There’s numerous selection in case you’re involved in shopping for a Xiaomi cellphone in mid-2024; the Xiaomi 14 continues to be my advice in case you want a smallish cellphone, and the 14 Extremely has top-of-the-line total digicam packages you will discover right now. Then there are the worth flagship choices — the 13T Professional specifically is a standout selection.
Whereas most producers moved away from the concept of a mid-cycle refresh, Xiaomi’s T collection units are an integral a part of its cellphone portfolio, and final 12 months’s 13T collection picked up an enormous improve: Leica integration. Xiaomi wanted a approach to differentiate the 13T collection in opposition to the POCO F5 and F5 Professional, and including just a few Leica results and filters goes a great distance in attaining that.
I used the 13T Professional when it launched, and I switched again to the gadget lately to see the way it holds up in opposition to 2024 worth flagships. I am nonetheless not a fan of the design; the massive rectangular digicam island on the again with curving sides simply would not look cohesive, and it comes throughout as half-done. Whereas the blue model of the cellphone has a fake leather-based again, the black mannequin has a glass again with a shiny end that is simply mundane.
The plastic sides do not fairly have the identical really feel because the likes of the Xiaomi 14, however they do not have a shiny coat both, and that a minimum of makes utilizing the gadget a bit simpler. That mentioned, I like the way in which the again curves to satisfy the mid-frame; regardless that the entrance of the cellphone has a flat panel, the curves on the again make a noticeable distinction in usability.
The place the 13T Professional comes into its personal is the display; the 6.67-inch AMOLED panel has wonderful colours and distinction ranges, and it will get extremely shiny in every day use. The Xiaomi 14 managed to get a smidgen brighter in auto mode whereas outside, however the 13T Professional has completely no points on this space, and like most Xiaomi telephones, the stereo sound popping out of this factor is very detailed, and loud.
Curiously, Xiaomi went with a 144Hz refresh for the 13T collection, and whereas I did not discover an excessive amount of of a distinction between 120Hz and 144Hz, the 13T Professional has a degree of immediacy and fluidity that I did not discover outdoors the OnePlus 12. In fact, you will want to enter the settings to manually toggle the 144Hz mode.
In an analogous vein, the Dimensity 9200+ continues to ship excellent efficiency. It delivers secure framerates in demanding video games, and the perfect half is that there isn’t a noticeable overheating. Though the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 has higher figures in artificial testing, it tends to get hotter as nicely, so if you’d like a gaming-focused cellphone that manages thermals, that is nonetheless an excellent possibility.
One other improve is round ingress safety, with the 13T Professional getting IP68 mud and water resistance as customary. This brings it nearer to the likes of the Galaxy S24 and Xiaomi 14, and is an efficient transfer from Xiaomi, contemplating the 12T fashions solely had IP54. On that be aware, the vibration motor is significantly better this time as nicely, and it has granular suggestions.
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The place the 13T Professional actually differentiates itself from its predecessors is the cameras; the cellphone has a 50MP Sony IMX707 fundamental digicam with OIS, a 50MP zoom lens with 2x optical zoom, and a 12MP wide-angle that is significantly better than earlier years. The digicam is not pretty much as good because the Xiaomi 14, nevertheless it has significantly better versatility than earlier years, and the Leica collaboration means you get extra capturing modes and results.
However what I favored higher is the battery life. The 13T Professional is among the greatest Xiaomi telephones on this regard, and the 5000mAh battery managed to final a day and a half with relative ease. There wasn’t a single day the place the battery went beneath 20% even with heavy use, and there simply is not any must be anxious on this regard. On that be aware, the 120W charging tech ensures a full cost takes simply 28 minutes, and that social gathering trick would not get previous.
As for the software program, the 13T Professional switched to HyperOS in February, and the Android 14-based interface is not noticeably totally different to MIUI 14. What’s noticeable is that the general interface has higher fluidity and optimization, and in that sense, it’s distinctly higher than MIUI 14. The software program itself is equivalent to what you get on different Xiaomi telephones, and in case you’ve used MIUI for some time, you will be instantly aware of what’s on supply.
The 13T Professional will get 4 Android OS updates, however given Xiaomi’s glacial tempo on this space, it is seemingly you will want to attend a minimum of till Q1 2025 to choose up Android 15. That mentioned, the cellphone shall be up to date to Android 17 when that turns into accessible, so it needs to be good for long-term use.
Xiaomi sells the 12GB/512GB mannequin of the 13T Professional within the U.Okay., and whereas it went on sale earlier within the 12 months, it’s again as much as its £699 ($890) retail value. That is nonetheless £149 ($190) lower than the Xiaomi 14, and also you get a bigger display and an even bigger battery. If you wish to maximize worth, the usual Xiaomi 13T retails for £549 ($699), and whereas you do not get as a lot storage (it is bought in an 8GB/256GB configuration), it has the identical set of cameras, similar AMOLED panel, and similar battery.
The one distinction is that the 13T takes an extra quarter-hour to cost the 5000mAh battery because it has 67W charging tech. Actually, you do not discover the distinction in every day use, and for my cash, I might get the Xiaomi 13T — it’s the greatest worth in Xiaomi’s portfolio.
Contemplating the place the 13T collection is in its product cycle, Xiaomi is certain to begin closely discounting the units because it begins to shift consideration to the upcoming 14T fashions. I additionally just like the POCO F6 fairly a bit, and whereas it has higher cameras, they don’t seem to be fairly in the identical league because the 13T collection, so if that is a precedence, it is best to decide up the 13T or 13T Professional.
The 13T Professional continues to be a stellar selection in 2024, and whereas it might not have the newest {hardware} or the perfect cameras, it’s a nice all-rounder.
