Xiaomi 13 Lite Review

After the success of the Xiaomi 12 Lite last year as a mid-range phone, Xiaomi has now introduced its successor 13 Lite, which comes with a faster processor, slimmer frame and a number of other nips and tucks.

Design and build

The Xiaomi 12 Lite appeared to have been inspired by the iPhone 12 range, as it had a flat display and squared off corners, but Xiaomi decided to delve further into the past for its successor. The 13 Lite appears to be strikingly similar to Samsung Galaxy S8 and S9 and this is certainly not a bad thing because these devices were quite good looking.

The 13 Lite weighs just 171g and its dimensions are 159.2 x 72.7 x 7.2 mm. The 6.55 inch display has curved edges and it has a filleted back panel that just sinks into your hand, which means it boasts a very thin chassis. It does have a metal rim, which gives it durability and the rear panel is matt plastic, which makes gripping easy.

The thin sides are able to accommodate the power and volume controls, while there is a USB-C charging port, a single speaker and a dual-SIM tray at the bottom. The display of the 13 Lite uses Gorilla Glass and it also comes with an IP53 dust and water proof rating. Xiaomi is still offering a charger and a cable with the box, which is definitely a good thing.

Screen and speakers

The 13 Lite has an AMOLED Full HD+ Panel that boasts a 20:9 aspect ratio. The display supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+. The top of the display has a pill-shaped punch-hole for the front cameras. The display is colorful, bright and nice and it is also quite responsive, which makes it comfortable to use. You have the choice of setting the refresh rate at either 60Hz or 120 Hz.

A Dynamic setting allows you to switch to the most useful refresh rate, depending on the situation. The 13 Lite also comes with a fingerprint sensor under the display. It works quite efficiently and unlocks the phone quickly. There is just one speaker, but it has good volume.

Specs and performance

Since it is a mid-range device, Xiaomi has opted for the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, which is capable of delivering a strong performance. You will have no trouble in switching between apps, or in opening and closing them. Gaming is also good and the phone works smoothly, giving you a pleasant experience.It comes with 8GB of RAM and storage is 128GB, but you do have the option of upgrading to 256GB.

Cameras

The 13 Lite comes with a 50Mp f/1.8 main camera with a Sony IMX766 sensor and it gives you some really good shots that have solid focusing and vibrant colors. Night mode is a hit and a miss in this case, but it is workable. There is also an ultrawide8Mp f/2.2 camera that is acceptable, but the 2Mp Macro is nothing special. The dual front facing cameras take good selfies as well as videos.