The Xiaomi 13 series is expanding into new regions today, with the addition of the Xiaomi 13 Lite. This is a follow-up to the previous 12 Lite, with performance and camera upgrades. The moniker “lite” plainly indicates that it is a mid-ranger, but on the good side, it costs half as much as a Xiaomi 13. (not to mention the Pro model).
Features of the Xiaomi 13 Lite
The Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 within the new Xiaomi 13 Lite provides 20% more GPU and 30% more Al performance than the Snapdragon 778G inside the 12 Lite. Xiaomi, on the other hand, did not update the RAM and storage and continues to use LPDDR4X and UFS 2.2. There are two storage options: 8/128GB and 8/256 GB. The phone ships with MIUI 14, although keep in mind that this version is based on Android 12.
Moving on to the camera, the Xiaomi 13 Lite has the 50 MP Sony IMX766 sensor featured in several high-end smartphones. The 1/1.56″ sensor with 1.0m pixels (2.0m with binning enabled) and f/1.8 aperture can capture 123% more light than last year’s 12 Lite’s 108MP sensor with f/1.9 lens.
The 8MP ultrawide camera (1/4″ IMX355) with a 119° field of view and the 2MP macro camera appears to be the same as last year. An 8MP depth sensor has joined the 32MP selfie camera as a new acquaintance. The couple lives in the display’s island-style camera hole. The depth sensor will be utilized in selfies to create more natural-looking bokeh effects. The camera also has a 100° field of view and will automatically adapt the framing of group shots.
Although the main design is based on the Civi 2, there are minor hardware variations. The Civi, for example, features a dual 32MP camera on the front, but only one of the two has a 100° lens. It also sports a 20MP super wide camera.
The Xiaomi 13 Lite offers a 6.55″ curved AMOLED display. This is a 12-bit panel that supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+ and can display 68 billion colors. It has an average brightness of 500 nits and a peak brightness of 1,000 nits and employs PWM dimming at 1,920Hz.
Its display has a resolution of 1,080 x 2,400px (20:9) and operates at a 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate. Curved Gorilla Glass 5 protects it. There is also glass on the back (not GG), and the frame is made of plastic. The phone has an IP53 grade for dust and water splash resistance.
Since last year, the battery has been marginally upgraded and is now nearly as powerful as the Xiaomi 13 battery. It features the same 4,500mAh capacity as the 12 Lite (+200mAh) and the same 67W wired charging capabilities, which can reach 100% in 40 minutes. But, there is no wireless charging available here.
A few other features worth mentioning include Dolby Atmos audio and wireless connection, which includes Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and NFC compatibility (note: NFC is not available in some regions). The Snapdragon X62 modem enables 5G capability on this dual-SIM phone.
The new Xiaomi 13 Lite stands true to its moniker, weighing 171g and measuring 7.23mm thick. The colors available at launch are Light Blue, Lite Pink, and Black. The entry-level 8/128GB model costs €499 and will be available on March 8.
