ZTE Axon 50 Ultra vs Xiaomi 13 Pro: A Deep Dive into Flagship Android
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing raw performance and future-proofing, the Xiaomi 13 Pro is the clear winner. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and 120W charging provide a noticeable advantage. However, the ZTE Axon 50 Ultra offers exceptional value, delivering a compelling experience for those seeking flagship features without the premium price tag.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | ZTE Axon 50 Ultra | Xiaomi 13 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | LTE | 1, 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 bands | SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1x | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023, April 12 | 2022, December 11 |
| Status | Cancelled | Available. Released 2022, December 14 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), ceramic back or silicone polymer back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 161.8 x 73.1 x 8.9 mm (6.37 x 2.88 x 0.35 in) | 162.9 x 74.6 x 8.4 mm or 8.7 mm |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 199 g (7.02 oz) | 210 g or 229 g (7.41 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~522 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~90.8% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.73 inches, 108.9 cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz | LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1200 nits (HBM), 1900 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x2.0 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) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 12, MyOS 12 | Android 13, upgradable to Android 14, HyperOS |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 - 128GB UFS 4.0 - 256/512GB | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, HDR | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Leica lens, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.0, (telephoto), PDAF, 3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 116˚ (ultrawide), PDAF | 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 |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10‑bit video | 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 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, (wide) | 32 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), 1/3.14", 0.7µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio | 24-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.3, A2DP, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| Infrared port | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass, barometer |
| BDS Satellite Message (Emergency SOS service) | - | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 80W wired, PD3.0, QC4 | 120W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 19 min 50W wireless, 100% in 36 min 10W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh | Li-Po 4820 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black | Ceramic White, Ceramic Black, Ceramic Flora Green, Mountain Blue |
| Models | - | 2210132G, 2210132C |
| Price | - | About 750 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 115h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 1281666 (v9) GeekBench: 5087 (v5.1), 5323 (v6) GFXBench: 64fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
ZTE Axon 50 Ultra
- More affordable price point
- Fast 80W wired charging
- Potentially good value for money
- Older Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset
- Less detailed display specifications
- Camera system likely less advanced
Xiaomi 13 Pro
- Latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset
- 120W wired and 50W wireless charging
- Brighter and higher-quality display
- Higher price tag
- Potential for software bloat (Xiaomi)
- May not represent a massive upgrade for all users
Display Comparison
The Xiaomi 13 Pro boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured peak of 1253 nits, compared to an unspecified brightness for the Axon 50 Ultra. While both likely utilize high-refresh-rate AMOLED panels, the Xiaomi’s higher peak brightness translates to better visibility in direct sunlight. The 'Infinite' contrast ratio on the Xiaomi 13 Pro is typical for AMOLED displays, offering deep blacks and vibrant colors. The absence of detailed display specs for the Axon 50 Ultra leaves a gap in comparison, but its price point suggests it may not match the Xiaomi’s panel quality.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are marketed as camera-centric, but detailed sensor information beyond 'Photo / Video' is lacking for both. However, the Xiaomi 13 Pro’s brand reputation and higher price suggest a more sophisticated camera system. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s improved ISP (Image Signal Processor) will contribute to better image processing, noise reduction, and dynamic range. Without specific sensor sizes or aperture details for the Axon 50 Ultra, it’s difficult to assess its camera capabilities accurately. The Xiaomi 13 Pro likely offers a more versatile and consistently high-quality camera experience.
Performance
The Xiaomi 13 Pro’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm) represents a substantial leap over the ZTE Axon 50 Ultra’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm). The Gen 2 features a newer CPU architecture – Cortex-X3 vs Cortex-X2 – and improved GPU performance. This translates to faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and higher frame rates in demanding games. While both chips are fabricated on a 4nm process, the architectural improvements in the Gen 2 offer better efficiency and sustained performance. The Xiaomi 13 Pro’s LPDDR5x RAM further enhances performance, while the Axon 50 Ultra’s RAM specification is unknown. The Xiaomi 13 Pro will demonstrably outperform the Axon 50 Ultra in CPU and GPU intensive tasks.
Battery Life
The Xiaomi 13 Pro’s 120W wired charging is a game-changer, achieving a full charge in just 19 minutes. The Axon 50 Ultra’s 80W charging is respectable, but significantly slower. The Xiaomi 13 Pro also adds 50W wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the Axon 50 Ultra. While both phones achieve an endurance rating of 115 hours and the Xiaomi 13 Pro has an active use score of 10:55h, the faster charging speeds of the Xiaomi 13 Pro provide a more convenient user experience, especially for power users.
Buying Guide
Buy the ZTE Axon 50 Ultra if you need a powerful phone with a capable camera system and fast charging, but are budget-conscious and willing to accept slightly older silicon. Buy the Xiaomi 13 Pro if you prioritize the absolute best performance, fastest charging speeds (including wireless), and are willing to pay a premium for the latest technology and a more refined software experience.