Keeping it simple, Xiaomi unveiled the 13 and 13 Pro models as part of its
Xiaomi 13 series, packed to the gills with the latest specs, and thus giving us a hint that the smartphone wars won't be easing up in 2023. Highlighting the Xiaomi 13 series is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 4nm processor paired with a new Adreno GPU—both promise marked improvements in performance and power consumption over the already powerful first gen. Both models will also possess DDR5 RAM and UFS 4.0 storage (with four different RAM/storage configurations).
Leica was roped in once more to provide its expertise with the camera package and image processing. The Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro share 75mm focal lengths for telephoto (3.2x max) and portrait modes, tuned by Leica. A lot of focus, marketing-wise, is on the 75mm focal length, claiming that it provides a unique bokeh and better highlights for portraits. This is near the traditional portrait focal length range of about 80-105mm, though ironically, smartphone photography has led to people preferring wider and wider focal lengths more recently.
Let's talk about some of the major differences between the two models. The smaller Xiaomi 13 comes with a 6.36" 1080p 120Hz OLED, while the 13 Pro has a 6.73" 1440p panel. The company endowed the regular 13 with a Sony IMX800 sensor, capable of 50MP images and 8K/24fps videos; it also gets 10MP telephoto and 12MP ultrawide sensors. Conversely, the 13 Pro is decked out with an improved version of the 1"
IMX989 with a 50MP telephoto (75mm equivalent) and ultrawide (14mm equivalent). Both models have 32MP top center-aligned selfie cams. Battery life hasn't been revealed, but the Xiaomi 13 carries a 4,500mAh pack with charging rate of up to 67W, whereas the Pro maxes out at 120W for its 4,820mAh pack.
The design is clean, with the square camera island breaking up the monotony. The back cover (for the blue-colored model, at least) is this "SKIN" nano-tech material that is supposed to provide a soft, grippy feel, with resistance to peeling and UV degradation. Additionally, the body that is available in four colorways is rated for IP68 dust-water resistance.
Availability is
limited to mainland China right now with prices starting at around $575 for the Xiaomi 13 and $720 for the 13 Pro.
