Xiaomi 13T review
The Xiaomi 13T is a premium mid-range smartphone that boasts several flagship-grade features at a lower price point than its sibling, the Xiaomi 13T Pro. The phone's design is identical to the Pro model, with a glass-like plastic back and a square-shaped camera island on the rear panel. It also features an IP68-rated dust and water resistance, a first for the T Series. The display is a 6.67-inch OLED screen with a 1220p resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and Gorilla Glass 5 protection. The phone's performance is solid, powered by the Mediatek Dimensity 8200 Ultra chipset, although it lags behind last year's flagship silicon in benchmarks. The camera setup on the Xiaomi 13T is identical to the Pro model, with a 50MP main camera, 12MP ultra-wide camera, and 20MP front-facing camera. The phone takes excellent photos with plenty of detail, wide dynamic range, and no noise. In low light conditions, the camera produces sharp photos with good contrast and color accuracy. The battery life is about the same as last year's model, with an overall endurance rating of 101 hours in proprietary tests. Charging has been downgraded to 67W, but it still charges from 0 to 70% in just over half an hour. Overall, the Xiaomi 13T offers great value for money, covering nearly all bases and providing a solid experience for users. While it may not be ideal for gamers or those who need hyper-fast charging, it's an excellent option for anyone looking for a premium mid-range smartphone.
Build Quality and Design
The Xiaomi 13T is a premium mid-ranger that boasts an impressive set of features, making it a compelling alternative to its more expensive sibling, the Xiaomi 13T Pro. One aspect where both devices converge is in their design and build quality. The 13T's back panel is made of glass-like plastic, giving it a glossy finish that's reminiscent of a mirror. The square-shaped camera island on the back adds a touch of sophistication to the overall aesthetic. While the phone feels sturdy and well-built, it's worth noting that the plastic backing doesn't feel particularly premium. The design elements are carried over from the 13T Pro, with both devices sharing the same curved lines and subtle accents. However, the 13T Pro has a more premium feel to it, thanks to its Eco leather backing. The good news is that you can opt for either variant on the 13T, so if you prefer the glass-like plastic back, you're not missing out. Another notable aspect of the Xiaomi 13T's design is its IP68 rating, which makes it waterproof and dust-resistant. This is a first for the T series, making the device more resilient to everyday wear and tear. In terms of build quality, the phone feels solid and well-put-together, with no creaks or flexes that would suggest any weaknesses in construction. It's clear that Xiaomi has invested time and effort into crafting a premium feel for both devices, even if they don't quite reach the same level as some more expensive flagships. Overall, the design and build quality of the Xiaomi 13T are certainly impressive, offering a solid foundation for a device that promises to deliver great performance, cameras, and software support.
Battery Life
The Xiaomi 13T boasts a substantial 5,000mAh battery, which is a welcome feature in today's power-hungry smartphones. However, its battery life performance falls short of expectations. In our testing, the device delivered an overall endurance rating of 101 hours, which is comparable to other mid-range devices. While this is not impressive, it's still sufficient for most users who don't require a full day and a half of battery life. One notable aspect is that the Xiaomi 13T can charge from 0 to 70% in just half an hour, which is above average. However, its charging speed tops out at 67W, down from the 120W offered by last year's model. This decision might have been made to differentiate the device from its more expensive sibling, the Xiaomi 13T Pro. Despite this compromise, the battery life on the Xiaomi 13T is still solid and will get you through a day with moderate use. If you're a heavy user or gamer, however, you might find yourself needing to top up the battery during the day. Overall, while not exceptional, the battery life on the Xiaomi 13T is sufficient for most users, but it's worth noting that there are devices in this price range that offer better performance in this regard.
Display
One of the standout features of the Xiaomi 13T is its display. This premium mid-ranger boasts a 6.67-inch OLED screen with a 1220p resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and Gorilla Glass 5 protection. The display is incredibly sharp at 446 PPI, with great color accuracy and support for 12-bit color depth, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision. In our tests, we found the display to be very bright, reaching a maximum of 500 nits in manual brightness mode and up to over 1250 nits in auto mode. This makes it ideal for outdoor use, even in bright sunlight. The display's color accuracy is also excellent, making it perfect for watching videos or gaming. One notable aspect of the display is its ability to reach a maximum refresh rate of 144Hz, which can provide a very smooth experience when playing certain games or scrolling through content. However, we found that this refresh rate only kicks in within specific apps or games on the home screen; otherwise, it defaults to a maximum of 120Hz. Overall, the display on the Xiaomi 13T is truly impressive and rivals those found on flagship devices. Its brightness, sharpness, and color accuracy make it an excellent choice for anyone looking for a premium mid-range phone with a great display.
Camera
The Xiaomi 13T boasts an impressive camera setup, rivaled only by its pricier sibling, the 13T Pro. With a quad-camera configuration featuring a 50MP main cam, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, and a 12.5MP telephoto sensor, this phone is equipped to capture stunning images. The primary camera, in particular, delivers exceptional results. Shooting in Leica Vibrant mode yields vibrant colors that still remain true to life, while the 12.5 megapixel resolution ensures plenty of detail and sharpness. Wide dynamic range and no noise are also notable features, making it an excellent choice for everyday photography. In low-light conditions, the camera performs admirably, capturing sharp photos with plenty of detail even in the shadows. The dynamic range is wide, and colors and contrast are nice too. It's worth noting that there is an automatic mode, but it doesn't tend to kick in when using the main cam. Forcing night mode on can improve highlights and light sources. The 12.5 megapixel telephoto camera takes portraits with a telephoto lens by default, delivering detailed and sharp results as long as there's sufficient lighting. In low-light conditions, the photos are adequate but may appear soft and noisy. However, forcing the night mode adds some sharpness and takes care of noise, producing good overall results. The 4K video recording capabilities from both the main and telephoto cameras are excellent, with plenty of fine detail and warm tones that remain consistent throughout. In contrast, the ultra-wide camera produces decent 12 megapixel photos with adequate dynamic range but could have benefited from more detail and sharpness. At night, the auto night mode processing kicks in, adding extra sharpening, cleaning up noise, and balancing out highlights and shadows. The ultra-wide camera's video recording capabilities produce similar results to the other cameras but with understandably less detail and sharpness. Lastly, the 20 megapixel front-facing camera takes selfies that are somewhat soft with little fine detail. However, it does deliver good dynamic range and nice colors, making it suitable for casual self-portraits.
Price and Value
The Xiaomi 13T is a premium mid-ranger that brings several flagship-grade features to the table, making it an attractive option for those looking for a high-end device without the hefty price tag. With its aggressive pricing strategy, the 13T aims to provide most of what the more expensive Xiaomi 13T Pro offers, but at a significantly lower cost. One of the standout features of the 13T is its excellent display, which boasts a 6.67-inch OLED screen with a 1220p resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and Gorilla Glass 5 protection. This is matched by the 13T Pro, making it a major selling point for those who want a high-quality viewing experience without breaking the bank. The camera setup on the 13T is also identical to that of its more expensive sibling, featuring a 50MP main cam, 50MP telephoto lens, and 12MP ultra-wide camera. While it may not match the performance of the latest flagships, the 13T's cameras deliver excellent results, with great color accuracy, wide dynamic range, and minimal noise. In terms of value, the Xiaomi 13T is a real winner. With its aggressive pricing strategy, it offers most of what the high-end devices have to offer, but at a significantly lower cost. The phone's solid performance, excellent display, and good camera capabilities make it an excellent upper-midrange device that provides plenty of bang for your buck. Overall, the Xiaomi 13T is an excellent option for those who want a high-end device without the hefty price tag. While it may not be as powerful or feature-rich as some of its more expensive competitors, it delivers on most fronts and represents great value for money.
Performance
The Xiaomi 13T's performance is a mixed bag, but ultimately falls short of expectations. The phone's Mediatek Dimensity 8200 Ultra chipset, while capable, is not the most recent or powerful processor available. In benchmark tests, it consistently trails behind phones running last year's Flagship silicon. While the sustained performance and thermal management are excellent, with minimal throttling during prolonged stress testing, the overall power output is somewhat disappointing. The phone completes tasks without issue, but doesn't feel particularly snappy or responsive. The 8200 Ultra chipset is a minor update over last year's model, offering high-end but not necessarily cutting-edge performance. This makes the Xiaomi 13T more of an upper mid-range device than a flagship, despite its premium features and design. In real-world usage, the phone handles everyday tasks with ease, but may struggle with demanding applications or multitasking. Gamers will likely find the experience underwhelming compared to devices with more powerful processors. One saving grace is the excellent thermal management, which keeps the phone cool even during prolonged use. However, this is somewhat offset by the lack of significant performance gains over last year's model. Overall, while the Xiaomi 13T performs well enough for general usage, it falls short of expectations in terms of raw processing power and gaming performance. Those looking for a device that can handle demanding tasks or high-end gaming may want to consider an alternative, such as the Xiaomi 13T Pro with its more powerful processor.
Pros
1. The Xiaomi 13T offers a premium mid-range experience with flagship-grade features, making it a great deal compared to its more expensive sibling, the Xiaomi 13T Pro.
2. The phone has an excellent display with a 6.67-inch OLED panel, 1220p resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and Gorilla Glass 5 protection, which is just as premium as the Pro Model.
3. The camera setup on the Xiaomi 13T is impressive, with a 50MP main cam, a 12.5MP telephoto Cam, and a 12MP Ultra-wide camera, producing excellent photos with good dynamic range and sharpness.
Cons
1. The phone has a minor update over last year's chipset (Mediatech Demens City 8200 Ultra) which may not provide the most cutting-edge performance compared to other Flagship phones.
2. The charging speed on the Xiaomi 13T is downgraded from 120W to 67W, which may be disappointing for some users who were expecting faster charging speeds.