Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G Long-term Review: A good phone that could have been priced better

March 26, 2024, 09:38:28 IST

There is nothing glaringly wrong about this phone, but there are better alternatives available at this price point, and most from the same parent company

Pros:

• Good build quality and finish
• IP54 rated dust and splash resistance
• Sharp and vibrant AMOLED display with Dolby Vision
• Decent processing hardware
• Competent main camera
• Good battery backup, 67W fast charging

Cons:

• MIUI is borderline unusable
• Poor macro camera, focusing issues from close quarters
• Pricing could have been more competitive

Rating: 3.5/5 Price: Rs 25,999 to Rs 29,999

After a decade of Xiaomi in India, their Note series handsets still happen to be among the most popular smartphones in this country. They started off as highly competent budget phones that offered great value for money and have moved on to a more premium category over the past few years with the addition of some higher-end features. The latest Redmi Note 13 series is probably the most pricier to date.

The series has three phones at the moment – the Note 13, Note 13 Pro and Note 13 Pro+, in increasing order of processing power, features and price. We take a closer look at the Note 13 Pro today that looks to trade a middle path between the other two. The 25K to 30K segment of smartphones in India is highly competitive and packed with some excellent options. Can the Redmi Note 13 Pro carve a niche for itself? Let’s find out.

Design (3.75/5)

I wouldn’t call the design unique, but the Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G looks pleasant. We got the Aurora Purple variant for review, which is quite easy on the eyes with its pastel shades. Despite the plastic frame, the build quality and finish are pretty good, especially the matte glass back. Though there is no mention of any scratch resistance, we haven’t managed to put a scratch on it in the past month or so. Of course, we handle our units very well.

The back doesn’t attract fingerprints or smudge marks either, nor does the frame. There are no rough edges on the phone and feels great in hand with good weight distribution. The phone weighs about 187 grams and is fairly slim given its 8 mm thickness. The screen bezels are incredibly thin too, which is great to see on midrange phones. The volume rocker as well as the power button are located along the right edge of the phone, while the left edge is completely vac