Xiaomi 13 Extremely Evaluation: Greater, Higher & Coming to Europe

Worth When Reviewed

Unavailable within the US

Xiaomi has launched overkill Extremely variations of its flagships for the previous few years, however the 13 Extremely marks a sea change for the corporate in two respects. 

Firstly, that is the one Extremely to this point to be promised a world launch – we don’t know precisely when or the place but (and it virtually actually received’t embody the US), however the 13 Extremely will launch exterior of China. 

Secondly, that is additionally the primary Extremely I feel folks actually ought to contemplate shopping for. Not simply due to its international availability, however as a result of for as soon as this telephone represents a well-rounded (albeit OTT) function set.  

This can be a compelling uber-flagship to rival Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Extremely, as a substitute of a gimmicky concoction meant solely to flex the muscle tissues of Xiaomi’s R&D division. If you happen to can afford to drop greater than a grand in your subsequent telephone, this actually needs to be one of many handsets you contemplate. 

Design & construct 

• Huge, sloped physique 
• Colossal rear digital camera module 
• Vegan leather-based end 

Let’s get the apparent out the best way: this telephone is large. And its digital camera module feels, impossibly, even greater. It’s outlandishly, distractingly massive, and routinely sparks questions when folks spot me utilizing the 13 Extremely. 

Dominic Preston / Foundry

I don’t hate the massive digital camera, nevertheless it’s actually a press release. Xiaomi has truly tried to minimise the impact by sloping the again of the physique up in order that the telephone as an entire is thicker across the digital camera, barely masking how a lot it protrudes. 

I used to be anxious this could make the telephone uncomfortably top-heavy, and it’s a bit, however general the burden is surprisingly well-balanced. In truth, at 227g, this feels heavy however not unduly so – it’s a couple of grams lighter than both the S23 Extremely or iPhone 14 Professional Max, and is about the identical dimension as these telephones general. 

Mainly, it’s large, however so are its rivals – simply know what you’re getting your self into. 

Dominic Preston / Foundry

One differentiator is that every one three colors of the 13 Extremely – white, black, or olive inexperienced – include a vegan leather-based end. That is one of some touches Xiaomi has taken to emulate the aesthetics of basic SLR cameras, and I’m a fan. The grippy end makes the telephone simpler to carry – vital when it’s this dimension – and provides welcome sturdiness given its excessive worth level. 

The telephone’s body is constructed from aluminium, and combines flat sides with rounded corners to maintain it comfortable within the hand. Gorilla Glass Victus on the show and an IP68 score full the construct, making this one of many hardest flagships round. 

Lastly, biometrics are dealt with by a fingerprint sensor constructed into the show, plus a face unlock choice offered by the punch-hole selfie digital camera. Each work nicely. 

Display screen & audio system 

• Spacious 6.73in display 
• LTPO OLED with 1-120Hz dynamic refresh fee 
• Punchy, crisp stereo audio system 

Given the telephone’s sheer dimension, it’s no actual shock to see a display to match it. The 6.73in panel right here is among the many largest you’ll discover, making this as well-suited to productiveness as it’s to gaming or streaming films. 

Dominic Preston / Foundry

Show high quality impresses too: Xiaomi has used LTPO OLED show tech, which permits the display to dynamically scale its refresh fee from a peak of 120Hz all the best way all the way down to 1Hz. That nets you the advantages of easy scrolling and animations when wanted, and battery boosts from the display slowing down when it will probably. 

That is paired with a crisp 1440 x 3200 decision to supply a show that actually is among the many finest you’ll discover. Nearly all the pieces appears good on this panel, and if for some cause it isn’t to your pleasing then Xiaomi has included a wealth of color profiles and settings that can assist you fine-tune your content material. 

Dominic Preston / Foundry

The stereo audio system are virtually pretty much as good. With one down-firing and one top-firing the stereo impact is stable, however extra importantly there’s loads of quantity and a surprisingly open soundscape, with extra sonic separation than I’m used to out of a telephone. 

This received’t change your favorite Bluetooth speaker, nevertheless it’ll do the job in a pinch, and packs sufficient energy and readability to soundtrack video games and TV reveals. 

Specs & efficiency 

• Prime-tier Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip 
• As much as 1TB storage and 16GB RAM 
• Wonderful networking 

The 13 Extremely is, to no-one’s shock, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. On the time of writing that is the newest and biggest chip you will get in an Android telephone, and Xiaomi is out-paced solely (and really barely) by the customized over-clocked model of the identical chip present in Samsung’s Galaxy S23 line. 

Paired with as much as 1TB of storage and 16GB of RAM for the telephone’s Chinese language launch (although this will likely fluctuate when it comes out internationally) the telephone actually flies. This can be a whole powerhouse, which might drive the newest Android video games or multi-task with ease. 

Benchmarks inform an identical story. That is up there with essentially the most highly effective Android telephones round on the CPU-focussed Geekbench check, and holds tempo with its rivals on the graphics-heavy GFXBench scores, regardless of packing a excessive decision show, which tends to sluggish framerates. 

As for connectivity, there aren’t any actual surprises right here. 5G comes as commonplace, bolstered by Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC, which means all the pieces is as much as the newest requirements. 

Digicam & video 

• Quadruple 50Mp rear digital camera 
• 1in predominant digital camera sensor with variable aperture 
• 32Mp selfie digital camera 

The digital camera array is undoubtedly the primary cause to purchase the Xiaomi 13 Extremely, and the realm the place it has one of the best declare to trumping its rivals. Funnily sufficient, it’s additionally the realm the place the telephone shares most in widespread with the extra inexpensive Xiaomi 13 Professional, however the Extremely takes issues up a degree or two. 

Dominic Preston / Foundry

Let’s begin with the primary digital camera. This makes use of the identical 50Mp, 1in Sony IMX989 sensor discovered within the 13 Professional (together with telephones together with the Vivo X90 Professional and Oppo Discover X6 Professional), however ups the ante by including in a variable aperture. 

This isn’t as versatile because the variable aperture discovered within the Huawei P60 Professional, which might hit ten completely different speeds. As a substitute, the 13 Extremely can solely soar between a quick f/1.9 setting or a sluggish f/4.0, however that’s nonetheless extra variability than virtually any telephone on the market. 

The quick f/1.9 setting permits extra mild, making it excellent for indoor pictures, low-light, and different areas the place mild ranges are prone to be the difference-maker. In contrast, the f/4.0 aperture is extra helpful for landscapes and group images, because it has elevated depth of subject and may maintain extra of the body in focus. You’ll be able to select to modify manually, or simply let the telephone determine.

For this overview I’ve saved the aperture in auto mode, testing the telephone’s capacity to modify apertures and profit from its huge predominant sensor. 

As telephone cameras go, that is fairly distinctive. In good lighting is predictably succesful, and its solely actual flaw is the widespread Xiaomi tendency for images to run slightly too vivid and saturated – even when utilizing the extra muted ‘Leica Genuine’ photograph model over the default ‘Leica Vibrant’ (the digital camera firm has once more partnered with Xiaomi for this telephone’s optics). 

It’s in low-light the place the telephone actually excels, that combo of 1in sensor and quick f/1.9 aperture delivering a number of the finest live performance images I’ve ever taken with a telephone, with slightly assist from The Flaming Lips. 

Dominic Preston / Foundry

It helps that the 13 Extremely’s predominant digital camera is backed up by a superb supporting solid. All three of the opposite rear cameras use 50Mp sensors, and in reality they even all use the identical Sony IMX858 sensor. 

The ultrawide is the least thrilling of the three. It’s succesful and competent, and sticks as shut as it will probably to the primary digital camera more often than not. But it surely’s additionally the lens that’s proved most liable to wrestle in difficult lighting circumstances, possible as a result of it’s the one one which lacks optical picture stabilisation, blowing out the brilliant lights in that Flaming Lips present. 

The 2 zooms – 3.2x and 5x, although the app additionally provides a digital 2x zoom choice by default – impress extra. Element is superb, and dynamic vary even impresses on the shorter of the 2 – uncommon for any telephoto. Each dealt with low mild confidently too, retaining exceptional crispness and even publicity even in trickier pictures. 

Throw in the truth that Xiaomi has fastidiously tuned all 4 cameras to colour-match nicely – little question helped by the same sensors – and you’ve got among the best all-round rear digital camera setups in any telephone. 

Listed below are some samples operating by way of each default setting: ultrawide, predominant digital camera, 2x zoom with the primary digital camera, 3.2x zoom, and eventually 5x zoom:

As for the entrance, issues are less complicated: there’s a 32Mp selfie digital camera in a single punch-hole. Photographs are brilliant, and detailed – maybe slightly an excessive amount of so, no-one must see such crisp pictures of my pores. There’s an array of magnificence choices in fact, and a portrait mode with barely disappointing edge detection and a bent to blow out the sky. It’s good, however not nice. 

Video choices are slightly odd. The rear cameras can go as much as 8K at 24fps, although you’ll in all probability favor to stay to 4K. The selfie digital camera can’t even deal with that although, capping at 1080p@60 – hardly a deal-breaker, however one more reason to look elsewhere for those who usually movie or {photograph} your self. 

Battery & charging 

• Sturdy battery life 
• 90W wired charging 
• 50W wi-fi charging 

One perk of the Xiaomi 13 Extremely’s dimension is that there’s area to squeeze in a beneficiant 5000mAh battery. 

Even with all of the telephone’s energy, the result’s a telephone that comfortably lasts a full day, and will make it by way of two – although at a push, and provided that you’re a lightweight consumer.

Dominic Preston / Foundry

I usually discovered myself going to mattress with about half the battery left, and if I pushed my luck the battery would get to single digits midway by way of day two. That’s with excessive refresh fee and backbone enabled although, so extra conservative customers may squeeze slightly extra out of it, and even energy customers ought to discover this a full-day telephone.

Nonetheless, take a peek on the battery finish of our benchmarks above and also you’ll see that rival flagships are likely to final slightly longer, which I’d say is true from my time with the telephone. Nonetheless, when you’re previous the full-day mark, it hardly appears to matter.

When it’s time to cost it again up, you get the selection of quick 90W wired charging or wi-fi. This latter will work at as much as 50W speeds, however for something near that you just’ll want to purchase a Xiaomi wi-fi charger – in any other case you may cost extra sedately on most traditional Qi chargers. 

Dominic Preston / Foundry

Over a wire, I topped up 48% of the battery in simply quarter-hour, and a full cost will take you slightly over half an hour. That is, for what it’s value, the one space the place the cheaper 13 Professional comes out trumps: its quicker wired charging takes lower than half-hour for a full cost, so that you’re giving a tiny bit up by going Extremely.

Software program & updates 

• Runs Android 13 with MIUI 14 
• Three years of Android updates – in all probability 

I’m going to maintain this software program part transient, as a result of it comes with an enormous caveat: I’ve been reviewing a Chinese language model of the Xiaomi 13 Extremely, which is extra restrictive than you may be used to, and never absolutely consultant of the telephone’s possible international model. 

Dominic Preston / Foundry

Wherever you purchase it, the telephone will ship with Android 13, operating Xiaomi’s MIUI 14 on prime. The Chinese language model doesn’t embody the Google Play Retailer, making putting in most apps irritating till you may sideload Google onto the system – trickier than earlier than, this took me about half an hour, particularly as it’s important to maintain combating by way of apps and notifications in Chinese language to get there. 

Until you propose to import the telephone from China, you received’t have this downside – Xiaomi’s worldwide model of MIUI in fact consists of full Google help, and runs as you’d anticipate. I’m not an enormous fan of MIUI, which is slightly cluttered and clunky even at one of the best of instances, however I’ll attempt to replace this overview with ideas on the telephone’s worldwide software program once I get the prospect to attempt a worldwide mannequin. 

Dominic Preston / Foundry

It’s additionally nonetheless unclear how lengthy Xiaomi will help the telephone for, as there’s been no official announcement. Nevertheless, it’s prone to observe the identical dedication as the opposite Xiaomi 13 flagships: three Android model updates (so as much as Android 16) with a fourth 12 months of safety patches. Once more, I’ll replace this with full international particulars when we now have them. 

Worth & availability 

For now, the Xiaomi 13 Extremely is simply accessible in China, the place it begins from ¥5,999 (round $870/£690/€790). If you happen to don’t wish to look forward to a world model, you may import it now from Giztop from $1,099. 

Xiaomi has promised that the telephone will come out internationally within the “subsequent few months” after its March launch in China, which is predicted to imply a launch throughout Asia and Europe – not North America. 

Dominic Preston / Foundry

When it does launch worldwide, anticipate pricing to be increased than these transformed figures above – Chinese language costs are all the time decrease than worldwide equivalents, and a European launch is definite to set you again greater than the £1,099/€1,299 the corporate is charging for the Xiaomi 13 Professional already. 

Check out our rating of the finest Android telephones to scope out the competitors, or the finest Xiaomi telephones for different choices from the Chinese language firm. 

Verdict 

The Xiaomi 13 Extremely is an distinctive telephone in virtually each sense, a complete, well-rounded {hardware} proposition that solely dangers being let down by Xiaomi’s unsophisticated software program. 

The show and digital camera are among the many best possible on the market, with sturdy efficiency and battery life to seal the deal. You’ll have to have the ability to dwell with (or higher, love) the chunky construct and chunkier digital camera, but when they give you the results you want then the 13 Extremely hardly places a foot flawed. 

I’ll await the telephone’s worldwide launch and Western pricing to situation a last verdict, as a result of a lot hinges on how aggressively the corporate positions this S23 Extremely rival, given how costly its Professional mannequin already is. 

I’ll even be keenly awaiting a worldwide software program model. Utilizing an imported Chinese language mannequin is at instances an train in frustration – even after including Google in and setting the system language to English there are sudden apps and notification pops in Chinese language. 

Specs 

• 6.73in 120Hz LTPO OLED show (1440×3200) 
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 
• 12/16GB RAM 
• 256GB/512GB/1TB storage 
• 5000mAh battery 
• 90W wired charging 
• 50W wi-fi charging 
• Digicam: 
  • 50Mp predominant digital camera with OIS and variable aperture (f/1.9 or f/4.0) 
  • 50Mp, f/2.8 telephoto digital camera with OIS and three.2x optical zoom 
  • 50Mp, f/3.0 telephoto with OIS and 5x optical zoom 
  • 50Mp, f/1.8 ultrawide digital camera 
  • 32Mp, f/2.0 selfie digital camera 
• IP68 
• Gorilla Glass Victus show 
• 163.2 x 74.6 x 9.1mm 
• 227g 
• Android 13 with MIUI 14