We continue to test Xiaomi’s new line of smartphones, the Redmi Note 13, courtesy of the national marketplace ALLO, which has been successfully selling the new products in its retail network since January 15. Among them is the mid-range model of the series – Redmi Note 13 Pro.
For greater objectivity, we distributed the smartphones among all the journalists of our editorial office for thorough and impartial testing. Let me remind you that the new lineup includes the following models: Redmi Note 13, Redmi Note 13 5G, Redmi Note 13 Pro, Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G, Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G. As you can see, there are three new devices with 5G support (which is not particularly relevant for our country at the moment) and two devices with 4G support.
Let me remind you that the Redmi Note 13 series smartphones have become a hit in China – in the first hour, the people of the Middle Kingdom ordered more than 410,000 devices. This number includes orders for all three models: Redmi Note 13, Note 13 Pro, and Note 13 Pro+. Redmi has not yet announced which of them was the most popular.
Today on review – Redmi Note 13 Pro
The smartphone comes in a cardboard box, designed in the same corporate style as the entire line of new products.
The exciting (every time!) unboxing procedure brings the following results: in the box, in addition to the smartphone itself, there is a rubberized case with two (!) Redmi logos (inside and outside the case, so there’s no doubt, right?) of anthracite color, a 67W charger, a USB-C connection cable, and a paper clip for removing SIM cards. And, of course, the documentation, which hardly anyone reads thoughtfully.
The smartphone is in the classic Midnight Black color. The front surface of the device has a protective film on it, which perfectly collects not only fingerprints, but also, as the subsequent days of work have shown, all kinds of small dust particles. Thus, periodic cleaning of these particles is necessary.
Controls of Redmi Note 13 Pro
On the right side are the on/off button and volume rocker,
while the opposite left one has a SIM card slot (you can install either 2 SIM cards or a SIM and a MicroSD card (maximum 1024 GB).
On the top edge are: 3.5 mm jack (for headphone enthusiasts with a lanyard), speaker, IR port and microphone hole.
And finally, on the bottom edge there is a main microphone hole, a USB-C port for charging and connecting OTG peripherals, as well as another stereo speaker.
Hardware and software
The heart of any modern gadget is the processor. On board Redmi Note 13 Pro there is Helio G99-Ultra (8 cores, maximum frequency – 2.2 GHz). Let me remind you that MediaTek Helio G99 is an octa-core chipset that was announced on May 23, 2022 and is manufactured using a 6-nanometer process. It has 2 Cortex-A76 cores at 2.2 GHz and 6 Cortex-A55 cores at 2.0 GHz). To be honest, the processor is already quite “old” by today’s standards, but it knows its business and, as testing has shown, it fully performs its functions. It is a kind of mid-range, a workhorse, and a reliable one at that.
Yes, the processor is certainly not top-of-the-line, but then again, the smartphone doesn’t claim to be a flagship either. Given the price (ALLO is currently asking for UAH 12999), it’s a hard worker in the middle.
The model has an elegant modern design and a plastic body. It is comfortable in the hand. The build quality is good.
As for the software, the device runs on Android 13 with the proprietary MIUA 14 shell. (The manufacturer vowed to update to the new HyperOS operating system “as soon as possible,” but did not give any clear dates.
There is 8 GB of RAM (standard), but there is the possibility of expanding it with permanent memory. I expanded to the maximum and as a result I got 8GB+8GB. Not bad. There is 256 GB of permanent memory, but, again, there is also the possibility of expanding by another 1024 GB.
I installed a 128 GB MicroSD for testing.
Other useful features include an NFC module with the ability to make full payments in our stores, and Bluetooth 5.2 works quickly.
Satellite navigation respects the major global systems: GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo.
Redmi Note 13 Pro screen
When you turn it on for the first time, the smartphone screen is simply mesmerizing. This is due to the AMOLED matrix (1.5K, 1080×2400, 70 mm x 155 mm, 6.69 inches diagonal, 440 dpi, 60-120 Hz refresh rate). Automatic brightness adjustment makes the image on the screen smoother and softer. And the available Rheinland-certified eye protection not only provides additional comfort during prolonged use, but also protects your eyes from harmful effects. The AMOLED screen is covered with Victus glass.
The AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz ensures smooth scrolling of information and comfortable viewing of video content. Several refresh rate scenarios adapt to the conditions of use of the gadget to improve its energy efficiency. DCI-P3’s 100% color gamut coverage allows you to display high-quality and rich images. The peak brightness is 1300 nits, which is enough to interact with the screen and read the information on it in any lighting conditions.
It should also be recalled that the screen supports the Always on Display function, but in a somewhat reduced form (10-second sessions).
Cameras are the flagship feature
The flagship-level 200-megapixel primary sensor is equipped with OIS and EIS systems that provide double protection against blurred images. Frame stabilization technologies eliminate even minimal hand and camera shake. The Super QPD function allows you to focus on your subject even faster and more accurately, which is especially important for dynamic scenes. The triple camera module of Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro is complemented by an ultra-wide-angle camera that allows you to shoot panoramas. The 2-megapixel macro sensor provides detailed shots of close objects.
The main camera is equipped with a 7P optical lens. The low-reflective coating increases the amount of light in the frame and reduces the risk of ghosting. The 16-in-1 pixel combining technology improves the quality and detail of photos taken in various conditions. This makes it possible to capture even dynamic night scenes in maximum detail.
The gadget allows you to switch between three different focal lengths in one click without sacrificing image quality or detail. The 4x optical zoom makes it possible to shoot distant objects without unnecessary noise in the picture.
To improve image clarity, Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro uses optical stabilization.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro autofocus uses modern Dual Pixel technology. This is the next step in the development of phase detection autofocus, which helps Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro focus even more accurately and quickly on objects.
The wide-angle camera of Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro has a resolution of 8 megapixels. Like the telephoto camera, the wide-angle camera uses a separate, weaker sensor. However, unlike the zoom camera, the wide-angle camera is not as sensitive to low light. Therefore, despite its modest characteristics, wide-angle photos are juicy and clear.
The selfie camera of the smartphone (16 MP) did not cause any complaints during testing.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is used for additional image processing. Xiaomi Imaging Engine provides impressive photo shooting speed and post-processing performance. Smart one-touch object cropping, scene-based color correction, and basic imperfection retouching allow you to generate high-quality content that can be shared immediately on social media.
Here’s how Redmi Note 13 Pro cameras shoot:
200 megapixels is great, of course, but do you know how much a single 200-megapixel photo weighs?
This one, for example, weighed 63.5 MB! And that’s just one photo!
I was most upset by shooting by the light of an ordinary candle in the Night and 200MP modes. Somehow something is wrong… I was expecting more and better.
Game features
You can judge the gaming capabilities of a smartphone by its AnTuTu score.
Yes, this is not a gadget for avid gamers, but you can play games on it. Of course, you can’t achieve maximum performance in super-heavy games on it; there are flagships with millions of AnTuTu. (By the way, I recently came across the results of a study that claims that owners of high-performance flagships are not really gamers – they try to earn even more money on their smartphones to buy even more sophisticated super-flagships. But the bulk of gamers play on mid-range devices). That is, Redmi Note 13 Pro is exactly what you need for rest and relaxation.
Battery life
The 5,000 mAh battery is enough for 24-36 hours of use in medium-active mode. Turbo charging with a power of 67 W in tandem with software to reduce power consumption makes it possible to charge Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro up to 50% in 16 minutes, up to 100% in 46 minutes. The power is consumed sparingly, and it was more than enough for me to work all day with above-average intensity.
Overall impression of Redmi Note 13 Pro
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro smartphone serves as a work tool, a training center, a hub for viewing media content, and a base for gaming. The screen with a large diagonal and color saturation has additional protective features to reduce visual strain. The 200-megapixel camera with optical stabilization allows you to generate high-quality content for social networks anytime and anywhere.
The device is IP54 protected: small foreign dust particles and water splashes do not enter the body. If water gets on the smartphone screen, optimized touch recognition and control helps to avoid unnecessary triggering when working with the touch panel.
Stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos technology provide spatial sound. In tandem with high quality graphics, a cinematic effect is created: a mini-cinema is always at your fingertips for watching video content.
Expert opinion
I have to admit that for a number of years I have been not so much a fan as a supporter of Xiaomi gadgets, which produce great devices for users around the world. And as the saying goes, you don’t look for a silver lining. But while maintaining the necessary objectivity and impartiality, I can competently state that Redmi Note 13 Pro is a great mid-range device. And after prolonged testing of the smartphone, I was only more convinced of my opinion. So I strongly recommend this device for purchase.
