Xiaomi 13 Pro vs. vivo X90: A Deep Dive into Flagship Android Performance

Both the Xiaomi 13 Pro and vivo X90 represent the pinnacle of Android smartphone technology, arriving with top-tier processors and blazing-fast charging. However, they diverge in their core philosophies: Xiaomi prioritizes raw power with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, while vivo focuses on a balanced experience with the MediaTek Dimensity 9200. This comparison dissects these differences to determine which phone best suits your needs.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For most users, the Xiaomi 13 Pro emerges as the stronger contender. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 offers a demonstrable performance edge, particularly in sustained workloads, and its slightly better battery endurance rating provides a bit more peace of mind. However, the vivo X90 remains a compelling option for those prioritizing a potentially smoother software experience and a different camera tuning.

PHONES
Phone Names vivo X90 Xiaomi 13 Pro
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - International1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66 - International
5G bands1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G
 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - China1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China
Launch
Announced2022, November 222022, December 11
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, November 30Available. Released 2022, December 14
Body
BuildGlass front, glass back or eco leather backGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), ceramic back or silicone polymer back, aluminum frame
Dimensions164.1 x 74.4 x 8.5 mm or 8.9 mm162.9 x 74.6 x 8.4 mm or 8.7 mm
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight196 g / 200 g (6.91 oz)210 g or 229 g (7.41 oz)
 IP64 dust/water resistantIP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Display
Protection-Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Resolution1260 x 2800 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~452 ppi density)1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~522 ppi density)
Size6.78 inches, 111.5 cm2 (~91.3% screen-to-body ratio)6.73 inches, 108.9 cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeAMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1900 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.05 GHz Cortex-X3 & 3x2.85 GHz Cortex-A715 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)
ChipsetMediatek Dimensity 9200 (4 nm)Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)
GPUImmortalis-G715 MC11Adreno 740
OSAndroid 13, Funtouch 13 (Global), OriginOS 3 (China)Android 13, upgradable to Android 14, HyperOS
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
 UFS 4.0 - 256/512GB UFS 3.1 - 128GBUFS 3.1 - 128GB UFS 4.0 - 256/512GB
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, Pixel Shift, dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panoramaLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica lens, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama
Single32 MP, f/2.5, 24mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm-
Triple50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.49", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.0, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.93", 1.22µm, AF, 2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.0, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.93", 1.22µm, AF50.3 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1.0"-type, 1.6µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.0, 75mm (telephoto), PDAF (10cm - ∞), 3.2x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 115˚ (ultrawide), AF
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS8K@24fps (HDR), 4K@24/30/60fps (HDR10+, 10-bit Dolby Vision HDR, 10-bit LOG), 1080p@30/120/240/960fps, 1080p@1920fps, gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR, panorama
Single32 MP, f/2.5, 24mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm32 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), 1/3.14", 0.7µm
Video1080p@30/60fps1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 24-bit/192kHz audio24-bit/192kHz audio
Comms
Bluetooth5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.3, A2DP, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
Infrared portYesYes
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS, NavICGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5)
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0, OTGUSB Type-C 2.0, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass, barometer
Battery
Charging120W wired, 50% in 8 min Reverse wired120W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 19 min 50W wireless, 100% in 36 min 10W reverse wireless
Type4810 mAhLi-Po 4820 mAh
Misc
ColorsAsteroid Black, Breeze Blue, RedCeramic White, Ceramic Black, Ceramic Flora Green, Mountain Blue
ModelsV2241A2210132G, 2210132C
PriceAbout 300 EURAbout 750 EUR
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 115h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -25.6 LUFS (Very good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 1281666 (v9) GeekBench: 5087 (v5.1), 5323 (v6) GFXBench: 64fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

vivo X90

  • Superior chipset performance (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2)
  • Faster wired charging (19 minutes to 100%)
  • Wireless charging support (50W)

  • Potentially more aggressive image processing
  • May run slightly warmer under sustained load

Xiaomi 13 Pro

  • Potentially more natural camera color science
  • Efficient Dimensity 9200 chipset
  • Fast 120W wired charging

  • Slightly less powerful chipset overall
  • No wireless charging

Display Comparison

The Xiaomi 13 Pro boasts a display capable of reaching a measured 1253 nits of peak brightness, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the vivo X90’s brightness isn’t specified, both devices likely utilize high-quality AMOLED panels. The Xiaomi 13 Pro’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio (nominal) is standard for AMOLED technology. The absence of PWM frequency data for both phones makes it difficult to assess flicker-related eye strain, but both are expected to employ modern techniques to mitigate this issue. Bezels are likely comparable, with both aiming for a premium, immersive viewing experience.

Camera Comparison

Both phones are equipped for excellent photo and video capture, but their approaches differ. Without detailed sensor information, it’s difficult to make definitive claims. However, the Xiaomi 13 Pro’s camera system is likely tuned for vibrant, saturated colors, a hallmark of Xiaomi’s image processing. The vivo X90, historically, leans towards more natural and accurate color reproduction. The presence of OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) is assumed on both main sensors. The absence of details regarding secondary lenses (ultrawide, telephoto) prevents a comprehensive comparison, but the primary sensor quality and image processing algorithms will be the deciding factors for most users.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Xiaomi 13 Pro’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm) features a 3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 prime core, alongside 2x Cortex-A715 and 2x Cortex-A710 cores, and 3x Cortex-A510 efficiency cores. This configuration, built on TSMC’s 4nm process, generally delivers superior sustained performance and thermal efficiency compared to the vivo X90’s MediaTek Dimensity 9200. The Dimensity 9200, while also 4nm, utilizes a 3.05 GHz Cortex-X3, 3x Cortex-A715, and 4x Cortex-A510 cores. While the Dimensity 9200 is no slouch, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s architecture and optimizations give it an edge in GPU-intensive tasks and prolonged gaming sessions. Both phones likely utilize LPDDR5x RAM, but the specific speed isn’t provided.

Battery Life

The Xiaomi 13 Pro’s endurance rating of 115 hours suggests solid battery life, and its active use score of 10:55h confirms this. The vivo X90’s battery capacity isn’t specified, but its 120W wired charging (50% in 8 minutes) is comparable to the Xiaomi 13 Pro’s (100% in 19 minutes). The Xiaomi 13 Pro further offers 50W wireless charging (100% in 36 minutes) and 10W reverse wireless charging, providing greater versatility. While the X90 offers reverse wired charging, the wattage isn’t specified. The faster wired charging of the Xiaomi 13 Pro is a significant advantage for users who frequently need to top up their battery quickly.

Buying Guide

Buy the vivo X90 if you prioritize a potentially more refined software experience, value a camera system tuned for natural colors, and appreciate the benefits of a slightly more power-efficient chipset in everyday tasks. Buy the Xiaomi 13 Pro if you demand the absolute best performance for gaming and demanding applications, need the fastest possible charging speeds, and prefer a camera system that leans towards vibrant, punchy images.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Xiaomi 13 Pro experience thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions?
While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is highly efficient, sustained high loads can still generate heat. However, the Xiaomi 13 Pro’s cooling system is designed to mitigate throttling, allowing for longer periods of peak performance compared to devices with less robust thermal management. Expect some performance dip after 30-60 minutes of demanding games, but it should remain playable.
❓ How does the camera processing differ between the Xiaomi 13 Pro and the vivo X90 in low-light conditions?
Xiaomi typically employs more aggressive noise reduction and sharpening in low-light scenarios, resulting in brighter, more detailed images, but potentially at the cost of some natural texture. Vivo generally prioritizes preserving natural detail and color accuracy, even if it means slightly noisier images. The preferred style is subjective, but the Xiaomi 13 Pro is likely to produce more immediately shareable low-light photos.
❓ Is the 120W charging on both phones equally effective, considering different battery capacities?
While both phones support 120W charging, the Xiaomi 13 Pro achieves a full charge in 19 minutes, while the vivo X90 reaches 50% in 8 minutes (full charge time unspecified). This suggests the Xiaomi 13 Pro’s charging implementation is more efficient, likely due to optimized battery management and charging circuitry. The actual charging speed will also depend on the charger and cable used.