Xiaomi Redmi 13 5G hands-on review

Design

The design of the Redmi 13 5G is identical to the non-5G model. The only minor difference, if you can call it that, is that the non-5G model comes in one additional color - Sandy Gold - that the 5G model does not.

Our Indian review unit came in the Hawaiian Blue color, which is the only one in the range to feature a visual texture to the back that resembles the pattern of wet sand on the beach glistening in the sun. The pattern is etched underneath the glass back so you can only see it but not feel it. In comparison, all the other colors have a plain texture to them.

Despite the frame being plastic, the Redmi 13 5G feels reasonably premium in hand, partly due to the use of glass on the front and back. Xiaomi claims it uses Gorilla Glass 3 on the front while specifying only Gorilla Glass for the non-5G model, although we think they are likely the same. The back glass remains unspecified on both.

Also common on both is the IP53 dust and water resistance rating. This should help protect the device from dust and splashes but you should still keep it away from deeper waters.

Display

The Redmi 13 5G has seemingly the same 6.79-inch IPS LCD as the non-5G model, with a 2460x1080 resolution. The difference is that the 5G model gets 120Hz refresh rate while the non-5G model was limited to 90Hz.

Outside of fluidity, this doesn't really make much of a difference to the image quality of the display. This is still a good-quality panel with reasonably accurate colors and decent viewing angles and contrast.

However, the main issue with this display remains the anemic brightness levels. Xiaomi claims 450 nits of typical brightness and 550 nits of peak brightness.

In practice, the display washes out easily outdoors. This proved challenging when taking pictures with the camera, as often we couldn't even see what we were trying to capture, especially when the phone was held at an angle where the reflections easily outcompete the display's brightness.

Overall, the display is good for a phone in this price range but lacks adequate brightness for outdoor use.

Charging speed

The Redmi 13 5G has the exact same battery and charging capabilities as the non-5G model. Both feature a 5030mAh battery with a claimed 33W charging capability. Unlike our non-5G model, the Redmi 13 5G did come with a 33W charger in the box.

Xiaomi claims the phone is capable of charging up to 50% in just under 30 minutes. In our testing, this is exactly what we observed, where the phone hit 53% charge at the 30-minute mark.

The numbers here are faster than what we got with the non-5G model but those were obtained from a different charger model as there wasn't one provided in the box.