5G compatibility, Amoled screen, very good battery life, comfortable memory: the Redmi Note 13 5G, Xiaomi’s new entry-level smartphone, really offers a lot for its price. Too bad his photos aren’t up to par.

5G compatibility, Amoled screen, very good battery life, comfortable memory: the Redmi Note 13 5G, Xiaomi’s new entry-level smartphone, really offers a lot for its price. Too bad his photos aren’t up to par.

At the start of 2024, Xiaomi is not going with the back of the spoon to renew its range of entry-level smartphones, the famous Redmi series. Its brand new representative, the Redmi Note 13, is available in no less than five models sold between 200 and 500 euros. For this test, we focused on one of the most affordable variants, the Redmi Note 13 5G in its 8-256 GB version billed at 269 euros. It also exists in an even cheaper version at 200 euros, this time equipped with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage, able to connect to the 4G network only but in some ways better off. A fairly tight price list therefore, to which the Chinese giant has accustomed us for several years but where the competition is not left out. It is in ambush at Xiaomi already with the Poco range but also at the revenant Realme which has just marked its return to France with its C67. The Redmi Note 13 thus takes over from the Redmi Note 12, of which it improves certain points while retaining some elements but also some defects. We were able to test this smartphone for a few weeks. Here is our verdict.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 13: a classic but effective design

Entry-level smartphone requires, don’t look for the slightest trace of metal in the chassis here. This one is made entirely of plastic but without looking like it. The finishes are exemplary. The back of the device offers an elegant satin effect with pretty reflections. It catches fingerprints a little but it’s not a mirror either like some other models we’ve come across.

The photo island consists of three modules and a flash arranged in a square. Two of them protrude a few millimeters and disrupt the stability of the smartphone when it is placed flat on a table.

The edges are, as is the trend today, inspired by the Apple iPhone, or flat. The grip of the device is quite good. The right edge houses the traditional volume and power buttons. The latter also houses a fairly effective fingerprint reader. Note that on the cheaper Redmi Note 13 4G, the fingerprint reader is located under the screen.

On the upper edge, we find a small speaker, an infrared port allowing the mobile to be used as a remote control for devices equipped with this device and a jack socket. Thanks to it, you can use a wired headset (not included) to listen, among other things, to FM radio using the app installed by default.

Finally, the left edge houses the SIM card drawer (which can also accommodate a microSD memory card) and the lower edge, the traditional USB-C port and a speaker grill.

This Redmi Note 13 is light (174 g), handy despite its size and pleasant in the hands. It displays an IP54 certification. It will therefore resist dust and splashes but no more. Be careful not to drop it in a puddle or swimming pool.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 13: a beautiful Amoled screen

The screen is probably a bit of a surprise on this smartphone. Xiaomi has indeed opted for a 6.67-inch Amoled panel offering a definition of 2400 x 1080 pixels for a resolution of 395 ppi. The adaptive refresh from 60 to 120 Hz (no step at 90 Hz) is a plus. So far, so good and it’s actually quite nice for this price. The panel, protected by Gorilla Glass 3, is quite bright but nothing more. Xiaomi announces a peak at 1000 nits, which seems rather satisfactory but also surprising, whereas on the 4G model, sold less expensively, the announced peak is at 1800 nits. However, in direct sunlight, the screen remains quite readable even if we note the presence of some annoying reflections. The colors are also vibrant without falling into exaggeration. At this price level, it’s a great success.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 13: sufficient power except for gamers

On this ground, it’s a little more disappointing. Of course, it is not possible to expect the same performance from an entry-level smartphone as a much more expensive model. But for this Redmi Note 13, Xiaomi got it a little right. The device is powered by a Mediatek Dimensity 6080 processor. We are dealing with a 6nm processor equipped with 8 cores (up to 2.4 GHz) and a Mali G57 GPU. A frame sufficient for most daily uses but which quickly shows some limits as soon as you push the smartphone a little to its limits.

Subjected to our usual range of benchmarks, the Redmi Note 13 provided results that are not surprising. In reality, this translates into generally smooth handling, even if we sometimes notice some latency when switching from one app to another.

In gaming, the Redmi Note 13 is simply not equipped to run recent, resource-intensive 3D titles. With our reference game Genshin Impact, the experience quickly turns into frustration where you have to be content to play with an average level of detail at 24 frames per second to obtain correct animation which does not prevent slowdowns. In short, the Redmi Note 13 will allow you to play but rather with light titles.

Finally, note that, despite a release in February 2024, the device is powered by Android 13 enhanced with the MIUI 14 software overlay and not HyperOS as is the case on the Poco X6 recently passed into our hands. In addition, you have to count on around twenty applications (games, shopping, utilities) installed by default with the system. It’s too much. Disappointment finally for the network connection: here you have to make do with WiFi 5. In 2024, it is a little light while WiFi 7 begins to flourish in several smartphone models.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 13: a disappointing photo module

Let’s be honest, the Redmi Note 13 is an extra camera phone. By that, mean that it can deliver decent photos but nothing more. Not enough to jump to the ceiling. It must be said that the manufacturer was not very generous in this regard. The device has a 108 Mpx wide-angle module (f/1.75) which produces 12 Mpx shots using the pixel binning technique. This same sensor is used for x2 and x3 zoom by cropping towards the center of the image for less loss. Alongside it, we find an 8 Mpx (f/2.2) ultra-wide-angle module, the same as on its predecessor the Redmi Note 12, and an anecdotal 2 Mpx (f/2.4) macro sensor. On the front, a 16 Mpx (f/2.4) selfie camera occupies the punch at the top of the screen.

Thus, during the day, the wide-angle module produces correct images but far from impressing the gallery. The sharpness is not always there and the sharpness is absent. The exposure seems fair but it is difficult to discern all the details of the image. The smoothing applied by image processing is sometimes a bit aggressive. If the photo is intended for social networks, it’s okay, otherwise, once displayed on a big screen, the result is disappointing. If we disengage the device to take advantage of the 108 Mpx, we gain some details. But nothing extraordinary, however.

Zooming by cropping isn’t great either. The images are of the same quality as at wide-angle and the defects mentioned above are still present. Beyond x3, the image cannot be used.

The ultra wide-angle module also does what it can. The absence of details remains and the light managed with great difficulty.

At night, things get worse. The noise sets in and we still lose details. The ultra wide angle for its part is not worth using as the result is mediocre.

Portrait mode is perhaps the one that does the best. The clipping is correct but the smoothing is a bit too strong.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 13: very satisfactory autonomy

To power this Redmi Note 13, Xiaomi has equipped it with a fairly standard 5000 mAh battery. With the PC Mark test which simulates several uses with the screen on, the device lasted a little over 12 hours. A great performance that can be translated into reality by an autonomy of a little more than a day. A very honorable score for a mobile in this category.

For recharging, the manufacturer provides a 33 W charger in the box, a rare and appreciable touch. Allow 1 hour 20 minutes to refuel from 0 to 100%. Half an hour of charging allows you to recover almost 50% of the battery. Not bad.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 13: should you go for Xiaomi’s entry-level model?

This entry-level smartphone does not promise the moon but still offers very decent services for the asking price. Xiaomi obviously couldn’t ignore a few compromises. An SoC too soft to play, only Wi-Fi 5 modules (in 2024!) and a photo component that really deserves to be reworked. Nevertheless, we appreciate the beautiful Amoled screen and convincing autonomy which has nothing to envy of some more expensive models. Let’s not shy away from our pleasure, for a limited budget, this Redmi Note 13 offers more than the essentials and will be more than enough for many people.