Xiaomi 13 Ultra: cutting-edge features and pioneering innovation

Xiaomi 13 Ultra from Xiaomi, which once again distinguishes itself as a leader in technology. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is a device that promises to push the boundaries of what a smartphone can do by once again joining forces with Leica, the legendary German manufacturer of high-quality optics, to raise the level of smartphone photography experience to new levels.

Born out of Xiaomi's commitment to bringing innovation to the maximum extent possible, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra presents itself as a jewel equipped with cutting-edge features aimed at satisfying the finest tastes in mobile photography. It does this using a range of currently unparalleled photographic sensors that respond perfectly to those seeking true photography. Here is more detail in our review.

Unboxing the Xiaomi 13 Ultra phone, design and ergonomics

The Xiaomi 13 Ultra sales package is complete: in addition to the smartphone, there is a protective cover made of hard plastic, which maintains an excellent grip of the smartphone, a 90W charger, and a power and data transfer cable, as well as a clamp for removing the SIM tray.

The Xiaomi 13 Ultra presents itself well aesthetically. Xiaomi's goal was to propose something that calls for a camera and it has succeeded. The first reminder is on the back: it looks like faux leather, like historical Leica cameras, but is made of a special material that has been specially treated to resemble it without the defect of damaging or losing color over time.

The photographic module is circular and in the middle, the Leica writing stands out greatly, placed horizontally, as if to remind you that it is a smartphone used in this orientation; Moreover, on this side, there is a slight increase in the cover.

It's a big and heavy smartphone: 227 grams, but it's well built and therefore also has IP68 water and dust certification.

Up front, the screen is a 6.73-inch QHD+ with OLED technology, LTPO with a refresh rate that ranges from 1 to 120 Hz and a maximum brightness of 2600 nits. On paper it is the brightest panel on the market, in reality, it is probably limited to avoiding Excessive battery consumption since it's under the sun's rays is not particularly surprising.

In the settings, it is possible to adapt the performance according to preferences: you can choose the resolution, if you want to save battery by setting it to FHD+, the refresh rate, and the color profile with wide customization possibilities.

The sound has a stereo effect using the main speaker and earphones, with excellent quality. Also promoted are the beautiful and pleasant vibration and the presence of a physical proximity sensor that effectively eliminates any problems in calls or while listening to voice messages on Telegram, WhatsApp, or other messaging applications.

Xiaomi 13 Ultra performance

The technical sheet for the Xiaomi 13 Ultra includes a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor with 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of UFS 4.0 internal memory.

As per tradition, Xiaomi puts a lot of pressure on performance and does it again this time, effectively summing very high numbers even in benchmarks, but the most interesting aspect is the lack of overheating problems, thanks to the processor used and thanks to the undercooling.

The same goes for connectivity with Wi-Fi 7 support thanks to the Qualcomm® FastConnectTM 7800 mobile modem. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra's High-Band Simultaneous Multilink (HBS) technology enables multiple simultaneous connections at 5GHz and 6GHz and is capable of achieving speeds Ultra high speeds of up to 5.8Gbps, along with low latency.

It supports 4G, 5G, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, and GPS. Reception isn't top-notch but it's still good, much like the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Xiaomi 13 Ultra functions

Android 13 and MIUI 14 are the basis of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra operating system. The renewed graphic interface appears for the first time with this series, but it differs from the one presented in China, which is full of innovations in the field of customization.

Regarding bloatware, that is, pre-installed applications, the amount is not excessive: Opera, some social networks, some useful tools, Xiaomi's applications for Community and Mi Store.

There are also some bugs, although with MIUI 13 there has already been a good improvement on this front.

In general, a complete and satisfactory interface, you should like it but the only sacrifice compared to the main competitors is only the desktop mode that will allow you to exploit the available power of this smartphone.

Good news for those looking for long-term software support the new Xiaomi 13 Ultra will be supported for 3 Android system updates and 5 years of security patches.

Camera

The photography sector of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra redefines the latest mobile photography technology on a technical level.

What it says is not just the important design of the backlight array, nor the Leica logo strategically placed horizontally to call out the camera, but the technical data sheet as there is nothing superior in circulation currently. Let's see it in detail:

• 1/2.51" 12mm ultra-wide-angle sensor: 50 MP, f/1.8, 122°, Dual Pixel PDAF;
• 1" 23mm main sensor: 50MP, with 2-stop variable iris: f/1.9 and f/4.0, 1.6um macro pixels, PDAF, Laser AF, OIS;
• 1/2.51-inch, 75mm telephoto sensor: 50 MP, f/1.8, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS (actually it's 60mm cropped to 75mm);
• 1/2.51-inch periscope sensor, f/3.0 Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom;
• Front camera: 32 MP, f/2.0 aperture, 22mm, 0.7µm.

The least interesting camera is the last camera, the selfie camera, which doesn't fit with Xiaomi's commitment to flagship optics; The shots are not to be discounted but they are undoubtedly below expectations and what's more with the impossibility of recording videos exceeding 1080p resolution at 60 fps, the same limit as the Xiaomi 13 Pro (review).

Returning to the main photography sector, Xiaomi and Leica have developed something truly amazing on a technical level; The goal is clear: to replace the Accord once and for all by providing a very similar but above all original experience.

They did this by inserting the 1-inch IMX 989 sensor also found in the Xiaomi 13 Pro as the main sensor, and using the same sensor (IMX 858) for all three lenses as secondary lenses, to keep the shots cohesive. Moreover, the Summicron lens sensors, which made Leica's history, are in this case not made of glass, which was not physically possible, but with a special polymer that reflects their properties.

The lenses on the Xiaomi 13 Ultra are very open, from a minimum of f/1.8 for the ultra-wide-angle to a maximum of 3.0 for the telephoto lenses, meaning they are the brightest compared to the competition, while the main sensor has a variable aperture in two. Stop f/1.9 or f/4.0.

The difference is visible to the naked eye if you look at the sensor, and is less noticeable when taking photos, but is still a noticeable possibility on certain occasions.

With all sensors, it is possible to shoot in full resolution and RAW format at 50MP with the main sensor, and 12.5MP with the secondary sensors.

Also for the main mode, there is a new mode, Ultra RAW: 14-bit RAW, that is, with a wider dynamic range, which, however, unfortunately, cannot manage the times.

It's not a RAW image made up of batches of frames but the data captured is enough to produce a clean RAW image that's processable with Lightroom.

The results are truly surprising: in post-production, it is almost difficult to ruin the shot, even by pushing the values to extremes, the noise does not increase noticeably and the details remain very sharp, for those who know how to do this the results will always be superior to the point game The classic one-and-done. Below are some RAW shots processed using Lightroom.

Some critical problems or rather limitations: In UltraRAW it is not possible to change the times, which is possible in RAW mode, which is a bit unfortunate because we cannot adapt the shutter speed to the situation, and the shutter speed drops a little compared to other modes.

Last but not least, Xiaomi has introduced in its Xiaomi 13 Ultra an ultra-fast shooting mode by disabling autofocus: only 0.8 seconds, ideal for example for street photography. It is enough to pre-set the optics to be used based on the distance of the potential target and for super focus shooting, simply double press the volume down button, even with the screen turned off.

The results are really good, the moment is blocked and there is no blur, except at night or in poorly lit environments where you start to struggle more to be fast but that doesn't mean you won't be able to capture the moment you want, i.e. what you see on the screen, thanks to the lack of shutter lag almost.

In the video field, it has another record, which is that all sensors are capable of recording 8K videos at 24 fps, it is a shame that Xiaomi did not push it to 30 fps which would make it more usable as a functional device. It is also capable of recording at medium resolution but only up to 4K at 30fps. It is possible to switch from one sensor to another while recording the clip.

Another interesting mode is the possibility of recording in LOG 10bit, Rec.2020 and it is possible to import LUTs to get a preview of how they look during recording, and obviously, the saved file is then in LOG to apply that or other LUTs in post Production. Only the main camera can do this, and by switching to a secondary sensor, the record mode is automatically deactivated.

Battery and autonomy

The battery capacity of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra is 5000 mAh and supports, as per tradition, additional fast charging speeds: 90W via cable with QC4 technology (in about 35 minutes from 0 to 100%), 50W wireless charging (from 0 to 100% in approximately 36 minutes) and 10W reverse wireless charging.

Regarding autonomy, it offers between 5 and a half and 6 hours of display, that is, of active use during the day, thus lasting until the evening if you do not stress it excessively. It is not recommended to use the always-on display (it is better to prefer the ambient display) to avoid approximately 5-7% impact on battery life.

In conclusion

The Xiaomi 13 Ultra stands as a testament to Xiaomi's unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of technological innovation. With its cutting-edge features, stunning design, and flagship performance, this smartphone sets a new standard for excellence in the mobile industry.

From the powerful camera system to the lightning-fast processing capabilities, Xiaomi has left no stone unturned in delivering a device that truly caters to the needs of the discerning consumer. As we embrace the era of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, it's evident that the brand's dedication to excellence continues to elevate the smartphone experience, promising a future where innovation knows no bounds.