Xiaomi began as a cheap brand, but its ambitions have propelled it into the luxury market. The Mi series was the starting point, and the Mi 11 Ultra was the first to show us its initial steps. Nevertheless, when the business chose to collaborate with camera manufacturer Leica, the entire concept became more serious. The Xiaomi 12S Ultra demonstrated the pairing's potential, but it was confined to the Chinese market.

Xiaomi began as a cheap brand, but its ambitions have propelled it into the luxury market. The Mi series was the starting point, and the Mi 11 Ultra was the first to show us its initial steps

Now, in 2023, you can finally check out Leica's skills on a Xiaomi phone with the Xiaomi 13 series, notably the Xiaomi 13 Pro, which costs Rs 79,999 in India. When people hear the word premium, they immediately think of Samsung, Google, and Apple. Will Xiaomi shatter its image as a mid-range brand with the Xiaomi 13 Pro, making everyone sit up and take notice? We called for several weeks to find out.

WHAT IS COOL ABOUT THE XIAOMI 13 PRO REVIEW?
The Xiaomi 13 Pro takes the Mi 11 Ultra's ceramic coating, which gives it a premium feel. The phone is available in black and white, and the build quality appears to be strong, but its general weight distribution ensures that even at 209 grammes, it is not bulky. The camera module is difficult to use since so much technology is housed behind the display. The power and volume controls are on the right side, and the frame has a superior finish.

But the riches don't stop there; the screen has a curved E6 AMOLED display with QHD+ resolution capability and a 120Hz adaptive LTPO 3.0 screen. Xiaomi boasts that the screen has a peak brightness of 1900 nits, and we found that to be true throughout our time with the phone.

The colours are vibrant and bold, and the AMOLED works its magic on the high-quality display. Future versions will enhance the screen refresh rate switching. Curves on the screen are usually an issue, but we didn't discover anything intrusive about the Xiaomi 13 Pro.

A premium gadget requires flagship hardware, which Xiaomi provides in abundance. The Xiaomi 13 Pro is powered by the newest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 engine, and purchasers in India only have the 12GB + 256GB option, which seems reasonable given the pricing.

The phone's performance is excellent, as we've seen with previous premium phones powered by this processor. There were almost no stutters to mention, gaming on the highest accessible settings was a joy, and the only instances of warmth were when charging, which is normally tolerated.

The Xiaomi 13 Pro's key selling point is its Leica co-engineered cameras. Xiaomi claims to have gone beyond colour tweaking and adopting Leica as the phone's branding. Apple has collaborated intensively with the Leica team at its Germany headquarters to enable the phone to be fitted with Sony's new 1-inch sensor as well as the other adaptable Leica portrait lenses. The sensor's output photos demonstrated the work that has been done behind the scenes to develop graphics that can readily assist you recount a tale.

The portrait lens' black and white mode is a strong feature for the camera, and you get outstanding details from the primary camera as well as the ultra-wide and telephoto sensors. Even in low light, you can see the 1-inch sensor working hard to put light into the scene without losing clarity. Xiaomi demonstrated its camera advancement with the 12S Ultra last year, and the Xiaomi 13 Pro now features the brand's greatest camera on the market to date.

The competition is fierce this year, especially when you consider the Pixel 7 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and iPhone 14 Pro Plus, but Xiaomi is certainly on to something exceptional thanks to Leica.

Nevertheless, even with all of the camera technology, the business has not forgotten that this is a smartphone, and it must be durable. A 4820mAh battery with 120W wired and 50W wireless charging delivers plenty of power. Yet with all of this power, the phone does not cause battery anxiety, which is aided by charging rates that get you up and running in under 20 minutes.

WHAT IS NOT COOL ABOUT THE XIAOMI 13 PRO REVIEW?
Xiaomi continues to emphasise hardware, but for a premium product, it is critical to prioritise software as well. Xiaomi's MIUI is accessible on all of its smartphones, ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 80,000, which is good. What matters is how the business intends to support higher-end smartphones such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro.

According to the firm, you will receive three years of OS upgrades and five years of security fixes for the device. The claims provided here appear realistic and comparable to those offered by other prominent businesses (except Apple). But, the company's track record makes us suspicious, especially because Android 13 will be available on its handsets after Android 14 is released this year.

MIUI 14 is the first time we've seen Android 13 on a Xiaomi device, and the modifications are welcome. Yet, pre-installed programmes like as Netflix, Facebook, and LinkedIn remain. That's fine since you can remove them. But, there are still such local applications that send alerts for different other apps, which is not justified on a phone that costs Rs 80,000. Xiaomi states that MIUI 14 will become leaner and more privacy-focused in the coming months, which we hope will happen soon.

The lack of an IP certification is another significant distinction between the Indian and worldwide variants of the Xiaomi 13 Pro. Xiaomi claims the device has the same endurance, but it has not received certification, which has likely aided in the cost of the product in the nation (Rs 1.13 lakh in Europe)

SHOULD YOU BUY THE XIAOMI 13 PRO?
Xiaomi 13 Pro is a strong start for the company's premium path, and its relationship with Leica has us enthused. This device has the appearance and the intellect to compete with the finest in the industry. It has the most recent processor, a new 1-inch camera sensor, and Leica co-engineered lenses. The battery life is outstanding, the display has excellent colours and performance, and the price, sure, will have you talking.

Yet, the brand's task is to make its software cycle more efficient, decrease bloatware, and offer purchasers confidence that this phone will be supported for many years. Xiaomi claims that it has a specific emphasis with this phone and that it will attract users who share its preferences. Nonetheless, if you have the money and want a compelling bundle, the Xiaomi 13 Pro is well worth a shot.