Xiaomi 13 Ultra has already been launched in Malaysia yesterday with a price tag of RM5199. This is the same selling price as the Xiaomi 13 Pro. After using this device for around 24 hours I dare say once again Xiaomi has come up with an almost perfect smartphone. The question is should you buy the 13 Ultra or is the 13 Pro enough?
Xiaomi 13 Pro Review INFO – Lena Diulis Leica
SPECIFICATIONS
Xiaomi 13 Ultra
6.73-inch AMOLED LTPO screen, 3200×1440,
120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 2600 nits
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor (4nm)
1x 3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 chip
2x 2.8 GHz Cortex-A715
2x 2.8 GHz Cortex-A710
3x 2.0 GHz Cortex-A510
Adreno 740 Graphics Chip
RAM 12 GB LPDDR5X
7 GB Virtual Memory
Internal Storage 512 GB UFS 4.0
Main Camera 50 MP (Wide Angle), f/1.9-f/4.0 (variable aperture),
HyperOIS
50 MP (Ultra Wide Angle), f/1.8, 5cm macro,
50 MP (Telephoto), f/1.8, OIS, 3.2x optical zoom
50 MP (Super Telephoto), f/3.0, OIS, 5x optical zoom
Leica Authentic Look, Leica Vibrant Look
Dolby Vision, 4K 60fps, 8K 24fps, 10-bit LOG
LEICA VARIO-SUMMICRON lens
Front Camera 32 MP, f/2.0, EIS, HDR
5000 mAh battery
90W wired charging
50W wireless charging
10W reverse wireless charging
SIM/Telephony Dual SIM Nano /5G
NFC Yes
Infrared Yes
Waterproof IP68
Fingerprint Scan System under the screen
Sale Price RM5199 (12/512 GB)
SCREEN
Xiaomi 13 Ultra uses a 6.73″ AMOLED LTPO screen with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. The resolution is WQHD+ which is quite beautiful, clear and has striking colors. The screen can also display Dolby Vision content and my favorite is the brightness level which can reach up to 2600 nits with Sunlight mode.
The screen is of the curved type on the side with the bezel size being equal on all four corners. Every touch can be detected precisely and when fast scrolling is done the animation is clear. There is no stuttering animation issue or ghosting issue that occurs on cheaper 120Hz screens.
The great screen on this device is not only suitable for enjoying content such as video streaming but also for beginners who need high frame rates. The 13 Ultra in my eyes is the second best screen I have ever used after the Sony Xperia 1 IV which supports 4K resolution.
DESIGN
If you follow the development of Leica cameras, the 13 Ultra uses a design that is more or less the same as their cameras, which is a giant camera hump that mimics the lens and a back panel with fake leather like the body of the Leica M11 Monochrom. Not only that, the protective frame provided in the box also has a Leica Q3-like texture that gives extra grip. This leather-like finish is the same as the one used on the Vivo X Fold2 and Oppo Find N2 that have been reviewed on this page.
On the back panel, Xiaomi also uses a slightly wavy design from the bottom of the device to the top. Xiaomi stated that the 13 Ultra uses a unique three-layer design which is the first layer of an aluminum frame 4.4x more durable than the previous model, the second panel is fake leather and the third is a giant camera bump. In addition, this device also passes IP68 waterproof and dustproof standards.
On top of the device there are two microphone holes, an infrared transmitter to make the device a remote control and a speaker grille. Below is another microphone hole, SIM card slot, USB-C port and a second speaker grille for Dolby Atmos stereo support. Behind this giant camera hump device are four sensors, two separate LED flash lights and another microphone hole.
There is nothing on the left side of the device, but on the right side there is an audio adjustment button and a power button. The front screen uses a 3D curved design with a hole in the top center for the selfie camera.
Overall, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra is a device that looks beautiful because the design has its own identity that differentiates itself from competing devices. The 13 Ultra is also lighter than the iPhone 13 Pro. Even so this device still feels premium and luxurious. At the same time this thick device is also easy to handle.
USAGE EXPERIENCE
The Xiaomi 13 Ultra still runs the same Android 13-based MIUI 14 as the Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro. So I will focus the experience of using the device on performance and camera only in this first look article. At the same time I will share about a feature that made me fall in love with 13 Ultra.
As for the software, as I said earlier, MIUI 14 on the Xiaomi 13 Ultra provides a user experience that is more or less the same as other Xiaomi flagship devices. Even so there are still some interesting features and functions such as;
An under-screen fingerprint scanner that can scan the pulse.
Memory Extension adds virtual memory up to 7GB making the total amount of RAM reach 19GB.
Its own privacy security dashboard that is different from the stock Android version.
Immersive wider stereo audio sound mimics spatial audio features without the use of audio accessories.
Detect gaze that ensures the device screen is not locked when the selfie camera detects the user's eyes are looking.
App vault which is now a separate application as an alternative to the Google Discover page on the main screen.
CAMERA
The main camera of this device uses a 1″ 50MP Leica IMX989 sensor built together with Xiaomi and Sony. It supports variable aperture from f/1.9 to f/4.0 to capture photos with different bokeh effects. One for natural portrait mode and the other with a bokeh effect on the back that still shows beautiful details and colors.
HyperOIS support is also maintained to ensure that images remain in focus, without shaking and help take sharp pictures at night. Below is a sample image with two different apertures;
Aperture f/1.9
Aperture f/4.0
Auto night mode
Next is the zoom capability. IThe best zoom camera so far is still held by Samsung because of the Space Zoom algorithm that has been trained since the Galaxy S20 Ultra. 13 Ultra tries to offer more or less the same features with digital zoom reaching 120x.
To make it successful two 50MP IMX858 sensors are used. One is f/1.8, OIS that supports 3.2x optical zoom and the other is f/3.0, OIS with 5x optical zoom. For a Xiaomi device, the 13 Ultra is the best so far for long-range zoom capabilities. In the camera application there is also a Samsung-like feature where the zoom up to 120x will be a small viewfinder window that can lock the focus so that the picture taken does not shake.
Telephoto 3.2x optical zoom
Periscope telephoto 5.0x optical zoom
120x digital zoom
The last camera on the back also uses the same 50MP sensor paired with an ultra-wide angle lens and also a 5cm macro, but it is not equipped with OIS. This mode also still preserves good details and has a color profile more or less the same as the other sensors. The transition between each sensor is also smooth, making the experience of using the camera less awkward.
0.6x ultra-wide angle
Macro 5cm
The 32MP selfie camera is about the same as what I've tested on the Xiaomi 13 and Effi on the Xiaomi 13 Pro. Leica Authentic and Leica Vibrant color profiles can also be selected before taking any photo according to individual taste. Likewise with the Master Lens portrait mode that mimics different Leica camera lenses such as 35mm, 50mm, 90mm and 75mm which is still maintained as before. I will test this mod more in the review to see if there is a difference with the 13 and 13 Pro.
Xiaomi 13 Ultra also supports 8K 24fps video recording, 4K Dolby Vision, 10-bit LOG format recording and can connect the device to four cameras and four monitors for the purpose of monitoring by professional users wirelessly.
Master Lens 35mm & 50mm
BATTERY AND CHARGING
My favorite new feature that is missing from other Xiaomi devices is the Hibernation mode. I didn't find this feature setting so I expected it to work automatically. This mode allows the device to be used for another hour even when the battery is at 1%. This is especially helpful when there is no powerbank or access to a charger in an emergency situation.
The included battery is 5000 mAh which now seems to be standard on Android flagship devices 2023. The device supports 90W fast charging by wire which can fully charge the device in 34 minutes. In addition to also supporting 50W fast wireless charging and can also charge accessories such as TWS through 10W reverse wireless charging.
PERFORMANCE AND BENCHMARKS
The performance of the device is quite fast and smooth. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip has never let me down so far, whether used for work or entertainment. I only had the chance to test the 13 Ultra with the Marvel SNAP launcher and haven't yet tried high-graphics launchers like PUBG Mobile or COD Mobile. I'm sure the 13 Ultra has no problem for gaming because of the large memory and the Loop LiquidCool liquid cooling system.
The device however still overheats after a relatively long Marvel SNAP session. It only heats up a bit when using the camera app to take pictures for a few minutes. The giant camera bump prevents me from using the cooling fan system as offered by Black Shark in Malaysia.
For the benchmark test the Xiaomi 13 Ultra recorded a score that is already expected for a flagship device with 12GB RAM LPDDR5X memory + 7GB virtual memory and 512GB UFS 4.0 internal storage. I did benchmark tests with Geekbench 6 and AnTuTu 3D only because MIUI devices don't support 3DMark.
Geekbench 6
Xiaomi 13 Ultra – 2015/5457
Honor Magic5 Pro – 1925/4852
Xiaomi 13 Pro – 1868/5272
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra – 1922/5017
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max – 2524/6317
AnTuTu 3D
Xiaomi 13 Ultra – 1,527,588
Honor Magic5 Pro – 1,090,731
Xiaomi 13 Pro – 1,252,296
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra – 1,171,384
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max – 974,941
Geekbench 6 is the highest so far for an Android device and comes close to the iPhone 14 Pro Max's score. Likewise with AnTuTu 3D which recorded the highest score for a device powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX?
Here is a list of what comes in the box with every Xiaomi 13 Ultra purchase;
1x Xiaomi 13 Ultra.
1x Hard plastic protective frame.
1x 90W Charger.
1x USB-A to USB-C Cable.
1x SIM Pin.
1x Set of manual and safety book.
CONCLUSION
After using this device for a day I can say this is my favorite flagship device so far. Very nice screen, bright, no problem to use in hot sunlight and feels fast enough. Then satisfactory performance with a large battery size supported ultra-fast charging. The camera, on the other hand, has a quality worthy of the Leica branding in the short usage so far.
However, I will test this device for one more week to see if RM5199 is worth it for me or for you. Stay tuned to us for the full review and stay tuned will this be my everyday device?
Pro
Beautiful screen and very bright.
Fast, smooth and satisfying performance.
Camera capabilities that turn ordinary users into professional cameramen.
Beautiful and premium design and build of the device.
Large battery capacity with fast charging support.
Cons
The color profile is more or less the same as the cheaper Xiaomi 13.
The price is quite expensive.