Today’s review is about Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G, the oldest model in Xiaomi‘s lineup of hot new products, kindly provided for thorough testing by the national marketplace ALLO.
First, however, take a look at the photo that eloquently demonstrates the greatness of scientific and technological progress over the past few years.
I took a picture of my monoblock and my smartphone side by side for better clarity. Main characteristics of the monoblock: AMD Rysen 7 processor (2.3 GHz), 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB of memory. Similar smartphone specifications: Dimensity 7200-Ultra processor (2.8 GHz), 12 GB RAM + 8 GB (expandable), 512 GB memory. In other words, the characteristics of the smartphone (it fits in your pocket and is comfortable in your hand) are slightly better than a massive monoblock that won’t fit in any pocket!
Yes, that’s right, the smartphone is the hero of today’s review, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+.5G.
So, the device comes in a branded package designed for the entire Redmi Note 13 line.
Completeness
Inside the box is the Aurora Purple smartphone itself, a silicone case (anthracite in color and soft-touch rubber in tactile sensations),
a charger of as much as 120 W, which cannot but evoke other emotions than such exceptionally positive ones,
a metal ejection tool for removing SIM cards, and the accompanying documentation (where can you go without it?).
I’ll say right away that I didn’t like the case at all, purely subjectively – transparent silicone is much more attractive and doesn’t hide the original design of the back of the smartphone. In addition, the window that reveals the triple set of cameras, dual flash holes and the proud Redmi logo did not evoke positive emotions. It would be better to cut holes only for the camera unit and dual flash. But as you know, all flashes are different. Subjectively, as they say, it didn’t work for me.
Design
Externally, this model differs from the rest of the line with a “waterfall” display, the rounded edges of which add visual volume and seem to slightly expand the screen area due to the optical effect. The rear surface of the device also differs from the rest of the lineup with its impressive optical unit and dual photographic flash.
As has become standard, the right side edge has the on/off and volume buttons, while the opposite, left side is not encumbered with any buttons or ports.
On the top edge there are openings for a stereo speaker, IR port and microphones. On the bottom edge there is a slot for 2 nanoSIM cards, which are placed in the form of a sandwich, a main microphone hole, a stereo speaker grille and a USB-C port for charging and connecting OTG peripherals. As you can see, there is no 3.5 mm jack at all. And that’s right, it’s yesterday’s day! Let’s have TWS!
Model dimensions: 161.4 x 74.2 x 8.9 mm
The smartphone weighs 208 g.
The screen
The display of the phone is not just excellent, but very excellent. It captivates at first sight. This is due to the AMOLED matrix (1.5K, 2712×1220 resolution, 68 billion colors (I wonder who and, most importantly, how they counted?), clarity (480 ppi), peak brightness – 1800 nits, which allows you to work without problems on a bright sunny day.
Unlike other smartphones in the line, the 6.67-inch AMOLED display with thin bezels on this model is curved. It supports a refresh rate of 120 Hz and is capable of displaying 100% of the DCI-P3 color space, and it is covered with tempered Gorilla Glass Victus.
The display also has a built-in fingerprint scanner with the ability to measure heart rate. During testing, no questions arose about the scanner – everything was clearly OK.
The refresh rate has only two options: 60 and 120 Hz, and 90 Hz is not available. I recommend setting it to “Default”, keeping the balance of power consumption.
OS
The Pro 13+ is still running Android 13 and Xiaomi’s proprietary MIUI 14.0.3. However, the manufacturer promises an imminent update in the form of a new HyperOS operating system. However, it is not specified when exactly. Therefore, as they say in Odesa, “we’ll see”.
Powerful filling
The “heart” (or “brain”, as you like) of the smartphone is the Dimensity 7200-Ultra processor (8 cores, max. 2.8 GHz), manufactured using 4 nm technology, and therefore quite powerful and energy efficient. It works fast.
The AnTuTu score is quite decent – 719365.
However, it fell just short of an honorable place in the top 100 smartphones, taking 101st place, but this is not fatal for its category.
The main thing is that it does not “lag behind” in games, but feels quite confident.
The RAM is 12 GB, but additional expansion is possible at the expense of the main memory. I added another 8 GB. Let it be 20 GB, it won’t hurt.
Cameras
For shooting photos and videos, there is a 200-megapixel camera with the flagship Samsung ISOCELL HP3 sensor, optical image stabilization and f/1.65 aperture for better photos in low light. There’s also an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, a 2-megapixel macro module, and a 16-megapixel front-facing camera.
In the new line of 5 models, three are equipped with 200MP cameras. However, the 13 Pro+ is in the lead due to fast processing by the processor. The aperture of the main camera lens – 1:1.65 – inspires respect, which has a positive effect on the quality of the photo.
Samples of photos in different life circumstances give a certain idea of how the cameras take pictures.
Autonomy
The battery is a 5000 mAh lithium-polymer. One charge lasts for a day of intensive to moderate work.
The manufacturer trumps at all intersections with the fact that a full charging cycle takes only 19 minutes. Following the principle of “trust but verify,” I decided to check it out. I got the following results:
- In 5 minutes – 12%
- 10 minutes – 36%
- 15 minutes – 56%
- 20 minutes – 75%
- 25 minutes – 93%
- 27 minutes – 100%
As you can see, the manufacturer somewhat exaggerates the charging capabilities of 120W, underestimating the figure by 8 minutes.
Let me remind you that for optimal charging, it is recommended to charge up to 80%, which means that the process takes 20-21 minutes. During the long testing period, to be honest, I never got used to fast charging, it’s too fast!
Flagship features
The curved waterfall display is not found in mid-range models, not to mention budget models.
The flagship IP68 moisture protection (I wonder how it works, if no plugs seem to be visible), though I didn’t dare to bathe the smartphone.
A 200-megapixel camera with optical stabilization is also a privilege of super-flagship.
Overall impression
In short, we can say that the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G smartphone is very impressive!
Personally, I was first of all impressed by the cool display and the amount of storage (512 GB). With this amount of memory in your pocket, you can carry a solid video library, an impressive sound library of your favorite tracks, a voluminous library and a large number of necessary documents for work. And by connecting an external drive via OTG, you don’t have to think about storing files at all.
I also liked the quick location of navigation satellites and the navigation in general.
But for the sake of objectivity, I will add a few more spoons of… tar to the review. First of all, I was very upset by the fact that on the very first day of testing, a rather deep scratch was found on the protective film covering the display, which appeared from nowhere.
Upon closer inspection, we also found a few smaller scratches. And this is despite the fact that the smartphone did not come into contact with any sharp objects, was not in the pocket with the keys and all that. Anyway, it seems to me that there is just a low-quality cheap protective film (is it really for the purpose of saving money?).
The maximum volume of incoming calls was also surprising. Being on the street, the calls were barely audible, thanks to the fact that the vibration worked at the proper level. In order not to be unfounded, I even had to install a noise measurement program – a sound level meter – and make the necessary measurements. Still, I would like it to be a little louder.
Expert opinion
Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G can well claim the title of “people’s” flagship, because in this relatively inexpensive model ($520) the manufacturer has used many flagship features, including a curved screen with a high refresh rate, a top-end Samsung camera and full protection against dust and water according to the IP68 standard, as well as super-fast charging and an NFC module for contactless payment.
The smartphone is perfectly balanced, with a good price-performance ratio. Therefore, if you have higher than average demands, keep up with progress, want to increase your self-esteem and self-respect, it makes sense to go buy the “chieftain” of the new line – Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G – without hesitation.
