Xiaomi 12 vs Xiaomi 13: The Ultimate Flagship Showdown

Xiaomi continues to deliver impressive smartphones, and the 12 and 13 are prime examples. Both offer premium features and performance, but cater to slightly different needs. This comprehensive comparison will break down the key differences to help you decide which device deserves your investment.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Xiaomi 13 emerges as the clear winner, boasting a significantly improved battery life, a brighter display, and the more powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. While the Xiaomi 12 remains a capable device, the 13 offers a noticeable upgrade across the board, justifying its price premium.

PHONES
Phone Names Xiaomi 12 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, 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 (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back or silicone polymer back, aluminum frame
Dimensions152.7 x 69.9 x 8.2 mm (6.01 x 2.75 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
Weight179 g or 180 g (6.31 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
Resolution1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~419 ppi density)1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~414 ppi density)
Size6.28 inches, 95.2 cm2 (~89.2% screen-to-body ratio)6.36 inches, 97.7 cm2 (~89.4% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeAMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1100 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, 26mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.4, 12mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.06", 1.12µm 5 MP, f/2.4, 50mm (telephoto macro), AF50 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, HDR1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, 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, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass
 Virtual Proximity Sensing-
Battery
Charging67W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 39 min 50W wireless, 100% in 53 min 10W reverse wireless67W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 38 min 50W wireless, 100% in 48 min 10W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 4500 mAhLi-Po 4500 mAh
Misc
ColorsGray, Blue, Purple, GreenWhite, Black, Flora Green, Mountain Blue, Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Gray
Models2201123G, 2201123C2211133C, 2211133G
Price$ 284.99 / € 149.99€ 314.00
SAR1.09 W/kg (head)     0.91 W/kg (body)-
SAR EU0.60 W/kg (head)     1.00 W/kg (body)-
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 82h Endurance rating 108h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -25.3 LUFS (Very good) -25.8 LUFS (Very good)
Performance AnTuTu: 985115 (v9) GeekBench: 3652 (v5.1) GFXBench: 75fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 1248260 (v9) GeekBench: 5129 (v5.1) GFXBench: 109fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Xiaomi 12

  • Excellent performance for the price
  • Good camera system
  • Fast charging
  • Compact and comfortable design

  • Shorter battery life compared to the 13
  • Lower display brightness
  • Older chipset

Xiaomi 13

  • Significantly improved battery life
  • Brighter and more vibrant display
  • Latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset
  • Enhanced camera performance

  • Higher price
  • Potentially larger size

Display Comparison

The Xiaomi 13's display shines with a measured peak brightness of 1254 nits, significantly brighter than the Xiaomi 12's 896 nits. Both offer excellent contrast ratios (infinite nominal), but the 13's increased brightness provides better visibility in direct sunlight. Color accuracy is expected to be excellent on both, utilizing AMOLED technology.

Camera Comparison

While both phones offer capable camera systems, the Xiaomi 13 is expected to have improvements in image processing and low-light performance thanks to the newer chipset and potentially refined camera hardware. Both likely feature versatile lens setups (wide, ultrawide, telephoto), but the 13's computational photography should be superior. Video recording capabilities are also likely enhanced on the 13.

Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Xiaomi 13 provides a substantial performance boost over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the Xiaomi 12. The 13's CPU architecture (Cortex-X3 leading the charge) and improved efficiency translate to faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance. Both phones handle demanding tasks with ease, but the 13 has more headroom.

Battery Life

Battery life is a major differentiator. The Xiaomi 13 boasts an endurance rating of 108h, a significant improvement over the Xiaomi 12's 82h. Both phones offer fast wired (67W) and wireless (50W) charging, with similar charging times. The 13's larger battery and more efficient chipset contribute to its longer runtime.

Buying Guide

The Xiaomi 12 is a great choice for budget-conscious users who still want a flagship experience. It offers excellent performance and a good camera system. The Xiaomi 13 is ideal for power users, photography enthusiasts, and anyone prioritizing long battery life and the latest technology.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Xiaomi 13 worth the upgrade from the Xiaomi 12?
If you prioritize battery life, display brightness, and the latest performance, then the Xiaomi 13 is a worthwhile upgrade. However, if you're happy with your Xiaomi 12's performance and want to save money, it's still a capable device.
❓ What are the main differences in camera quality between the two phones?
The Xiaomi 13 is expected to offer improved image processing, better low-light performance, and potentially more advanced camera features thanks to the newer chipset and potentially refined hardware. Both offer versatile lens setups.