The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is the camera flagship of Xiaomi‘s 2023 lineup. It was announced in China on April 18, 2023, and went on sale there on April 21. Europe followed on June 12, 2023, at €1,499.90 for 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage. It is not sold in the US. Xiaomi’s European stores no longer sell it, and the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is its successor.
Design and display
The 13 Ultra has a curved 6.73-inch AMOLED screen at 3200 x 1440 pixels. The LTPO panel runs from 1Hz to 120Hz and peaks at 2,600 nits. It supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and HDR10, plus 1920Hz PWM dimming.
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus covers the screen. The back uses a textured vegan leather finish, and the frame is metal. It came in Black, White and Olive Green, while the global model was sold in Black and Olive Green. The phone is IP68 rated, weighs 227 grams and is 9.06 mm thick.
Performance
Inside is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with a top core speed of 3.19 GHz. It uses LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage. The global model has 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage. In China, it was also sold with 12/256 GB, 16/512 GB and 16 GB with 1 TB.
Unlike the 13 and 13 Pro, the 13 Ultra has a USB 3.2 Gen 1 port. It also offers stereo speakers, an IR blaster, NFC, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3.
Cameras
The phone has four 50MP rear cameras with Leica lenses. The main camera uses a 1-inch Sony IMX989 sensor with a variable f/1.9 to f/4.0 aperture. The other three use Sony IMX858 sensors. The ultrawide covers 12mm at f/1.8. A 75mm telephoto and a 120mm super-telephoto both have OIS.
- Rear video: up to 8K at 24 fps on all focal lengths
- 10-bit LOG video recording and 14-bit RAW photos
- Front camera: 32MP, video up to 1080p at 30 fps
Battery and charging
The 13 Ultra has a 5,000 mAh battery. It supports 90W wired charging, and the charger is in the box. Wireless charging reaches 50W with a compatible stand. Reverse wireless charging is also supported.
Software and updates
The phone launched with MIUI 14 based on Android 13. Xiaomi’s update page lists security support until June 2028. Xiaomi did not publish a number of Android upgrades for this model.
Should you buy the Xiaomi 13 Ultra?
The Xiaomi 13 Ultra suits photographers who want four 50MP cameras and a variable aperture. It is no longer sold in Xiaomi’s European stores. Its direct successor is the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, which is the newer choice for the same buyers.
