Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 5G Review

Introduction

Here’s another review of the Redmi Note 13, and to clarify, we haven’t examined this particular model until now. Despite its name suggesting an upgrade from the 4G version, the Redmi Note 13 5G is, in fact, the most basic variant in the lineup.

The appearance of the Redmi Note 13 5G closely resembles that of other models in the Redmi Note 13 series, which is expected. It features a mostly flat design, comes in various colors, and boasts an IP54-rated ingress protection.

Equipped with a 6.67-inch AMOLED panel, the Redmi Note 13 5G shares the same screen size as its counterparts. The resolution is set at 1080p, and it offers a 120Hz refresh rate. In certain markets, the display may also support a 10-bit color depth.

Under the hood, the Redmi Note 13 5G runs on the MediaTek 6080 5G chipset and is available in two common configurations: 6GB RAM + 128GB storage and 8GB RAM + 256GB storage, both supporting microSD expansion.

On the rear of the Note 13 5G, you’ll find a trio of cameras – a 108MP primary lens, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. Notably, there’s no macro camera, distinguishing it from the 4G version. In comparison, the 5G variant lacks stereo speakers and an under-display fingerprint scanner. Despite not being the most affordable, we consider this Note 13 as the most basic model in the series.

Finally, the Redmi Note 13 5G houses a 5,000mAh battery supporting 33W fast charging and operates on Android 13 with MIUI 14. While the 5G Note 13 appears to be a well-rounded smartphone like the Redmi Note 13 4G, the absence of stereo speakers feels unnecessary and is missed in this model.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 5G Specs

• Body: 161.1×75.0x7.6mm, 174g; Gorilla Glass 5 front, plastic back, plastic frame; IP54, dust and splash resistant.
• Display: 6.67″ AMOLED, 1B colors*, 120Hz, 1000 nits (peak), 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 395ppi; *1B colors (market/region dependent).
• Chipset: Mediatek Dimensity 6080 (6 nm): Octa-core (2×2.4 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G57 MC2.
• Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM; UFS 2.2; microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot).
• OS/Software: Android 13, MIUI 14.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 108 MP, f/1.7, 1/1.67″, 0.64µm, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2; Depth: 2 MP, f/2.4.
• Front camera: 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide).
• Video capture: Rear camera: 1080p@30fps; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 5000mAh; 33W wired.
• Connectivity: 5G; Hybrid Dual SIM; Wi-Fi 5; BT 5.3; NFC; Infrared port; 3.5mm jack.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted).

Redmi Note 13 5G Unboxing

The items found inside the Redmi Note 13 5G retail package are straightforward – it includes a USB-C-to-A cable, a 33W power adapter, and a protective case in a dark gray shade. It piques our curiosity as to why Xiaomi has opted for these dark cases instead of transparent ones for their latest models. Additionally, the Note 13 comes with a thin protective film applied, effectively serving as a barrier against scratches. However, it also proves to be a magnet for smudges, which is worth noting.

Redmi Note 13 5G Design, Handling, Build Quality

The Redmi Note 13 5G follows the typical pattern of a mid-range smartphone, featuring flat panels and a flat frame. Its front is protected by a Gorilla Glass 5 sheet, while the back is crafted from multi-layered plastic, and the frame, also plastic, sports a matte finish. Notably, the phone holds an IP54 rating for dust and splash resistance, an improvement from the previous IP53, now covering 360-degree pressurized spraying for enhanced splash resistance.

Available in Graphite Black, Arctic White, and Ocean Teal (the variant discussed here), with an additional Prism Gold version exclusive to certain regions, the Black and Teal options exhibit uniform colors with matte backs. Meanwhile, the Arctic White variant features a subtle frost texture on its matte back. Maintaining the same size as the 4G model, the Redmi Note 13 5G is surprisingly 14 grams lighter. It showcases a rectangular camera housing, distinct from the 4G model.

The 6.67-inch AMOLED panel boasts thin bezels and a small punch-hole for the 16MP selfie camera. Below the earpiece, there’s an under-display ambient light sensor, but notably, there’s no stereo speaker system, and the earpiece serves no additional function.

Unlike some models, the Redmi Note 13 5G doesn’t incorporate an under-display fingerprint scanner. Instead, the sensor is conveniently placed on the Power/Lock key on the right side, delivering the expected speed and reliability.

Turning to the back, a sizable camera housing accommodates two prominent plastic rings for the primary and ultrawide cameras. The depth sensor and LED flash seamlessly integrate into the glossy island on the matte back.

Built with precision, the Redmi Note 13 5G offers a tactile and comfortable feel, ensuring a secure grip. Its user-friendly design and pocket-friendly size make it easy to handle and operate without any notable challenges.

Redmi Note 13 5G Display

The Redmi Note 13 5G boasts a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with an expanded 1080p resolution, offering 395 pixels per inch (ppi). It features a purportedly adaptive 120Hz refresh rate and 1,920Hz PWM dimming. In certain markets, such as Spain, the phone will be equipped with a 10-bit color depth panel.

Protected by Gorilla Glass 5, the screen, as per official specifications, achieves up to 1,000 nits of peak brightness. However, in manual brightness control, we recorded a maximum brightness of 488 nits. When utilizing Auto Brightness or activating Sunlight Boost, the screen can reach a much brighter 991 nits.

It’s worth noting that the under-screen ambient light sensor exhibited irregular behavior, at times not promptly responding to bright light or failing to react at all. The minimum brightness level for a white point was measured at just 1.9 nit.

1. Refresh Rate

The display supports a maximum 120Hz refresh rate, with two available modes: Custom (allowing users to choose between 120Hz or 60Hz) and Default (automatic switching behavior). The adaptive refresh rate functions as expected, dropping to 60Hz for static content. Streaming apps are capped at 60Hz for both UI and streaming, with incompatible high frame rate (HFR) apps, like the Camera app and Google Maps, consistently rendered at 60fps.

2. HDR

Regrettably, the Redmi Note 13 5G lacks HDR support. However, it compensates with Widevine DRM at level L1, enabling 1080p resolution streaming.

3. Battery Life

Despite sharing the same screen size and battery as other Note 13 models, the Redmi Note 13 5G, powered by an efficient chipset, surprisingly falls short in energy efficiency. It achieved a rather modest Active Use Time of 9 hours and 49 minutes. Although it can last over 34 hours in call mode, its performance in web browsing, video playback, and gaming is less impressive.

4. Charging Speed

The Redmi Note 13 5G supports 33W fast charging, provided with a 33W power adapter and a 3A-rated USB cable. Charging tests revealed that the 33W adapter charged 29% of the phone’s depleted battery in 15 minutes and reached 50% in half an hour. A full charge was achieved in 76 minutes. Notably, the new Note 13 models feature a Charging Boost option in advanced battery settings, enhancing charging speed when the screen is off.

5. Speaker – Loudness and Quality

Differing from other Redmi Note 13 models, the Redmi Note 13 5G houses a single, bottom-firing speaker. Despite offering Dolby Atmos, there were no noticeable differences in audio quality with or without it. The speaker supports a 200% loudness boost at the last step of the volume slider, emphasizing the high-frequency range while muting other frequencies. Despite this tuning, the speaker received a “Very Good” score, though its emphasis on vocals and highs may not translate to optimal real-life sound quality, ranking as average at best.

MIUI 14 on Android 13 – Redmi Note 13 5G Software and Performance

The Redmi Note 13 5G operates on MIUI 14 running atop Android 13. Xiaomi plans to provide all Redmi Note 13 models with an update to HyperOS in the future. While Xiaomi hasn’t officially committed to a specific number of upcoming updates, it is anticipated to align with the Poco X6 models, offering three years of major Android updates and an additional year with security patches only.

MIUI 14 retains the overall user experience from its predecessor, MIUI 13, showcasing responsiveness and customizability. Xiaomi has placed emphasis on enhancing the haptic feedback experience, ensuring a crisp, strong, accurate, and responsive motor. Users have the option to adjust haptic feedback intensity if it is perceived as obtrusive or insufficient.

While some ads are present, users can disable them through the Settings in the app handling advertisements and recommendations. For a comprehensive understanding of the UI and features, referring to the detailed MIUI 14 walkthrough on top of Android 13 is recommended.

1. Performance and Benchmarks

Equipped with the MediaTek Dimensity 6080 chipset, the Redmi Note 13 5G operates on a mid-range 5G chipset manufactured on a 6nm TSMC node. However, it is worth noting that the 6080 is essentially a rebranded Dimensity 810 from 2021.

Featuring an octa-core CPU setup with two ARM Cortex-A76 cores clocked at up to 2.4 GHz and six Cortex-A55 cores working at up to 2.0 GHz, the Dimensity 6080 pairs with a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU. The device offers configurations with 6GB, 8GB, or 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM at 2133 MHz, and storage options range from 128GB to 256GB, expandable but limited by the use of UFS 2.2 chips.

Benchmark tests, including GeekBench and AnTuTu, position the Dimensity 6080 competitively within its price range, aligning it with counterparts like the Snapdragon 695 and the MediaTek Helio G99. However, other chips like the Dimensity 8020, 8050, or the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 may offer more performance for the same budget.

In practical terms, the Redmi Note 13 runs MIUI 14 smoothly, handling daily tasks and light gaming with occasional slowdowns but no noticeable stutters.

2. Thermal-Throttling

Despite its moderate power, the Dimensity 6080 in the Redmi Note 13 demonstrates efficient thermal management, with no significant issues of thermal throttling during stress testing. The device maintains stable performance over time without excessive heating, ensuring a comfortable user experience.

3. Connectivity

The Redmi Note 13 supports dual SIM simultaneous 5G connectivity, offering two nano-SIM card slots with SA/NSA 5G support. However, the hybrid SIM tray necessitates a choice between a second SIM card and a microSD card for expandable storage, with no support for e-SIM.

Connectivity features include dual-band Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.3 with LE support, NFC, and an IR blaster. Notably, there is no FM radio, and the Type-C port operates on a USB 2.0 connection with a maximum data transfer rate of 480 Mbps. While USB OTG/Host support is available, there is no video output via USB Alt mode.

Onboard sensors include an lsm6dso accelerometer, gyroscope combo, AMS tcs3701 light and proximity sensor, and a Memsic mmc5603 magnetometer. While there is no barometer, the proximity sensor, though somewhat slow to react, operates as a hardware component.

Redmi Note 13 5G Camera, Photo, and Video Quality

1. A Triple Camera Configuration Headed by a 108MP Sensor

The Redmi Note 13 is equipped with a primary 108MP camera utilizing the Samsung S5KHM6 sensor, commonly referred to as HM6. This sensor is well-known and has been featured in various devices, such as the Xiaomi 12T, Realme 10, and Realme 11 generations. Notable for its pixel binning capability, the default output is 12MP. While lacking optical image stabilization (OIS), it incorporates phase-detection autofocus (PDAF). The main camera is accompanied by an 8MP OmniVision ov08d10 ultrawide camera and a 2MP depth sensor.

• Wide (main): 108MP Samsung ISOCELL (S5K)HM6 , 1/1.67″, 0.64µm, f/1.7, 24mm, PDAF; 1080p@30fps
• Ultrawide: 8MP, OmniVision ov08d10, 1/4.4″, 1.0µm, f/2.2, 16mm, fixed focus; 1080p@30fps
• Depth: 2MP SmartSens sc202cs, 1/5.1″, 1.75µm, f/2.4, fixed focus; 1080p@30fps
• Front camera: 16MP, 1/3″, 1.0µm, f/2.4, 24mm, PDAF; 1080p@30fps

On the front, the Redmi Note 13 boasts a 16MP selfie camera, potentially based on either the GalaxyCore gc16b3 or the OmniVision ov16a1q. Operating as a fixed-focus unit, it adheres to simplicity. Despite its high resolution, the Redmi Note 13, paired with the Dimensity 6080 chipset, is restricted to 1080p video capture. The camera application follows the typical Xiaomi design, featuring a mode carousel on the right and additional settings accessible from the left pullout menu.

2. Daylight Photo Quality

• Main Camera

The Redmi Note 13’s primary camera delivers competent shots, capturing images at 12MP by default through pixel binning. While overall detail is good, fine geometrical patterns may exhibit sharpening artifacts. The softness on uniform surfaces is noticeable, and colors, though natural, may appear muted to some. Contrast and dynamic range are decent, with skin tones in portraits appearing natural.

• Zoom Photos

Utilizing the 108MP resolution, the main camera supports digital zoom, offering toggles for 2x and 3x zoom. Surprisingly, 3x zoom shots exhibit better clarity and sharpness than 2x shots.

• Ultrawide Camera

The 8MP ultrawide camera produces satisfactory photos, maintaining natural colors and decent dynamic range. However, details are lacking, especially upon zooming in.

• Macro Shots

While lacking a dedicated macro camera, the Redmi Note 13 employs a macro mode using the main camera at 2MP resolution. Despite limitations, the macro photos are deemed decent.

• Selfie Camera

The selfie camera captures impressive selfies, showcasing great detail and natural skin tones. The fixed focal plane is forgiving, contributing to the overall quality. Selfie portraits exhibit pleasing background blur.

• Low-Light Camera Quality

The main camera excels in low-light conditions, capturing well-exposed photos with ample detail. Automatic night mode processing is evident, with a manual Night mode available for the main camera. Zoomed shots remain clean at 2x but degrade at 3x. The ultrawide camera’s low-light performance is mediocre, with softness and compromised shadows and highlights.

• Video Capture Quality

Limited by the Dimensity 6080 chipset, the Redmi Note 13 supports only 1080p video capture at 30fps. The primary camera’s video quality is acceptable, displaying natural colors but lacking in dynamic range and contrast. Unfortunately, there is no option for video stabilization, resulting in some shakiness during motion.

The ultrawide camera’s 1080p footage is passable, with potential for improvement in noise reduction. Overall, the Redmi Note 13’s low-light video quality is unimpressive, with the main camera providing passable footage and the ultrawide camera exhibiting darkness and noise.

Conclusion

The Redmi Note 13 positions itself as an affordable device, with an initial price of €280 for the 6GB/128GB variant and just under €300 for the 8/256GB version. However, current market prices, based on our tracking system, reflect a more economical range of €240 and €280, respectively. In this price segment, the competition is robust.

Within Xiaomi’s lineup, the Poco X6 emerges as a contender, slightly pricier at the base level but offering 8GB of RAM and 256GB of non-expandable storage. Despite this limitation, the Poco X6 excels with a superior 6.67-inch, 120Hz AMOLED display featuring higher resolution, 12-bit color, Dolby Vision support, and a peak brightness of 1800 nits. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset in the Poco X6 outperforms the Redmi Note 13’s Dimensity 6080, supporting 4K video capture and gyro-based EIS. Additionally, the Poco X6 boasts stereo speakers and a larger 5,100mAh battery with rapid 67W charging.

Considering the Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G, priced around €280, it offers an alternative without 5G capabilities. This model provides a brighter display, stereo speakers, OIS on the main 200MP camera, and faster 67W charging, making it an appealing choice for those indifferent to 5G.

Exploring Samsung’s offerings, the Galaxy A34 with IP67 rating stands out for ingress protection. However, the impending release of the A35 may influence decisions. The Galaxy A25 presents a comparable option to the Redmi Note 13, featuring 4K video capture and stereo speakers. Alternatively, the Galaxy A15, with a 90Hz display and commendable battery life, offers a cost-effective alternative.

The Redmi Note 13 5G delivers a satisfactory experience at its reasonable price point, boasting an appealing design, smooth performance, and reliable main and selfie cameras. However, Xiaomi’s decisions on the specs sheet may be viewed as compromising its potential. The absence of stereo speakers, HDR video support, and the 1080p video capture limitation are notable drawbacks. Extensive testing reveals concerns about battery endurance.

In this context, Xiaomi appears to be working against itself, as alternatives like the Poco X6 offer a more well-rounded experience. While the Redmi Note 13 is not inherently flawed, it might not be the most compelling value proposition within its price range.

Pros of Redmi Note 13 5G

1. IP54-rated design with no-nonsense aesthetics, available in attractive colors, and features Gorilla Glass 5 on the front.
2. Vibrant OLED display with minimal bezels and a high 120Hz refresh rate.
3. Competitive and efficient fast charging solution.
4. Adequate performance with minimal throttling.
5. Impressive main and selfie camera performance.

Cons of Redmi Note 13 5G

1. Lack of HDR video support, a feature commonly found in other Xiaomi devices.
2. Absence of stereo speakers, and the speaker quality is not particularly impressive.
3. No under-display fingerprint reader.
4. Slow response from ambient light and proximity sensors.
5. Battery life falls short of expectations.
6. Video capture is limited to 1080p, and there is no Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS).

Published on 02/14/24 11:54 | by Rawa John