Redmi 13C 5G Review: Recycling The Affordable 5G Formula

The budget smartphone market in India is heating up now that 5G networks are rolling out across the country. After a disappointing 2022 for budget phones, companies are looking to cater to Indian consumers who want faster connectivity without breaking the bank.

Sensing a huge opportunity, Chinese phone giant Xiaomi has flooded the market with not one, but two new budget 5G phones: the Redmi 12 5G and now the identical Redmi 13C 5G. I've been testing the Redmi 13C for over a week now, and in this review I'll tell you whether Xiaomi's latest attempt to dominate the budget 5G space is a winner or better than the old one.

Design and display

As someone who reviewed the Redmi 12 5G, I wasn't too surprised to see the same design in my hands. Xiaomi seems to be sticking to minimalism lately, so there's no need to change too much in terms of design. You still get a dual camera setup at the back with a flash on the right On the front, the opening has been replaced by a teardrop shape and the bottles appear to have been enlarged.

The 6.74-inch display is surrounded by thick bezels. (Photo: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express)

However, the glossy plastic back panel hides its inferiority. Seriously, there's so much going on, you'd be surprised: sparks, horizontal lines, vertical lines, and even diagonal lines. Depending on the angle at which you hold the phone, you can see these items at once. Visually interesting, but too fancy for my taste. Although I'm sure many find it unnecessary.

Salute your back. (Photo: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express)

Apart from these features, the Redmi 13C 5G feels solid and secure in the hand. It is very thin at 8.09mm which is commendable. And the weight is 192 grams, which is not very light, but considering its size, it is not very heavy. I wish Xiaomi had curved edges because the square sides dig into the palm during long phone calls. Of course, Body Slam solves this little problem and we all use it for any occasion.

Redmi 13C 5G is very thin at 8.09mm and weighs 192g (Photo: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express)

The LCD does a good job of displaying bright colors and adequate brightness, but the 720p resolution is a bit low. Xiaomi has clearly made a compromise to get the Redmi 12 5G at a less attractive price. Fortunately, the 90Hz refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling and animations, and is still a big improvement over the Judge's 60Hz panel.

Performance and software

ALSO READ:Techno And Chill A Web3 Music Marketplace Where Fans Meet Their Favorite Artists

MediaTek and Qualcomm are the big smartphone chip makers, and they have the most affordable deals. The Redmi 13C 5G is powered by MediaTek's Dimension 6100+ chip, which pairs well with the Redmi 12 5G's Snapdragon 4 Gen 2. It's not the fastest processor, but it's sleek and classy for the price. Daily use is mostly not standard, scrolling is good, apps open fast.

The device will come with MIUI 14 based on Android 13. (Photo Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express)

The 13C 5G runs the same streamlined MIUI software that Xiaomi uses on its other budget phones, so it's impossible to fully test the chip's UI capabilities. Animations are short and have no blur or brightness effects, saving processing power. For example, the notification panel is a very ugly gray color. I always feel that Xiaomi takes things up a notch, and with a chip as good as the Dimensity 6100+, that feeling is amplified.

The Dimension 6100+ is similar to the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 in gaming and is therefore an attractive option if you're not a big fan of Qualcomm. BGMI reaches its highest frame rate in Smooth + Ultra mode (~40 fps), without Extreme (60 fps).

Soft software. (describe the picture)

Xiaomi recently unveiled its new HyperOS skin with improved performance and some UI tweaks, but it hasn't hit any devices yet. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Redmi 13C does not support 5G. What bothers me is that even though Android 14 has been out for months now, it comes with Android 13. Whenever Xiaomi starts talking about how much the 13C 5G will cost, it mentions something like software update support. Hopefully, improved HyperOS optimizations will lead to a more complete user experience.

the camera

Because 5G chips are still expensive, some cuts will have to be made elsewhere to keep costs down. The Redmi 13C 5G has a 50MP primary sensor and performs well for its price There's also a 0.08MP secondary camera (nothing too wide here), though that's about as good as I can guess for Xiaomi.

(Photo: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express) (Photo: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express) (Photo: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express)

Photos are bright in sunlight, even with natural warm colors. These photos do not win any contests, but they are very popular on social networks. You need to keep your hand steady while shooting and if you do it right, the Redmi 13C 5G can surprise you with beautiful daylight shots like the flower above.

(Photo: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express)

ALSO READ:Redmi Note 12 Might Launch Soon

Cropping or zooming reveals a lack of detail, which is understandable for a budget 5G phone. But I've seen worse. Selfie camera problems are common.

(Photo: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express) (Photo: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express)

In low light, the details of the front and rear cameras suffer greatly from noise;

solution

Redmi 13C 5G is a good phone for the price. The design is decent and the performance gets the job done. There are different ways to make this available and I think it makes sense as more young people want to experience the incredible speed of 5G. The camera could certainly be better, but the main purpose of this phone is to bring 5G to the masses. For basics like calls and apps like WhatsApp, it works well.

Color: Startrail Green. (Photo: Zohaib Ahmed/The Indian Express)

The only real problem is that at Rs 10,999, it's only Rs 1,000 less than the Redmi 12 5G. This phone has a better display, a Qualcomm processor that is preferred over MediaTek, a better glass back and better front and rear cameras. It's hard to justify the cost of the 13C when you can get better performance for more money. To make matters worse, the Poco M6 Pro 5G is priced at Rs 10,999 compared to the 13C 5G.

I have no complaints about the Redmi 13C 5G. That in itself is a decent proposition. The other two best prices are hard to beat. So if they are sold out, buying one would be wise

Don't buy Redmi 12 5g. 2 big problems ❌