Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 5G Review: Cool Looks On A Budget
Presentation of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 5G
Redmi phones are known for their great value for money, and we have not just one, but five new budget-focused devices in the Redmi Note 13 series that will be available in early 2024.
What's new in Redmi Note 13 5G?
- 6.7-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate
- The main camera is 108 MP and has a crop sensor
- An 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, but no telephoto lens
- 5000mAh battery
- 33W wired charging, no support for wireless charging
- €300 RRP for the 8/256GB model
Contents:
Redmi Note 13 5G specifications
A significant improvement over non-5G models
| Redmi: Note 13 5G | |
|---|---|
| height and weight | 162.2 x 75.6 x 8mm 188.5 grams |
| View specifications | 6.7" AMOLED 120Hz 1080p Up to 1800 nits Glass 3: |
| Processor: | Snapdragon 685 |
| Settings | 6/128GB 8/128GB 8/256GB – for Europe *LPDDR4X, UFS 2.2 |
| Camera specifications | The main camera is 108 MP, f/1.75 Ultra wide angle 8 MP, f/2.2 2MP macro 16MP on the front |
| battery | 5000mAh |
| Is loading | 33 watts wired No WiFi connection |
| biometrics | Fingerprint on the screen |
| Other | IP54 water and dust resistance |
Design of the Redmi Note 13 5G
Plastic but with a nice finish
The Redmi Note 13 5G has a better design than the vanilla variant without 5G, but at 6.7 inches it is as big as any other phone in the Note 13 series.
It's well put together, the cameras are a bit nicer, and the white color we're using for this test looks particularly good.
The power and volume buttons are on the right side, the left side is transparent, there is a 3.5mm headphone jack with USB-C port and speaker at the bottom, and an IR blaster at the top.
- Graphite black
- Turquoise ocean
- Arctic White
Unboxing the Redmi Note 13 5G
In the package you will receive a case and a pre-assembled protective film
Here's what you get in the box.
- The Redmi Note 13 5G phone comes with a pre-installed plastic screen protector
- 33W charger with USB-A output
- Charging cable (USB-A to USB-C)
- Silicone case
- Sim tool
- User Guide
A free case and a screen protector already attached are two things you won't find on a flagship phone, but that's the beauty of buying an affordable Redmi phone. Everything is included!
Redmi Note 13 5G display
Unlike the non-5G version, this phone features thin bezels around the display and a modern look.
It features a 6.7-inch display with a 1080p resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The display uses the new Gorilla Glass 5 protection, but interestingly reaches 1,000 nits less peak brightness than the non-5G model.
Below are our own lab measurements of the Redmi Note 13 5G.
Display dimensions:
What's impressive is that this budget phone can reach over 1000 nits of brightness and can be dimmed enough at night for comfortable use before bed.
Interestingly, the Redmi Note 13 5G is the only phone in the series to feature a side-mounted fingerprint scanner integrated into the power button. It's slightly faster and more accurate than the in-display fingerprint reader, but some may find it less convenient.
Redmi Note 13 5G camera
The 108 MP main camera is the star of the show
There are three cameras on the back, but only the main camera is really powerful
Even if you don't have a dedicated telephoto lens, Xiaomi says you'll have a lossless 3x zoom thanks to the large sensor.
Photo example
There is a noticeable improvement in quality here compared to the Redmi Note 13 4G variant, and the main camera performs surprisingly well in various conditions, including low light.
However, we won't be using ultra-wide cameras very often and will definitely avoid shooting in the dark.
Type of video
Video recording is limited to 1080p, so there's no 4K and certainly not much detail.
However, the good news is that the video stabilization works quite well, which is a significant improvement over the shaky and barely usable footage of the Redmi Note 13 4G version.
However, there are some limitations to note. After shooting with the main camera, you cannot switch to the ultra-wide camera (if you want to use this camera, you must switch to it before pressing the record button). . You have Zoom and it works quite well, but it is digital and the quality is what you expect. very average
Redmi Note 13 5G performance and testing
Nothing happens here
Obviously, it's not the fastest phone on the market
The Redmi Note 13 5G features a MediaTek MT6080 chip, a mid-range processor with decent but not exceptional performance. It works in conjunction with a respectable 8GB of RAM.
We ran some tests to give you an idea of how fast this chip is.Performance test.
Compared to its competitor, the Moto G54 Power Edition, this Redmi lags significantly behind in the tests and, firstly, the graphics performance is miserable.
For everyday use, this isn't a big problem (we had a few stutters, but that's not a big problem), but for gaming, this phone isn't great.
However, we like the fact that the base model of this phone has 256GB of storage, which is more than enough for most users.
Redmi Note 13 5G firmware
A warning about MIUI 14 and notifications
When we talk about software for Xiaomi/Redmi phones, we always start with a caveat. These phones kill background apps too aggressively, leading to the well-known push notification problem. Even if you try to change all the settings available in MIUI and some apps don't show notifications in a timely manner, relying on those notifications can be annoying.
In terms of software updates, the Redmi Note 13 5G receives 2 years of major operating system updates and 4 years of security updates. This simply means that you get:
Redmi Note 13 5G battery
Good battery life, fast charging
Like the rest of the series, the Redmi Note 13 5G also has a solid 5,000 mAh battery.MIUI's affordable software also helps you get the most out of it
And below, find out how this phone performed in our independent battery test.
PhoneArena battery test results.
In our lightest web browser test, the Redmi Note 13 5G achieved around 12 hours, an average result with some deviations. However, the Redmi performed well in the YouTube video streaming test with a respectable 10 hours and 18 minutes.
Redmi Note 13 5G charging speed
With a charging speed of 33W and an included charger, it's safe to say that this phone offers more than many other budget and even flagship phones.
However, there is no in-flight wireless charging.
Redmi Note 13 5G audio quality and touch functions
The speakers on the Redmi Note 13 5G are of average quality.
Low frequencies are completely missing, but there is very little bass, so most songs sound flat and without depth.
However, the phone gets quite loud.
Tactile sensations are also undoubtedly a weak point. They sound more like bees buzzing in a jar than they are blurry, sharp and controlled.
Well, at least you have a 3.5mm headphone jack at the top, which some people will be very happy about.
Competitors Redmi Note 13 5G
This Redmi is beautiful in white color
However, there is plenty of competition in this price range with devices like the Moto G84 5G and the Samsung Galaxy A34 5G.
They don't have the flashy design of the Redmi, they don't have as much storage or fast charging, but they seem to offer more performance.
Find out more here:
Summary and final verdict on the Redmi Note 13 5G
It's a decent phone at a reasonable price, but nothing extraordinary
However, MIUI's cumbersome software seems to be a major hindrance, and we're specifically referring to it killing apps in the background and not providing timely notifications for certain apps. This problem has existed for almost a decade and we don't know why it hasn't been fixed yet.
If you can live with that, the Redmi Note 13 5G seems like a pretty good choice.
