Xiaomi 13T Review: What You Need to Know Before You Buy

27.07.2024
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Xiaomi 13T Review: What You Need to Know Before You Buy

The Xiaomi 13T offers an opportunity to experience the strengths of the Xiaomi 13T Pro at a more affordable price. But why is the 13T priced lower despite being almost identical to the 13T Pro in design, display, and camera? Here’s an in-depth review of the Xiaomi 13T!

The Xiaomi 13T, with only a few minor differences, matches the Pro version in terms of capabilities, making it one of the top contenders in the price/performance ratio. So, what are you giving up if you choose the 13T over the 13T Pro? Let’s take a closer look at the phone to find out.

Xiaomi 13T Design Details

First off, it’s worth noting that the Xiaomi 13T and 13T Pro share the same design, making it nearly impossible to distinguish between the two at first glance. Even the color options are identical. The Black and Meadow Green models feature a glass back panel, while the Alpine Blue has a more refined vegan leather. All color options have plastic frames, and the front is protected by Gorilla Glass 5. The glass models are 8.5 mm thick and weigh 197 grams, while the vegan leather model is slightly thicker at 8.6 mm but lighter at 193 grams.

Due to the identical color options, the fingerprint issue seen in the 13T Pro also persists here. If you prefer less noticeable fingerprints, it’s advisable to avoid the Black color. While the 13T looks generally sleek and nice, Xiaomi needs to revisit the camera module design for the next model in this series. Regardless of the color, the module is a large black square. It looks muted if you choose Black, or too prominent if you go for Meadow Green or Alpine Blue. We recommend inspecting it in-store before buying online. However, some might actually like the camera module’s design. Design preferences are subjective.

Aside from aesthetics, the phone is quite durable. Despite the glass back panel getting a few accidental bumps during use, it remained intact. The front is covered with Gorilla Glass 5. It also has an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, offering full protection against dust and surviving up to 30 minutes underwater at a depth of 1.5 meters. The power and volume buttons are conveniently placed on the right side. The bottom edge features a USB-C port, a dual SIM tray, and a speaker grille.

Xiaomi 13T Display Features

Although we have some complaints about the design, we have no complaints about the 13T’s display. Xiaomi has used the exact same screen from the Pro version on this phone. Considering there is currently about a $300 price difference between the two, this is significant; the phone offers a high-end display at a lower price. The CrystalRes AMOLED display is truly flagship-level.

With a 6.67-inch size, 1220×2712 pixel resolution, 12-bit color depth, 144 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos support, this screen includes everything a top-notch OLED display should. The screen provides a fantastic experience while watching videos; color reproduction is excellent, and blacks are deep. Additionally, for those with sensitive eyes, it supports a high-frequency PWM dimming at 2880Hz, and for gaming, it supports a 480Hz touch sampling rate for quicker response. Based on our experience, the touch response is very good, and the high refresh rate is well optimized.

There are no visibility issues in extremely bright environments, as the screen boasts a peak brightness of 2600 nits, as mentioned in the 13T Pro. Everything on the screen is sharp and clear, even in outdoor settings. The optical fingerprint sensor hidden in the display also works well, though it is placed in a slightly small area. We sometimes had issues placing our finger exactly on it, but it remains fast and accurate in any case.

By the way, one of the speakers mentioned on the bottom edge is also found on the top edge. Together with Dolby Atmos support, they provide a successful stereo sound experience. Yes, there may be distortions at maximum volume, but the volume level is quite high and satisfactory for most users.

Xiaomi 13T Specifications and Performance

The biggest difference in technical specs compared to the 13T Pro is here. The Xiaomi 13T uses the MediaTek Dimensity 8200 Ultra processor, which can reach speeds of up to 3.1GHz and is slightly less powerful than the 13T Pro. Rest assured, it’s still a very powerful processor.

The model we have comes with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal UFS 3.1 storage. Unfortunately, the UFS 4.0 standard found in the 13T Pro is missing here. Interestingly, Xiaomi offers only the 256 GB storage option for the 13T. Without additional microSD support, some users might find this space insufficient over long-term use.

In terms of performance, the phone’s performance in daily use, gaming, and applications has been highly satisfying. We have been using the 13T for the past two weeks, and it has shown no lag or slowdown in any of the games we played, as well as in regular social media and internet browsing. The exceptional screen quality also enhances the overall user experience with vibrant and smooth visuals.

On the battery side, the 13T features a 5,000mAh battery, adhering to industry standards like the 13T Pro. However, the 13T supports 67W fast charging instead of 120W. Honestly, 67W is more than adequate. The phone charges from 0 to 100% in about 45 minutes and can provide around 25% charge with just a 5-minute boost, which can be lifesaving in emergencies. Furthermore, the 13T’s battery lasts significantly longer than the Pro version, likely due to the less power-consuming processor. This earns the 13T extra points in this regard.

Another distinction is that while the 13T Pro features Wi-Fi 7, the 13T uses Wi-Fi 6. Given the price difference, these are acceptable shortcomings.

Xiaomi 13T

Xiaomi 13T Cameras

Now let’s talk about the cameras. A warning here: if you’ve watched our 13T Pro review before this, you might think we’re repeating the same points – and you’re right. This is because the 13T shares the same triple camera setup as the 13T Pro.

The Leica-branded cameras on the 13T are indeed capable of excellent quality shots. Both the 50 MP main camera and the 50 MP telephoto and 12 MP ultra-wide cameras deliver impressive image quality in good lighting conditions. Color reproduction is realistic and not artificial.

The main camera provides sharp and detailed images even in low light. The telephoto and ultra-wide cameras are not as successful in low light as the main camera but still perform well. For dark environments, using the main camera is preferable due to some noise. Additionally, Leica has assisted Xiaomi not only with the lenses but also with software. There are two photo styles: “Leica Authentic” for more natural images and “Leica Vibrant” for more vivid colors. Both are quite nice; use whichever appeals to you.

On the front, there’s a 20 MP camera that’s great for selfies and video calls. While photos are natural, the detail level is average. However, everything else is excellent; colors are vivid, noise is low, and dynamic range is good. When it comes to videos, like the Pro model, the Xiaomi 13T can record 4K HDR10+ video at 30 fps. It also supports OIS and EIS but lacks 8K recording.

Conclusion

Overall, the Xiaomi 13T is nearly identical to the Pro version except for the price. The Dimensity 8200-Ultra performs exceptionally well for its class. The 6.67-inch AMOLED screen offers a visual feast with its high refresh rate and vibrant colors. The camera quality speaks for itself. Moreover, you get all of this at a much lower price than the 13T Pro. In our view, the Xiaomi 13T is a smartphone well worth its 25,000 TL price tag. If you’re choosing between the 13T Pro and the 13T, the 13T leans more towards the price/performance line. Of course, there are some nuances, but we believe the single memory option and lack of expandable storage are the main concerns.

Technical Specifications

Product ModelXiaomi 13T
Product BrandXiaomi
Operating SystemAndroid 13
Processor
Mediatek Dimensity 8200 Ultra
CPU8
Processor Speed3.1 – 3.0 GHz
Display TechnologyAMOLED
Screen Size6 inches
Screen Resolution1220 x 2712 px
Graphics ProcessorMali-G610
RAM12 GB
Internal Storage256 GB
Front Camera20 MP
Rear Camera50 MP
Rear Camera (2)50 MP
Rear Camera (3)12 MP
Dual SIMNo
Wi-FiYes
NFCYes
GPSYes
LTE (4G)Yes
HDMI (MHL)No
BluetoothYes
FM RadioNo
Battery Capacity5000 mAh
Fingerprint SensorYes
Face RecognitionYes
Dimensions75 x 162 x 8.5 mm
Weight193 gr.

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