Is the Xiaomi 13 worth buying for gaming in 2023?

Xiaomi 13 devices on white background
The Xiaomi 13 is one of the best devices for gaming (Image via Xiaomi)

The Xiaomi 13 was launched as the base model in the new flagship lineup by the Chinese tech giant. It packs the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and a revamped design to facilitate higher performance as compared to the last-gen Xiaomi 12.

Although the flagships from the company are generally coveted as all-rounders and not hardcore gaming devices, the sheer horsepower of the high-end Snapdragon chips they bundle lets them run the latest and most intense titles without hiccups.

However, the chief question is: should gamers spend over a thousand dollars (€999) on the latest Xiaomi device or should they take their business to some other smartphone manufacturer? In this article, we will analyze the performance of the phone and try to answer the question.


The Xiaomi 13 is a potent gaming device but the competition is not taking it lightly

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It is worth noting that modern flagships are designed with all the workload users can throw at their smartphones. Thus, it is no wonder that the Xiaomi 13 can hit playable framerates in games like PUBG: Mobile, Call of Duty Mobile, and Genshin Impact.

A quick look at the spec sheet of the new device reveals that it is built as a high-performance device from the ground up. Although it does not pack the fastest memory and storage on the planet, the hardware is more than capable of running well-optimized games like those listed above.

Xiaomi 12T ProXiaomi 13
SoCSnapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm); CPU: Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510); GPU: Adreno 730Snapdragon 8 Gen 2; CPU: Octa-core (3.2 GHz, Single core, Cortex X3 + 2.8 GHz, Quad core, Cortex A715 + 2 GHz, Tri core, Cortex A510); GPU: Adreno 740
Display6.73" 120 Hz AMOLED with LTPO; 1220 x 2712 pixels; 446 PPI6.36" 120 Hz AMOLED; 1080 x 2400 pixels; 414 PPI
Rear cameras200 MP + 8 MP + 2 MP50 MP + 10 MP + 12 MP
Front camera32 MP32 MP
Video recording supportRear cameras: 8k 24 fps, 4k 60 fps, 1080p 240 fps; Front camera: up to 1080p 60 fpsRear cameras: 8k 24 fps, 4k 60 fps, 1080p 120 fps Front camera: up to 1080p 30 fps
Battery capacity5000 mAh4500 mAh
Storageup to 256 GB UFS 3.1128 GB UFS 3.1, 256/512 GB UFS 4.0
System memoryup to 12 GB LPDDR5up to 12 GB LPDDR5X
Screen protectionCorning Gorilla Glass 5Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Peak brightness900 nits1200 nits
Dimensions and weight163.1 mm x 75.9 mm x 8.6 mm; 205 grams152.8 mm x 71.5 mm x 8.0 mm; 229 grams
Charging120W wired fast charging (0-100% in 18 minutes)60W wired fast charging (0-100% in 38 minutes); 50W wireless charging; 10W reverse wireless charging
Price€700 (8GB+128GB)€999 (8GB+128GB)

Performance of the Xiaomi 13

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The performance of the device in various benchmarks showcases the sheer power of the Xioami 13 device. The new 8 Gen 2 chip beats the last-gen Xiaomi 12 Pro and the 12T Pro by a solid margin in both AnTuTu and GeekBench.

Xiaomi 12 ProXiaomi 12T ProXiaomi 13
AnTuTu v9985,2261,032,1851,248,260
GeekBench v5.1368240815,129
GFXBench46 fps65fps109fps

This makes it a solid option for emulation as well. Users who buy the device can easily run some graphically intense titles like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 via a Nintendo Wii emulator. Even the last-gen Xiaomi 12 Pro can hit playable framerates above 30 FPS in the title.


Pricing

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Whether users should buy the Xiaomi 13, boils down to the pricing of the smartphone. Although the phone is not yet available in the US, it is much costlier than the base model Galaxy S23, according to today's dollar conversion rates.

The S23 packs an optimized 8 Gen 2 for the Galaxy chip that performs almost the same as the costlier phone from Xiaomi. In other words, users will be saving over $250 with the Samsung flagship while getting a similar experience.

The same applies to the newly launched OnePlus 11. The device is priced at a relatively more affordable $699. This makes it over $350 cheaper than the Xiaomi 13. Although the former's flagship is slower than the Xiaomi phone, it can deliver a similar experience in most video games with the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and a competent thermal design.

Thus, the competition has many more lucrative options to consider over what Xiaomi offers as its base-version flagship. Users looking to use their next high-end smartphone as a pure gaming device should keep their options open and buy a device according to their budget.

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Edited by Sohan Dasgupta
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