Xiaomi 13 Ultra
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After a 12S Ultra reserved for its domestic market, Xiaomi intends to seduce the international market with its 13 Ultra. A smartphone focusing its ambitions on the high-end smartphone market, and which does not lack assets to seduce. It will however be necessary that its tariff – which remains the main unknown to date – allows it if not to reach a large audience, at least to attract a target photographer and technophile.
A look inspired by “real” photo boxes
The good surprise starts at the design level. Xiaomi delivers an admittedly massive smartphone (163.18 x 74.64 x 9.06 mm), which is nothing extraordinary, given its 6.73-inch screen, necessarily a little heavy (227 grams) , but with neat finishes. Metal chassis, Gorilla Glass Victus front and grained leatherette back that Xiaomi announces antibacterial make up the device. The back, worked to highlight the huge photo block of this 13 Ultra – its bulge around said block recalls the grip of a traditional photo case – is as visually successful as the smartphone is pleasant in the hand, helped by the borders curves of its screen. It is also certified water resistant (IP68): we expect no less from a terminal of its ilk.
The connection, it is neat: dual-SIM and USB 3.2, allowing very fast speeds, are on the menu. There is no microSD port, which is not a problem, a storage of 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB being planned. And to further increase the “camera” effect produced by its smartphone, Xiaomi accompanies it with an accessory kit, sold (in China, at least) in limited numbers and including in particular a protective shell, a grip with a physical trigger or even a lens cover. Elements that are no doubt gadgets for those less keen on traditional photography, but attractive for those who appreciate its codes.
The screen of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra displays a WQHD+ definition, i.e. a resolution of 522 dpi identical to that of the 12S Ultra. It also retains the LTPO technology, which opens the doors to a refresh rate varying between 1 and 120 Hz. But it is above all its maximum brightness that challenges: very bright in standard mode (1,300 nits announced), it simply promises 2,600 nits in HDR. What we will endeavor to verify using our probes as soon as possible.
If there is one point on which we have no concerns, it is the power of the 13 Ultra. Xiaomi has proven, with the 13 Pro, that it has mastered Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. It is here flanked by 12 to 16 GB of RAM, and it was impossible for us, during our tests, to fault the device. Let’s add that the Loop LiquidCool cooling system, based on the basis of a closed liquid circuit, should limit the heating of the device when it is under heavy load. It should be noted in passing that the smartphone is equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery, compatible with a 90 W charge which announces a full in just over half an hour. Xiaomi therefore reserves its records in terms of charging speed for less premium models, but still brings 50 W wireless charging to its 13 Ultra.
The force of the war
With such a photo block, its most complete to date, Xiaomi intends to offer the best in terms of mobile photography. It relies on a 1-inch, 50-megapixel IMX989 main sensor, decked out with wide-angle optics. This offers a variable aperture: it can alternate between f/1.9 and f/4 (with no level between the two) in order to offer a pronounced background blur effect (at large aperture) or a photo almost completely sharp (small aperture), depending on the type of scene, which actually works very well and is relevant in daytime scenes. It is possible to vary this aperture manually or to rely on the brand’s scene detection, to benefit from an automatic aperture. For our part, we conducted a few tests with the smartphone, which proved to be convincing on this point.
The rest of the 13 Ultra’s photo equipment relies on not two, but three add-ons, like Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra. All benefit from 50 megapixel IMX858 sensors and allow, like its main module, to film in 8K at 24 fps. It is therefore their optics that vary, the first, equivalent to 12 mm (f / 1.8), being an ultra wide-angle. The other two are telephoto lenses, the first equivalent to 75 mm (x3.2 zoom, f / 1.8), and the second, to 120 mm (x5, f / 3). A x2 zoom displayed by the smartphone interface (eq. 46 mm) actually corresponds to a digital magnification. The optics stamped Summicron (Leica), and in particular that of the wide-angle, benefit from an eight-element design. Our first tests, despite some focusing difficulties at the longest focal length, are generally conclusive. However, we will have to submit the device to our laboratory tests – with its final software – to decide further. You will find below some tests in real conditions:
The Xiaomi 13 Ultra, a promising model that crystallizes the brand’s ambitions in the field of mobile photography, will also rank among the most expensive on the market. It is announced a few hundred yuan more expensive than the 13 Pro (itself billed at €1,299 in France). Its starting price could well flirt with 1,500 € and its best-end version (16 GB / 1 TB), fly far beyond. One thing is certain: the 13 Ultra will be marketed in Europe. We can hope for a launch at the beginning of the summer, a year after that of the 12S Ultra. Xiaomi has remained silent on the subject of software updates for its smartphone, which will of course be released under Android 13 with MiUI 14: let’s hope that to convince the hesitant, it shows its willingness to ensure a long-term follow-up of such a device , exceeding three years ofupdates currently offered.