XIAOMI 13T – When "perfection" is within everyone's reach
We have almost reached the end of this 2023 and after months of smartphones all quite similar and with prices out of the market, here Xiaomi drops the ace with the launch of the 13T series, of which today I bring you the "basic" model for review, which in my opinion it is the one to absolutely buy, because sometimes the PRO suffix is just marketing. Having said that, let's not waste any further time and start with the review of Xiaomi 13T.
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CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS
It is undeniable that the design of Xiaomi 13T has its charm, although the considerations on this aspect change depending on the finish taken into consideration. In fact, we have a variant with a shell made of vegan leather, which gives a premium look but above all avoids the effect of fingerprints left instead on the variant with a glass shell, forcing the user either to use a cover or to turn around with a cloth to clean the glass back, which lacks an oleophobic treatment against fingerprints and dirt. Naturally we are trying the basic variant, in black, which with its mirrored glass back did not convince us due to the "cleanliness" issue as it was really too prone to capturing dirt and grease from fingerprints. Other than that the construction is flawless, boasting a metal profile.
As regards more technical details, we are talking about a smartphone with generous dimensions, because the thickness is 8,49 mm (length 162,2 and width 75,7 mm) and the weight of 197 grams, but the sensation handling it is good, finding a good weight balance along the entire axis of the phone, considering the significant protrusion of the camera block on the rear. Returning to the profiles made of metal, we find the clean left one while on the right we have the usual on/off buttons and volume rocker. On the upper profile there is space for a double microphone for reducing noise during calls, an IR transmitter and a slit for the second speaker as the main one is located in the lower profile, accompanied by the main microphone, Type-C input for charging with OTG support (nothing video output) and SIM slot capable of hosting 2 nano format SIMs but no possibility of memory expansion via micro SD. Another interesting technical detail of the Xiaomi 13T is the IP68 certification, for protection from water and dust.
DISPLAY
The Xiaomi 13T screen is a real strong point, consisting of a 6.67″ AMOLED flat panel with Full HD+ resolution (2712×1220 pixels 446 ppi) in 20:9 format, whose refresh rate reaches up to 144 Hz, while if we consider the responsiveness to the touch, a notable figure must be recorded, that of 480 Hz. This screen supports all the advanced standards, exploited by video streaming platforms, such as Dolby Vision and HDR Pro/ HDR 10/ HDR10+, but above all it benefits of a complete DCI-P3 color profile and peak brightness that reaches 2600 nits.
We are talking about a True Color display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 capable of also offering PWM dimming at 2880 Hz, as well as a convenient function that always keeps the screen active when looked at, but above all the WOW effect is also guaranteed by Thin and symmetrical frames on 4 sides. In short, a series of acronyms and numbers to say that Xiaomi 13T with its display is able to offer a top-of-the-range multimedia experience, with excellent visibility even in direct sunlight, capable of giving the best visual experience on streaming platforms and more. There is also the Always On Display function, but partly neutered as we cannot interact with notifications. Finally, I would like to point out, although it is not a real feature of the display, the presence of the biometric sensor under the panel, for unlocking the device via fingerprint which also functions as a heart rate meter, whose reactivity and precision is truly excellent.
PROCESSOR AND MEMORY
Mid-range price but top performance, thanks to the use of the MediaTek Dimensity 8200 Ultra processor, a SoC with a 4nm production process and a maximum clock of 3.1 GHz which is accompanied by the Mali G610 GPU while the RAM memories, with cuts of 8 or 12 GB are LPDDR5 type. Finally, the storage, which is not expandable, has a single size of 256 GB of UFS 3.1 type.
And before you think of the choice of processor on the Xiaomi 13T as a slip-up on the part of the brand, I can tell you that in reality the CPU in question proved to be up to par with its Qualcomm competitors, with excellent behavior both in terms of performance than in the benchmarks, reaching for example over 900K AnTuTu score. During my daily use, even under stress, I never noticed any type of overheating, sticking, hesitation or anything else, indeed I perceived high speed and immediate reactivity, thanks also to the optimization that Xiaomi has reserved for this specimen, while the temperatures they are definitely put in check by a 5.000mm2 stainless steel vapor chamber + multi-layer graphite foils.
In short, Xiaomi 13T, whether you use it in a standard way or whether you also stress it with good gaming with high graphics performance, it always remains ready to carry out the required tasks in the best possible way.
AUDIO AND CONNECTIVITY
Speaking of gaming, an important part of the experience is undoubtedly dictated by the audio which on the Xiaomi 13T is expressed in stereo with full support for the Dolby Atmos spatial effect and Hi-Res Audio certification. I found a perfect balance of medium-high tones enriched by the fullness of the bass. Furthermore, the stereo mode also works in hands-free mode during calls.
Speaking of calls, you don't have to fear anything because we come with a physical proximity sensor. In terms of connectivity, the smartphone uses the 5G NSA+SA network on both slots, but if necessary you can also use it on a third SIM, as we have e-SIM technology available. Personally I have not been able to evaluate 5G in terms of speed but I can say that I have always benefited from the 4G+ signal reaching speeds that go beyond 300 Mbps. There is also a WiFi 6 module, the new Bluetooth 5.4 standard with support for the LDAC codec, NFC and finally GPS L1+L5, which I particularly appreciated for its speed and precision even in sudden changes of direction and in navigating on foot in cities with many buildings shielding the signal.
PHOTOGRAPHIC SECTOR AND PHOTO/VIDEO SERVICES
Boasting a collaboration with the leading company in the world of photography, namely Leica, is not for everyone, especially if we consider that Xiaomi 13T belongs to the medium-high range of the market. But let's go step by step, presenting the main camera, which boasts an optically stabilized 707MP Sony IMX50 sensor, with a focal length equivalent to a 24mm and f/1.9 aperture which is accompanied by a 50MP telephoto camera, but this time the sensor is from OmniVision and specifically the OV50D, with a focal length equivalent to a 50mm and f/1.9 aperture, capable of reaching a digital zoom of up to 20X.
Then there remains the third lens on the rear, a 12MP ultrawide with FOV 119° whose focal length is equivalent to a 15mm with f/2.2 aperture while the selfie camera relies on a 20MP f/2.2 sensor. Only this last lens is not Leica branded while the three on the back are Leica VARIO-SUMMICRON lenses. Without going into too many technicalities, which I sometimes struggle to understand, I can say that the collaboration between the two brands on this 13T was epochal, inserting a high number of lenses to reduce, as much as possible, any photographic penalty , such as backlight reflections.
At the software level we find Leica Vibrant and Authentic color profiles, for capturing colors with saturation typical of social sharing, or natural colours, but there is also the possibility of shooting in RAW, HDR video recording, portrait shots with emulation of Leica lenses with focal lengths professional (35mm Documentary Lens, 50mm Spiral Bokeh Lens, 90mm Soft Focus Lens), the ability to use a built-in teleprompter, but also pair other devices to use as remote controls to control the camera as well as many filters and effects.
But apart from that we are interested in the performance for photos and videos. Starting from the latter, I was definitely impressed by the stabilization and focusing, fast and cinematic, but I was not convinced by the fact that the change of focus during a recording is only possible at 30fps resolution in addition to the fact that the change between one perspective and the other is definitely too marked. The photos come out really well, full of details and even when there is little light, the Xiaomi 13T performs very well but it seems to give its best especially in capturing subjects in portrait mode, with an excellent blur. This smartphone is not a camera phone but it is absolutely the best device under 500 euros for taking photos and recording videos even in a professional way.
BATTERY AND SOFTWARE
Xiaomi 13T, net of what has been said so far, might lead one to think that in terms of autonomy it is not a champion. Yet it also stands out in this area, counting on a large 5000 mAh battery which manages to guarantee a full day of use, taking you into the evening with at least 15/20% of residual charge. Not amazing values, I agree, but you have a charging power available that reaches 67W, which in just 42 minutes allows you to recharge your smartphone from 0 to 100%.
So if you have to leave the house in the evening, with just 15 minutes (the time for a shower) you can give that 50% recharge boost, guaranteeing the evening without running dry. However, wireless charging is absent.
As far as the software is concerned, on board this Xiaomi marvel we find MIUI 14, based on Android 13 and security patches updated in October 2023. I won't dwell much on this aspect, as we know MIUI with our eyes closed but above all because with the new year the 13T will be one of those smartphones to update to the new HyperOS. However, I can tell you that compared to past generations of MIUI, here we do not find any micro bugs, nothing at all, while maintaining faith in all the customizations that have made the interface famous according to Xiaomi and I add that Xiaomi's new update policy promises 4 major update and 5 years of security patches. The only real "problem" is the presence of bloatware at startup, all of which can be uninstalled, but still worth mentioning.
HOW MUCH IT COSTS AND CONCLUSIONS
If I had to recommend the Xiaomi 13T to you at the launch price (699 euros) I wouldn't have done so, but at the current price available both on the official website and on the Amazon shop, i.e. 499 euros, I tell you that you would be crazy not to buy it if you are looking for a reliable, concrete, high-performance and above all rewarding smartphone in every area. A decidedly competitive price for a smartphone that has some defects but which become secondary compared to, for example, the quality of the cameras, the battery life, in short, the overall goodness of the Asian brand's product. Finally, I would add, something not to be underestimated in these times, that the unboxing experience is complete, including the 67W charger, charging and data transfer cable, SIM removal pin, manuals but also transparent silicone protective cover and film in the package. display already pre-applied. Now are you even more convinced to take it considering that 1500 euro smartphones only give you the charging cable?
Hi. Thanks for this complete review. Is it widevine L1?
YES, widevine L1