Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ test: Numbers don’t say everything

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ has everything on board to be a winner, but the camera isn’t convincing enough and the software, which is full of advertising, remains a disaster.

In general, Xiaomi uses the Redmi Note series to offer as many functions and performance as possible at the best possible price. With the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ (449 euros including VAT), the manufacturer is flirting with the 500 euro limit for the first time. Do you get good value for money with this model?

At first glance, yes, thanks to an interesting list of specifications. The 200 megapixel camera is particularly eye-catching. We now know that more megapixels say little about the quality of a photo, but 200 say a lot. And what about the Achilles heel of every Xiaomi device: the many advertising apps and annoying notifications in Miui, its own Android shell?

We take a closer look at the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ to find out whether this device can dethrone the recently crowned mass testing champion, the Google Pixel 7a, in the sub-500 euro price range.

Premium package

Anyone who picks up this phone often suspects that the price will be higher than it actually is. Thanks to the glass front and back and the aluminum housing, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ feels very solid and high quality. Tastes vary, but our review sample (the black version) looks unique with the three segments at the top.

It remains a fingerprint magnet, a glossy glass back and certainly the three segments in glossy black.

The 6.67-inch OLED screen can charm us with a high peak brightness of 1,800 nits, which is more than enough for almost any situation, even outdoors with sunlight. The refresh rate of 120 Hz ensures that everything feels smooth and the resolution of 1,220 x 2,712 pixels is more than enough for a sharp display. For the first time in the Redmi Note series, the 13 Pro+ has an always-on screen, which we like.

The front is protected by the strong Gorilla Glass Victus. Standard glass is used on the back, which is theoretically more sensitive. The screen includes an optical fingerprint sensor, which isn’t as responsive as the ultrasonic version in the Samsung Galaxy S24, but just fast enough.

Solid performance

To get the most out of the price, consider choosing a Mediatek chip today. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that. The performance of the Mediatek Dimensity 7200 Ultra is within expectations regarding the CPU. During our testing period, we did not experience any stuttering or slow animations from the phone anywhere. Even when multitasking, everything reacts quickly and smoothly.

We see a clearer difference to some competitors in terms of graphics performance. After ten minutes of 3D-intensive games, the phone delivers consistent performance without any drops, but still has to admit defeat to the Google Pixel 7a, the OnePlus Nord 3 and the Oppo Reno 10.

200 megapixels works/doesn’t work

The showpiece of this phone is undoubtedly the spacious 200-megapixel sensor behind the main camera (f/1.7). In theory (using pixel binning) it should deliver excellent results, but we’re not impressed. A slight chromatic aberration is visible in high-contrast scenes. For example, we see small shades of color in leaves against a clear blue sky.

The color reproduction isn’t that great either. Photos often have too strong a blue cast, making scenes appear cooler than in real life. See what we mean compared to the Google Pixel 7a below.

It is unfortunate that the above two problems occur. Otherwise, the camera offers excellent dynamic range and the camera app is excellent.

By default, the 200 MP camera takes photos at 12.5 MP (16 pixels becomes 1 pixel). If you want to zoom in a lot, you can also take a full 200MP photo. 2x zoom and even 4x zoom still look pretty good. Use this function only in good lighting conditions, because when night falls the result will look terrible.

There is a wide-angle camera (8 MP, f/2.2), which is color consistent compared to the main camera. In this case that is more of a disadvantage. Such a camera is useful in some situations, but here it is not an absolute advantage.

Not to mention the macro camera (2 MP, f/2.4). This is incredibly bad. It is better to digitally enlarge the main camera 4x and take a macro photo. This result is much better. With the additional macro camera, Xiaomi probably wants to expand the list of specifications even further. In our opinion, we would prefer this trend to disappear.

Way too much trash

One might think that this phone will ship with Android 14 since Xiaomi’s shell, MIUI, runs version 14. However, the brand is trying to deceive you because version 14 confusingly means Android 13. For a phone that has been available here since January 2024, we think that’s a shame.

Especially considering the phone is only guaranteed two major OS updates. This has been the case since Android 15. We consider this to be unacceptable in this price range today, as Samsung guarantees four operating system updates. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ can count on four years of security updates.

Another quick word about MIUI 14: disgusting. There’s nothing wrong with the Android shell at its core and it adds some useful features to Android, but the amount of bloatware is staggering. We count fourteen pre-installed advertising apps, not to mention the more than ten additional Xiaomi apps in addition to the Google apps and the endless amount of notifications. We can certainly approve of such practices on devices that cost 200 euros or less, but not on a phone that costs 450 euros. Xiaomi gets on our nerves year after year with all of its bloatware.

Fast sprinter

When it comes to battery life, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ is at the very bottom. The difference between high and low loads is small, indicating an efficient processor, but the base is too tight. We can usually get through a day of work. Occasionally we are surprised at the end of the day after a few video calls and GPS navigation, but fortunately this is sporadic.

Where Xiaomi pulls the trigger is on charging time. There’s a robust 120-watt fast charger in the box that charges the phone halfway in ten minutes and sprints to 80 percent in 21 minutes. Even if the battery is empty, the problem will be resolved in no time. If you don’t use the included Xiaomi charger, but a general USB-C power delivery charger that delivers at least 120 watts or more, it will take twice as “slow”.

With these numbers, the competition can go back to the drawing board, especially Samsung and Google.

Diploma

Within its price range, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ (449 euros including VAT) outperforms many competitors when looking at the specifications list. We even see an IP68 certification indicating that the device is waterproof. In practice, we see some gaps in Xiaomi’s plan to offer the most specs for its money.

The main drawback is the 200 MP camera. On paper it is one Tour de force, but the photo quality is disappointing. In our last mass test with cell phones up to 500 euros, we found that its predecessor, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro+, performed better.

The bottom line is that the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ has a lot of potential, but it doesn’t deliver on it. There is a possibility that Xiaomi can optimize the camera performance via software updates. This review examines what the device looks like today: not good enough.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ is available in three colors: white, black and purple. The basic model has 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage (not expandable) and costs 449 euros including VAT. In Belgium there is a two-year guarantee on the device.

Android update policy: Xiaomi offers two operating system updates (up to Android 15) and four years of security updates.