Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G hands-on: Premium feel on a budget

In a world where the iPhone SE, Apple’s budget option with an ageing form factor, is available from $429 / £429, it seems hard to believe that Xiaomi’s new Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G, which sports a 120Hz AdaptiveSync AMOLED display and 200MP camera with AI capabilities, is only £449.

It gets better: the Note 13 Pro + 5G is the Redmi Note 13 series‘ most expensive model, with the most affordable, the Redmi Note 13, costing a mere £199. It’s clear Xiaomi is trying to close the gap between mid-range and flagship-level smartphones, and after a brief time checking out its latest model, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G proves that it can.

From its design to its unique AI camera features, check out everything I learned about the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G and how it may be my new favourite budget smartphone.

Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G Price and Availability 

Xiaomi’s Redmi lineup has always impressed me when it comes to price. Sure, they were never equipped with the latest processors or had the fanciest OS, but these phones didn’t need to when their price and other specs offered far more value.

The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G is set to be available from £449 / €499 on mi.com between January 18 and 31. It comes alongside four other models, including the Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G, Redmi Note 13 Pro, Redmi Note 13 5G, and Redmi Note 13.

The Pro+ 5G may be the most expensive, but it’s still a competitor for many big hitters, namely the iPhone SE 2022, Pixel 7a, and Galaxy A54 5G. These are all also £449, but the Pro+ 5G delivers a 120Hz display, a bigger 5,000mAh battery with 120W charging, and a 200MP camera. These other phones can’t match that.

While there’s still plenty to check out about the Note 13 Pro+ 5G, its price is already a huge bonus.

Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G Specs

As I didn’t get the chance to test out its performance, it remains to be seen how the MediaTek Dimensity 7200-Ultra chip performs on the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G.

Here’s a brief rundown of what’s under the hood:

Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G Design and Display

In terms of design, not too much has changed since the previous Redmi Note Pro+ 5G. The only real difference is that it’s lost the camera island in favour of a smoother, Samsung Galaxy S23-esque finish.

While the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G doesn’t exactly portray a unique smartphone look, it’s still sleek and comfortable to hold in all the right places. It comes in Midnight Black, Moonlight White, and Aurora Purple, and I got my hands on the white model.

It has a nice shine to it, and its rounded edges and corners make it a delight to hold in one hand. We’re sure many will stick a cover on it, but it’s good to know that this is the first time a Redmi phone’s display comes with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus for durability.

Speaking of displays, the Pro+ model comes with a 6.67-inch CrystalRes 1.5K (2712 x 1220) AMOLED display with a 120Hz AdaptiveSync refresh rate, 1800 nits of peak brightness, and an in-screen fingerprint sensor – another first. It hardly comes as a surprise that this is dazzling to look at, and the bezels are thin enough not to take away from the screen. And yes, this phone gets bright – near-iPhone 15 bright.

Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G Cameras

Cameras are also getting an upgrade, with a 200MP main camera on all Pro models. Of course, you’ll get the usual 8MP ultra-wide and 2MP macro. Xiaomi also states there’s 2x/4x lossless zoom to expect and optical image stabilisation (OIS) for flagship-like photos.

It’s not as if a 200MP camera hasn’t been seen before (thanks for that, Samsung), but seeing it on a model in this price range is an impressive feat. Even more impressive is the UI and AI capabilities that come with the phone. For one, while a simple thing, you can immediately switch to the 200MP lens on the fly in the camera app instead of having it done automatically.

More importantly, there are several AI features that you can apply to any photo. For instance, you add an instant bokeh affect to put the object of the image in focus while everything else is blurred. It’s not flawless when zoomed in, but no one is looking at an image that close when its done.

Secondly, it lets you add some cool affects. One that was shown off was adding a different time of day to an image. So, if I wanted the affects of the sky at sunset, the AI feature will automatically change it on the fly. And, really, it looks pretty good.

I managed to shoot a few shots of flowers using the 200MP camera, but I wasn’t completely able to use all the AI features yet, such as Erase or Art Framing.

Otherwise, images looked sharp, and details seemed crisp, although colours felt a little muted. Of course, testing these cameras in other settings would be better to get a complete look at their capabilities – and how AI can change them realistically.

Final thoughts

The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G is an exemplary mid-range phone that’s pushing the boundaries on what phones in this price range can really offer. Xiaomi’s Redmi lineup has been doing this for a while, but each series has more worthwhile perks to invest in at the price.

With Samsung’s Galaxy S24 smartphones arriving, it’s interesting to see what truly makes a flagship device other than price, as the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G has a lot going for it at under £500. While Xiaomi’s budget lineup has impressed so far, it still has some competition in the upcoming Honor Magic 6 Lite.