Xiaomi 13 Ultra vs Xiaomi 13: The Ultimate Showdown

Xiaomi's flagship lineup continues to impress, but choosing between the Ultra and the standard 13 can be tricky. Both pack the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, but significant differences exist in camera capabilities, design, and overall features. Let's dive into a comprehensive comparison to help you decide.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is the clear winner for photography enthusiasts and those wanting a larger display and more premium build. However, the Xiaomi 13 offers a more compact design, slightly brighter display, and a more accessible price point, making it a compelling choice for everyday users.

PHONES
Phone Names Xiaomi 13 Ultra 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, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 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, 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
 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - China
Launch
Announced2023, April 182022, December 11
StatusAvailable. Released 2023, April 21Available. Released 2022, December 14
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), eco leather back, aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back or silicone polymer back, aluminum frame
Dimensions163.2 x 74.6 x 9.1 mm (6.43 x 2.94 x 0.36 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
Weight227 g (8.01 oz)185 g or 189 g (6.53 oz)
 IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)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 (~522 ppi density)1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~414 ppi density)
Size6.73 inches, 108.9 cm2 (~89.5% screen-to-body ratio)6.36 inches, 97.7 cm2 (~89.4% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeLTPO AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1300 nits (HBM), 2600 nits (peak)AMOLED, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1900 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 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 SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 740Adreno 740
OSAndroid 13, upgradable to Android 14, HyperOSAndroid 13, upgradable to Android 14, MIUI 14
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
 UFS 4.0UFS 3.1 - 128GB UFS 4.0 - 256/512GB
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica lenses, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama, 67mm filter ring holder (optional)Leica lens, color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama
Quad50 MP, f/1.9 or f/4.0, 23mm (wide), 1.0"-type, 1.6µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/1.8, 75mm (telephoto), 1/2.51", 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 3.2x optical zoom 50 MP, f/3.0, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.51", 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/1.8, 12mm, 122˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.51", 0.7µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D, (depth)-
Triple-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, 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/480/960/1920fps, gyro-EIS, Dolby Vision HDR 10-bit rec. (4K@60fps, 1080p)8K@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/2.0, 22mm (wide), 1/3.14", 0.7µm32 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), 1/3.14", 0.7µm
Video1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS1080p@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 HD, aptX Adaptive5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
Infrared portYesYes
NFCYesYes
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 3.2, DisplayPort, OTGUSB Type-C 2.0, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass, barometerFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass
 Virtual proximity sensing-
Battery
Charging90W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 35 min 50W wireless, 100% in 49 min 10W reverse wireless67W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 38 min 50W wireless, 100% in 48 min 10W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 5000 mAhLi-Po 4500 mAh
Misc
ColorsBlack, Olive Green, White, Orange, Yellow, BlueWhite, Black, Flora Green, Mountain Blue, Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Gray
Models2304FPN6DC, 2304FPN6DG2211133C, 2211133G
Price€ 797.98 / $ 389.69€ 314.00
SAR EU0.99 W/kg (head)     1.00 W/kg (body)-
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 108h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -25.8 LUFS (Very good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 1248260 (v9) GeekBench: 5129 (v5.1) GFXBench: 109fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Xiaomi 13 Ultra

  • Superior Camera System
  • Larger Display
  • Faster Wired Charging (90W)
  • Premium Build Quality
  • Reverse Wireless Charging

  • Higher Price
  • Larger and Heavier Design
  • Potentially Overkill for Casual Users

Xiaomi 13

  • More Compact and Ergonomic
  • Slightly Brighter Display (1254 nits)
  • More Affordable
  • Excellent Performance

  • Less Advanced Camera System
  • Slower Wired Charging (67W)
  • Smaller Display

Display Comparison

Both phones boast excellent AMOLED displays with 120Hz refresh rates. The Xiaomi 13 edges out the Ultra with a slightly higher peak brightness of 1254 nits versus 1207 nits (measured). The Xiaomi 13 also advertises an 'infinite' contrast ratio, though this is a nominal value. The Ultra's larger size provides more screen real estate, which is a significant advantage for media consumption and gaming.

Camera Comparison

This is where the Ultra truly shines. While both offer excellent photo and video capabilities, the Ultra boasts a significantly more advanced camera system, typically featuring a larger primary sensor, periscope telephoto lens, and potentially more advanced image processing algorithms. The Xiaomi 13's camera is still very capable, but it doesn't match the Ultra's versatility and image quality, especially in challenging lighting conditions. The Ultra often includes features like 8K video recording and advanced computational photography modes.

Performance

Performance is virtually identical. Both devices are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, ensuring blazing-fast speeds and smooth multitasking. The octa-core CPU configuration is the same across both models, meaning you won't notice a significant difference in everyday usage or demanding tasks.

Battery Life

Battery life is remarkably similar. Both phones have an endurance rating of 108 hours (old data), suggesting excellent longevity. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra has a slightly smaller battery capacity (4880 mAh vs 4500 mAh in the 13), but the efficiency of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 helps to offset this difference. Charging speeds are also a key differentiator, with the Ultra offering 90W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, compared to the 13's 67W wired and 50W wireless.

Buying Guide

The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is ideal for photography lovers, power users needing a larger screen, and those who appreciate a more robust and premium design. The Xiaomi 13 is perfect for users seeking a flagship experience in a more compact form factor, prioritizing ease of use, and wanting to save some money.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Xiaomi 13 Ultra worth the extra money?
If photography is a priority, then yes. The Ultra's camera system is significantly better. If you're a casual user, the Xiaomi 13 offers excellent value.
❓ Which phone is better for gaming?
Both phones offer excellent gaming performance thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The Ultra's larger display might be preferable for immersive gaming.