Xiaomi 13 Pro

The Xiaomi 13 Pro finds itself in an interesting position, often overlooked amidst its siblings, the 13 Ultra and the standard 13. But don't dismiss it as the middle child just yet. In our extended usage, it proves to be more than that, offering a compelling alternative to the 13 Ultra if you can do without the absolute best in camera and screen brightness.

Let's explore what it's like to live with the Xiaomi 13 Pro as your daily smartphone.

Display Brilliance

The Xiaomi 13 Pro boasts a top-tier display that holds its own among the best in the market. It might not reach the same brightness levels as the 13 Ultra, but in daily use, you'll rarely find yourself yearning for more brightness. Even under direct sunlight, the screen remains easily visible. However, at the lowest brightness setting, it might still feel a bit too bright for pitch-black environments, especially without the Extra Dim feature present in MIUI.

Refresh Rate and Resolution

Like other flagship smartphones, the Xiaomi 13 Pro offers a 120Hz refresh rate. While it doesn't maintain 120Hz constantly to conserve battery life, it never feels anything less than smooth. The screen resolution, at 1080x2400, saves battery compared to its native 1440x3200 resolution. While the difference might not be noticeable for most users, it's advisable to make the most of the high-res screen you're paying for, even if it slightly impacts battery life.

Always-On Display and Reading Mode

Xiaomi's Always-On Display (AOD) offers extensive customization, including scheduling and a 10-second activation after touch. It adds a dynamic touch to notifications, which is customizable and visually pleasing. The Super Wallpapers, though few in number, provide an immersive experience. Additionally, the Reading mode's blue light filter stands out as one of the best in the market, offering various customization options not found elsewhere.

Biometrics

The in-display fingerprint sensor on the Xiaomi 13 Pro is the best we've seen in a long-term review. It's lightning-fast and incredibly accurate, rivaling capacitive sensors. Face unlocking is an option but less secure and not notably faster than the fingerprint sensor. However, it doesn't work with closed eyes.

Performance and Smoothness

The Xiaomi 13 Pro offers an exceptionally smooth user experience, surpassing most other smartphones we've reviewed. It's powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, ensuring top-notch performance, especially in gaming. Improved thermals make this generation's chip shine even more.

Battery Life and Charging

Despite the 4,820 mAh battery, the Xiaomi 13 Pro delivers outstanding battery life, easily lasting a day on a single charge. Thanks to its 120W charging, a few minutes are sufficient for a quick top-up. The phone charges from zero to full in an astonishing 22 minutes, making battery anxiety a thing of the past. However, MIUI 14 lacks a screen-on-time indicator, which can be frustrating.

MIUI 14 and Bugs

MIUI 14 offers a feature-rich experience with customization options but lacks substantial design updates. While it mostly works well, some longstanding issues, like the ineffective Do Not Disturb mode and volume settings, persist. Several bugs, including YouTube playback stutter and Spotify behavior, need attention. MIUI's slow update frequency doesn't help in resolving these issues.

Camera Excellence

The Xiaomi 13 Pro boasts a flagship-level camera system, missing only a periscope lens. Daytime shots from the main camera impress with minimal noise, high detail, and excellent contrast. The ultrawide camera offers great distortion correction and detail. Zooming in at 3.2x produces outstanding results, comparable to the main camera.

At night, the Auto night mode enhances photo quality, offering quick capture times. The ultrawide camera performs admirably in low light, standing out among its competitors. The selfie camera delivers good results with ample ambient lighting.

Conclusion

The Xiaomi 13 Pro is one of this year's standout smartphones. While the 13 Ultra is technically superior, the choice between them boils down to whether you're willing to pay significantly more for slightly better cameras, a brighter screen, and a marginally larger battery. The 13 Pro holds its own in the market, offering excellent cameras, unparalleled smoothness, and outstanding battery life.

Despite being overshadowed by its more powerful sibling, the 13 Pro's slightly lower price makes it a more appealing option. It competes with flagship devices from other brands, offering a compelling package with its high-end features. Xiaomi's reputation for value-focused mid-range phones might lead some to overlook this premium device, but it's worth considering for those seeking flagship performance and features.

In summary, the Xiaomi 13 Pro proves that it's not just a middle child in the Xiaomi lineup; it's a formidable contender in the high-end smartphone market.