The Xiaomi 13T Pro proudly bears the logo of Leica, a major optics specialist, and shows great ambitions in photography. But even though there’s obviously no lack of quality, this high-end smartphone doesn’t deliver everything it promises…
Summary
True to its tradition, Xiaomi is expanding its range of 13 series smartphones with a T version (for technical purposes). So after a Xiaomi 13 Ultra designed for photography (read our test), it is now the turn of the Xiaomi 13 and the 13 Pro. Xiaomi 13T and 13T Pro close the ball before the first representative of the 14 series, planned for the end of October 2023, arrives. The Pro version we’re testing here seems particularly well-equipped to install without batting an eyelid. to complete all daily tasks, keep players happy and enjoy photography. Its technical data sheet shows the great desire to compete without fear with the market leaders. The 13T Pro is available in three versions: 12-256GB, 12-512GB and 16GB-1TB. The manufacturer entrusted us with this last variant for this test. However, this generosity of RAM and storage is reflected in the price. The entry ticket is set at 800 euros, while the most extreme model costs 899 euros (Xiaomi recently revised its prices downwards, previously charging 100 euros more). A price that is still quite high, especially given the fierce competition such as the brand new Pixel 8 from Google (from 800 euros) or even in the Chinese’s own range, where confusion reigns, for example with a Xiaomi 13, also for 899 euros A single 8-256 GB version is sold. So at this price level, Xiaomi actually doesn’t have the right to make mistakes. We were able to test the Xiaomi 13T Pro for several weeks. Here is our verdict.
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Xiaomi 13T Pro: an effective design but without any eccentricity
It is certainly not the area of design that will remain in the annals of the Xiaomi 13T Pro. For this model, the Chinese made do with a recipe that had already proven itself with the 13 series. One thing is certain: If you want to stand out with a smartphone that is recognizable at first glance like an iPhone or a Pixel, the 13T Pro is worth the money. The device has a design that couldn’t be more classic. The model we held in our hands has a glossy plastic back that will happily absorb all your fingerprints. A real mirror!
Note that the Xiaomi 13T Pro is available in a green color but also in blue, with the cover taking the form of a textured and much more comfortable “vegan leather”. At the top, a large, black rectangle groups the photo sensors, which are discreetly connected to the logo of the famous German manufacturer Leica. The strapping, which is also made of plastic, is quite comfortable and has a slight bevel for a good grip. The device has a fairly reasonable size (162.2 x 75.7 mm) with a notable thickness of just 6.6 mm. It feels good in the hand and its weight of 206g is hardly surprising.
There are no more surprises on the front. A 6.67-inch screen is punched out at the top for the front camera. The edges remain clearly visible on this flat screen protected by Cornilla Gorilla 5 glass. Please note that despite all the precautionary measures we have taken, when using the smartphone in the classic way (carried in a bag or jeans pocket), a few scratches appeared quite quickly on the protective film on the screen glass. Additional protection will therefore not be too much.
Still in the area of stability, we appreciate the efforts of Xiaomi, which adds for this model an IP68 certification that guarantees resistance to dust and immersion, and provides a transparent case in the box. A practice that is more likely to be lost today.
Xiaomi 13T Pro: a bright and fair screen
Given the same size, Xiaomi could have been content to use the same panel as the 12T Pro last year. It is not so. The 13T Pro certainly displays an equivalent resolution (FHD+ or 1220 x 2712 pixels) at a resolution of 480 ppi, but the OLED panel is significantly brighter, so it climbs up to 1200 nits and even offers a peak value of 2600 nits (for example, being exposed to the blazing sun). In reality, we never had the slightest problem with reading, no matter the circumstances.
On the color side, after a detour through the settings to adopt the “Original Colors” mode instead of the default “Intense Colors” enabled, the result is impressively accurate, both in terms of hues and temperature.
Last good surprise: the refresh rate can be increased to 144 Hz. An advantage for gamers who want to run compatible titles in the best possible conditions. However, it is not an LTPO panel. The frequency adjustment is therefore not adaptive. You must manually move the slider to reach the correct frequency.
Xiaomi 13T Pro: Excellent performance even when gaming
Technical worksheet
| Screen size | 6.67 inches |
| Screen definition | 1220×2712 pixels |
| Screen technology | Oled |
| Refresh rate | 60-144Hz |
| SoC | MediaTek Dimension 9200+ |
| R.A.M. | 16 gigabytes |
| storage | 1TB |
| Photo sensors (back) | 50 + 50 + 12 Mpx |
| Photo sensor (selfie) | 19MP |
| Video | Up to 8K at 24 fps |
| WiFi/Bluetooth | 7/5.4 |
| 5G | Yes |
| Fingerprint sensor | Under the screen |
| face recognition | Yes |
| battery | 5000mAh |
| system | Android 13 |
| Dimensions | 162.2 x 75.7 x 6.62mm |
| Weight | 206g |
For once, the animation of this smartphone is not entrusted to Qualcomm and its famous Snapdragon, but to the other founder, the Taiwanese MediaTek. The 13T Pro is therefore equipped with a Dimensity 9200+ SoC. A very efficient model that is in no way inferior to the American. Supported by 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage space in our test model, the Dimensity 9200+ is very efficient, as the various benchmarks we ran show. It does justice to what a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra can offer, for example.
Antutu, Geekbench © CCM
On the gaming side, this is also the pleasant surprise. We were able to play Genshin Impact, our reference title, at a high level of detail while maintaining a significant number of frames per second (60 fps) without noticing any slowdown or latency. But beware. The Xiaomi 13T Pro’s ability to manipulate 3D in this way has a counterpart. The device tends to heat up under heavy use. And if this may seem pleasant with the onset of cold weather in France, it is better to shorten the gaming sessions or at least be less demanding on the display quality in order to preserve the device’s components.
Genshin Impact © CCM
On the communication side, Xiaomi doesn’t miss a step. The 13T Pro is of course 5G compatible and also has a WiFi 7 module and even Bluetooth 5.4. Its SIM card tray accommodates two NanoSIM cards and ESIM is also included. Everything is good.
Xiaomi 13T Pro: a software overlay that is slowly improving
Even though HyperOS, Xiaomi’s future mobile system, comes into the discussion, it is still MIUI, here in version 14.0.14, that rules the roost on this 13T Pro. This in-house software overlay applied to Android 13 remains an example of fluidity and ergonomics, even if it still ignores some Android features such as Monet (although it has been there since Android 12) to allow a little more personalization the interface. On the other hand, we still regret the default installation of many third-party apps such as Booking, TikTok, LinkedIn and others Audible or Snapchat, which we will definitely delete once the initial configuration is completed. The storage space is certainly large, but that’s no reason for us to fill it.
Finally, we appreciate Xiaomi’s new momentum in tracking updates. The 13T Pro is expected to support Android updates for four years. Really good news that allows us to look to the future with peace of mind like Samsung users who take the same care with many of their devices. Google remains the current frontrunner with its seven years of updates to its Pixel 8.
Xiaomi 13T Pro: pleasant in photos, but not in low light
Has Xiaomi given up on the megapixel race? Not necessarily, but given the technical data sheet on the photography part of the 13T pro compared to its predecessor, the Chinese seem to have preferred quality and image processing over quantity. This means that the main sensor of the 12T Pro and its 200 Mpx are gone. It is replaced here by a stabilized 50 Mpx module (f/1.9). There is also a 12 Mpx ultra wide-angle module (f/2.2) and finally the welcome 2x optical telephoto module with 50 Mpx (f/1.9), which replaces the macro module if the 12T Pro is used too occasionally. A trio that on paper must prove to be effective and versatile, especially since in this part Xiaomi has once again collaborated with Leica for the design and processing of photos and, as with the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, offers a mode Leica Vibrant and Leica Authentic. On the front we find a classic 19 Mpx selfie camera, without the optimizations of the German.
The wide-angle module performs very well during the day. The sharpness is present with good sharpness. The details are also good. Even if it is possible to switch off the device, forego pixel binning and use the 50 megapixels, the gain in quality and detail is not immediately apparent. The difference is more due to the Leica processing mode chosen. The Leica Vibrant mode tends to flatter the retina a little more and ensures stronger colors. The Leica Authentic mode, as the name suggests, offers slightly more realistic processing. Choose depending on your taste and theme.
The 2x telephoto lens (equivalent to a focal length of 50 mm) is also quite efficient. The stabilization brings a real plus. Regardless of whether it is a landscape photo with a relatively clear image field or an interior photo, this module performs with flying colors and very good sharpness.
The Xiaomi 13T Pro offers up to 20x digital zoom. Up to 10x the stabilization remains quite uncertain. In addition, it becomes stronger and allows for better framing. Even if the results are not as extravagant and precise as we would have liked. After 10x, the images obtained are difficult to use.
The ultra-wide-angle module is not the strong point of this Xiaomi 13T Pro. We lose a lot in the details and it’s not uncommon for a light veil to be invited to the party. Nothing dramatic, but we’ve seen better.
Portrait mode offers a classic treatment with overall more controlled bokeh without causing a “wow” effect. Sometimes it loses control of the autofocus or is a bit sluggish when cropping, but if you take your time you’ll get a satisfactory result.
At night, the Xiaomi 13T Pro tells a different, but not necessarily entirely clear, story. The wide-angle module struggles with lens flare. We also lose details and the colors appear significantly less natural. However, we appreciate that Night Mode doesn’t overdo it with lights.
In low light, the ultra wide-angle module doesn’t work wonders either. The points of light turn into colored dots. The details are missing from the call.
The selfie camera has only one wish: to make you beautiful and young. In other words, with its default settings it has a strong tendency to smooth out details. We should therefore not hesitate to shorten this “enhancement” by AI to find a little naturalness and more details. The bokeh remains reasonably well applied and the cropping is convincing.
With decoration © CCM
Without decoration © CCM
In the video area, the Xiaomi 13T Pro finally enables the recording of sequences up to 8K at 24 frames per second without HDR. If you want to use HDR, you’ll need to switch to 4K at 30 frames per second if possible.
Xiaomi 13T Pro: reasonable battery life, but really fast charging
To keep things going throughout the day, the Xiaomi 13T Pro relies on a 5000 mAh battery. This is enough for typical daily use with web activities, social networking, photography, GPS navigation, and some audio and video streaming. Enough to last a little over a day and a half. On the other hand, for more active users addicted to games or streaming, it is enough to get through the day and continue with a short evening, as long as you don’t overdo it with the photo or video. If you run out of fuel, it’s best to have the included charger on hand. Xiaomi actually includes a 120W charger in the box!
It is rare (even on premium smartphones that sell at a higher price) that these accessories are included with the smartphone. With it and the matching USB-C cable, charging is done in a flash.
If you activate boost mode, a 0 to 100% refueling is possible in just 35 minutes. A great performance, but you shouldn’t abuse it if you want to keep your battery in good condition for a long time. Charges with this power result in the life of the battery cells being shortened. Therefore consume in moderation. In normal charging mode, it takes a little over an hour to charge or restore the battery to 50% in a quarter of an hour, which is certainly not that bad.
Xiaomi 13T Pro: Should you fall for Xiaomi’s real fake premium smartphone?
Xiaomi 13T Pro 12-512GB
On paper, the promises of the Xiaomi 13T Pro are tempting, with one of the strongest technical specifications currently available. The Leica logo on the back of the camera only adds to the curiosity and bodes the best for photography. In reality, rowing isn’t just about feathers. The 13T Pro definitely shows exemplary performance. Many other smartphones in the same price range want to at least come close to such results (for example, the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro). The Xiaomi 13T Pro sits comfortably in the hand, is fluid and easy to handle, and still fishes in the area for which the Chinese giant apparently designed it: photography. The mayonnaise made with Leica does not mix. Make no mistake, the Xiaomi 13T Pro manages to take good shots, but unfortunately not in all circumstances. Especially in low light conditions, it falls slightly behind the competition, which appears more comfortable. This could have happened at a slightly lower price (although we appreciate the effort not to have succumbed to a price increase compared to last year), but at 900 euros these little hiccups are difficult to forgive. This is the price of a high-end smartphone, but it cannot enjoy all the advantages of this range. Hopefully, over the four years of software updates that follow, Xiaomi will find a way to improve the performance of the photography component of this 13T Pro, which has left us wanting more.