Xiaomi 13 Ultra review – Spectacular smartphone with variable camera aperture for Leica fans

The Xiaomi 13 Extremely is a logical construction of the top class smartphone collection from the Chinese language producer. Along with a top of the range Leica Summicron lens along side its 1-inch Sony sensor from the Professional fashion, the digicam flagship, which used to be evolved in cooperation with Leica, is in a position to carry some enhancements within the house of macro images – no less than in keeping with the spec sheet. As well as, the weaknesses of the Xiaomi 13 Professional, such because the gradual USB 2.0 information switch same old, have now been conquer with the Extremely fashion.

Differently, the 2 top class smartphones from Xiaomi are visually and technically very identical. The Extremely fashion additionally provides a big and speedy 6.73-inch 120-Hz QHD+ AMOLED show and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. On the subject of the cost, the Chinese language model of the Xiaomi 13 Extremely is already to be had from world importers ranging from round 1,000 Euros (~$1,106). On the other hand, Xiaomi already showed that the flagship smartphone may even come available on the market in Europe, however there aren’t any main points at the value or availability date but.

The Xiaomi 13 Extremely will also be bought in 3 other colour variants and a restricted colour version, with all fashions having the vegan leather-based texture at the again in not unusual. The fabric feels comfy within the hand and is meant to be wear-resistant and immune to yellowing in keeping with the producer. It’s also meant to have an antibacterial certification. On the subject of high quality, the leather-based imitation would possibly perhaps constitute a step again for house owners of the Ecu predecessor, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Extremely with its ceramic floor. However no less than greasy finger smudges are hidden neatly through the textured floor. The steel frames of all colour variants are matte and feature the corresponding colour.

With the large digicam component, the load distribution of the top class smartphone is moderately top-heavy, identical to the predecessor, specifically because the case could also be fairly thicker within the house of the digicam lenses. With a weight of 227 grams (~8 oz.), the flagship from the Chinese language producer could also be no light-weight. The standard of the Xiaomi 13 Extremely workmanship is superb, and the gaps are flush or even. As well as, the case is IP68 qualified and is due to this fact water resistant.

The AMOLED show in entrance is safe through Corning Gorilla Glass Victus of the primary era. The show bezels are small, leading to a screen-to-body ratio of 89.5%. 

The USB-2.0 technology of the Xiaomi smartphones got here to an finish with the 13 Extremely, and the flagship from the Chinese language producer now provides the quick USB 3.2 (Gen. 1) same old, which additionally helps USB-OTG along with the stressed symbol output to HDMI or DisplayPort connections. In our replica check the usage of a hooked up M2.SSD force (Samsung 980 Professional), the USB port reaches reasonably excessive switch charges of 461 MB/s – with information charges of as much as 5 Gbit/s for switch of pictures and movies being theoretically conceivable. The top class smartphone from Xiaomi is obtainable in 3 other variations in : 

Xiaomi 13 Extremely | 12 GB LPDDR5x-RAM | 256 GB UFS 4.0 garage

Xiaomi 13 Extremely | 16 GB LPDDR5x-RAM | 512 GB UFS 4.0 garage

Xiaomi 13 Extremely | 16 GB LPDDR5x-RAM | 1 TB UFS 4.0 garage.

With Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, an IR blaster, and Miracast, the Xiaomi 13 Extremely differently additionally provides a nearly entire apparatus package deal.

On the time of this check, the working device of the Xiaomi 13 Extremely is according to Android 13 with the protection patch degree from April 2023. The Chinese language producer provides an overlay of the in-house MIUI model 14. The replace guaranty of the worldwide Xiaomi smartphones from the top class phase has now been expanded to 5 years of safety updates and 3 massive Android updates. Whilst that is crucial step in the best route, consumers of a Galaxy S23 Extremely will nonetheless get longer toughen with 4 massive Android updates. 

As within the different Chinese language variations of the Xiaomi smartphones, the in-house tool of the 13 Extremely does not toughen Google services and products such because the PlayStore within the state of supply. As an alternative, Chinese language services and products and Xiaomi’s personal services and products are used. On the other hand, the Google Frameworks are already preinstalled within the state of supply, in order that you best have to put in the PlayStore manually. 

Observe: TradingShenzhen, who equipped our check unit to us, additionally provides the choice to buy the Xiaomi 13 Extremely with the Xiaomi.EU ROM, which is according to the Chinese language firmware however expands the language variety (additionally together with German) and natively provides the Google Services and products. 

The Xiaomi 13 Extremely helps the entire present cellular communique requirements together with 5G Sub6 except 5G mmWave. Whilst with 17 LTE bands, the frequency protection could also be enough with our Chinese language model, the import software differs in some main points from a world model anticipated in Europe. As an example, the Xiaomi 13 Extremely that used to be designed for the Chinese language marketplace lacks the toughen for a number of Ecu LTE bands similar to band 20 and 28, which would possibly create some connectivity issues for some customers on this nation (Germany). 

The place the Chinese language model does not fluctuate from the worldwide model is the WLAN toughen. With WiFi 7, the Xiaomi 13 Extremely provides lightning-fast switch charges, however even with our WiFi 6E Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 reference router, the Xiaomi smartphone reaches virtually 1,800 Mbit/s within the 6-GHz internet and greater than 1,000 Mbit/s when sending underneath 5 GHz. The excessive information charges also are solid to the most important extent, and we best realize some temporary drops all through our measurements when sending information. However those fluctuations are reasonably small, in order that you should not realize any drops within the switch speeds in observe.

We take a extra detailed take a look at the finding features of the Xiaomi flagship through evaluating it to a Garmin Venu 2 on a motorbike excursion. The full course period decided through the Xiaomi smartphone is best 10 meters (~33 ft) longer. Despite the fact that we realize some smaller inaccuracies within the detailed course recordings of curves every so often, the Xiaomi 13 Extremely nonetheless succeeds in growing a correct recording of the total course. 

To resolve its location, the Xiaomi 13 Extremely makes use of dual-band GNSS, supporting the GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, and SBAS satellite tv for pc networks. In on a regular basis operation, it briefly creates a satellite tv for pc connection and could also be ready to supply an overly actual location indoors.

Comparability of finding accuracy: Xiaomi 13 Extremely vs. Garmin Venu 2 

The Xiaomi 13 Extremely helps VoLTE and WLAN calls, in addition to a complete 5G dual-SIM with two Nano-SIM card slots. On the other hand, there’s no chance of the usage of an eSIM. The use of the earpiece, the voice high quality is sexy in quiet setting, and voices are transferred sounding very herbal. When the usage of the speaker telephone mode, the Xiaomi flagship could also be convincing in quiet setting, however the voices then sound fairly muffled.

In sunlight, the 32-MP entrance digicam of the Xiaomi 13 Extremely creates sexy photos with a pronounced diploma of main points. In spite of the excessive answer, the Extremely fashion is best ready to report video in a most answer of 1080p at 30 fps. Pixel binning isn’t supported through the entrance digicam. 

As within the predecessor, the digicam superstar of the 50-MP lens quartet at the again is the Sony IMX989 within the 1-inch layout with a most aperture of f/1.9. However the brand new Leica Summicron 8P lens of the 13 Extremely is meant to ship a greater symbol high quality. The principle digicam has a variable aperture, permitting customers to additionally choose an aperture of f/4.0 to succeed in a greater intensity sharpness, as an example. However, you can not regulate the aperture variably as within the Huawei Mate 50 Professional. Along with jpegs, you’ll additionally retailer photos at the Xiaomi flagship within the RAW layout at 14 bits, which used to be evolved in cooperation with Adobe for Photoshop or Lightroom. 

In our check photos, the 1-inch layout sensor finds many main points and a stupendous symbol sharpness. The photographs eager about the Xiaomi 13 Extremely display visibly much less virtual sprucing than the ones from the competition. However, we really feel that the octa-PD section focusing does a not up to optimum task every so often, and object edges from time to time seem too cushy for our style. However the place Xiaomi did a very good task is with the colour tones – specifically within the direct comparability to the Honor Magic 5 Professional – and the dynamic within the photos. Because of the 1-inch sensor, the backgrounds additionally get a stupendous blurriness at f/1.9 even within the photograph mode, which supplies the images a distinct contact.

The excessive answer of the 50-MP sensor is used for pixel binning through default, which is meant to learn low-light images. As shall we already see within the Xiaomi 13 Professional, shady spaces stand out considerably greater than in photos taken through the competition, who regularly brighten them significantly – whether or not you prefer this or no longer, is an issue of style. On the subject of the sharpness degree, the Xiaomi 13 Extremely additionally produces very sexy photos in darkish gentle prerequisites.

The digicam tool from Leica provides the “Colourful” and “Unique” modes. Whilst the primary produces fairly saturated and brighter colours, the latter emphasizes gentle and darkish spaces within the image. Our photos within the symbol comparability had been eager about the Leica “Unique” mode.

The opposite 3 50-MP cameras be offering a Sony IMX858 sensor with a focal period between 12 and 120 mm, additionally the usage of the 4-to-1 pixel binning procedure. The sensors that had been manufactured within the 1/2.51-inch layout are neatly adjusted to the IMX989 with regards to the colour copy, so that they produce a reasonably unified colour symbol.

Despite the fact that in comparison to the IMX989, the ultra-wide perspective lens displays a visual drop with regards to high quality, the images eager about a 122-degree viewing perspective are nonetheless sexy. On the subject of sharpness and symbol main points, the Xiaomi flagship plays at magnificence degree. Apparently, the lens could also be used for macro images, and Xiaomi does not use the in-house Liquid Lens design of the telephoto lens right here like within the 13 Professional.       

The 2 telephoto cameras with the lossless 3.2x and 5x zoom constitute a energy of the Xiaomi 13 Extremely. Because of the excessive answer, the pictures carry a fantastic intensity sharpness and are ready to seize many main points within the gadgets. You’ll be able to get some very sexy effects from the digicam setup as much as a 10x zoom degree. Virtual zoom is even conceivable as much as 120x, and with the horny symbol stabilization, this can be used with out a tripod. 

Movies will also be recorded with all 4 cameras in 8K answer, and an Extremely-HD possibility provides a most of 60 frames according to 2d. You’ll be able to transfer between the more than a few lenses with none vital stutters. We truly just like the stabilization of the principle digicam with shifting pictures, however because of its loss of OIS, the ultra-wide perspective lens is not able to moderately stay up with regards to its high quality.  

We take a extra detailed take a look at the colour accuracy of the Sony sensor below managed gentle prerequisites. The measured deviations from the reference colours are freed from any actual outliers (>15) and lots of the colours are reproduced reasonably as it should be through the Xiaomi 13 Extremely. Most effective cyan is brightened fairly an excessive amount of, and the white steadiness seems fairly heat.

The field of the Xiaomi 13 Extremely features a modular 90-watt charger, a protecting case, a USB cable, and a protecting display duvet. Optionally, a digicam equipment along side a protecting duvet with an built-in take care of, a digicam cause, and an E67 filter out thread could also be to be had for passion photographers, letting them use ND and Pol filters. As well as, TradingShenzhen, who equipped our check unit, additionally incorporated an EU adapter for the charger and a USB OTG adapter within the field of our Chinese language model. 

The guaranty for the Xiaomi smartphone covers one year. With our imported unit from TradingShenzhen, you additionally give you the option to ship the smartphone to a German deal with in case of a guaranty declare. 

The Xiaomi flagship provides a very good touchscreen with a 120 Hz refresh charge and 240 Hz scanning charge, making sure that inputs are briefly and as it should be carried out. The vibration motor delivers crisp haptic comments, working at a prime quality degree. 

For biometric safety, an optical fingerprint sensor is built-in within the show. Our hands are known briefly and reliably. Much less protected however simply as speedy is the 2D face popularity in sunlight prerequisites. Below worse gentle prerequisites, this unlocking way succeeds much less regularly.

Xiaomi no longer best seemed for a spouse to cooperate at the cameras but additionally within the house of the show. The massive 6.73-inch LTPO panel used to be evolved in cooperation with TCL and gives a WQHD+ answer with a dynamic refresh charge of one Hz to 120 Hz. We will be able to additionally verify those values from the studying of the device information. An RGBG matrix consisting of 1 purple, one blue, and two inexperienced LEDs is used right here.

The show facets are rounded. In keeping with the producer, the panel is meant to achieve an improbable most brightness of two,600 cd/m², however we’re not able to substantiate this in our measurements. With a natural white show with activated brightness sensor, the show of the Xiaomi 13 Extremely reaches greater than 1,400 cd/m², which is a wonderful price. With a fair distribution of sunshine and darkish spaces (APL18), we’re ready to rise up to at least one,628 cd/m² from the panel, which could also be a very good end result, even supposing it’s significantly not up to the highest degree marketed through the producer. 

Like its competition, the OLED panel of the Xiaomi flagship could also be no longer unfastened from the flickering because of PWM. Our measurements lead to a relentless frequency of 120 Hz with some temporary outliers upwards. Even if this to begin with seems like an uncomfortably low frequency, we will have to nonetheless imagine this simple at the eyes because of the flat pulse amplitude. On the other hand, the producer itself speaks about an overly excessive PWM frequency of 1920 Hz, which will have to be a lot more comfy specifically for delicate customers. We’re not able to resolve whether or not the cause of this discrepancy lies in our size apparatus or whether or not this computerized DC-dimming-like mode used to be best deactivated in our check. 

We assessment the colour calibration of the HDR10+ and Dolby Imaginative and prescient qualified AMOLED panel with the CalMAN research tool and a photograph spectrometer. Within the “Authentic” profile, the sRGB colour area is concentrated and coated virtually utterly. We get very low colour deviations right here, and the measured DeltaE values additionally display very small deviations within the grayscale. The Xiaomi 13 Extremely additionally provides the strategy to goal the bigger DCI-P3 colour area, however the deviations within the colour copy prove fairly upper right here, as you’ll be expecting.

The flagship from the Chinese language producer provides 3 colour profiles in addition to an “Complicated” mode, permitting you to regulate the colour area and colour temperature or even some person parameters similar to saturation. As well as, you’ll use the brightness sensor for computerized adjustment of the colour copy.

Outdoor, the Xiaomi 13 Extremely leaves a very good affect. The brightness sensor responds briefly to converting gentle prerequisites, and due to the extraordinary brightness, even shiny daylight is not able to hinder the clarity of the OLED panel. The viewing perspective steadiness could also be superb, and the brightness degree hardly ever decreases even from very steep viewing angles. 

The built-in Adreno 740 handles the graphics acceleration. In GFXbench, the Xiaomi 13 Extremely reaches very sturdy values every now and then (as an example within the Ny checks), but it surely most commonly plays on the degree of a Galaxy S23 Extremely. Within the Natural world checks, the Xiaomi flagship could also be ready to stay alongside of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy.

Within the browser benchmarks, the Xiaomi 13 Extremely jumps forward considerably in comparison to the predecessor, distancing itself from the competition. In on a regular basis operation, browsing within the Chrome browser feels very easy.

The short UFS 4.0 garage guarantees very excessive values above 4,000 MB/s. Most effective when studying and writing small information blocks, the efficiency of the Xiaomi flagship is fairly weaker.

In an effort to assessment the graphics energy of the Adreno GPU in on a regular basis operation, we’re having a look at two video games the usage of the tool from our spouse GameBench. Even if the {hardware} could be very robust, we best get a meager 60 fps within the area shooter that theoretically helps the overall 120 Hz of the show used right here. It isn’t transparent why the body charge is so low right here, since this isn’t the results of thermal issues. Most certainly the rationale lies in a loss of optimizations and/or motive force changes. In PUBG Cell, the standard 60 fps are conceivable within the HD atmosphere, and on the absolute best element degree (UHD), the flagship reaches a relentless 40 fps.

Whilst the skin temperatures of the Xiaomi 13 Extremely are very low all through idle operation, issues sadly glance other below consistent load, the place we measure greater than 48 °C (118 °F) as the highest price. On the other hand, within the comparability with the utmost temperature of 33 °C (91 °F) that we measured within the Professional fashion, we will have to additionally point out that we at the moment are the usage of the Burnout benchmark as a substitute of the stableness check to measure the temperatures below load. A precise comparability of the temperatures is due to this fact no longer conceivable anymore.   

The specifically evolved Mi IceLoop warmth dissipation generation of the Xiaomi 13 Extremely could also be challenged with the Natural world tension check of 3DMark. At about 90%, the Xiaomi 13 Extremely is likely one of the maximum consistent smartphones with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, now throttling considerably not up to the Galaxy S23 Extremely or Oppo In finding X6 Professional.  

The 2 Dolby Atmos qualified audio system of the Xiaomi 13 Extremely produce a balanced sound spectrum with even mids or even some decrease frequency tones. However even the Xiaomi flagship is not able to ship truly low frequencies with provide bass sounds, even if it is likely one of the best possible smartphones on this regard.

Those that wish to attach stressed sound output units have to make use of the USB-C port. For a wi-fi connection, the fashionable Bluetooth 5.3 is to be had. On the subject of supported formats, the Xiaomi 13 Extremely provides a wide array together with SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX TWS+, LDAC, and LHDC V5.

The 5,000-mAh battery can optionally be charged the usage of both USB-C at as much as 90 watts or wirelessly at a most of fifty watts. The use of the incorporated 90-watt charger, it takes about 40 mins to totally recharge the smartphone. The use of a corresponding Wi-fi Charger Station, it takes 49 mins in keeping with the producer. Along with the proprietary MI FC 2.0 fast charging generation, the top class smartphone additionally helps the PD 3.0 speedy charging protocol or QuickCharge 4.

The facility intake below load is exemplary, however all through idle operation, the Galaxy S23 Extremely displays itself fairly extra environment friendly than the Xiaomi flagship.

The battery lifetime of the Xiaomi 13 Extremely is convincing. We use the overall WQHD+ answer and 120 Hz because the refresh charge to judge this. The Xiaomi flagship does not display the in most cases increased energy intake of the communique modules all through the consistent loop of our Giant Greenback Bunny check video. With about 18 hours, the Xiaomi flagship lasts greater than 2 hours longer than its predecessor in our WLAN battery check at an adjusted brightness of 150 cd/m².  

Except for some smaller critique issues, Xiaomi delivers probably the most best possible smartphones of the yr with its 13 Extremely. The flagship smartphone from the Chinese language producer provides an in depth record of kit, an enormous efficiency, and a prime quality casing manufactured from vegan leather-based and steel. The Xiaomi smartphone achieves a shockingly transparent distance from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 competition with regards to SoC throttling. The 13 Extremely throttles considerably not up to as an example an Honor Magic 5 Professional or Galaxy S23 Extremely with a identical efficiency construction.    

The digicam package deal across the very massive Sony symbol sensor delivers truly excellent leads to on a regular basis operation. With the variable aperture and an in depth focal period vary, the Xiaomi 13 Extremely is excellently ready for many situations. We would possibly once more criticize the low answer of movies recorded with the selfie digicam, and it continues to stay a thriller why the Chinese language producer is not able to supply a 4K possibility with the 32-MP lens. Such deficits would possibly hardly ever make any distinction in on a regular basis operation for many customers. Those that nonetheless love to create UHD selfie recordings for vlogging would possibly in finding the fitting flagship selection within the Galaxy S23 Extremely or the Pixel 7 Professional.  

Despite the fact that the Xiaomi 13 Extremely is a pricey affair, consumers of the flagship smartphone gets so much for his or her cash. 

The discrepancy between the producer specs and our measurements of the show brightness merits some critique needless to say. The panel this is specified with 2,600 nits does not even come just about the marketed peak price, and at 1,700 cd/m² it stays considerably underneath its marketed features. As well as, we’re many times mystified why present high-end smartphones are not able (or no longer allowed) to achieve their complete attainable in HFR gaming – and with the fidelity of a Xiaomi 13 Extremely this turns into much more of a thriller.     

The Xiaomi 13 Extremely is these days to be had as an import software from TradingShenzhen ranging from round $1,185. We think the costs for the worldwide model to start out from about 1,500 Euros (~$1,658).