Xiaomi 12 Pro vs Xiaomi 13 Pro: A Detailed Showdown

Xiaomi continues to push boundaries in the smartphone market, and the 12 Pro and 13 Pro are prime examples. Both offer premium features and impressive specs, but cater to slightly different users. This comprehensive comparison will help you decide which flagship is the right choice for you.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Xiaomi 13 Pro emerges as the clear winner, boasting a significantly faster Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, a brighter display, and improved battery efficiency. While the 12 Pro remains a capable device, the 13 Pro’s advancements make it the superior choice for most users seeking a top-tier Android experience.

PHONES
Phone Names Xiaomi 12 Pro 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, 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, 79 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 Victus), ceramic 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)162.9 x 74.6 x 8.4 mm or 8.7 mm
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight204 g or 205 g (7.20 oz)210 g or 229 g (7.41 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass VictusCorning Gorilla Glass Victus
Resolution1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~521 ppi density)1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~522 ppi density)
Size6.73 inches, 109.4 cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio)6.73 inches, 108.9 cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeLTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1500 nits (peak)LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 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, HyperOS
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, panoramaLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica lens, 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)50.3 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
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, 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, barometer
 Virtual Proximity Sensing-
Battery
Charging120W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 18 min 50W wireless, 100% in 42 min 10W reverse wireless120W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 19 min 50W wireless, 100% in 36 min 10W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 4600 mAhLi-Po 4820 mAh
Misc
ColorsGray, Blue, Purple, GreenCeramic White, Ceramic Black, Ceramic Flora Green, Mountain Blue
Models2201122C, 2201122G2210132G, 2210132C
Price€ 317.40 / $ 349.99 / £ 364.66 / ₹ 41,999About 750 EUR
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 115h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -29.5 LUFS (Average) -25.6 LUFS (Very good)
Performance AnTuTu: 985226 (v9) GeekBench: 3682 (v5.1) GFXBench: 46fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 1281666 (v9) GeekBench: 5087 (v5.1), 5323 (v6) GFXBench: 64fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Xiaomi 12 Pro

  • Fast 120W wired charging
  • Excellent display quality
  • Premium design
  • Capable camera system

  • Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 can throttle under sustained load
  • Slightly older chipset
  • Lower peak brightness compared to 13 Pro

Xiaomi 13 Pro

  • Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for superior performance
  • Brighter and more vibrant display
  • Improved camera system
  • Better battery efficiency
  • More modern design

  • Potentially higher price
  • Wireless charging slightly slower than 12 Pro

Display Comparison

The Xiaomi 13 Pro takes the lead in the display department. While both phones feature excellent OLED panels with infinite contrast ratios, the 13 Pro’s measured peak brightness of 1253 nits surpasses the 12 Pro’s 1050 nits, resulting in better outdoor visibility. Both offer vibrant colors and smooth refresh rates, but the 13 Pro’s extra brightness gives it a noticeable edge.

Camera Comparison

Both phones offer versatile camera systems, but the 13 Pro’s camera hardware and image processing are generally considered superior. The 13 Pro typically captures more detailed photos with better dynamic range and improved low-light performance. While the 12 Pro’s camera is still very good, the 13 Pro represents a noticeable upgrade.

Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Xiaomi 13 Pro delivers a substantial performance boost over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the 12 Pro. Expect faster app loading times, smoother multitasking, and improved gaming performance on the 13 Pro. The Gen 2’s efficiency also contributes to better battery life. Both phones handle everyday tasks with ease, but the 13 Pro is in a different league for demanding applications.

Battery Life

The Xiaomi 13 Pro demonstrates improved battery efficiency. While the 12 Pro boasts an impressive endurance rating of 74h, the 13 Pro achieves an active use score of 10:55h and an endurance rating of 115h, indicating better real-world battery life and power management.

Buying Guide

Who should buy the Xiaomi 12 Pro? It's a great option for users seeking a premium experience at a potentially lower price point, especially if they prioritize fast charging and don't need the absolute latest and greatest performance. Who should buy the Xiaomi 13 Pro? Those who demand the best possible performance, a brighter and more vibrant display, and enhanced camera capabilities will find the 13 Pro to be a worthwhile investment.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Xiaomi 13 Pro worth the upgrade from the 12 Pro?
Yes, if you prioritize performance, display quality, and camera improvements. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and brighter display make a significant difference.
❓ Which phone has faster charging?
The Xiaomi 12 Pro has slightly faster wireless charging (50W vs 50W), but both offer incredibly fast 120W wired charging.