Since its inception, the Redmi Note series has been synonymous with value for money. But things are changing with the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus. While the base variant of the lineup still costs under INR 20,000, the top-end model starts at INR 31,999, a first for the lineup. The company is placing it as an upper mid-ranger with its premium build and good performance. But is it still worth it? I’ve used it for a week, and here’s what you need to know about the new Redmi Note.
Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus: Design and display
The design and in-hand feel of the Fusion Purple color variant on the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus is my favorite on any Redmi Note yet. That’s because it features a vegan leather back, which is made up of four colors. It gives the phone a funky look in a classy way because it’s subtle. I like it the best out of the three color options and would recommend you opt for this one instead of the Fusion Black or Fusion White variants with a glass back.
The Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+. The HDR content can go up to 1800 nits in peak brightness for better clarity and an immersive feel. As for the day-to-day use, it’s easily visible outdoors but remains to be seen if that’s also the case under harsh sunlight – something that I haven’t experienced in a while in Delhi winters. But it’s sharp and vivid for media consumption.
The screen is sharper lies under the protection of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. I’ve dropped the phone (by accident) once from four feet of height but it didn’t face any damage. Unlike the Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus, the new phone features an in-display fingerprint scanner. It’s quick and easy to set up and works well.
Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus: Performance and software
The Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Ultra chipset. I haven’t pushed it to the limits yet but it’s smooth in everyday use. I didn’t face any stutter during UI interactions or app switching, which is what I’m doing throughout the day. It packs up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage.
The device packs a 5,000mAh battery that supports 120W fast charging, which comes in handy when I’m running late for a meetup and my phone is out of charge. For reference, it can be charged from 10 to 100% within 20 minutes.
The Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus runs MIUI 14 based on Android 13 out of the box and is confirmed to be updated to Xiaomi’s new HyperOS “soon.” Xiaomi is promising three software updates and four years of security updates on the new Note. However, the HyperOS update would be counted as one of them, so you can expect it to be supported till Android 16.
Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus: Cameras
The new Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus features a triple rear camera setup, which includes a 200MP primary camera with OIS, an 8MP ultra-wide angle lens, and a 2MP macro sensor.
The photos clicked in daylight offer plenty of details and good dynamic range. I like the 4x in-sensor zoom too but would prefer a dedicated telephoto camera because this one doesn’t let me zoom in in the Portrait mode. That being said, the zoom quality in 2x and 4x is good. However, it struggles in daylight and the other two cameras are average. Xiaomi says that the phone will get an update for better camera tuning soon.
Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus: Price, availability and offers
The Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus is priced at INR 31,999 for the 8GB + 256GB variant, INR 33,999 for the 12GB +256GB option, while the 12GB + 512GB model goes up to 35,999. You can get an INR 2,000 discount with ICICI Bank credit and debit cards. Moreover, Xiaomi customers can avail a loyalty bonus of Rs 2,500 and buy the Redmi Watch 3 Active at INR 1,999 (priced at INR 2,999).
You can purchase the Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus in India from Mi.com, Flipkart.com, Mi Home and Mi Studio, and authorized retail partners starting January 10, 2024.
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