Can’t afford a Samsung Galaxy S24? Then the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro and Pro Plus might be the next flagship challengers for you
Xiaomi’s latest Redmi Note 13 series is impressive for its price, with particular focus on the cameras and some intriguing AI features. And they could be potential affordable alternatives to the Samsung Galaxy S24 series.
The Redmi Note 13 Pro and Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus are two of the premium models from the five strong new Redmi Note 13 series released in January.
I tested both the Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G and the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus and wasn’t sure what to expect from a brand better known for its affordability than its flagships. But I was pleasantly surprised.
Fantastic plastic and a fast screen
I was initially struck by how light the new Redmi Note phones both were. This was because both models had a plastic frame, and the Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G used a plastic back and weighed just 187 grams, while the Pro Plus is a more standard 204 grams. This raised fears that they would break easily if I dropped them during my hands-on, but they seem relatively sturdy and are protected by Gorilla Glass Victus on the screens.
Dust and water protection varies between models with the Pro supporting IP53 rating and the Pro Plus getting more protection with IP68. In short, more than enough to withstand a rain shower.
Both were sleek and smooth-looking devices that weren’t uncomfortable or difficult to hold, but the Pro Plus stands out a bit from the rest with its slightly curved shape, while all other models have a flat edge design.
The top of the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus has a speaker, microphone and IR blaster, while at the bottom there is another speaker, microphone and SIM card tray. Meanwhile, the power and volume buttons are on the right side. All fairly orderly. I was surprised to see a 3.5mm audio jack in the Redmi Note 13 Pro as most phones have phased it out for Bluetooth connectivity but they do offer another option to extend battery life when listen to music.
The display on both the Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G and Pro Plus is a glossy and bright 6.67-inch, 120Hz AMOLED screen with small bezels that I wasn’t able to test with streaming or gaming, but still looked colorful and sharp .
One aspect I found annoying was that the Pro was particularly prone to picking up fingerprints and smudges, which isn’t a deal breaker for most people.
The next element that caught my eye on both models was the large camera model on the back.
Suitable cameras
The Redmi Note 13 series has a strong focus on photography and the Pro and Pro Plus exemplify this best with their respective triple camera systems featuring a 200-megapixel main camera, 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera and 2MP macro camera, as well as a 16MP front camera. camera, supported by optical image stabilization.
This enlarged camera module is a lot more prominent than the previous Redmi Note 12 Pro and replaces the 50 megapixel camera on both models with an upgraded 200 megapixel main camera.
I was impressed with how much detail the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus managed to retain when I pushed the zoom to the full 4x focal range, where the optical image stabilization came in handy, especially in low-light environments.
Including a 2MP macro camera seems a bit pointless, as macro cameras really add a lot to the overall smartphone camera experience. Ultrawide cameras are more commonly used for macro photography in the best phones you can get today.
Images taken in 200-megapixel mode can generate different crops with Xiaomi ProCut 2.0, so they are suitable for different aspect ratios. which is useful for photographing social media content. The color reproduction was a bit dull but not completely washed out, giving a more natural, lifelike feel.
Unsurprisingly, AI effects are also a key feature, such as a beautification option that allowed me to edit certain features of a selfie, such as the shape of my face and the size of my eyes. This looked nerve-wracking when I tried it, but after a bit of practice it produced some pleasant but subtle results.
I also saw a demonstration of the AI Sky Replace tool, which helped replace a gray faded, dull sky with some strikingly dramatic skies that looked good, and a few that looked a bit heavy-handed. You can also erase unwanted people from recordings, much like the Magic Eraser feature in recent Google Pixel models. I saw mixed results, sometimes it worked quickly and sometimes not at all.
Low-light performance was better than I expected thanks to the larger-than-usual 1/1.4″ sensor, which can gather more light in a single shot, which was clearly visible in the dimly lit room I was using the phone in. I loved Also checking out some retro filters in video mode that were fun, but I didn’t get to try them all.
The Redmi Note 13 Pro and Note 13 Pro Plus are unlikely to challenge the Galaxy S24 series in a pure smartphone shootout. But there’s some interesting potential here, especially considering the price (more on that later).
In terms of camera layout, the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus and Redmi Note 13 Pro have an attractive square design with three cameras. However, I noticed that it protruded slightly on the Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G and prevented me from laying the phone flat, while the Pro Plus seems to integrate its camera system a little better.
Specifications flexible
The Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G uses the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2,while the Pro Plus is a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Ultra chipset.
The performance of both 4-nanometer chips lags behind the latest Snapdragon Gen 3 and Gen 2 chips, so the Galaxy S24 will not be affected in terms of benchmark. But in everyday use, that may not matter as both chips are still high-quality slices of silicon
I couldn’t tell much difference between the two in terms of performance in my limited time with both devices, but the Dimensity chip should have the edge in terms of gaming and performance. I noticed occasional stuttering on both models, especially on the Pro that used the Snapdragon when I played with the camera and AI features, but nothing too blatant; this may also be related to software optimization.
Both devices came with the latest MIUI version 14.0.2, based on Android 13 and not Android 14, which is currently rolling out to recent devices.
It’s hard to say if this was because these were demo models, but there were quite a few pre-installed apps like TikTok, Spotify and AliExpress that should be removable.
There are two versions of the Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G and the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus, both include 8 GB RAM, 256 GB and 12 GB RAM and 512 GB storage models.
I didn’t get a good idea of battery life due to my limited time with the devices, but the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus houses a 5,000mAh battery that uses a fast 120W HyperCharge that claims to charge the phone in 19 minutes to fully charge.
Meanwhile, the Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G has a slightly larger 5,100mAh battery with 67W turbo charging, which isn’t as fast as the Plus model but is still very fast, fully charging the phone in 44 minutes and both need a charger have in the box. box.
So both phones have the capacity and charging speed to beat a Galaxy S24, and probably quite a few other of the best Android phones when it comes to battery life.
A competitive price
While I’m yet to see the entire range, what I’ve seen so far of the Redmi Note 13 Pro and Pro Plus has been impressive. Prices seem very reasonable considering the potential quality of the Redmi Note 13 range, with the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus starting at £449 / $400 / AU$605 for the 12GB RAM and 512GB storage version.
The Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G starts at a much cheaper £339 / $304 / AU$460 for the 8GB RAM and 256GB storage version. The Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus 5G and Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G are now available at select retailers. But we recommend waiting for our full review before taking the plunge and purchasing one.
But so far the forecast is that we could be looking at a range of phones that offer specs and features that could rival some of the latest flagship phones without the price tag. Those are all promising things.