Xiaomi’s imaging efforts bought a giant enhance final 12 months due to its partnership with Leica, however the first product to function Leica’s software program tuning — the Xiaomi 12S Ultra — was restricted to its house market. Xiaomi acknowledged on the time that it might launch its successor globally, and the Xiaomi 13 Pro served as an preliminary preview of the collaboration earlier this 12 months.But with the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, we’re getting a significantly better have a look at the place this partnership is headed, and what it really brings to the desk. Without shopping for the lede an excessive amount of, the 13 Ultra shouldn’t be solely Xiaomi’s greatest cellphone so far, however can be essentially the most versatile digicam cellphone you should purchase in 2023. The mixture of quad 50MP cameras together with important tweaks to picture processing — little question facilitated by Leica — make the 13 Ultra an actual powerhouse.I known as the Galaxy S23 Ultra my favourite cellphone of 2023, however after utilizing the Xiaomi 13 Ultra for over a month, I’m able to amend that assertion. What Xiaomi has managed to create is really unimaginable, and whereas the 13 Ultra is not accessible in as many markets as I’d like and can get one fewer software program replace than Samsung’s telephones, it’s nonetheless a really excellent cellphone. If you are searching for a flagship with superb cameras, you may love what’s on provide right here.About this evaluateI’m scripting this evaluate after utilizing the Xiaomi 13 Ultra for greater than a month in Hyderabad, India. Xiaomi despatched over the Chinese model of the gadget for testing, and it did not embody the Play Store or different Google providers out of the field. Two weeks into the testing window, the model despatched the worldwide construct that is accessible on retail units bought in Germany, Italy, and different international markets (MIUI 14.0.4.0.TMAEUXM), and that is the model I used for testing the software program and cameras.Xiaomi 13 Ultra: Pricing and availability(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Xiaomi unveiled the 13 Ultra in China again in April, and the cellphone made its international debut on June 12. It is occurring sale beginning June 21 in choose international markets, together with Germany, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and extra. Xiaomi is promoting the 13 Ultra in a single model with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, and it is occurring sale for €1,499 ($1,615).Xiaomi has confirmed that it does not plan to convey the 13 Ultra to India — its greatest abroad markets — and like the remainder of the model’s cellphone portfolio, the gadget is not heading to North America.Xiaomi 13 Ultra: Design(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Xiaomi likes to modify the design of its telephones with each technology, however the Xiaomi 13 Ultra shares numerous similarities to its predecessor. It has a leather-based again and a round digicam island on the again with gold accents, and I’m glad Xiaomi retained this design — that outsized digicam module instantly grabs consideration, and the gold ring across the housing offers the cellphone numerous visible aptitude.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)While it is utilizing the identical leather-based end, issues are somewhat totally different this time. The leather-based does not prolong to the mid-frame because it did on the 12S Ultra; it as an alternative ends just a few millimeters away from the sting, and the curve that extends to the mid-frame has the identical metallic end as the remainder of the chassis.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Because of the sheer measurement of the digicam housing, it protrudes a substantial quantity from the chassis — greater than some other cellphone I’ve used so far — and to its credit score, Xiaomi tried to offset this by elevating the edges across the digicam housing. The digicam island creates a two-degree incline when the cellphone is laying flat on a floor, and its outsized design works to its benefit right here — you aren’t getting any wobble.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)I used to be anxious about weight distribution, however Xiaomi did an incredible job guaranteeing the cellphone does not really feel top-heavy. The cellphone is simply 7g lighter than the Galaxy S23 Ultra, however it’s 3.5mm narrower, and that makes an enormous distinction in each day use. The 13 Ultra is on the market in three colours — inexperienced, white, and black — and when you’re eyeing this cellphone, I’d counsel going with the inexperienced choice. I bought the black variant for testing, and whereas I just like the design, it does not stand out fairly as a lot because the inexperienced colour.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Another usability-focused change is the mid-frame; like Samsung, Xiaomi decreased the curvature on the edges, so that you get somewhat extra room to carry the gadget. The mid-frame has a matte texture that feels nice, and the gadget seems each bit as premium as its price ticket suggests.Image 1 of 3(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)You’ll discover the facility and quantity buttons on the appropriate, and so they have nice tactile suggestions. There’s the standard IR blaster positioned on the high, and also you get the dual-SIM card slot on the backside. Xiaomi hasn’t omitted any extras both, and the 13 Ultra comes with IP68 mud and water resistance.Overall, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra is without doubt one of the best-looking telephones out there. The in-hand really feel of the gadget is significantly better than official renders would counsel, and the big digicam mixed with the leather-based again and gold accents give the gadget a presence you will not discover wherever else.Xiaomi 13 Ultra: Screen(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Xiaomi has a protracted historical past of providing well-calibrated AMOLED screens on its high-end telephones, and it is no totally different this time round. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra encompasses a 6.73-inch AMOLED panel with 120Hz refresh and a QHD+ decision of 3200 x 1440. There’s 1,920Hz PWM dimming, so it ought to be well-suited to these with PWM sensitivity, and it has HDR10+ in addition to Dolby Vision.After utilizing the gadget in a very sizzling summer time, I had zero points with brightness ranges in out of doors use. The display screen goes as much as 1,300 nits in auto mode, and it exceeds that determine when viewing HDR content material. Like one of the best Xiaomi telephones, you get LTPO tech right here, and it dynamically modifications the display screen’s refresh from 1Hz to 120Hz in response to on-screen content material.Xiaomi obstinately refuses to allow the 120Hz mode out of the field, so you may want to enter the settings and manually change it. It’s the same story with decision; the default is 1080p, and you will must manually change it to QHD+ to take full benefit of the panel’s potential. The display screen itself is without doubt one of the greatest round, providing beautiful colours and distinction ranges.Image 1 of two(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)As all the time, there’s numerous customizability on the subject of the display screen, and also you get three colour modes on the 13 Ultra: Original color Pro, Vivid, and Saturated. Vivid adjusts the colour steadiness based mostly on the content material on the display screen, and I discovered the Original color Pro mode to be splendid in my use case. You additionally get the power to tweak the colour steadiness individually, change to hotter or cooler hues, and dynamically regulate colours based mostly on ambient gentle.MIUI has a good always-on mode, and it’s unchanged. You get quantity of customization choices right here as effectively, together with analog and digital clocks, and the power to arrange your individual sample.Xiaomi has led the sector on the subject of stereo sound on its telephones over the past three years, and the 13 Ultra has a balanced configuration that delivers stellar onboard sound. It will get loud and detailed, and it mechanically switches channels based mostly on orientation of the cellphone. The equivalent channels on the high and backside produce a energetic sound that is nice for streaming content material or taking part in video games, and I had zero points on this space.Xiaomi 13 Ultra: Hardware and battery(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is powered by Qualcomm’s newest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. It is a recognized amount at this level, and I used over a dozen units powered by the chipset. Like different telephones that function the silicon, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra handles every little thing Android can throw at it with easy class — whether or not that is multitasking, visually-intensive gaming, or prolonged gaming periods.Swipe to scroll horizontallyCategoryXiaomi 13 UltraOSMIUI 14 based mostly on Android 13Display6.73-inch 120Hz QHD+ (3200×1440) LTPO AMOLED, Gorilla Glass Victus ChipsetQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, 1 x 3.2GHz Cortex X3, 2 x 2.8GHz Cortex A715, 2 x 2.8GHz Cortex A710, 3 x 2.0GHz Cortex A510, Adreno 740, 4nmRAM12GB LPDDR5XStorage512GB UFS 4.0Rear digicam 150MP 1-inch f/1.9 and f/4.0 Sony IMX989, 1.6um pixels, OIS, 8K at 24fps, 4K at 60fps, Dolby VisionRear digicam 250MP f/1.8 Sony IMX858, wide-angle lens, 122-degree FoVRear digicam 350MP f/1.8 Sony IMX858, telephoto with OIS, 3.2x optical zoomRear digicam 450MP f/3.0 Sony IMX858, telephoto with OIS, 5x optical zoomFront digicam32MP fastened focus, 1080p videoIngress protectionIP68 mud and water resistanceSecurityIn-screen optical fingerprint module, face unlockAudioStereo sound, USB-C, AptX suite, 24-bit/192kHz audioConnectivityGlobal Sub-6 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, NFCBattery5000mAh, 90W wired charging, 50W wi-fi charging, 10W reverse wi-fi chargingDimensions163.2 x 74.6 x 9.1mm, 227gColorsOlive Green, Black, WhiteThere is not noticeable overheating both, and the cellphone did not lag or stutter within the month I used it. While Xiaomi presents a number of reminiscence and storage configurations of the 13 Ultra in its house market — I’m utilizing the 16GB/512GB variant — the worldwide mannequin is bought in a single 12GB/512GB model, and that is greater than satisfactory. As is the case with different high-end telephones, you get LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage modules right here.Rounding out the {hardware}, there’s international Sub-6 5G bands, Wi-Fi 6e with Wi-Fi 7 coming through a future OTA replace, Bluetooth 5.3, the total suite of AptX codecs, GPS radios for varied programs, and NFC. There actually is not something lacking on the {hardware} aspect of issues, and the 13 Ultra is simply as quick and fluid because the 13 Pro, Galaxy S23 Ultra, and different 2023 flagships.One space the place Xiaomi continues to do effectively is haptics; you get an x-axis vibration motor on the 13 Ultra that delivers wonderful suggestions whereas utilizing the keyboard and navigation gestures, and it makes a giant distinction in each day use. On that word, the in-screen optical fingerprint sensor is ideally positioned on the entrance, and it’s quick to authenticate.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Battery anxiousness hasn’t been a difficulty on any cellphone I utilized in 2023, and that is true for the Xiaomi 13 Ultra as effectively. The cellphone has a 5000mAh battery that is divided into two cells, and has 90W wired charging together with 50W wi-fi charging and 10W reverse wi-fi charging. I bought effectively over six hours of screen-on-time over the course of the day persistently, and I by no means needed to fear about enabling the Power Saver mode even on days with heavy utilization.It took 42 minutes to totally cost the gadget, and I bought to the 50% mark inside 15 minutes and 85% in beneath 30 minutes. Although these figures aren’t as quick because the 120W charging tech on the Xiaomi 13 Pro, it’s in step with most telephones out there as we speak, and a far sight higher than the Galaxy S23 Ultra or some other Samsung cellphone.Like earlier generations, Xiaomi makes use of the usual USB 3.0 PD charging tech, and also you get a 90W charger bundled within the package deal. The charger hits 90W over the PD normal, making it that rather more versatile to be used with different merchandise.Xiaomi 13 Ultra: Cameras(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Obviously, the digicam is the most important space of focus with the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, and the cellphone is packing critical {hardware} on this entrance. It is rocking 4 50MP cameras on the again, with the first 50MP module that includes the Sony IMX989 sensor. This is similar 1-inch sensor that was used within the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, Xiaomi 13 Pro, and Vivo’s X90 Pro, and it’s phenomenal.In a novel addition, Xiaomi went with variable f/1.9 and f/4.0 for the first lens, providing you with the power to change the depth of area to a noticeable diploma. This sensor has giant 1.6um pixels, OIS, and lets you shoot 8K video at 24fps in addition to 10-bit Dolby Vision footage.Xiaomi is utilizing the identical Sony IMX858 module on the opposite three 50MP cameras, with the wide-angle lens providing a 122-degree area of view. You get twin 50MP telephoto lenses, and each have OIS — the first f/1.8 telephoto goes as much as 3.2x optical zoom, and the secondary f/3.0 lens hits 5x optical zoom. The viewfinder permits you to go as much as a 120x zoom issue by leveraging digital zoom, and when you nonetheless get usable pictures at this degree, they clearly lack numerous element.Xiaomi is switching issues up on the digicam interface. You’ll discover the standard set of capturing modes specified by a grid on the backside, and there are toggles for the varied lenses, Google Lens, flash, HDR, and wonder results. The Leica collaboration sees purple accents within the interface, together with two capturing modes — Leica Authentic and Leica Vibrant. You’ll want to pick out one in every of these modes, and there is the power to modify between the 2 through a devoted toggle.The change within the UI has to do with the extra settings; they’re now simply accessible through a pull-down gesture, and you will find the flash, gridlines, AI-assisted options, macro mode, movement monitoring, tilt-shift, timer, and different modes right here. You may go to the total settings web page through this overlay menu, and it is a extra elegant resolution to what Xiaomi has supplied previously.You get a good variety of capturing modes in addition to the power to shoot full-res 50MP photographs, and Xiaomi’s Pro mode is among the many greatest within the business. There’s a Director mode that unlocks attention-grabbing use instances and allows you to join exterior tablets to make use of as a viewfinder — just like Filmic’s function.Image 1 of 13(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)I used the Leica Vibrant mode for all of the pictures because it delivers richly saturated colours with good distinction ranges. Xiaomi did job balancing the vibrancy of the colours and never going overboard, and whereas I additionally just like the Authentic mode, the truth that it provides a vignette to all pictures makes it usable solely in choose conditions. Regardless of no matter mode you select, you may get wonderful dynamic vary and element rendition, with the 13 Ultra doing a superb job with foliage, inanimate objects, and dialing in on transferring objects.It’s the auxiliary cameras that deserve numerous reward right here. The wide-angle lens delivers photographs of the identical caliber as the first 50MP module, and the 122-degree FoV means you get spectacular pictures in any scenario. Similarly, the twin 50MP telephoto lenses are excellent, and so they do job minimizing noise ranges and preserving element. What’s significantly nice is how effectively the auxiliary cameras maintain up in low-light circumstances; the wide-angle holds its personal in opposition to its rivals on this section, and the telephoto lenses produce pictures with good colours and element.Having used the IMX989 on just a few telephones, I knew what kind of pictures I’d get out of the 13 Ultra at evening, and the cellphone managed to ship on this space. It is without doubt one of the strongest cameras in low-light eventualities, providing wonderful element and correct colours and minimal noise ranges — even in scenes with little to no gentle. Night mode kicks in mechanically when the ambient gentle goes beneath a threshold, and it does a stellar job managing highlights and shadows, eking out loads of element.Xiaomi added numerous tweaks on the video aspect of issues as effectively, and all 4 lenses can shoot 4K video at 60fps. The Steady video mode does an incredible job stabilizing footage, nevertheless it’s restricted to 1080p at 30fps. Rounding issues off on this part, the 32MP selfie digicam is unchanged from earlier generations, and is respectable sufficient. It is proscribed to 1080p video and lacks autofocus, nevertheless it manages to take good photographs in most conditions.To sum it up, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra presents one of the best general digicam package deal of any cellphone in 2023. The mixture of the quad 50MP lenses and the standard of the resultant photographs in difficult conditions enable it to face out from the Galaxy S23 Ultra and the Pixel 7 Pro. Right now, the 13 Ultra presents essentially the most versatile set of cameras you may get on any cellphone as we speak. Xiaomi 13 Ultra: Software(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)There is not a lot to speak about on the software program aspect of issues. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra comes with MIUI 14.0.4 based mostly on Android 13 out of the field, and the interface is just about equivalent to MIUI 13. Xiaomi did not roll out many user-facing modifications this time, as an alternative specializing in optimizing the framework to make use of fewer assets and decrease the storage used up by the pores and skin.While that is a much-needed change and it makes the 13 Ultra really feel fluid in each day use, I’d have appreciated to see just a few noteworthy options as effectively. Don’t get me improper; there’s a lot to love in MIUI, and also you get numerous customizability, however the UI is beginning to look somewhat dated in opposition to the likes of ColorOS 13, and Xiaomi is but so as to add any significant Material You prospers to the UI.(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)What I do like is that there is much less bloatware pre-installed than earlier variations, and you will not discover any advertisements in anyway. Samsung nonetheless sends out push notifications promoting the S23 Ultra on my S23 Ultra, and I’m glad Xiaomi is not doing this anymore. Furthermore, you get the power to uninstall most system apps, and that is good to see.My major problem with MIUI is Xiaomi’s perspective in direction of software program updates. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra will get three Android OS updates and 4 years of safety updates, and that is not on par with the Galaxy S23 Ultra or the model’s Chinese rivals. Xiaomi has additionally lagged behind different manufacturers on the subject of rolling out platform updates, and this is a matter that must be addressed.Xiaomi 13 Ultra: The alternate options(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)Xiaomi goes after Samsung with the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, so the S23 Ultra is the apparent various to the gadget. Samsung’s 2023 flagship has a terrific display screen, the most recent inside {hardware}, excellent cameras, long-lasting battery, and essentially the most feature-rich software program on Android. The width of the cellphone makes it somewhat unwieldy to make use of, however to Samsung’s credit score, the model made noticeable tweaks to the design to make it simpler to carry and use. The 13 Ultra manages to outdo the S23 Ultra in just a few eventualities, however the greatest limitation is availability in key international markets, and the truth that it will not get as many software program updates as Samsung’s cellphone.The Xiaomi 13 Pro is a good selection as effectively, and when you miss out on the 5x lens, it delivers stellar photographs and has a beautiful design made out of ceramic. It’s a bit extra inexpensive than the 13 Ultra, and whereas it lacks the identical form of presence, it delivers many of the identical options whereas costing €200 ($215) much less. Xiaomi 13 Ultra: Should you purchase it?(Image credit score: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)You can buy this if:You need a cellphone that may tackle the Galaxy S23 Ultra however in a smaller measurementYou want terrific main and auxiliary cameras with plenty of helpful optionsYou intend to shoot numerous videoYou want wonderful battery life and ultra-fast charging techYou need the most recent inside {hardware} and all of the extrasYou should not purchase this if:You need the identical variety of software program updates because the Galaxy S23 UltraYou dwell in North America or IndiaXiaomi is throwing down the gauntlet with the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, and it’s simply one of the best cellphone from the model but. It makes use of final 12 months’s Xiaomi 12S Ultra as a basis however presents significant upgrades that give it a definite edge, and one of the best half is that it’s launching globally — albeit in a extra selective record of areas than common.The major focus is clearly the cameras, and Xiaomi did all the appropriate issues on this space. By providing 4 50MP lenses and loads of capturing modes, the 13 Ultra manages to supply a degree of versatility that you just simply do not get with some other cellphone as we speak. The tweaks to the digicam tuning have paid off dividends, and the caliber of pictures you may get out of this cellphone are among the many greatest within the business.I additionally just like the design fairly a bit — renders do not do that cellphone justice. The display screen, {hardware}, battery life, and charging tech are all top-notch, and finally, the one factor that holds the cellphone again is availability. While it’s launching in international markets, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra is not accessible in India or North America, and that makes it ineligible to a large swathe of consumers. But when you’re in a rustic the place Xiaomi is formally promoting the gadget, you must think about giving it an opportunity over the Galaxy S23 Ultra — I did, and I beloved the outcomes.
With quad 50MP cameras on the again and a beautiful design, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra delivers among the finest general packages you should purchase as we speak.