Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Before I put my SIM card in the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus , I had see several reports and YouTube picture take it would be a great leverage if you did n’t require to buy an expensive smartphone like theSamsung Galaxy S24or even theApple iPhone 15 Pro Max . Wow , I thought : It must bereallyspecial . While it ’s not specially cheap , the late Redmi phone does expect like a good value , at least on paper .
Well , it isquitegood , but there ’s absolutely no ground to buy it if you’re able to stretch to a more expensive phone . Although it has n’t been any problem , I ’m itch to interchange to a different phone , and it ’s one that costs on the button the same amount of money to grease one’s palms . The reason why is n’t to do with the specs as such but to do with aliveness with the phone .
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
It’s not all about the numbers
Numbers are the basis of many disceptation about why midrange phones like the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus are a scheming steal instead of a lush model like aGalaxy S24 PlusoriPhone 15 . The Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus has a fully grown 6.67 - in screen , a 200 - megapixel main camera , a 5,000mAh barrage fire , and a 120W fast charger . Impressive , bignumbers that can even shame more expensive phones when compared to each other on paper .
It ’s very well-to-do to get distracted by this during efforts to reduce the most important number need in purchase a new phone — the Leontyne Price . The Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus cost 450 British pound , or around $ 570 , which is half that of theGoogle Pixel 8 Proand theiPhone 15 Pro . Neither of those has 120W charging , so we ’re distinctly being ripped off , and brands like Xiaomi ( which owns the Redmi brand ) are doing us all a favor by exposing it .
But what the numbers do n’t tell you is what the phone is like to use every sidereal day . I ’m not about to bash the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus ; it ’s really quite unspoiled , but I do need to point out that by spend more , the calibre of life with your chosen twist is increased , and friction is decreased . Yes , friction , as the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus can really make things hard some days , and who wants to add that to their life ?
Wide angleAndy Boxall / Digital Trends
A great screen, with missing features
The Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus has a 6.67 - inch AMOLED projection screen with a 2712 x 1220 pixel resolution and a 120Hz refresh charge per unit and is covered in Gorilla Glass Victus . It ’s promising and detailed enough , although it is a little cold compared to the cosy warmth of the iPhone 15 Pro ’s screen . Outside in the sun , it sire very bright when you aerate Sunlight mood ( although you have to do this manually , and I ’ve no idea why it ’s not automatic ) . Although it stretches to a 120Hz refresh rate , it does n’t reduce it down far enough to preserve electric battery animation .
However , for the most part , none of this really bothers me . Far more egregious is the deficiency of an always - on ambient display . I consider this to be an essential feature on any phone , regardless of terms , provide the technology enable it . I ca n’t see any cause why the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus omits it and only allows it to show on - need . It’sannoying on Motorola phonesand vexation here , too .
I just need to see the notice I may have omit when I seem at the phone ’s screen without get to exploit it or press the king button . Why ? When I strain on the Redmi Note 13 Pro , the typeface recognition prove to kick in , and if it does n’t see me , it forces me to unlock the phone manually just to see the notifications . It happens on a regular basis , and the phone gets very confused , resulting in a retardation . This is friction , and it could all be avoided if the ambient presentation was on all the time .
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The camera is excellent but with a catch
I ’ve been really impressed with the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus ’s 200MP primary camera and the photos it accept . It ’s almost the phone ’s Jesus , as I enjoy the colouring , the balanced direct contrast and exposure , and the amount of item in good light . It even performs well at night . If I only ever wanted to take photograph with the main television camera , the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus would meet me .
Except I do n’t , and the other camera on the headphone are a little disappointing . Adding a 2MP macro camera is much unforgivable these day . Although I care the tone and colors of photos adopt with the 8MP wide - slant camera , it does miss detail when you look nearly . While I do n’t shoot much video , it maxes out at 30 frames - per - minute ( fps ) at 4 K resolution , and the lineament is n’t very good either . The camera looks nifty on newspaper , but it does n’t quite know up to the hope when you examine it more closely .
The main photographic camera is the only one I ’d ever regularly use on the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus , and that seems like a waste , as the stipulation is in spades betray something greater . That said , although the spec appears the same as the Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus , the 13 Pro Plus ’s camerais a considerable improvement . It ’s my favorite part of the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus , but I also know other phones are equally near or even better .
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Very fast charging
Very fast charging is technically exciting — the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus ’s battery took just 23 minutes to get to 100 % in my test — and can be extremely helpful , but not everyone will find it so . I charge my earpiece overnight , so ultimately , it does n’t count if it take in 23 minutes or five hours to lodge it fully . I find good power efficiency more appealing , and I ’ve recently break that thelatest , highest - spec mainframe excel at it .
Better efficiency can offset out the need for fast charge all , as it modulate power consumption base on your habit and potentially put out electric battery life out into multiple day . This does n’t materialise with the Redmi 13 Pro Plus — I ’ve made the barrage last for two full day on a undivided charge , though — in the same way as it does with theOnePlus 12orGalaxy S24 Ultra . Do n’t get caught up in the numbers racket concern to charging ; think about how you apply your earphone before getting sell on a feature you may not always utilize .
Outdated and frustrating software
No matter how much money I spend on a Modern smartphone , I desire to see the latest version of the operating system installed on it . The Redmi Note 13 Pro has the MIUI 14 interface , which may make you think it’sAndroid 14underneath , but it ’s not . Instead , this unexampled phone runs Android 13 . There ’s just no exculpation for it , regardless of whether there ’s that much difference between Android 13 and 14 . It ’s a 2024 smartphone , and it should have the late interpretation of Android installed .
Xiaomi ’s software update schedule is brusk than on many more expensive phones , but it ’s slightly more understandable give the damage and likelihood of someone hold back it for many years . But there ’s no ground why the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus does n’t have Android 14 . Well , no ripe reasonfor a consumer , but Xiaomi will be look at how many update it has promised to bid and also when it plan to send out its new HyperOS package as rationality to keep back back .
But much spoilt than this is the overall experience . I do n’t desire to think about the software too much , and I ’m forced to do so on the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus . There ’s a lot of friction . When you set up a PIN or adjust other important circumstance , the clit to move to the next step has a timekeeper to ensure you ’ve read itevery single time . Apps appear over multiple home screens even though I tell them not to do so , Android buttons and not motion are still the nonpayment control system , the notification shade is split into two and awkward to use with one hand , there are so many pre - installed apps , and ads with a timer appear when I go to convert the wallpaper . I ’m looking for a far simpler life than this .
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
What else is there?
The Redmi Note 13 Pro is a undecomposed smartphone , but it ’s not always much play to live with . The one smartphone I ’m scratch to swop to from the Redmi Note 13 professional , because it solve almost all my thwarting with the Redmi phone , is theGoogle Pixel 7a . It ’s the same price , has better , newer Android 14 software , an always - on display , an every bit up to camera , and I do n’t really bear in mind about the charging speed .
If my budget could stretch a little further , theNothing Phone 2has bags of personality , a strong C.P.U. , a decent photographic camera , and playfulness computer software based on Android 14 . Or , the next step up would be theGoogle Pixel 8 , which has all the Pixel 7a ’s good , with themuch improved Tensor G3 central processor . I love phone that volunteer great time value for money , and all these do a good business , including the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus . But I ’m less keen on those that introduce unwanted friction into my living . lamentably , the Redmi speech sound does lend a picayune too much of it , and it ’s something the spectacles will never be able to tell you .
Wide angleAndy Boxall / Digital Trends
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
