Redmi Note 13 4G Review: Is This the New Budget King?
This is the Redmi Note 13, an upgrade to last year's Note 12, and it comes with some noticeable upgrades like a 108MP primary camera. There is a slight refinement in design and display, but most other features remain the same. It looks like the best option if you have a budget of $150. On the outside, you might think it’s the right phone. While this may be true, you must know something before buying.
Redmi Note 13 4G Review - Everything You Need to Know
Redmi Note 13 4G Camera Review
We are kicking things off with the 108MP primary camera at the back. I have used it a lot since I got the phone. The images you get with the 108MP option are great and well-detailed. The colors remain true to life, and I love it.
You can zoom in and still get good details in the pictures. While using it to snap objects, you can see that you get some background blur. You get a 3X zoom option, which is cool, but something in me wishes the 108MP option came with 10x zoom. At least that’s what we have on the Spark 20 Pro with the same 108MP option. Daylight pictures are very okay, but you need to hold the phone steady for some seconds while using the 108MP option.
The default camera option isn’t the best, and when you closely compare it with the 108MP option, you will see the difference. It shoots 12MP photos with the default camera option, so the quality isn’t so good. However, you get the option to zoom by up to 10x. There is an 8MP ultrawide lens, and the images are not as good as the 108MP option because you can notice the noise when you zoom in.
The 2MP macro lens is quite okay, too, but certainly not the best. There is night mode and I was surprised with what it produced, there is a noticeable shutter lag between the time you tap and the time you get the actual picture. If you snap a moving object in the night, the picture will become blurry. Portrait mode works for objects as well as humans, and the result is impressive.
The 16MP selfie camera is an upgrade from the 13 we had on the Redmi Note 12 and you need a lot of light to get high-quality images. my biggest problem with the camera system is that it can only shoot 1080p videos at 30 frames per second like who that in 2024? The Spark 20 Pro has the same lens and can shoot up to 2K videos. You can also record slow mo videos but its 720p at 120 frames per second. In my opinion, it shouldn’t have been added. You also get Pro mode Panorama and short video in the camera app. The 108MP option is your best bet for getting good images from the phone.
Redmi Note 13 4G Software Performance
Another exciting aspect was the software. I haven’t seen so many customization options packed in a 150-dollar phone, and I believe it is one of the aspects that separates it from others. It is running on Android 13 based on MIUI 14. The phone should receive an upgrade to the new Hyper OS pretty soon, but it’s not promised.
From the get-go, you will choose to use Gestures or buttons. It comes with some bloatware that can be removed if you want. If you tap on the fingerprint scanner and swipe up, you can launch features like search and scanner.
I wish we had frequently used the app there. There is a wallpaper carousel when you unlock the phone, and I had to remove it in the settings as I find it interruptive. You can use one-hand mode, but it has to be enabled in the settings. There is a hidden heart rate sensor in the settings where you place your finger, and it will take some minutes to measure your heart rate. I am not sure if it is accurate, though.
Floating Windows works well on the phone, but I suggest using the sidebar to access the feature easily. You can change the notification center to the old MIUI style or choose a more recent style we don’t see on budget phones. The notification shade can either be the old Android style or based on MIUI.
You get a memory extension where you can use storage space to increase the phone's RAM. There are a ton of features to explore on the phone. The software is just great, and when you compare it to other software like the HiOS from Tecno, you know you are missing out on some things.
Ads are probably one thing that the MIUI interface is shared with, and they are still there. But not as announced as they used to be you also have some level of control over the ads that show up.
Redmi Note 13 4G SoC Performance
The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 685, which might look good, but that was the same processor on the Redmi 12 4G. The CPU and GPU are also the same. You can play games like Call of Duty and PubG smoothly, even with other demanding titles. I don’t think you will have any issues with performance as long as you know the phone is around $150. My unit here has 6GB RAM and 128 GB storage space, but another model has 8GB RAM and 128 or 256 GB storage space. App retention in the background is decent most of the time. I wish they upgraded the chipset here, but it is what it is.
Redmi Note 13 4G Design
The Redmi Note 13 4G is hands down one of the most difficult phones to use. It has a glossy finish at the back and the midnight black color option I have here is prone to showing the stains. Every time your hands come in contact with the surface you just see the stains.
Thankfully, Xiaomi is giving you a matte rubber case that fits the phone nicely. I want more brands to adopt this type of case ahead of the transparent silicone they give us all the time. There are three cameras at the back of the phone and a flashlight we have the Redmi branding around the camera area alongside 108MP written boldly. The frame is made of plastic, and it has a matte finish. It got me thinking about why the back of the phone is not like that.
You don’t see any fingerprint stains on the frame. It charges through a USB C port with the SIM card tray at the bottom part of the phone. You get two speakers, one at the bottom and the other at the top. And the sound you get is impressive, with Dolby Atmos giving you an immersive listening experience. The IR blaster and headphone port are also at the top. The design is refreshing, especially from the pandemic of iPhone-like designs I’ve seen over the last few months.
Redmi Note 13 4G Display
Turn the phone upfront, and we have a 6.67 AMOLED inch display, which, for me, is how big a screen can be. The screen has a 1080p resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. It is set to 60Hz by default, but you must set it to 120Hz in the settings. You also don’t get 90Hz or auto-refresh rate in the settings.
The display comes with 2000 nits of brightness outdoors, so you won’t struggle to see the display when you are outside. There is a punch hole cut out upfront, and it’s pretty tiny. The ring around the cut-out is noticeable. It comes with an under-display fingerprint scanner; you don’t have to press and hold it before it unlocks. The bezels around the display are not even, but it's decent for the price.
Above all, it is responsive to touch, and it is a Corning gorilla glass 3 display, making it a bit tougher than regular glass. There is also a tiny sheet of screen protector applied on the display. You can raise or tap the display to wake it while it's dim. By default, the features are turned off. Since it's AMOLED, you also always get on display.
Battery Test & Charging Speed
The Battery is 5000mAh and can last you a day or more, depending on your usage level. The phone supports 33 watts of fast charging, and you get more than 50% of the battery in 30 minutes and 100% in one hour. The battery life is impressive, and there is nothing to complain about here.
Conclusion
The Redmi Note 13 is a good option for $150; you get a decent experience with the 108MP option in the camera app, and the performance is also impressive. Battery life is on par with what other phones deliver, with decent RAM and storage. And the software experience for the price is next to none. Will I recommend this phone to people of course I will. It will get the job done if you keep it within its limits. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments.