Almost every major phone brand now sells flagship-killer smartphones. These are handsets that offer premium features but at a cheaper price.
This type of device provides almost the same experience as proper flagships. They do have shortcomings but don’t hinder the overall product experience.
Xiaomi started its hardware journey as a flagship killer smartphone brand with the launch of Mi 1. But as the company grew, its mainline Xiaomi (previously Mi) series became a proper flagship lineup going head to head with the iPhones and Galaxy S series.
Therefore, the company introduced the Xiaomi T series (previously Mi T series) in 2019. These phones are released annually in the second half of the year.
Recently, the firm took wraps off the Xiaomi 13T series comprising standard and pro models. They start at €649 and €799 (Amazon).
For these prices, the devices come with several premium features that are generally exclusive to proper flagships. Let’s check out how the Xiaomi 13T and Xiaomi 13T Pro differentiate themselves from other flagship killer smartphones on the market.
1. Leica Cameras
High-end smartphones from some of the popular brands now come with cameras tuned in collaboration with prominent camera brands. Xiaomi is one of them with its Leica partnership.
Xiaomi has been using Leica-tuned cameras on its flagships and foldables since last year. The Xiaomi 13T series is the first flagship killer phones from the company to be equipped with Leica cameras.
Both Xiaomi 13T and Xiaomi 13T Pro have the same camera hardware along with Leica tuning. But their ISPs are different since the vanilla variant is powered by a Dimensity 8200-Ultra chip compared to a Dimensity 9200 plus chipset inside the pro version.
The handsets arrive with a proper three-lens system. They feature a 24mm main lens, a 15mm ultrawide lens, and a 50mm 2x telephoto lens.
The main and zoom cameras are 50MP sensors with f/1.9 aperture. However, the primary sensor is larger in size ( 1/1.28″ vs. 1/2.88”) and has OIS. While the ultrawide unit uses a 12MP sensor with f/2.2 aperture.
Finally, the front camera is a 20MP sensor paired with a f/2.2 lens.
2. Feature-packed Display
Just like the cameras, the display on Xiaomi 13T and Xiaomi 13T Pro is also the same. This is no regular screen as you get a lot of premium features.
First and foremost, the display offers a resolution of 2712 x 1220 pixels (1.5K), 446 PPI, and 12-bit color depth (10-bit native). The panel supports up to a 144Hz refresh rate. It automatically switches between 30Hz, 60Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz, and 144Hz refresh rates depending on the content.
The centered punch-hole flat screen can play HDR10+ and Dolby Vision content. It can attain a local peak brightness level of 2600 nits. In high brightness mode, its global peak brightness can reach 1200 nits.
The display can also cover 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. Lastly, it is even eye-friendly with 2880Hz PWM dimming and has a fingerprint sensor underneath it.
3. Basic Design
Most flagship killer smartphones sport a flashy design. Because they are generally limited to Asia and targeted at youth.
But the Xiaomi 13T series is different as it has a simple design that caters to a wider audience. It features a flat frame and a slightly curved rear panel for better ergonomics.
The material of the back panel is vegan leather for the Alpine Blue color option. Whereas, Black and Meadow Green color versions use glossy glass.
Either way, both leather and glass variants house a raised platform for cameras, their accompanying LED flashlight, and Leica branding. While the Xiaomi branding is located in the bottom left corner.
Additionally, the handsets are IP68-rated for dust and water resistance. This means theoretically they can survive under 1.5 metres of fresh water for 30 minutes.
4. Longer Support
The Xiaomi 13T series is one of the first smartphones from the company to fall under its latest software support policy. Hence, they will receive software updates for up to 5 years from release.
These devices are eligible for 4 Android upgrades and 5 years of security updates. Since they ship with Android 13, they will receive up to Android 17 in the future.
Xiaomi is known for providing security updates every two months or every quarter for its premium phones. So this should be the case with Xiaomi 13T and Xiaomi 13T Pro as well.
Nevertheless, customers can expect software support until the second half of 2028.
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