MWC 2023: Xiaomi 13 series announced for Germany

During the Mobile World Congress (MWC), Xiaomi announced that it will also bring its latest smartphone series to Germany. With the Xiaomi 13 series, a total of three new promising devices will soon delight us. The sporty price that the Chinese tech company charges here, especially for the top model, makes expectations skyrocket.

Xiaomi 13 relies on camera technology made in Germany

There was quite a bit of grief among many Android fans when the Xiaomi December 2022 series was announced. The overly good-sounding technical specs of the three devices were by no means to blame. Instead, people were annoyed that a release in Germany was left as a big question mark in the room. After the series of three devices celebrated its debut in China, the release of the Xiaomi 13 Lite, 13 and 13 Pro in our country has now been confirmed. We want to use this as an opportunity to take a look at the powerful Android flagships. The Chinese tech company chose the MWC for its announcement that the three smartphones will also be available for sale here.

If Xiaomi had decided against a release in Germany during the trade show, this would certainly have caused a frown or two. After all, some of the devices contain German technology. Xiaomi worked closely with the renowned camera expert Leica from Wetzlar in Central Hesse for the triple camera. The two photo effects in particular should certainly go down well with some users. While Leica Autentic Look is supposed to provide a classic look of Leica cameras, Leica Vibrant Look should be able to offer rich and brightened images.

Xiaomi 13 Lite with different camera design

In the Xiaomi 13, the triple camera is composed of main camera (Sony IMX800, 54 MP), telephoto lens (10 MP) and ultra-wide lens (12 MP). The data from the Xiaomi 13 Pro might look familiar to connoisseurs of the Xiaomi 12S Ultra. The same sensor (Sony IMX989, 50 MP) is used for the main camera. The telephoto and ultra-wide-angle lenses are also 50 MP.

Thus, the two models are worlds apart. Camera enthusiasts will enjoy the Pro mode. Here you can probably adjust various settings in the camera app. Videos should be possible up to a resolution of 8K. Third place in terms of camera performance is of course achieved by the Lite version. Thus, the Xiaomi 13 Lite does not only have to do without Leica’s features, but also does not offer the Pro mode.

However, the data should be perfectly sufficient for snapshots in between. A Sony IMX766 with 50 MP is used as the main sensor. This is completed by an ultra-wide-angle lens (8 MP), macro lens (2 MP) and another lens with 8 MP. The camera unit of the Xiaomi 13 Lite also differs significantly from the standard and Pro models in terms of design.

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All three displays with 120 Hz and OLED

While the camera does reveal significant differences between the smartphones, the three devices are very similar when it comes to the display. Xiaomi equips all three models with a chic OLED panel. The standard model measures 6.36 inches and the Xiaomi 13 Lite 6.55 inches. The Pro model, on the other hand, measures 6.73-inches. And that is not the only difference. While the standard and Lite versions rely on a flat display, the 13 Pro offers a slight curvature on the left and right.

The Xiaomi 13 clearly borrows from the current iPhone series in its design. While the notch of the Lite model is clearly reminiscent of the current Pro devices from the Apple iPhone, the design of the chassis of the standard model is. It has become a bit more angular. The Xiaomi 13 and 13 Lite are on par in terms of resolution with 1,080 x 2,400 pixels. However, in view of the difference in display size, the standard model with 414 ppi has the nose in front of the Lite model with 402 ppi.

The front-runner is the Xiaomi 13 Pro, which comes to a proud 521 ppi thanks to its resolution of 1,440 x 3,200 pixels. Standard and Pro models offer a refresh rate of 120 Hz. A maximum brightness of 1,900 cd and the HDR standards Dolby Vision and HDR10+ round off the features. The Lite version is again considerably weaker. It also offers 120 Hz, but only 1,000 cd. Unlike the 13 and 13 Pro, the 13 Lite does not offer protection against dirt and water according to the IP68 standard.

Up to 120 fast charging on the Xiaomi 13 Pro

Things also look good under the hood of the devices. Xiaomi equips the 13 and 13 Pro with a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 from Qualcomm. The power SoC is supported by 8 GB of RAM in the 13 and 12 GB in the 13 Pro. Of course, the Xiaomi 13 Lite’s equipment is a bit weaker. However, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 is a chip whose performance should be sufficient for most users.

The Lite model also comes with 8 GB of RAM. While you can only charge the 4,500 mAh battery of the Xiaomi 13 Lite with a cable, the 13 and 13 Pro can also be charged wirelessly with up to 50 watts. However, it is particularly fast with a cable connection. The 13’s also 4,500 mAh battery can be charged with up to 67 watts just as well as the Lite version. However, both models are clearly outperformed by the Xiaomi 13 Pro in this category. Here, the 4,820 mAh battery can be charged with up to 120 watts of power.

Prices and availability

With the Xiaomi 13, 13 Pro, and 13 Lite, the Chinese tech company could have some real big sellers up its sleeve. Sales of all three devices are scheduled to start on March 8, 2023. The prices of the smartphones diverge considerably. The Xiaomi 13 Lite is the cheapest, which comes with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of flash storage at an MSRP of 499.90 Euros. For the Xiaomi 13 with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of flash storage, on the other hand, the MSRP starts at 999.90 euros. The Pro model with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage costs 1,299.90 Euros. As part of a pre-order, you can get the Instant Photo Printer 1S Set as a gift until March 12, 2023.