers, Dolby Atmos |
| Dimensions | 162.9mm x 74.6mm x 8.38mm, 229g |
The main highlight of the Xiaomi 13 Pro is its rear camera setup. It houses a 23mm 50MP f/1.9 primary camera with HyperOIS, a 75mm 50MP telephoto camera with a floating lens, and a 14mm 50MP f/2.2 ultra-wide shooter.
Using the built-in Leica filters, the Xiaomi 13 Pro can simulate the looks of classic 35mm, 50mm, 75mm, and 90mm focal lengths. Other camera features are impressive as well, including 8K and 4K 60fps Dolby Vision video recording, Portrait Night mode, and a ProFocus mode.
The Xiaomi 13 also features a Leica-branded camera system but misses out on the 1-inch Sony IMX989 sensor to achieve a lower price point. Its full specs are below.
Xiaomi 13 Specs
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| RAM | 8GB LPDDR5X |
| Storage | 256GB UFS 4.0 |
| Display | 6.36-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, 120Hz refresh rate, 1900 nits peak brightness, HDR10, Dolby Vision, Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Battery | 4500mAh, 67W HyperCharge, 50W turbo wireless charging, 10W reverse wireless charging |
| Front camera | 32MP f/2.0 89.6° FOV |
| Rear cameras | 23mm 50MP Sony IMX800 f/1.8, HyperOIS + 75mm 10MP f2.0 telephoto, OIS + 15mm 12MP f2.2 ultra-wide; Leica filters, 8K video recording, 4K 60fps video recording with Dolby Vision |
| Connectivity | Dual-SIM 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, GPS |
| OS | Android 13-based MIUI 14, 3 OS upgrades promised and 5 years of security updates |
| Ports | USB Type-C |
| Colors | Black, White, Flora Green |
| Biometrics | In-display fingerprint scanner |
| Miscellaneous | IP68, Dual speakers, Dolby Atmos |
| Dimensions | 152.8mm x 71.5mm x 7.98mm, 189g |
Xiaomi 13 Lite
Alongside the Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro, Xiaomi announced the Xiaomi 13 Lite. As the name suggests, this is a Lite variant of the Xiaomi 13 featuring a 6.55-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 SoC, 8GB RAM, and 128GB storage.
The phone is powered by a 4500mAh battery with 67W wired fast charging support and 7.22 mm thin.
Xiaomi Update Policy
Xiaomi promises three OS updates for the 13 and 13 Pro along with five years of security patches. The company is also bundling 2TB of Google One storage for six months and YouTube Premium access for the same duration for free.
Lastly, with digital car key support, you can use the Xiaomi 13 or 13 Pro to unlock your car using your phone or share the digital key with your friends or family.
Xiaomi won’t charge owners of its latest flagship phones labor cost on any out-of-warranty repairs for the first year. You also enjoy international warranty on the Xiaomi 13 series in over 40 markets.
So, you can get your Xiaomi 13 or 13 Pro repaired at any authorized Xiaomi service center worldwide for free as long as the standard warranty is not void.
Prices & Availability
The Xiaomi 13 series go on sale starting March 8. Early bird customers in Europe will get a Xiaomi Instant Photo Printer 1S bundled with their purchase.
As for pricing, the Xiaomi 13 Pro will retail for €1,300 (approximately Ksh. 175,000) , while the Xiaomi 13 will cost €1000 (approximately Ksh. 135,000).
The 13 Pro will be available in two colors, Ceramic Black and Ceramic White while the regular 13 will come in three color options, including black, White, and Green colors.
The Xiaomi 13 Lite will retail for €500 (Ksh. 67,000) in Lite Blue, Lite Pink, and Black colors.
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