Xiaomi 13 Ultra review

introduction

For a while, we didn’t want to hope that there would be a global Xiaomi Ultra again: the 2021 model could very well remain a one-of-a-kind to be remembered fondly. Then, at some point, we were led to believe that not only would there not be a global one, but that there would not be a at all. Well, in the end, everything worked out fine and now we have the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, one for China and one for the world.

That said, we still have to point out that Xiaomi sent us a version of the phone with specific software for China. So while theoretically, a global variant should be available at some point or another, we haven’t touched or seen it yet. For the purposes of this review, however, that’s largely irrelevant.

This is partly because the 13 Ultra’s most important thing transcends regional software specs. We’re talking about the unique quad-camera setup on the back of the phone. And you know it’s something special when the 50MP 1-inch main unit – unquestionably the headliner of the bunch – is joined by a pair of telephotos and an ultrawide, each with its own 50MP sensor. We look forward to starting this section of the camera with excitement and apprehension. But all in due time.

There’s a smartphone tied to that marvel of a camera system co-engineered by Leica, and it’s a real high-end too. The latest Snapdragon, a state-of-the-art high-resolution and refresh rate OLED display, dust and water resistance, and fast charging — finding something to complain about on the following pages is going to be hard. Initially, looking at the images, we thought the design would be like that, but after trying the phone in person, its looks grew on us as well.

Here is a quick summary of the most important specifications before we start.

The specifications of Xiaomi 13 Ultra at a glance:

• Body: 163.2×74.6×9.1mm, 227g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), eco-leather back, aluminum frame; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30min).
• Screen: 6.73″ LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1300 nits (HBM), 2600 nits (peak), 1440x3200px resolution, 20:9 format, 522ppi.
• chipsets: Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm): Octa-core (1×3.2GHz Cortex-X3 & 2×2.8GHz Cortex-A715 & 2×2.8GHz Cortex-A710 & 3×2.0GHz Cortex-A510); Adreno 740.
• Memory: 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM; UFS 4.0.
• Operating system/software: Android 13, MIUI 14.
• Rear camera: Broad (main): 50 MP, f/1.9 of/4.0, 23mm, 1.0″ type, 1.6µm, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 50 MP, f/1.8, 12mm, 122˚, 1/2.51″, dual pixel PDAF; Telephoto: 50 MP, f/1.8, 75mm, 1/2.51″, Dual-Pixel PDAF, OIS, 3.2x optical zoom; Telephoto: 50 MP, f/3.0, 120mm, 1/2.51″, Dual-Pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom; Broad (main): 50 MP, f/1.9 of/4.0, 23mm, 1.0″ type, 1.6µm, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS.
• Front camera: 32 MP, f/2.0, 22 mm (wide), 0.7 µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 8K@24fps, 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/480/960/1920fps, Gyro-EIS, Dolby Vision HDR 10-bit rec. (4K@60fps, 1080p); Front camera: 1080p@30/60fps.
• Drums: 5000mAh; 90W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 35 min (advertised), 50W wireless, 100% in 49 min (advertised), 10W wireless reverse.
• Connectivity: 5G; Dual SIM; WiFi 6e; BT 5.3, aptX HD, aptX adaptive; NFC; Infrared port.
• Various: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); stereo speakers.

Unboxing of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra

The 13 Ultra’s presentation is no different than any recent Xiaomi Pro or Ultra. The black color is all that sets it apart from the lesser models in the range, and the Leica red dot is a solitary splash of color on the cardboard.

Inside, you’ll find the phone, a 90W power supply, and a USB A to C cable. Also included is a snap-on black case that isn’t up to the standard of the Ultra itself, although its usefulness shouldn’t be affected. from its less than premium appearance.

What you won’t find in the regular retail box is the Xiaomi 13 Ultra Professional Camera Bundle, which can be purchased separately in China for CNY 1000 (€130). The kit includes a nicer phone case, a separate right-hand grip, a filter adapter ring that allows you to screw in standard 67mm lens filters, a lens cap (or, rather, a whole camera system cap in this case) and a lanyard.

It all makes the Ultra feel even less like a phone and more like a compact camera, and the grip makes it act like one too, thanks to the two-stage shutter release and zoom rocker. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the opportunity to play with this set of accessories.