Xiaomi 13 Lite review: Slim chassis, thin upgrades

Final yr’s Xiaomi 12 Lite was a implausible mid-range telephone. The light-weight development, blended with first rate efficiency and surprisingly good cameras, made it a straightforward machine to suggest. In reality, it’s been my each day driver for the previous six months and it’s nonetheless going sturdy.

However, has the time come for me to swap SIMs? Xiaomi has launched the successor, which boasts a slimmer body, sooner processor and another nips and tucks. It has rather a lot to dwell as much as, so let’s see how the Xiaomi 13 Lite fares after full testing.  

Design & Construct

• Comfy, slim design
• Light-weight
• IP53 waterproof score

Whereas the Xiaomi 12 Lite seemingly took its inspiration from the iPhone 12 vary, with squared off corners and a flat show, the Chinese language firm has dug a little bit additional into the previous with the 13 Lite, which bears a putting resemblance to the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S9 fashions from a couple of years in the past. That is no dangerous factor, as these the place a number of the best-looking gadgets we’ve ever seen.

When it comes to dimension, the 12 Lite and 13 Lite are very comparable with the latter’s 159.2 x 72.7 x 7.2 mm dimensions shaving off tiny quantities, and the 171g weight solely 2g lower than the mannequin it replaces. It does really feel completely different although, with the curved edges of the 6.55in show becoming a member of the same filleted again panel to make it sink into the arms and allow you to know that it is a very skinny chassis.

The steel rim means it ought to survive a drop or two although, and the matt plastic rear panel offers you a least a modicum of grip. Xiaomi does embody a silicon case within the field, and also you’ll want that because the handset is usually a little slippery.

The skinny flanks are simply broad sufficient to accommodate quantity and energy controls, with the underside edge residence to a single speaker, USB-C charging port and the dual-SIM tray.

Xiaomi has beefed up the sturdiness of its Lite collection this time round, because the Gorilla Glass 5 for the show that appeared on the 12 Lite is joined by an IP53 water and mud proof score, which wasn’t there beforehand. This enables the 13 Lite to outlive rain showers and presumably a visit to the seaside, but it surely nonetheless can’t be immersed in water.

Martyn Casserly

In contrast to another producers, Xiaomi nonetheless features a charger and cable within the field, which is an efficient factor because the included module kicks out 67W, giving the 13 Lite some moderately spectacular recharge instances for its 4500mAh battery. Extra on that and battery life later.

All in all, it’s a pleasant package deal. Comfy to carry, mild sufficient to not fatigue your arms and properly balanced.

Display & Audio system

• 6.55in AMOLED
• 120Hz refresh price
• HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos
• Single speaker

In lots of respects, the show on the 13 Lite is equivalent that the one which preceded it. It’s nonetheless an AMOLED Full HD+ panel, with a 20:9 side ratio. The show helps HDR10+ and Dolby Imaginative and prescient, though this time round it sports activities a barely higher 89.5% screen-to-body ratio and has these curved edges.

I’d say they’re extra sloped although, because the precise displayed content material doesn’t wrap round, which is sweet since you don’t lose something or have choices bending across the edge. Xiaomi suits a display screen protector on the manufacturing facility, however the curved nature of the show did imply that I caught the sting a couple of instances, introducing bubbles into the plastic.

These are simply pushed again out however does present the slight drawbacks you possibly can encounter if you bend glass after which attempt to use protectors.

Martyn Casserly

See also  Tineco Floor One S3 wet & dry vacuum cleaner review

Xiaomi states that the utmost brightness is 1000 nits, however for on a regular basis use, you’ll hit round half that. I measured the panel at 703 nits, which is greater than sufficient for a vivid sunny day and virtually up there with the Samsung Galaxy S23. On the prime of the show is a pill-shaped punch-hole for the dual entrance cameras which appears to be like much like the iPhone 14 Professional. This does imply you’ve got a little bit extra obstruction when watching movies, but it surely’s not too dangerous.

Xiaomi has given the 13 Lite a pleasant, vivid, vibrant show that’s responsive and comfy to make use of. The refresh price will be set at both 60- or 120Hz, however there’s additionally a Dynamic setting that may swap to essentially the most helpful one in any given scenario, so for instance 120Hz for gaming or 60Hz when watching a video. The contact sampling price stays the identical as final yr, at 240Hz, for snappy responses. There’s additionally an All the time-On show that may present notifications and the time, all of which will be formatted by means of numerous themes obtainable on the machine.

The one quirk I discovered was that the display screen might activate whereas I used to be on a name, with my cheek then triggering the Mute possibility and leaving me questioning why the individual on the opposite finish couldn’t hear me. It occurred a number of instances, so wasn’t only a bizarre one-off. Hopefully this shall be patched in a software program replace.

In contrast to with Apple’s gadgets, there’s an under-display fingerprint sensor on the 13 Lite, as there was with the 12 Lite. Once more it’s located fairly low down on the panel, though I admit I discover this to be a great spot and one which solely takes a short while to get used to. It really works properly and unlocks the telephone shortly and effectively more often than not.

There’s solely a single speaker on the 13 Lite, but it surely does job of placing out some quantity. Tones are fairly first rate contemplating the bodily limitations of a solitary speaker, however there’s not a lot low-end obtainable. For podcasts and audiobooks or watching YouTube movies, its ok, however should you’re hoping to play music then you definately would possibly discover the sound too skinny. In fact, through the Bluetooth 5.2 connection you may get all of the frequencies despatched to headphones, the place you’ll additionally be capable of hear Dolby Atmos in case your gear is appropriate.

Specs & Efficiency

• Snapdragon 7 Gen 1
• Adreno 644 GPU
• 8GB of reminiscence
• 128GB or 256GB UFS 2.2 storage

As it is a mid-range machine, you received’t be stunned to see that there isn’t a Snapdragon 8 collection processor below the hood. That’s to not knock the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 that Xiaomi has gone for, because it’s a really succesful performer and may cope admirably with most issues individuals need to do on a telephone.

Martyn Casserly

Opening and switching between apps is easy, instructions are executed with out hesitation, and customarily, it’s a pleasing expertise utilizing the 13 Lite. Gaming is sweet, with Asphalt 9 and the opposite graphically demanding titles I examined all fortunately taking part in together with no lag. Xiaomi additionally equips the 13 Lite with a customized chrome steel vacuum chamber to enhance the dissipation of warmth that may construct up when the machine is put below pressure.

It appears to work, as I by no means felt the handset get too sizzling whereas gaming. Keep in mind that should you’re a critical gamer then this machine won’t fairly be the one for you. As a substitute, you’ll need one thing just like the Nubia Redmagic 8 Professional, which excels on this space.  

8GB of RAM is the place the 13 Lite tops in and out the UK this comes with 128GB of storage, whereas Europeans can go for a extra capacious 256GB possibility if they want. It’s UFS 2.2 storage too, which helps with the rapidity of the system.

Right here’s how the Xiaomi 13 Lite in contrast with different comparable gadgets in our benchmark assessments:

Cameras

• 50Mp f/1.8 wide-angle Sony IMX766 sensor
• 8Mp f/2.2 ultra-wide angle
• 2Mp f/2.4 macro
• 32Mp f/2.4 ultra-wide angle selfie digicam

Xiaomi has moved from the 108Mp f/1.9 predominant shooter within the 12 Lite to a 50Mp f/1.8 on the brand new mannequin. It does function a Sony IMX766 sensor, however whereas the cameras on the earlier technology actually impressed, the 13 Lite appears to have rather less prowess. You’ll be able to actually get some good pictures on the primary lens, with vibrant colours and stable focusing, but it surely does endure a bit from overprocessing, with photos over sharpened by the software program. Colours can even get both too flat or oversaturated actually simply.

When it will get it proper, you will be rewarded with nice outcomes, however I did discover that too typically I might discover the digital corrections within the picture, plus as quickly as you crop in there may be loads of noise. Portrait mode is an efficient instance, with a pleasant bokeh impact making the background blurry, however on a number of events the digicam would determine that part of the foreground was truly within the background, blurring that a part of the shot. Costlier cameras battle with this, so I received’t be too harsh on the Xiaomi 13 Lite, however should notice that you simply would possibly need to examine your picture earlier than you progress on, as it might want a retake.

Night time mode is much like final yr, with the software program aggressively interfering once more. To be sincere, I discovered that leaning the telephone on a flat floor whereas taking pictures with the primary digicam in regular mode returned richer and extra satisfying pictures than attempting the identical factor in Night time mode.

The ultra-wide is an 8Mp f/2.2 digicam that can provide you a wider subject of view, albeit at the price of element and coloration. I didn’t count on an excessive amount of from the 2Mp Macro (we by no means do) as they’re invariably poor throughout the board, however in good mild, you may get some first rate photos to share on social media.

Martyn Casserly

The twin entrance dealing with cameras (32Mp f/2.4 and 8Mp f/2.28 depth digicam) can return some good selfies and video, plus there are numerous modes to make your TikTok creations, such because the Xaomi Selfie Glow that activates two lights when recording to raised illuminate your face.

Video maxes out at 4K/30fps on the primary rear digicam and does look pleasingly when good mild is out there. Transferring from lighter to darker doesn’t appear to hassle the focussing, which holds regular, however there’s a tendency to attempt to overexpose the setting in seek for mild, which invariably provides noise.

EIS (digital picture stabilisation) retains the footage steady although, and as with the picture high quality, you’ll most likely be proud of the footage and stills should you’re solely sharing on Instagram or different social media platforms.

Listed here are a couple of samples of the pictures you may get with the Xiaomi 13 Lite:

Battery Life & Charging

• 4500mAh battery
• 67W Turbo Charging (Charger included)
• Xiaomi AdaptiveCharge

The 13 Lite comes with a 4500mAh capability battery, which does a wonderful job of getting you thru the day. I normally discovered that there was nonetheless round 15-20% of energy left within the tank on the finish of the night.

My routine usually entails utilizing the telephone rather a lot for social media, listening to podcasts, making calls and normal net looking. So, if that’s the way in which you utilize a telephone, then you definately received’t be trying round for a charging place when out with this machine.

Martyn Casserly

For those who do discover you’re operating low, properly that’s not going to be a lot of an issue as Xiaomi features a 67W Turbo Charger within the field and this managed to revive 42% after solely quarter-hour, 80% in half an hour and 100% in simply over 40 minutes.

Placing the Xiaomi 13 Lite by means of our customary PCMark battery check, it returned a really wholesome 9 hours and 14 minutes, though curiously that is lower than the mannequin that got here earlier than which additionally had a smaller battery.

Software program & Apps

• Android 12
• MIUI 14
• Some bloatware

Android 12 (not the newer Android 13) is the underlying working system for the 13 Lite, with Xiaomi’s personal MIUI 14 on prime. As skins go, it’s not that egregious, with loads of customisation choices and it behaves itself on most events.

Foundry

For those who’re used to the ‘inventory’ Android implementation discovered on one thing just like the Google Pixel 7, then it would take a little bit of adjusting as there are extra menu choices in settings and a few issues seem in other places. You need to be whizzing round very quickly although as, for me, MIUI is a really serviceable interface when you get used to it.

You’ll have to eliminate some bloat although, as Xiaomi features a few video games and different ‘helpful’ apps. Fortunately these can all be deleted, so you possibly can clear up the system if you first arrange the telephone, then by no means want to fret about it once more.

As Xiaomi now guarantees three main Android model updates plus 4 years of safety updates throughout the lifespan of its gadgets, you already know that you simply’ll not less than get a couple of years out of the machine earlier than you’ll must improve.

Worth & Availability

Xiaomi gives the 13 Lite in two configurations: 8/128GB and eight/256GB. The previous is the one variant obtainable within the UK and prices £449 ($550 approx.).

Mainland European prospects get to decide on between each, with the costs being €499.99 (8GB/128GB) or €549.99 (8GB/256GB). As regular, because of the American authorities’s commerce embargos and normal beef with Chinese language tech corporations, Xiaomi received’t be formally releasing the 13 Lite or any of its present vary in america.

The pricing of the Xiaomi 13 Lite brings it into competitors with the Poco X5 Professional which prices $299/€299 for the 6/128GB configuration or $349/£369/€349 should you favor 8GB/256GB as a substitute. The Nothing Telephone (1) is one other engaging possibility, particularly because it’s now obtainable within the US due to the launch of the Beta program, and prices 8/128GB: $299/£399/€469/₹33,999.

In fact the plain selection on this worth class is the Google Pixel 6a, which has higher cameras and all the opposite Pixel benefits for a really affordable $449/£399/€459, though there are sturdy rumours that the Google Pixel 7a might launch quickly, so it is likely to be value ready for that.

Verdict

Following up on success is at all times tough and Xiaomi has delivered a hit-and-miss mannequin with the 13 Lite.

The design and construct is gorgeous, with a light-weight body that’s good to make use of all day, and the first rate battery life with fast recharging means you received’t have to fret about energy.

Nevertheless, the cameras are a little bit underwhelming this time round, which is a shock after the wonderful high quality of the 12 Lite. Though they’re not at all dangerous. There are additionally some construct points surrounding the curved edges of the show.

Nonetheless, there’s loads of efficiency and appeal on provide, plus the digicam high quality can probably be improved by updates to the software program, so the Xiaomi 13 Lite is a stable possibility should you don’t need the heavier and bulkier Google Pixel 6a or Nothing Telephone (1).

Specs

• 6.55in AMOLED FULL HD+ show, 120Hz, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos
• Android 12
• MIUI 14
• Snapdragon 7 Gen 1
• Adreno 644 GPU
• 8GB of reminiscence
• 128GB or 256GB UFS 2.2 storage
• 50MP f/1.8 wide-angle with Sony IMX766 sensor
• 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide angle
• 2MP f/2.4 macro
• 32MP f/2.4 ultra-wide angle selfie digicam
• 4,500mAh battery
• 67W Turbo Charging (Charger included)
• Xiaomi AdaptiveCharge
• USB-C
• Single speaker
• 5G
• Wi-Fi 6
• GPS
• NFC
• Bluetooth 5.2
• 159.2 x 72.7 x 7.2mm
• 171g