Xiaomi 12 Pro vs Xiaomi 13: A Detailed Comparison

Xiaomi continues to deliver impressive flagship phones, and the 12 Pro and 13 are prime examples. But with subtle differences, which one offers the best value and performance? This comprehensive comparison dives deep into their specs, features, and overall user experience to help you decide.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Xiaomi 13 emerges as the clear winner, boasting a significantly improved chipset, brighter display, and longer battery life. While the 12 Pro still offers excellent value, the 13's advancements make it the superior choice for most users seeking a top-tier Android experience.

PHONES
Phone Names Xiaomi 12 Pro Xiaomi 13
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, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66 - 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, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 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 / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G
 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - China
Launch
Announced2021, December 282022, December 11
StatusAvailable. Released 2021, December 31Available. Released 2022, December 14
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back, aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back or silicone polymer back, aluminum frame
Dimensions163.6 x 74.6 x 8.2 mm (6.44 x 2.94 x 0.32 in)152.8 x 71.5 x 8.0 mm or 8.1 mm
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight204 g or 205 g (7.20 oz)185 g or 189 g (6.53 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass VictusCorning Gorilla Glass 5
Resolution1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~521 ppi density)1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~414 ppi density)
Size6.73 inches, 109.4 cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio)6.36 inches, 97.7 cm2 (~89.4% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeLTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1500 nits (peak)AMOLED, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1900 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 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)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm)Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 730Adreno 740
OSAndroid 12, MIUI 13Android 13, upgradable to Android 14, MIUI 14
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
 UFS 3.1UFS 3.1 - 128GB UFS 4.0 - 256/512GB
Main Camera
FeaturesColor spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panoramaLeica lens, color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama
Single32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 0.7µm-
Triple50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/1.9, 48mm (telephoto), PDAF, 2x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 115˚ (ultrawide)50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.49", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.0, 75mm (telephoto), 1/3.75", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.2x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 15mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.06", 1.12µm
Video8K@24fps (HDR), 4K@30/60fps (HDR10+), 1080p@30/120/240/960fps, 720p@1920fps, 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
FeaturesHDR, panoramaHDR, panorama
Single32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 0.7µm32 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), 1/3.14", 0.7µm
Video1080p@30/60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR10+1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakers (4 speakers)Yes, with stereo speakers
 24-bit/192kHz audio Tuned by Harman Kardon24-bit/192kHz audio
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
Infrared portYesYes
NFCYes (market/region dependent)Yes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5)GPS (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 or 6e (market dependent), 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, compass, barometerFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass
 Virtual Proximity Sensing-
Battery
Charging120W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 18 min 50W wireless, 100% in 42 min 10W reverse wireless67W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 38 min 50W wireless, 100% in 48 min 10W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 4600 mAhLi-Po 4500 mAh
Misc
ColorsGray, Blue, Purple, GreenWhite, Black, Flora Green, Mountain Blue, Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Gray
Models2201122C, 2201122G2211133C, 2211133G
Price€ 317.40 / $ 349.99 / £ 364.66 / ₹ 41,999€ 314.00
SAR1.09 W/kg (head)     1.05 W/kg (body)-
SAR EU0.60 W/kg (head)     1.00 W/kg (body)-
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 74h Endurance rating 108h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -29.5 LUFS (Average) -25.8 LUFS (Very good)
Performance AnTuTu: 985226 (v9) GeekBench: 3682 (v5.1) GFXBench: 46fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 1248260 (v9) GeekBench: 5129 (v5.1) GFXBench: 109fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Xiaomi 12 Pro

  • Excellent value
  • Fast 120W charging
  • Bright display
  • Capable camera

  • Older chipset
  • Shorter battery life compared to 13
  • Potential for thermal throttling

Xiaomi 13

  • Latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset
  • Brighter display
  • Longer battery life
  • Improved performance

  • Slightly slower wired charging
  • Higher price point

Display Comparison

The Xiaomi 13 takes the lead in display quality. While both offer excellent contrast (Infinite nominal), the 13's measured peak brightness of 1254 nits significantly surpasses the 12 Pro's 1050 nits, resulting in better outdoor visibility and a more vibrant viewing experience. Both utilize AMOLED technology with smooth refresh rates, but the 13's extra brightness is a noticeable advantage.

Camera Comparison

Both phones offer excellent camera systems, but the Xiaomi 13 likely has improvements in image processing and low-light performance due to the newer Snapdragon chip. While specific camera specs aren't detailed, the 13's advancements in image signal processing (ISP) generally lead to better overall image quality. Both are capable of capturing high-quality photos and videos.

Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Xiaomi 13 provides a substantial performance boost over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the 12 Pro. The newer chipset offers improved CPU and GPU performance, resulting in smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and enhanced gaming capabilities. The 12 Pro is still capable, but the 13's performance is undeniably superior.

Battery Life

The Xiaomi 13 demonstrates a clear advantage in battery life. Its endurance rating of 108h significantly exceeds the 12 Pro's 74h. While charging speeds are comparable (120W wired for the 12 Pro, 67W wired for the 13), the 13's improved efficiency translates to longer usage between charges.

Buying Guide

Who should buy the Xiaomi 12 Pro? Those seeking a high-performance phone at a slightly lower price point, and who don't require the absolute latest and greatest. Who should buy the Xiaomi 13? Users prioritizing peak performance, a brighter display, and extended battery life, and are willing to invest in the newer model.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Xiaomi 13 worth the upgrade from the Xiaomi 12 Pro?
If you prioritize performance, battery life, and a brighter display, then yes, the Xiaomi 13 is a worthwhile upgrade. However, if you're happy with the 12 Pro's performance and are looking to save money, it remains a solid option.
❓ What are the main differences between the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and 8 Gen 2?
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 offers improved CPU and GPU performance, enhanced power efficiency, and advancements in image signal processing compared to the 8 Gen 1. This translates to faster speeds, longer battery life, and better camera performance.