Xiaomi 13 goes official with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, Leica cameras, and iPhone 14’s side rails

Ben Schoon | Dec 12 2022 - 10:46 am PT

While it won’t be launching globally for a bit, the Xiaomi 13 series has just been announced as one of the first devices with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

The Xiaomi 13 series consists of the standard Xiaomi 13 and the Xiaomi 13 Pro.

The lower-end model is a flagship in its own right, packing a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, new cameras from Leica, and more. It also has a distinct iPhone-inspired look to its side rails, with a flat, polished edge around the entirety of the device. Even in Xiaomi’s marketing materials, it looks a whole lot like the iPhone 14, but Xiaomi has never really been known to shy away from that angle.

Nonetheless, what’s far more interesting is what makes up the overall package. Xiaomi 13 has, as mentioned, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 at its core paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, but starts at 8GB/128GB. From there, it offers up a 6.36-inch FHD+ AMOLED display at 120Hz. It’s an upgraded OLED panel that supports a peak brightness of 1,900 nits too. There’s a 4,500 mAh battery with 67W wired charging and 50W wireless, as well as a fun bonus in an IR blaster. You’ll also find IP68 water resistance and support for Dolby Atmos and Dolby Head Tracking.

The camera situation on the Xiaomi 13 consists of a 50MP primary camera with two secondary sensors. One is a 10MP camera with a telephoto lens at 3x optical zoom. The other is a 12MP ultrawide camera. Leica lenses are used across all three sensors.

Colors for the Xiaomi 13 include black, white, light green, and light blue, as well as a few vibrant limited edition options in red, yellow, green, gray, and blue.

Meanwhile, the Xiaomi 13 Pro is the company’s real flagship. It has a 6.73-inch QHD+ 120Hz LTPO AMOLED display which, like the other model, can hit a peak brightness of 1,900 nits. Battery size measures 4,820 mAh with fast charging up to 120W and wireless charging at 50W. And, of course, you’ll find the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 under the hood with UFS 4.0 storage and LPDDRX5 memory. RAM allotments go up to 12GB with up to 512GB of storage, but the base model still sits at 8GB/128GB.

In the camera department, the Xiaomi 13 Pro features a trio of 50MP sensors. The main shooter is a 1-inch Sony IMX989 sensor, which first showed up in the Xiaomi 12S last year, though now with a Leica lens on top. The secondary cameras include a 50MP 3x telephoto camera and a 50MP ultrawide with macro support.

The design of the Xiaomi 13 Pro is quite different from the standard phone, with a slim chassis that blends into the curved sides of the phone. The back is available in ceramic and leather versions too, with four color options that include white, black, green, and light blue, the last being the leather option.

Like the lower-end model, there’s also IP68 water resistance, an IR blaster, Dolby Atmos, and Head Tracking.

The Xiaomi 13 series is available for pre-order in China today and should arrive globally in the months to come. Pricing for the base model starts at CNY 3,999 ($575 USD), while the Pro model starts at CNY 4,999 ($720 USD).