Xiaomi 13 series is official: Finally, a full-blown Galaxy S23 rival?

Xiaomi is usually part of the first wave of brands to adopt Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon silicon, and this time is no different as it’s just launched the Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro in China.

The two phones are indeed powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 flagship processor, so you should expect top-notch performance for demanding games and other tasks. But the phones also share a number of other features, such as an IP68 rating, Leica camera tuning, 50W wireless charging, and 10W reverse wireless top-ups.

Other shared features include Wi-Fi 6E, custom Surge chips for battery management and fast charging, stereo speakers, and an IR blaster.

Xiaomi 13 Pro

The Pro model earns its moniker thanks to a number of upgrades over the standard Xiaomi 13. Expect a 6.73-inch QHD+ curved OLED screen (3,200 x 1,440, 120Hz), a 4,820mAh battery, and 120W wired charging speeds.

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The Xiaomi 13 Pro also stands out in the camera arena. For one, it packs the same one-inch IMX989 50MP main camera (1.6-micron pixel size) used on the Xiaomi 12S Ultra. This shooter is equipped with Xiaomi’s HyperOIS stabilization tech.

The giant main camera sensor is joined by a 50MP ultrawide shooter (with macro mode) and a 50MP 3x tele camera (75mm equivalent, 10cm focusing distance).

The standard Xiaomi 13

Don’t want to splash out on the Pro device? Then the vanilla Xiaomi 13 makes a few concessions to reach a lower price point. You’re getting a 6.39-inch FHD+ flat OLED screen (2,400 x 1,080, 120Hz), 4,500mAh battery, and 67W wired charging.

The Xiaomi 13 offers several improvements over its predecessor, such as a telephoto camera and water resistance.

Xiaomi’s standard phone also swaps out the one-inch IMX989 main camera in favor of a 50MP IMX800 shooter (1/1.49-inch, one-micron pixel size, HyperOIS). Otherwise, secondary camera duties are handled by a 12MP ultrawide sensor and a 10MP 3x telephoto lens (75mm equivalent).

The vanilla handset also stands out thanks to its design, sporting the aforementioned flat screen as well as flat edges. By comparison, the Xiaomi 13 Pro brings a curved screen and thin rails.

Xiaomi 13 series pricing and availability

This is a China-only launch for now, so Xiaomi has announced pricing only in its domestic market. The Xiaomi 13 Series will be available for sale starting on December 14 in China. The Xiaomi 13 Pro comes in four storage variants, with the 8GB + 128GB variant costing 4,999 Chinese yuan (~$716), the 8GB + 256GB version at 5,399 yuan (~$773), the 12GB + 256GB model at 5,799 yuan (~$830), and the 12GB + 512GB version at 6,299 yuan (~$902).

The Xiaomi 13 also comes in four storage variants, with 8GB + 128GB at a price of 3,999 yuan (~$572), 8GB + 256GB at 4,299 yuan (~$615), 12GB + 256GB at 4,599 yuan (~$658), and 12GB + 512GB at 4,999 yuan (~$716).

The brand usually brings its mainline flagship phones to global markets a couple of months after the domestic launch. So we’re guessing a Q1 2023 release is on the cards for other countries.

Xiaomi’s Pro model will be available in Ceramic Black, Ceramic White, and Wilderness Green (with a ceramic back as well). Meanwhile, the standard device is available with a glass back in Black, White, and Wilderness Green colorways. Both devices will also available in Blue with a pleather finish.