Xiaomi’s Redmi Observe portfolio was once synonymous with worth; that is the collection that arrange the model as a serious international participant. Though earlier fashions within the collection have been aimed on the funds phase, Xiaomi modified course final 12 months, pushing the collection as much as the mid-range. In my Redmi Observe 12 Professional+ evaluation, I mentioned Xiaomi’s priorities have been misguided; as a substitute of making an attempt to give attention to the worth, Xiaomi chased after the likes of the Galaxy A54 and Pixel 6a, finally leading to a tool that wasn’t nearly as good an all-rounder as both of these telephones.Â
A 12 months on, not a lot has modified. The Redmi Observe 13 Professional+ has plenty of similarities to its predecessor, and software program annoyances proceed to stay — the gadget is launching in January 2024 with Android 13 out of the field, and whereas Xiaomi launched an overhauled HyperOS, you continue to get MIUI 14 right here. Annoyingly, the identical auxiliary cameras are again for an additional 12 months, they usually’re simply as meaningless this time round.
That mentioned, there are just a few first rate modifications — the cellphone will get an in-screen sensor, a curved AMOLED display screen at a time when different manufacturers are switching to flat panels, and IP68 mud and water resistance. Predictably, the Redmi Observe 13 Professional+ prices greater than final 12 months, so that you’re getting even much less worth. The entire level of the Redmi Observe collection over the past decade was to ship the perfect worth within the funds phase, however that is a distant reminiscence now; Xiaomi is as a substitute chasing loftier targets with the gadget, so let’s examine if it may maintain its personal towards the greatest mid-range telephones.
Redmi Observe 13 Professional+: Worth and launch date
Xiaomi unveiled the Redmi Observe 13 collection in its house market on the finish of 2023, with the units making their international debut in India on January 4, 2024. Like final 12 months, the Redmi Observe 13 Professional+ is the marquee providing, and also you get a 200MP principal digicam, MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Extremely, and a 5000mAh battery with 120W charging.
The Observe 13 Professional+ begins off at ₹31,999 ($385) for the 8GB/256GB model, and there is a 12GB/256GB mannequin that prices ₹33,999 ($409) and a 12GB/512GB version that is ₹35,999 ($433). To place issues into context, the Observe 13 Professional+ prices ₹2,000 greater than its predecessor, placing the gadget firmly within the mid-range phase.
There’s additionally a Redmi Observe 13 Professional that is powered by a Snapdragon 7s Gen 2, and this 12 months, it has the identical 200MP digicam on the again. You additionally get a barely bigger 5100mAh battery with 67W charging, and the gadget prices ₹25,999 ($313) for the 8GB/128GB verison. The 8GB/256GB mannequin retails at ₹27,999 ($337), and the 12GB/256GB version is ₹29,999 ($361). The Observe 13 Professional is ₹1,000 greater than final 12 months, however contemplating you get higher {hardware}, it’s the greatest providing within the collection, and the one I might advocate if you wish to swap.
And we come to the usual Redmi Observe 13. Xiaomi actually must department this gadget out into its personal collection, as a result of it does not have plenty of similarities to the opposite two fashions aside from the design. It has a Dimensity 6080, a 120Hz AMOLED panel that is not as brilliant as the opposite two variations, and a 108MP digicam on the again together with a 5000mAh battery with 33W charging. The Redmi Observe 13 is ₹17,999 ($217) for the 6GB/128GB model, and it prices the identical as final 12 months whereas providing extra reminiscence. The 8GB/256GB mannequin is ₹19,999 ($241), and the 12GB/256GB model is ₹21,999 ($265).
Redmi Observe 13 Professional+: Design
At this level, I might be astonished if Xiaomi did not change the design of its telephones on a yearly foundation. The Redmi Observe 13 Professional+ has a distinct design on the again the place you get giant rings across the particular person digicam modules, and there is not any island this time. This makes the gadget look a little bit cleaner, and the white model appears to be like elegant.
The cellphone is offered in white and black shade choices, and each fashions have a glass again with a window that covers the digicam part and a frosted glass design on the again. Whereas I’d have preferred a two-tone texture to higher illustrate the design, you simply get the identical satin texture all through.
There’s additionally a leather-based variant that appears rather more attention-grabbing, and if you happen to’re eyeing the gadget, I might counsel getting that mannequin. An enormous distinction this 12 months is a 3D curved display screen up entrance, and in consequence you get symmetric curves at the back and front. Greater than the rest, this makes the Redmi Observe 13 Professional+ look much more upmarket than its predecessors, and this design is unique to the Professional+ mannequin — the Observe 13 Professional has a flat panel.
There’s an aluminum mid-frame with a matte end, and there is sufficient thickness on the edges to carry the gadget with none points. Xiaomi says it bolstered the sides of the mid-frame to permit the gadget higher resistance towards tumbles, and I wasn’t capable of take a look at its efficacy within the week I used the gadget. On that notice, the display screen is protected by a layer of Gorilla Glass Victus this time, so it ought to have higher shatter resistance.
What’s significantly nice is that the Redmi Observe 13 Professional+ will get IP68 mud and water resistance as customary — just like different units within the mid-range phase. Xiaomi added IP53 score final 12 months, so it is good to see the model supply full-fledged IP68 with the Observe 13 Professional+, and it makes the gadget resilient to the weather.
The change that I like essentially the most is the inclusion of an in-display fingerprint module; Xiaomi provided a side-mounted reader baked into the ability button final 12 months, so to have an optical fingerprint module that is constructed into the panel is an efficient transfer. The sensor itself is quick to authenticate and dependable, and I did not run into any points on this space. The one annoyance is that it sits low on the display screen — identical to the Vivo X100 Professional and iQOO 12 — so you must awkwardly transfer your thumb when making an attempt to unlock the cellphone one-handed.
The one draw back to the design is that it’s liable to smudging, so you will ideally want to make use of the cellphone with a case. One other level for getting case is that the cellphone wobbles quite a bit when used on a desk because of the digicam modules that jut out of the chassis. In any other case, the Redmi Observe 13 Professional+ ticks all the appropriate packing containers; it has a premium design that appears nice, and it is without doubt one of the best-looking mid-range telephones obtainable at this time.
Redmi Observe 13 Professional+: Show
Xiaomi made plenty of modifications on this space, and whilst you nonetheless get the identical 6.67-inch measurement, that is the one similarity to final 12 months’s gadget. The panel is considerably brighter — going as much as 1,800 nits in HDR content material — and it does a a lot better job open air as nicely. You additionally get a better decision, with the panel now providing 2712 x 1220 and a pixel density of 446ppi.
However the largest change is the way in which the display screen is designed; you now get a twin curved panel with a 25-degree curvature, and that makes issues very attention-grabbing. I like utilizing telephones with curved screens, so I did not thoughts the Redmi Observe 13 Professional+ in any respect; there’s nonetheless greater than sufficient room to carry the gadget, and the curved sides make navigating the interface simpler.
Coloration vibrancy is nice, and also you get the power to tweak the colour steadiness to your liking. You get the standard set of options, together with an always-on mode that permits you to arrange distinctive types, and a devoted studying mode. Like each different Xiaomi cellphone, the Redmi Observe 13 Professional+ is about to 60Hz out of the field, so you will have to enter the settings to modify to 120Hz.
Streaming content material appears to be like significantly good on the Observe 13 Professional+ (it has Widevine L1), and also you get first rate stereo sound. The bezels are thinner than final 12 months, and the curved panel makes the Observe 13 Professional+ that rather more immersive when enjoying video games or streaming content material on the gadget. The display screen is less complicated on the eyes as nicely because of 1,920Hz PWM dimming, and that is an space the place Xiaomi and different Chinese language manufacturers normally are doing all the appropriate issues.
Redmi Observe 13 Professional+: Efficiency and battery
Latest Redmi Observe units weren’t precisely nice at gaming, with Xiaomi as a substitute prioritizing day by day use. That was to do with the outdated {hardware}; the Redmi Observe 12 Professional+ got here with a Dimensity 1080, which was a rebadged model of the Dimensity 920 that was on the Observe 11 Professional+.
Clearly, an overhaul was crucial, and fortunately, Xiaomi is providing {hardware} upgrades this time round. The Observe 13 Professional+ is powered by the Dimensity 7200 Extremely, and it’s constructed on a 4nm node, delivering a lot better effectivity figures. It additionally has a mix of the Arm v9 Cortex A715 and A510 cores, and a Mali-G610 with 4 shader cores.
The distinction is instantly noticeable, and the Observe 13 Professional+ is a lot better at dealing with intensive video games. It is also nice at multi-tasking, and I did not see any slowdowns within the week I used the gadget. Xiaomi does not permit 3DMark and CrossMark to run on its units, so I am not capable of share stability scores, however in real-world testing, I seen the Dimensity 7200 throttling after about quarter-hour of use, nevertheless it nonetheless provided playable framerates. The cellphone will get heat throughout gaming periods, however not uncomfortably so.
After utilizing outdated storage modules within the final two releases, Xiaomi is providing UFS 3.1 storage modules on the Observe 13 Professional+, and that is good to see. There’s Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, and NFC, and also you get a good vibration motor that delivers good suggestions. It is not wherever as detailed because the one on the Xiaomi 13 Extremely, however that is comprehensible.
The Redmi Observe 13 Professional+ has the identical 5000mAh battery as final 12 months, and also you get the identical 120W charging tech. Due to the extra environment friendly Dimensity 7200, the cellphone manages to final a little bit longer in day by day use, and also you simply recover from a day’s value of energy out of a full cost. Even with heavy use, you do not have to fret concerning the battery working out earlier than the top of the day.
The bundled 120W charger takes simply over 24 minutes to cost the battery, and like earlier years, you will want to enter the cellphone settings to allow Enhance charging mode to unlock the gadget’s potential. The cellphone hits 50% after charging for simply eight minutes, going as much as 80% on the 15-minute mark.
Redmi Observe 13 Professional+: Cameras
Xiaomi is utilizing a 200MP digicam on the again of the Redmi Observe 13 Professional+, and this time, we get Samsung’s HP3 module with an f/1.65 lens and 1/1.4-inch sensor measurement. The most important annoyance is what Xiaomi hasn’t modified on this space; the identical points that plagued the Observe 12 Professional+ are again right here. There isn’t any capacity to shoot 4K video at 60fps, and that is ridiculous on a tool that prices this a lot.
The auxiliary cameras are the identical as nicely, and also you get a 8MP wide-angle lens that is adequate in daylight conditions, and a 2MP macro that is nearly essentially the most ineffectual sensor ever used on a cellphone. The truth that Xiaomi continues to supply this module 12 months after 12 months ought to inform you volumes about how a lot suggestions it truly listens to lately.
The digicam interface itself hasn’t modified shortly, and also you get all of the capturing modes in a ribbon on the backside. There isn’t any zoom lens right here, however you rise up to 4x digital zoom, however that is not definitely worth the trouble more often than not.
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Daylight photographs look actually good, and the cellphone delivers nice dynamic vary and correct colours that do not look too saturated. Like different units that use the 200MP digicam, photographs are binned to 12.5MP, and also you get the power to shoot 50MP photographs, which have noticeably higher element. The cellphone does a good job in low-light conditions as nicely, providing good shade rendition.
Nevertheless, there are points whereas focusing in on a topic, and there is seen noise — the Night time mode delivers cleaner photographs in difficult eventualities, however you will have to put in a little bit effort. Truthfully, not a lot has modified from final 12 months, and whilst you get barely higher colours, the digicam does not come near the brilliance of the Pixel 7a and even the Nothing Cellphone (2).
The 8MP wide-angle module takes first rate photographs offered the lighting is sweet, however you may simply make out inconsistencies while you zoom in, and the colour steadiness is a little bit off. It does not measure up in low-light conditions, and the cellphone would have been higher served by a higher-quality module.
Xiaomi ought to have centered its consideration on this space, as a result of because it stands, you will not be shopping for the Redmi Observe 13 Professional+ due to its cameras.
Redmi Observe 13 Professional+: Software program
I will hold this part comparatively quick, as a result of there is not a lot to speak about on the software program aspect of issues. The Redmi Observe 13 Professional+ runs Android 13 out of the field, and also you get the identical MIUI 14 that is obtainable on most Xiaomi units at this time. Though Xiaomi unveiled HyperOS on the finish of final 12 months, you aren’t getting the software program on the model’s newest units.
I simply do not see why Xiaomi did not supply HyperOS out of the field as a substitute of MIUI. The official line is that HyperOS continues to be being examined, and Xiaomi needed to work out the kinks, however that logic doesn’t make sense when there are different units within the Xiaomi portfolio launching with the brand new UI.
The most effective clarification is that Xiaomi doesn’t need to supply Android 14 out of the field, as that might imply the model wants to supply a further 12 months of software program updates. This has been a longstanding level of rivalry, and whereas it was considerably excusable prior to now as these units have been aimed on the funds phase, there is not any cause to take action now — significantly after they value a lot.
Due to Xiaomi’s asinine insurance policies, you get the identical MIUI 14 construct that you will be accustomed to if you happen to’ve used a Xiaomi or POCO cellphone within the final 12 months. It has the identical quantity of bloatware out of the field, the identical annoying reminiscence administration points, and the identical overt customization that makes it annoying to make use of.
MIUI was in want of an overhaul for just a few years now, and I used to be intrigued to see what Xiaomi would do with HyperOS. Not having the ability to use it right here undermines Xiaomi’s credibility within the collection; even the model does not assume these units are worthy of the improve. Heck, even the POCO X6 Professional is launching globally with HyperOS, and that ought to inform you how a lot Xiaomi values the Observe 13 collection.
Coming to software program updates, Xiaomi says it should roll out three assured Android OS updates to the Observe 13 Professional+ — yet one more than final 12 months. That is good to listen to, and it means the gadget will make the swap to Android 15 when that turns into obtainable. The draw back is that you will have a prolonged wait; there is not any telling when the gadget will decide up the replace.
Redmi Observe 13 Professional+: The competitors
Clearly, any dialog across the mid-range phase has to contain Google’s Pixel 7a. The cellphone continues to be my go-to suggestion on this class, and whilst you do not essentially get the perfect {hardware}, it has the perfect software program of any mid-range gadget, and the cameras are in a league of their very own. It’s smaller and lighter than the Redmi Observe 13 Professional+, and also you solely get 128GB of storage and a 4385mAh battery with 18W charging, however all of those do not actually matter when you think about the cameras on supply and the clear software program.
The Nothing Cellphone (2) can also be an important alternative, and it equally has a bloat-free software program with plenty of helpful extras. It additionally has highly effective {hardware}, comes with nice cameras, and ha a 4500mAh battery with 45W charging. The most effective half is the design, with the distinctive see-through aesthetic standing out in a sea of similar-looking units.
Each the Pixel 7a and Cellphone (2) can be found for ₹39,999 ($481), and that is chunk costlier than what you will find yourself paying for Xiaomi’s mid-range cellphone. That mentioned, you’re getting units which can be objectively higher.
Redmi Observe 13 Professional+: Must you purchase it?
You can purchase this if:
- You desire a handsome mid-range cellphone
- You want first rate {hardware}
- You desire a vibrant AMOLED panel
- You want IP68 ingress safety
- You need good battery life and ultra-fast charging
You should not purchase this if:
- You need current software program and well timed updates
- You want a cellphone that takes good movies
- You desire a cellphone with worth
- You want versatile cameras
The Redmi Observe 13 Professional+ has the identical software program foibles that plagued its predecessor; the cellphone is launching with MIUI, and it runs Android 13 out of the field. There isn’t any telling when Android 14 will roll out to the gadget, and whereas Xiaomi says it should ship the construct in Q1 2024, I am unsure it may truly make good on that promise — the Observe 12 Professional+ did not swap to Android 13 till Q2 2023.
Sure, the {hardware} issues fairly a bit, and the Redmi Observe 13 Professional+ has quite a bit to love in that space. The curved AMOLED panel is nice to make use of, the gadget is rather more highly effective, and also you get an in-screen sensor and IP68 ingress safety. But it surely’s the software program that dictates how lengthy you may truly use a cellphone, and Xiaomi’s underhanded ways finally means you will be looking for a brand new cellphone in two years’ time.
The Redmi Observe 13 Professional+ is not a foul cellphone as such, nevertheless it’s going up towards extremely robust rivals that provide a lot better software program and excellent cameras. There actually is not a single trait that differentiates the gadget, and finally, that is its largest disadvantage.
