Xiaomi 13 vs Xiaomi 12 Pro: Is the new model worth upgrading to?

The Xiaomi 13 series is a flagship choice for customers who don't want to spend as much money but still want the best-in-class camera, fast charging, and every perk of the latest top hardware generation, replacing the premium Xiaomi 12 series from the previous generation.

In December last year, Xiaomi launched the new 13 series in the Chinese market. On February 26, the lineup made its global debut at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona.

This article will cover the differences between the Xiaomi 13 and 12 Pro to help you decide whether the new model is worth upgrading.

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Xiaomi 13 vs Xiaomi 12 Pro detailed comparison: Specs and features

	Xiaomi 13	Xiaomi 12 Pro
DISPLAY	6.36" AMOLED 1080 x 2400 pixels, HDR 10+, 120 Hz	6.73" LTPO AMOLED 1440x3200 pixels, HDR 10+, 120 Hz
PROCESSOR	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Octa-core (3.2 GHz, Single core, Cortex X3 + 2.8 GHz, Quad core, Cortex A715 + 2 GHz, Tri core, Cortex A510) Adreno 740 GPU	Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) Adreno 730 GPU
RAM	up to 12 GB LPDDR5X	up to 12 GB LPDDR5
CAMERA	Leica lens 50 MP f/1.8, Wide Angle, Primary Camera 12 MP f/2.2, Ultra-Wide Angle Camera 10 MP f/2.0, Telephoto Camera 7680x4320 @ 24 fps 3840x2160 @ 30 fps 1920x1080 @ 30 fps	50 MP f/1.9, Wide Angle, Primary Camera 50 MP f/2.2, Ultra-Wide Angle Camera 50 MP f/1.9, Telephoto Camera 7680x4320 @ 24 fps 3840x2160 @ 30 fps 1920x1080 @ 60 fps
BATTERY	4500 mAh, fast charging 67W	4600 mAh, 120W wired charging

Display

The Xiaomi 13 has a 6.36" AMOLED panel, while the 12 pro has a 6.73" LTPO AMOLED panel that is 10%-20% more energy efficient. Otherwise, they both have a refresh rate of 120 Hz, compatibility with Dolby Vision, and HDR10+ certification.

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Processor

Although there isn't a significant difference between the 12 Pro and the 13 in terms of pure power and performance, there's still some improvement owing to the addition of Qualcomm's most recent chipset. Xiaomi 13 uses Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and the latest Adreno 740 GPU, while Xiaomi 12 Pro uses Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and the Adreno 730.

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RAM

Xiaomi 13 comes with up to 12 GB LPDDR5X RAM. On the other hand, the Xiaomi 12 Pro has up to 12 GB LPDDR5 RAM, which is 33% faster than the previous generation.

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Camera

Both phones have a triple-rear-camera setup, but the Xiaomi 13 has a 50 MP primary camera, 12 MP ultra-wide angle camera, and 10 MP telephoto camera. The 12 pro has 50 MP in all of them.

The telephoto lens on the 13 has a 75 mm focal length, compared to the 12 Pro's 48mm focal length.

You'll notice that 13 has a Leica stamp on the camera, a significant upgrade. Leica, a renowned manufacturer of cameras, and Xiaomi worked together to upgrade the cameras in the new handset. Whether this collaboration will result in significant improvements over Xiaomi's processing from the previous generation remains to be seen.

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Battery

The Xiaomi 13 has a battery capacity of 4500 mAh, but the 12 Pro has a capacity of 4600 mAh. Also, the fast-charging speeds are different on both of these phones. The 13 and 12 Pro offer fast charging at 67W and 125W, respectively.

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Price

The 13 launched at €999 and the 12 Pro at €1,099.

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Verdict

Overall, both phones are excellent flagship options that offer top-of-the-line features and benefits.

But when choosing between them, we can see from the aforementioned specs that the new smartphone offers a slightly better camera, improved performance, less battery capacity, and inferior display but comes with a €100 lesser price tag.

So is the new model worth upgrading to? The best option between the two ultimately depends on individual needs and tastes. However, there are both upsides and downsides, as we can see from the aforementioned comparison. Xiaomi's newest model is a great option for most users as it offers an eye-catching Leica camera setup with the latest Qualcomm chipset at a lesser price.