Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 4G review

Introduction

No one will blame you if you have lost track of all the Redmi Note 13 models. After all there are two regular and three Pro models, 4G and 5G versions, and whatnot. In fact, even we - the reviewers - need help staying on top of all of them. Today, though, it should be easy as we will be talking about the most basic of them all, the namesake of the entire series - the Redmi Note 13!

The most affordable Redmi Note 13 model is a 4G smartphone that shares plenty of DNA with all mid-level and premium Note 13 variations. It has a large 120Hz AMOLED, a triple camera with a high-res primary, stereo speakers, and a beefy 5,000mAh battery with fast enough charging.

The Redmi Note 13 phones share a rather simple yet stylish design, and there is IP54-rated ingress protection. Our Redmi Note 13 4G has no large camera housing, which makes it arguably even better looking.

The phone sports a 6.67-inch 1080p AMOLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate and runs on the entry-level Snapdragon 685 4G chipset. You can choose between 6GB and 8GB RAM and 128GB and 256GB storage. There is microSD expansion as well.

We expected an entry-level camera on the Redmi Note 13, but Xiaomi did surprise us. The primary camera is a 108MP unit, and an 8MP ultrawide and a 2MP macro camera join it at the back. There is a 16MP selfie on the other side.

The Redmi Note 13 offers other niceties like stereo speakers, an under-display fingerprint scanner, and there is a large 5,000mAh battery with 33W fast charging. The phone runs on Android 13 with MIUI 14.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 4G specs at a glance:

• Body: 162.3x75.6x8.0mm, 189g; Gorilla Glass 3 front, plastic back, plastic frame; IP54, dust and splash resistant.
• Display: 6.67" AMOLED, 120Hz, 1800 nits (peak), 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 395ppi.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM6225 Snapdragon 685 (6 nm): Octa-core (4x2.8 GHz Cortex-A73 & 4x1.9 GHz Cortex-A53); Adreno 610.
• Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM; UFS 2.2; microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot).
• OS/Software: Android 13, MIUI 14.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 108 MP, f/1.8, 24mm, 1/1.67", 0.64µm, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚; Macro: 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, 50% in 29 min, 100% in 70 min (advertised).
• Connectivity: LTE; Hybrid Dual SIM; Wi-Fi 5; BT 5.1; NFC; Infrared port; 3.5mm jack.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); stereo speakers.

The Redmi Note 13 seems like a good offer with everything an affordable smartphone should pack and then some! So, without further ado, let's pop this Note out of its box!

Unboxing the Redmi Note 13

The Redmi Note 13 arrives in a sturdy retail box that contains all essential accessories - a 3A USB cable, a 33W power adapter, and a dark gray protective case.

The phone arrives with a thin protective film on top of its screen. It is good against scratches, but also a huge smudge magnet.