Xiaomi 13T Review
Who would have thought that we would come to a time when there’s smartphone with Leica-engineered cameras that costs less PhP27,000? The Xiaomi 13T is, by far, the best camera smartphone I have ever reviewed at the aforementioned price-point.
This review, while it is still in progress, talks about my holistic experience about the Xiaomi 13T. As someone who is coming from a Xiaomi 13 Pro, the former is clearly not posed to replace the latter, but it’s meant to target those who previously had a Xiaomi 12 and below. It’s an important upgrade, thanks to its numerous new features on the T-series; and its price gives a compelling reason for us to give it – spoiler alert – an excellent rating!
Design and Build
The Xiaomi 13T sports a sleek and stylish design with a premium build quality. The Alpine Blue model features Xiaomi BioComfort vegan leather for a luxurious feel, while the Meadow Green and Black models have a silky smooth glass back. What I received for review is the black model, which I have mixed-feelings with because of two reasons: it’s a total smudge-magnet, and it’s so darn difficult to take a photo of. Regardless, these reasons are very subjective and do not – in any way – make it a deal-breaker.
The device is also IP68 rated, making it water and dust resistant. To make things very clear, IP68-rating was already granted on the Xiaomi 13 series. This is the first time in the T-series to be IP68-rated, making it a good upgrade from previous T-series generations. Plus, it should be noted that Xiaomi 13T is one of the more affordable smartphones that I know of that is rated as such at its price range. Wild.
Display
The Xiaomi 13T’s 6.67-inch CrystalRes display is one of its key highlights. It features a 144Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling and animations, and a 1.5K resolution for stunning visuals. The display also supports Dolby Vision for an immersive HDR viewing experience.
Other notable features that I noticed is that it has 2880Hz PWM Dimming, which helps in reducing screen filter thereby lessening eye-strain in the process. This, however, is much less frequency than what Honor90 offers (3840Hz). The higher the frequency, the more beneficial it is.
Now, what can these features do for you as an end-user? The HDR feature means that it is compatible with HDR-content, which can be watched or streamed via Netflix and even YouTube. The 1.5K resolution gives better clarity than 1080P without great impact on power consumption.
I could not ask for more from Xiaomi when it comes to picture quality. Colors pop, texts are very sharp, and the video quality is amazing.
Performance
The Xiaomi 13T is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8200-Ultra processor, which is built on a 4nm process. This chipset delivers amazing performance and power efficiency, making the device ideal for demanding tasks like gaming, photo, and video editing.
If you’re a specs-nerd, you would be very interested to know that its chipset has an Arm Cortex-A78 speeds up to 3.1Ghz. You get two extra cores when compared to Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, and has the necessary power to keep up with both gaming and productivity demands.
We subjected the Xiaomi 13T to a series of synthetic tests that you can try and replicate. Below are the list of synthetic benchmarks we have used. Benchmarks were done with a total of 11GB memory (8GB + 3GB), which is set at default out of the box.
For reference, I stacked Xiaomi 13T’s performance against flagship devices like the Xiaomi 13 Pro, Galaxy S23 Ultra, and Galaxy S22 Ultra. This should give you an idea how well this performs against products that are priced higher than the Xiaomi 13T. I will have a dedicated article about gameplay performance, but for the meantime, check out the graphs below.
- Antutu Benchmark is a widely used and popular benchmarking tool for smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. It evaluates the performance of a device by measuring its CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage capabilities, as well as testing its UX (user experience) and overall performance. The benchmark provides a comprehensive score that helps users compare the performance of different devices and make informed decisions based on their specific needs and preferences.
- Geekbench 6 serves as an indispensable tool for individuals who seek reliable and comprehensive information about the performance capabilities of their devices. By providing accurate and standardized benchmarks, Geekbench 6 enables users to choose devices that cater to their specific requirements, ensuring a seamless and efficient user experience.
- 3D Mark Wild Life Extreme is a benchmarking test that measures the performance of graphics cards in mobile devices. It is designed to push graphics cards to their limits, simulating demanding gaming scenarios and providing an accurate assessment of their capabilities. With Wild Life Extreme, users can evaluate the graphical performance of their devices and compare them to other devices on the market. It is a reliable and comprehensive tool for assessing the gaming potential of a mobile device and making informed decisions about their hardware choices.
- PCMark Work 3.0 is a benchmarking tool specifically designed for smartphones. It assesses the performance of various aspects of a smartphone’s functionality, focusing on work-related tasks. This benchmark evaluates the device’s ability to handle daily productivity tasks such as document editing, web browsing, video conferencing, and data manipulation. By running PCMark Work 3.0, users can accurately gauge their smartphone’s efficiency and compare it to other devices on the market. This information enables users to make informed decisions regarding their smartphone choices, ensuring optimal productivity and performance in their daily work routines.
Camera
The Xiaomi 13T’s Leica-powered camera system is one of its biggest strengths. It features a 50MP wide-angle camera, a 50MP telephoto camera, and a 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera. The main camera features a 7P aspherical lens and multi-layer ALD coating for excellent low-light performance and image quality.
The Xiaomi 13T also offers a variety of Leica-inspired features, such as Leica Authentic Look and Leica Vibrant Look, which allow users to create stunning images with Leica quality. The device also supports 4K video recording across all focal lengths, making it a great choice for videographers.
There are quite a ton of features that can definitely delight pro photographers. When enabling Portrait Mode using the Master lens, you have the option to choose portrait presets ranging from 35mm to 90mm. Pro Mode gives the option for users to use it for both photo and video. There is also an option to shoot at LOG-mode, albeit locking users to 4K30. Oh, and before I forget, you’re limited to shooting 30fps when using 4K resolution, which is the most limiting factor of the Xiaomi 13T. There is also no native way to shoot at 8K unlike the Xiaomi 13T Pro.
Battery Life
The Xiaomi 13T is equipped with a 5000mAh battery that supports 67W turbo charging. This means you can quickly top up your device when needed. A single charge lasted for 17 hours and 27 minutes from 100% with 20% remaining. I will, however, need to get back to this section after two weeks to consider battery and usage optimization.
For now, this is good for a device with 5000mAh battery capacity.
Software
The Xiaomi 13T ships with Android 13 and MIUI 14. MIUI is Xiaomi’s custom Android skin, and it offers a variety of features and customizations. The device is also eligible for 4 generations of Android OS updates and 5 years of security updates, ensuring that it stays up-to-date and secure for years to come.
Props to Xiaomi for the update path of the software, however, I believe that this phone deserves a better UI and more polished execution. I feel that MIUI 14 looks dated especially when compared to Nothing OS and stock Android.
Audio and Connectivity
Xiaomi 13T supports Dolby Atmos with built-in dual speakers. Audio performance is a little lackluster especially when compared to the iPhone 14 Pro Max and the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate. Regardless, you can connect a Bluetooth headphone if you’re after a more immersive experience.
The breadth of connectivity features is quite wide on this device. It supports 5G and can accept eSIM. It also WiFi6 capable, and has Bluetooth 5.4 and NFC support. Network options for the Xiaomi 13T is quite packed, which brings more value to the price Xiaomi asks.
Verdict
The Xiaomi 13T is an excellent flagship smartphone that offers a great combination of features and performance. It has an amazing display, a good price to performance chipset, impressive Leica-engineered camera system, and long battery life. The device is also eligible for long-term software support, making it a great value for money.
While the Xiaomi 13T is a great overall smartphone, there are a few areas where it could improve. For example, the device’s speaker system could be better, and the MIUI software is not as polished as some other custom Android skins. However, these are minor criticisms, and the Xiaomi 13T is still an excellent choice for anyone looking for a flagship smartphone.
Giancarlo Viterbo is a Filipino Technology Journalist, blogger and Editor of gadgetpilipinas.net, He is also a Geek, Dad and a Husband. He knows a lot about washing the dishes, doing some errands and following instructions from his boss on his day job. Follow him on twitter: @gianviterbo and @gadgetpilipinas.
