Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G review

Design, build quality, handling

Even if the Poco X6 and the Redmi Note 13 Pro are almost identical inside, they look different on the outside. And that's great, as it keeps a rather clear line between the Poco and Redmi series.

Missing here is the big black signature blot on the back, the Poco, instead we have the traditional Xiaomi design with a square camera housing with subtle dividers and large jutting out rings around the imagers.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro is an incredibly sleek smartphone with flat glass panels and a flat plastic frame. The screen shield is Gorilla Glass Victus, but there is no word on the back sheet. It's just glass.

The phone is available in Midnight Black, Aurora Purple and Ocean Teal (ours) colors. Those three are all uniform color options. It seems the only one with frosted finish - Arctic White - will remain a Chinese exclusive for now.

The Redmi Note 13 Pro is IP54-rated for dust and splash resistance. The IPX4 water rating means the phone can survive splashing water from all sides for at least 5 minutes - that should get you through some heavy rain.

Let's take a closer look at the Redmi Note 13 Pro now.

The 6.67" OLED screen is the large occupant at the front, and it is gorgeous. The display has incredibly thin and even bezels, some of the thinnest you can get not only on a mid-ranger but on a flagship as well.

The 16MP selfie camera is positioned within a small perforation centered around the top.

The speaker system on the Redmi Note 13 Pro is of the hybrid kind - the earpiece above the screen acts as a speaker when needed, and that is why it has an additional sound outlet at the top of the frame. The other, louder speaker is at the bottom of Redmi, near the USB port.

There are two things hidden behind the screen - a large ambient light sensor around the top left corner, and a super responsive optical fingerprint scanner around the bottom.

The Redmi Note 13 Pro has no proximity sensor; it relies on the so-called virtual proximity, which we have to admit gets better and better, but it is still not ideal.

The back has the two-step camera housing - first, we have a jutting-out glass from the rear panel, and then each camera has its own thick ring. Here, you can spot the 200MP primary, the 8MP ultrawide, and the 2MP macro imagers, as well as the LED flash.

There is nothing on the left side of the Redmi Note 13 Pro.

The right part of the frame houses the volume and the power/lock keys.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G

The top has the IR blaster, the 3.5mm jack, a sound outlet, and one of the microphones.

The primary microphone is next to the USB-C port at the bottom, together with the other speaker and the dual-SIM tray.

The Redmi Note 13 Pro measures 161.2 x 74.2 x 8 mm and weighs 187 grams - this means it is 2mm shorter and narrower than the Redmi Note 12 Pro thanks to the thinner screen bezels.

Handling the Redmi Note 13 Pro is a solid experience - its matte frame with sharp edges and matt rear glass make for a secure enough grip and smudge-free look. Overall, we are happy with our experience operating the Note 13 Pro.