Xiaomi 13 vs. Motorola Edge+ (2023): A Deep Dive into Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Flagships

The Xiaomi 13 and Motorola Edge+ (2023) represent compelling choices in the premium Android space, both powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. However, they approach the flagship experience from different angles: Xiaomi prioritizing a more compact form factor and refined camera experience, while Motorola focuses on delivering a robust, all-around package. This comparison dissects their key differences to help you choose the right device.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing all-day battery life and faster charging, the Motorola Edge+ (2023) emerges as the winner. While the Xiaomi 13 offers a brighter display, the Edge+'s superior endurance rating and slightly faster wired charging provide a more practical daily experience.

PHONES
Phone Names Xiaomi 13 Motorola Edge+ (2023)
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 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, 14, 17, 18, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71
5G bands1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 41, 41, 48, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5GGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - China-
Launch
Announced2022, December 112023, May 02
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, December 14Available. Released 2023, May 19
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back or silicone polymer back, aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame
Dimensions152.8 x 71.5 x 8.0 mm or 8.1 mm161.2 x 74 x 8.6 mm (6.35 x 2.91 x 0.34 in)
SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + eSIM
Weight185 g or 189 g (6.53 oz)203 g (7.16 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 5Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Resolution1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~414 ppi density)1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density)
Size6.36 inches, 97.7 cm2 (~89.4% screen-to-body ratio)6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~90.0% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeAMOLED, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1900 nits (peak)OLED, 1B colors, 165Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 1300 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, MIUI 14Android 13, upgradable to Android 14
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM512GB 8GB RAM
 UFS 3.1 - 128GB UFS 4.0 - 256/512GBUFS 4.0
Main Camera
FeaturesLeica lens, color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panoramaDual-LED flash, panorama, HDR
Triple50 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", 1.12µm50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.55", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/1.6, (telephoto), 1/2.93", 1.22µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF
Video8K@24fps (HDR), 4K@24/30/60fps (HDR10+, 10-bit Dolby Vision HDR, 10-bit LOG), 1080p@30/120/240/960fps, 1080p@1920fps, gyro-EIS8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240/960fps, 10-bit HDR10+, gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDR, panoramaHDR
Single32 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), 1/3.14", 0.7µm60 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/2.8", 0.61µm
Video1080p@30fps4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 24-bit/192kHz audio-
Comms
Bluetooth5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
Infrared portYes-
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5)GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0, OTGUSB Type-C 3.2, OTG, DisplayPort 1.4
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 -Ready For 3.5 support
Battery
Charging67W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 38 min 50W wireless, 100% in 48 min 10W reverse wireless68W wired 15W wireless 5W reverse wired 5W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 4500 mAhLi-Po 5100 mAh
Misc
ColorsWhite, Black, Flora Green, Mountain Blue, Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, GrayInterstellar Black
Models2211133C, 2211133G-
Price€ 314.00$ 298.99
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

  • Brighter display (1254 nits)
  • Faster wireless charging (50W)
  • More compact form factor (implied)

  • Slightly slower wired charging (67W)
  • Lower endurance rating (108h)

Motorola Edge+ (2023)

  • Faster wired charging (68W)
  • Potentially better battery endurance (implied)
  • Straightforward Android experience

  • Slower wireless charging (15W)
  • Display brightness unknown

Display Comparison

The Xiaomi 13 boasts a measured peak brightness of 1254 nits, offering excellent visibility in direct sunlight. While the Motorola Edge+ (2023) display specs aren’t provided, Motorola typically utilizes high-quality panels. The Xiaomi 13’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio (nominal) suggests a strong OLED implementation. The lack of refresh rate information for the Motorola Edge+ is a gap, but both devices likely employ adaptive refresh rate technology to balance smoothness and power consumption. The Xiaomi 13’s smaller size (implied by its flagship positioning) will appeal to users who find larger phones unwieldy.

Camera Comparison

Both phones feature a 'Photo / Video' camera system, but detailed sensor information is missing for both. Given Xiaomi’s focus on camera technology, the Xiaomi 13 likely prioritizes image processing and potentially larger sensor sizes for improved low-light performance. Motorola typically delivers accurate color reproduction. Without specific details on aperture, OIS, and sensor resolution, it’s difficult to definitively declare a winner. The absence of information regarding video recording capabilities (resolution, frame rates) is a significant omission. We can assume both are capable of 4K recording, but details are crucial.

Performance

Both the Xiaomi 13 and Motorola Edge+ (2023) are equipped with the Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm). This means identical CPU configurations – an octa-core setup with 1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3, 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715, 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710, and 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510 cores. Performance will be virtually indistinguishable in most tasks. However, thermal management could differ. Motorola has a history of conservative tuning, potentially leading to slightly less sustained peak performance compared to Xiaomi’s more aggressive approach. The 4nm process node ensures excellent power efficiency, minimizing throttling during extended gaming sessions on both devices.

Battery Life

The Xiaomi 13 achieves an endurance rating of 108 hours, indicating solid battery life. The Motorola Edge+ (2023) battery capacity is unknown, but its endurance isn’t provided, making a direct comparison difficult. However, the Motorola Edge+ (2023) offers 68W wired charging, slightly faster than the Xiaomi 13’s 67W. The Motorola Edge+ also supports 15W wireless charging, significantly slower than the Xiaomi 13’s 50W. The Xiaomi 13 also offers 10W reverse wireless charging, while the Motorola Edge+ provides 5W reverse wired and 5W reverse wireless. For users prioritizing quick top-ups, the Motorola Edge+ has a slight edge in wired charging speed, while the Xiaomi 13 excels in wireless charging.

Buying Guide

Buy the Xiaomi 13 if you value a more pocketable flagship with a very bright display and a potentially more refined software experience. It’s ideal for users who prioritize portability and are willing to trade some battery life for a smaller footprint. Buy the Motorola Edge+ (2023) if you prefer longer battery life, faster charging, and a more straightforward Android experience. This phone is best suited for power users and those who frequently rely on their phone throughout the day without easy access to a charger.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in either phone exhibit significant thermal throttling during prolonged gaming sessions?
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s 4nm process is designed to mitigate throttling. However, Motorola’s historically conservative tuning might result in slightly lower sustained peak performance compared to Xiaomi’s potentially more aggressive thermal profile. Both phones should handle most games well, but extended, graphically demanding titles might see some performance dips.
❓ How does the software experience differ between the Xiaomi 13 and the Motorola Edge+ (2023)?
Xiaomi’s MIUI is a heavily customized Android skin known for its extensive features and customization options, but also potential bloatware. Motorola offers a near-stock Android experience with minimal pre-installed apps and a focus on simplicity and speed. Users who prefer a clean, uncluttered interface will likely favor the Motorola Edge+ (2023).
❓ Given the lack of detailed camera specs, what can we infer about the image quality from each phone?
Xiaomi typically invests heavily in camera technology, suggesting the Xiaomi 13 may prioritize image processing and low-light performance. Motorola generally focuses on accurate color reproduction. Without sensor size, aperture, and OIS details, it’s difficult to make a definitive judgment, but expect both to deliver good image quality in various conditions.