Xiaomi Redmi 13 review

The competition

A base 6GB/128GB Redmi 13 will run you just around $180/€170, and a top-of-the-line 8GB/256GB variant should cost around €190 to €200. That's a pretty affordable price point but not an entirely uncontested one. Budget devices have only gotten better and better, and there are quite a few viable options to consider.

Perhaps the closest competitor is the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite. It, too, has a 108MP camera on the back and a similarly-sized 6.72" IPS LCD (FHD+), which runs at a higher 120Hz refresh rate (the Redmi 13 LCD runs at 90Hz). Charging the 5,000mAh battery is faster at 67W. Note that the Snapdragon 695 chipset is more powerful than the Helio G91 used in the Redmi and has 5G connectivity. A Nord CE 3 Lite with 8/128GB configuration sells for about €210 right now.

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite • Realme C55 • Xiaomi Poco M6 Pro • Samsung Galaxy A25

Then there's the Realme C55, which can be found for €150 or so (6/128GB unit). This one uses the Helio G88, which is similar enough to the G91, except that it can't support 108MP cameras. And it doesn't have to, it's paired with a basic 64MP module. The phone has a 6.72" IPS LCD with FHD+ resolution that runs at 90Hz and a 5,000mAh battery with 33W charging, making it very close to the Redmi in terms of specs.

The Poco M6 Pro can be picked up for under €200 in an 8/256GB configuration, but note that we're looking at the 4G model with a Helio G99. Unlike the two phones above, this is a 2024 model. And it has an IP54 rating, whereas none of the others have a dust or water resistance rating. This one also switches to an OLED display, 6.67" FHD+ 120Hz. While the 64MP main camera isn't that impressive, the 8MP ultra-wide stands out as the others have only their regular primary camera. The 5,000mAh battery charges at 67W.

The Samsung Galaxy A25 is also under €200 for a 6/128GB unit. The Exynos 1280 does give the phone 5G connectivity. It is paired with a smaller 6.5" FHD+ 120Hz OLED display. This model also has an 8MP ultra-wide, which sits next to the 50MP main - which is the first and only camera on this list to offer 4K video. Typically, Samsung charges the 5,000mAh battery at 25W.

Note that all phones listed above have 3.5mm headphone jacks and microSD slots. Most have stereo speakers, too. Not the Redmi or Realme, though.

Our verdict

The Redmi 13 looks pretty great on paper, particularly in the camera department with its 108MP main shooter. While it can indeed capture pretty decent photos, even this hardware highlight has some cut corners that are worth mentioning, primarily with video capture. It is limited to 1080p@30fps, and there is no EIS and just mono audio.

We do believe that it's all about the details when it comes to the Redmi 13. That's how you discover some of its potentially important deficiencies. For instance, while we like its build quality, complete with a Gorilla Glass sheet on the front and glass on the back, it only offers basic IP53 ingress protection.

The display looks good on paper, too, and we appreciate the extra attention to refresh rate modes and switching. However, it lacks the max brightness to be actually usable outdoors.

Battery life is merely decent on the phone, and charging speed isn't particularly impressive either. It also lacks a stereo speaker setup, though we appreciate adding a 3.5mm jack and an FM radio receiver.

Both its gyroscope and proximity sensor are virtual as opposed to hardware. And even though it runs HyperOS, the Redmi 13 seems to lack a lot of new OS styling.

But the Redmi 13's biggest shortcoming has to be the performance. The MediaTek Helio G91 Ultra is just strapped for performance. It struggles even with common daily tasks. Even the phone's UI stutters at times, which is unacceptable even on a budget device.

For all of these reasons, we can't honestly see ourselves recommending the Redmi 13 over some of its competitors we already listed.

Pros

• Solid build quality with Gorilla Glass on the front and a glass back.
• Nice refresh rate handling with low refresh rate states.
• Solid all-around still photo performance.

Cons

• Some markets don't get a charger in the box.
• Display is not bright enough to be comfortable outdoors and lacks HDR video support.
• Single loudspeaker and not particularly good.
• Virtual gyroscope and proximity sensor.
• The MediaTek Helio G91 Ultra and eMMC storage offer inadequate performance with frequent stutters and slowdowns.
• Video capture is limited to 1080p with mono audio and there is no EIS.