Redmi Note 13 Series: Flagship In Disguise? 🤔

This is the brand-new Redmi Note 13 Series, which redefines the meaning of mid-range smartphones as it offers many iconic flagship-level experiences, features, and a price that will make you go WHAT?!

 

 

Cameras

So, what I have with me are the Redmi Note 13 5G and the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G. The first flagship feature is the camera specs. 

The Redmi Note 13 5G has a 108MP camera, and the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G not only comes with a massive 200MP camera but also has Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). These aren’t just numbers, as I tested them during my first impressions, and the picture quality was really great.

What’s impressive is that these high-resolution images are capable of being huge printable artworks, suitable for hanging on your wall or even a billboard if you want to. Make sure to select the 108MP or the 200MP mode in the camera app. 

I love how the main sensor is versatile, with a 2x in-sensor zoom for the main lens and up to 4x in-sensor zoom for the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G. The photos looked high quality even though there’s no dedicated telephoto lens. This means you can make every shot iconic with high resolution and a versatile lens if you choose either of these two phones.

One thing worth mentioning is that the Redmi Note 13 5G’s rear camera records at a maximum resolution of 1080p 30fps, compared to up to 4K 30fps on the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G. The image stabilization for video on the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G also looks very gimbal-like, thanks to its optical image stabilization (OIS). This phone could potentially be a very powerful vlogging camera. 

Also worth mentioning is the new film camera frames these two phones have, giving a retro vibe to the photos taken on the phone.

The 8MP ultra-wide camera lenses, 2MP macro, and the 16MP front camera lens performed exceptionally well, too, producing vivid-looking pictures.

 

Display

Next are the high-quality screens. Both phones come with a 6.67” AMOLED display with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. This isn’t just for the sake of having high-quality specs. During my usage, from general everyday use to watching Netflix, Disney+, and even YouTube, it was really great. 

The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G has a slightly curved screen, a first for any Redmi Note series, for a more immersive viewing experience compared to the flat display on the Redmi Note 13 5G. 

Both screens also have TUV Rheinland certifications, high color accuracy of DCI-P3 wide color gamut, and a massive 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio

However, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G comes with two additional pluses for the screen: a brighter 1,800 nits of peak brightness and a higher 1.5k resolution screen (2712 x 1220)

The next flagship specs are the phone’s build quality. It’s unusual for a mid-range phone to have Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection, and the new Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G has a new two-tone design that looks very unique compared to many other smartphones that keep recycling designs or following trends. 

The Redmi Note 13 5G comes with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. I absolutely love this phone’s matte finish, which doesn’t attract any fingerprints at all. Usually, only flagships have a matte finish, so it’s nice that it’s available in this variant of the phone. Let’s take a moment to appreciate this Ocean Teal color, shall we?

Speaking of fingerprints, the Redmi Note 13 5G has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, compared to the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G, which has an in-display fingerprint sensor

Another difference between the phones’ builds is the IP rating. The Redmi Note 13 5G is IP54 rated, while the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G comes with a flagship-level IP68 rating, another first for a Redmi Note series. 

However, even though it seems like the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G is winning in almost every aspect of design and build quality, I have to say that I actually prefer how the Redmi Note 13 5G felt in the hands when I was using it daily, especially with this more boxy design and the inclusion of a headphone jack and a microSD card slot, which is available here compared to its elder sibling. So yes, this comes down to personal preference.

 

Performance

As for the battery, both phones have a massive 5,000mAh battery, but the Redmi Note 13 5G ships with a 33W charger, providing fast charging. In comparison, there’s a massive 120W HyperCharge on the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G. The charger also comes inside the box. 

So whether or not you go with either of the phones, if you are out the whole day taking photos, videos, watching videos, or just using the phone extensively, these two quick charging options will come in clutch.

Regarding the phone’s chipset, the Redmi Note 13 5G comes with a MediaTek Dimensity 6080 built on a 6nm process.

In comparison, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G has a 4nm process MediaTek Dimensity 7200-Ultra chipset. 

Other similarities between the phones include both supporting Dolby Atmos with dual speakers, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, and, like every other Redmi smartphone, it comes with an IR blaster

When it comes to the phone’s software, both ship with MIUI 14 based on Android 13.

Above everything else, the prices of these two devices are mind-blowing. The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G starts at a price of only RM1,599, which is about USD344 (8GB RAM + 256GB ROM), or RM1,999, which is about USD430 for the higher variant (12GB RAM + 512GB ROM).

The Redmi Note 13 5G starts at only RM1,099, which is roughly USD236 (8GB RAM + 256GB ROM). Madness! 

There’s also a huge rumor that Xiaomi is planning to give away free Redmi Buds 4 Active and the Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Active, depending on which model or variant you go for. 

 

Leave a Reply

Verified by MonsterInsights