Xiaomi 13T Pro review

The Xiaomi 13T Pro is a flagship phone that brings a full suite of premium features at a relatively lower price point compared to Xiaomi's top-tier models. With its partnership with Leica, the phone excels in camera capabilities, boasting a 50MP main cam, a 12MP ultra-wide camera, and a 2x telephoto cam. The phone's design is impressive, featuring a sleek glass or eco-leather back, an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, and a premium OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The interface is the global version of MIUI 14 on top of Android 13, which promises four years of major Android updates and five years of security patches. Under the hood lies a Mediatek Dimensity 9200+ chipset, providing raw performance that rivals other flagship Android phones. The phone's battery life is good, with an endurance rating of 102 hours in our tests, and charging speeds are exceptional thanks to the bundled 120W gallium nitride charger. The camera capabilities shine, particularly in low-light conditions, where the main cam produces excellent results with rich detail, balanced processing, and natural-looking foliage. The phone can also shoot 8K video, although quality is nothing special. While the selfie cam performance lags behind other cameras, the Xiaomi 13T Pro overall offers a compelling package of premium features at an affordable price point, making it well worth recommending for those seeking a high-end smartphone experience.

Build Quality and Design

The Xiaomi 13T Pro exudes a premium feel from its very first glance. The huge square camera bump, adorned with Leica branding, is a distinctive feature that sets it apart from other flagships. Available in either glass or eco-leather back options, our review unit boasts a stunning blue leather finish. The back curves slightly into a plastic frame, featuring a brushed finish that mimics metal. This thoughtful design choice not only adds visual appeal but also provides a grippy and sturdy feel to the phone. One notable improvement over previous Xiaomi flagships is the inclusion of IP68-rated dust and water resistance on the T Series for the first time. This added durability ensures that users can enjoy their device with peace of mind, even in harsher environments. The phone's build quality is equally impressive, with a solid feel to it. The 6.67-inch OLED display, protected by Gorilla Glass 5, adds a touch of elegance, while the 144Hz refresh rate provides smooth visuals. However, during our testing, we found that the display would often revert to 120Hz or even 60Hz when idling or on the home screen, which might be a minor letdown for some. The overall design of the Xiaomi 13T Pro is sleek and sophisticated, making it a joy to hold and use. While not revolutionary, the phone's aesthetic choices are undoubtedly inspired by top-tier flagships, giving it a confident and premium feel that will appeal to many users.

Battery Life

The Xiaomi 13T Pro boasts an impressive battery life, with an endurance rating of 102 hours in our proprietary tests. This is an improvement over last year's model and demonstrates the phone's ability to handle daily use without needing a recharge. Powering the device is a 5,000mAh battery, which, combined with the efficient Mediatek Dimensity 9200+ chipset, results in a long-lasting experience. In our tests, we found that the phone can easily last a day and a half on a single charge, even with moderate to heavy usage. One of the standout features of the Xiaomi 13T Pro's battery life is its charging speed. With the bundled 120W gallium nitride charger, the phone can be topped up from 0-68% in just 15 minutes. A full charge takes around 26 minutes, making it one of the fastest-charging phones on the market. Overall, the Xiaomi 13T Pro's battery life is a significant upgrade over previous models and provides users with peace of mind, knowing that their phone can keep up with their daily demands without running out of juice. However, it's worth noting that the actual battery life may vary depending on individual usage patterns.

Display

The display on the Xiaomi 13T Pro is quite premium, featuring a 6.67-inch OLED panel with a 1220p resolution, Gorilla Glass 5 protection, and a 144Hz refresh rate at 446 PPI. The screen is sharp, with plenty of options for color accuracy and support for HDR10+ video and Dolby Vision. In terms of brightness, the phone achieves a maximum of nearly 500 nits in manual mode, which can boost up to 1100 nits in auto mode. The display's high refresh rate of 144Hz is meant to provide an even smoother experience on top of a 120Hz panel. However, our testing showed that it only reached 144Hz within certain apps or games on the home screen, defaulting back to 120Hz and sometimes dropping down to 60Hz when idling to save energy. Overall, the display on the Xiaomi 13T Pro is impressive, offering a great viewing experience with its high refresh rate, sharp resolution, and good brightness. While it may not reach its full potential in terms of refresh rate consistency, it still delivers a premium visual experience that's suitable for demanding users. The only slight letdown is its occasional drop to lower refresh rates when the phone isn't actively engaged. Nonetheless, this display is one of the highlights of the Xiaomi 13T Pro and makes it a compelling option for those seeking a high-quality screen.

Camera

The Xiaomi 13T Pro boasts an impressive camera setup that's sure to please photography enthusiasts. The phone features a quad-camera setup developed in partnership with Leica, which brings a level of sophistication and refinement to the table. Starting with the main camera, we have a 50MP shooter that delivers excellent results in both daylight and low-light conditions. Photos are rich in detail, with balanced processing and natural-looking foliage. The sharpness is just right, and there's no visible noise. The dynamic range is well-balanced, and the colors are punchier than real life without being over-the-top. Switching to Leica Authentic mode yields a darker exposure, deeper shadows, and more realistic colors. This mode produces photos that look less processed and more natural, with foliage looking particularly good in low light. Nighttime shots taken with the main camera are also excellent, rich in detail, with no noise and great color saturation. The camera's ability to shoot 8K video is another highlight of the Xiaomi 13T Pro. While the quality isn't spectacular, the footage has a low-noise look, accurate colors, and a wide dynamic range. The main camera's 4K videos are excellent, with well-developed foliage and plenty of detail. The telephoto camera produces solid 12.5MP photos with enough detail and a vibrant color rendition that matches the main camera. Low-light zoom shots are just as impressive, with good colors, dynamic range, noise reduction, and overall processing. Portrait mode shots taken with the telephoto camera are also very nice, with detailed subjects and good separation from the background. The ultra-wide camera saves 12MP photos with low noise, likable colors, and a good dynamic range. While detail levels are average, they're sufficient for this type of camera. In dark conditions, the phone's auto-night mode engages, producing good results with a bright exposure, wide dynamic range, saturated colors, and enough detail. Unfortunately, the selfie camera is a letdown, producing soft and low-detail photos that pale in comparison to the other cameras. However, the exposure is good, and the colors are lively. Overall, the Xiaomi 13T Pro's camera setup is an impressive offering that delivers excellent results in various lighting conditions. The lackluster selfie cam is a minor drawback, but the phone's ability to shoot high-quality photos and videos makes it a great choice for photography enthusiasts.

Price and Value

In today's smartphone market, flagship devices are often accompanied by hefty price tags. However, the Xiaomi 13T Pro defies this trend by offering a premium experience without breaking the bank. This device is a testament to Xiaomi's commitment to providing top-notch features at an affordable price. Priced lower than many other flagships on the market, the Xiaomi 13T Pro delivers a full suite of premium features, including a camera developed in partnership with Leica, a fast Mediatek chipset, and impressive charging capabilities. The device boasts a large square camera bump, glass or eco-leather back options, and IP68 dust and water resistance – a first for the T Series. The Xiaomi 13T Pro's value proposition lies in its ability to provide a flagship experience at a fraction of the cost of many other devices. With a price point lower than many flagships on the market, this device is an excellent choice for those seeking a premium smartphone without the hefty price tag. While the selfie camera may be a slight letdown, the Xiaomi 13T Pro's strengths far outweigh its weaknesses. The device offers impressive battery life, a top-tier chipset, and a premium OLED display. Add to that fast charging capabilities and Dolby Atmo speakers, and you have a smartphone that delivers on all fronts. In conclusion, the Xiaomi 13T Pro is an exemplary example of how a flagship can be priced without breaking the bank. This device offers a compelling value proposition for those seeking a premium experience at an affordable price.

Performance

The Xiaomi 13T Pro boasts an impressive performance that rivals its flagship counterparts. Powered by the Mediatek Dimensity 9200+ chipset, this phone delivers raw power that's comparable to Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 found in other Android flagships. In graphics-intensive tests, the 13T Pro outperforms its standard counterpart, the Xiaomi 13T, with scores nearly double those of the latter. During prolonged stress testing, the phone displayed minimal thermal throttling and remained cool, a testament to its robust performance. The phone's snappy interface is courtesy of the Android 13 operating system on top of MIUI, which promises four years of major updates and five years of security patches. The Dimensity 9200+ chipset also supports advanced memory technologies like UFS 4.0 and LPDDR5X RAM, further enhancing performance. The phone's ability to run demanding tasks smoothly is a significant selling point, making it an excellent choice for heavy users. Additionally, the inclusion of Wi-Fi 7 connectivity ensures seamless connectivity in today's high-bandwidth environment. However, it's worth noting that the phone's High refresh rate (144Hz) often defaults to 60Hz or 90Hz in demanding situations, which might be a letdown for enthusiasts seeking maximum frame rates. Nevertheless, this is not a significant issue for most users who will still appreciate the overall performance of the Xiaomi 13T Pro. Overall, the Xiaomi 13T Pro's performance is one of its strongest suits, making it an attractive option for those seeking a powerful and feature-packed smartphone without the hefty price tag often associated with flagship devices.

Pros

1. The phone brings a full suite of premium features, including top-tier camera capabilities developed in partnership with Leica.

2. It has a fast MediaTek Dimensity 9200+ chipset that provides raw performance comparable to Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8-series chipsets.

3. The phone features an excellent OLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate, 12-bit color depth, and HDR10+ video support.

4. It comes with exceptional charging speed, thanks to the bundled 120W gallium nitride charger.

5. The camera system is impressive, with great photo quality from the main camera, and good performance from the telephoto and ultra-wide cameras.

6. The phone has a premium build, IP68 dust and water resistance, and a comfortable design with a grippy and sturdy feel.

Cons

1. The selfie camera performance is poor compared to other cameras on the phone.

2. There's no significant improvement in battery life over previous models, although the phone does have better battery efficiency.

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