Hands-on with Xiaomi 13 Ultra: Luxurious leather back design, outstanding Leica camera, sharp 2K display

Just 1 hour after its release, Xiaomi 13 Ultra sold out on all e-commerce platforms in China on the evening of April 18. This is understandable as it is Xiaomi's top flagship of 2023 in every aspect. So what's new with Xiaomi 13 Ultra? What's the configuration of Xiaomi 13 Ultra? How has Xiaomi 13 Ultra's camera improved? How much does Xiaomi 13 Ultra cost? Join me in exploring Xiaomi 13 Ultra firsthand to learn more about Xiaomi's latest premium smartphone!

Note: The images and content of this article are referenced from the YouTube channel 钟文泽 and the social media platform Weibo.

See more: Review of Xiaomi 13 Ultra: Leica camera still stands out, powerful performance

Let's unbox the Xiaomi 13 Ultra and see what's inside!

The first thing you'll notice is the packaging of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, which comes with all the Leica accessories (note that this version is priced 300 Chinese Yuan higher than the standard version, about 1 million Vietnamese Dong). Therefore, this box is larger than the standard version.

Opening it up, besides the Xiaomi 13 Ultra box, we also have many Leica accessories including: a catalog, some photographs, a protective case, a grip with a shutter button, some lenses to attach to the phone's camera, and a strap for easier handling. Overall, these are interesting accessories that only the Xiaomi 13 Ultra can use.

Next up is the main box of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, designed in deep black with the machine's name and the Leica logo, looking incredibly beautiful.

Upon opening the box of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, we still find all the accompanying accessories such as: User manual, protective case, fast charger, and USB Type-C cable.

Hands-on with Xiaomi 13 Ultra: Elegant and Exquisite Design

This year's Xiaomi 13 Ultra features a familiar design similar to the Xiaomi 12S Ultra but has been refined slightly to provide a better grip and user experience. Specifically, the frame of the device is made slightly squarer, but the corners are still gently rounded to provide a comfortable and secure grip for users.

Moreover, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra weighs approximately 227 grams, a relatively heavy figure. However, this ensures a solid grip, minimizing the risk of accidental drops during use.

Turning to the back of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, this area is also curved and utilizes leather material similar to its predecessor, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra. While leather backs can effectively resist sweat and fingerprint smudges, they may raise concerns about bacterial buildup. Understanding this concern, Xiaomi has ensured that the back of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra is antibacterial, providing users with peace of mind.

The most prominent feature of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra is undoubtedly its camera cluster, protruding prominently from the back panel. According to my research on Weibo, this design resembles the cameras found on the Leica M Series. If you pay close attention, you'll notice a subtle slope in the camera area. This isn't just to accommodate the massive camera cluster; Xiaomi aims to provide users with a grip experience similar to holding a Leica camera.

Furthermore, the ports and physical buttons on the Xiaomi 13 Ultra this year are still positioned in familiar locations like many other flagship models from the company. For more details on each connection port and button on the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, please check out the images below!

Turning to the front, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra features a curved-edge display measuring 6.73 inches, utilizing LTPO AMOLED panel with 2K+ resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate. In terms of display quality, reviewers from China have nothing to criticize as Xiaomi's flagship models in recent years have all boasted excellent screens.

Another interesting piece of information is that Xiaomi 13 Ultra has a very high screen brightness of up to 2,600 nits. With such brightness, the device can display content clearly under various lighting conditions. Furthermore, this screen is also certified with C7, a type of display with higher brightness performance, better viewing angles, and lower power consumption. This makes C7 one of the most advanced premium screens in the Chinese market.

Xiaomi 13 Ultra delivers stunning photos with its 4-camera setup of 50 MP each

Let me summarize all the camera specifications of Xiaomi 13 Ultra for everyone to grasp easily!

• Main camera: 50 MP resolution, Sony IMX989 sensor, 23 mm focal length, adjustable aperture from f/1.9 to f/4.0, HyperOIS, PDAF, and Laser AF.
• Ultra-wide camera: 50 MP resolution, f/1.8 aperture, 12 mm focal length, 122-degree field of view, Dual-Pixel PDAF.
• Telephoto camera: 50 MP resolution, f/1.8 aperture, Sony IMX858 sensor, Dual-Pixel PDAF, OIS, 3.2x zoom.
• Periscope telephoto camera: 50 MP resolution, Sony IMX858 sensor, f/3.0 aperture, 120 mm focal length, OIS, Dual-Pixel PDAF, and 5x zoom.
• Selfie camera: 32 MP resolution, f/2.0 aperture, 22 mm focal length.

As you can see, Xiaomi 13 Ultra is equipped with 4 cameras, all with 50 MP resolution and refined by Leica. Moreover, Xiaomi has incorporated many new technologies into the main lens, named Summicron. Simply put, the main lens of Xiaomi 13 Ultra consists of multiple small lenses. Hence, the image quality produced is more detailed and captures more light.

Especially, Xiaomi 13 Ultra allows the main lens to adjust aperture from f/1.9 to f/4.0 along with some enhanced noise reduction and better HDR features. This will create more eye-catching effects within the same frame. I hope Xiaomi 13 Ultra will arrive in Vietnam soon so I can describe its camera more vividly for you.

Of course, this camera system is also fine-tuned by Leica and equipped with Leica's characteristic shooting modes and color filters. Additionally, Xiaomi provides the ability to capture 50 MP UltraRAW photos, allowing for DNG images in 14-bit RAW quality with maximum detail retained. Xiaomi states that they are working with Adobe to release a dedicated camera profile for Xiaomi 13 Ultra. Truly, the statement 'It's a camera phone, not a phone with a camera' - paraphrased from the Xiaomi 13 Ultra launch event - is very fitting for Xiaomi's latest flagship.

Xiaomi 13 Ultra boasts top-of-the-line specifications with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

Summary of Xiaomi 13 Ultra's specifications

• Display: 6.73-inch size, OLED panel, 2K+ resolution (3,200 x 1,440 pixels), 120 Hz refresh rate, 2,600 nits brightness.
• CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.
• RAM: 12 GB or 16 GB.
• Internal Storage: 256 GB, 512 GB, or 1 TB.
• Rear Camera: 50 MP + 50 MP + 50 MP + 50 MP.
• Front Camera: 32 MP.
• Battery: 5,000 mAh, supports 90 W wired fast charging, 50 W wireless fast charging.
• Operating System: MIUI 14 - Android 13.

See more: Summary of Snapdragon 2023 chips: Snap 8 Gen 2 launched as the most powerful today.

As seen above, Xiaomi 13 Ultra is equipped with the chip considered the best for current Android devices, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Perhaps I don't need to elaborate much on the power of Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 because 24h Technology has many performance reviews of this chip, you can refer to them below. To sum up quickly, the power of this processor is fast, strong, power-efficient, and cool. Therefore, Xiaomi 13 Ultra can fully meet users' needs.

See more:

• Xiaomi 13 Review: Xiaomi's most worth-buying flagship at the moment
• Xiaomi 13 Pro Review: The difference doesn't just stop at Leica camera

Xiaomi 13 Ultra is also available in 2 RAM configurations, both meeting LPDDR5X standard: 12 GB and 16 GB, helping this device multitask multiple apps simultaneously and minimize lag. Additionally, the device comes with 3 storage options of 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB, providing users with extremely comfortable storage space for photos, videos, documents, etc.

Xiaomi 13 Ultra is powered by a 5,000 mAh battery, a slight upgrade from its predecessor Xiaomi 12S Ultra (4,860 mAh). This is a good and very common capacity in today's smartphone market. With my experience, the device can last through a whole day for basic tasks. And if you run out of battery, you can quickly 'revive' this 5,000 mAh battery with 90 W fast charging.

Conclusion

Currently, Xiaomi 13 Ultra is available for sale at the following prices:

• The 12 GB RAM, 256 GB storage variant is priced at 5,999 Chinese Yuan (approximately 20.5 million Vietnamese Dong).
• The 16 GB RAM, 256 GB storage variant is priced at 6,499 Chinese Yuan (approximately 22.2 million Vietnamese Dong).
• The 16 GB RAM, 512 GB storage variant is priced at 7,299 Chinese Yuan (approximately 24.9 million Vietnamese Dong).
• Additionally, the Leica accessory kit is priced at 300 Chinese Yuan (approximately 1.02 million Vietnamese Dong).

In my opinion, this pricing is very enticing, even a steal considering what Xiaomi 13 Ultra can deliver to users. When you have 'her' in your hands, I believe everyone will be pleased with the experiences this device can provide, especially in terms of the camera.

Here are some quick hands-on experiences with the Xiaomi 13 Ultra. What do you think about Xiaomi's flagship? Leave your comments below the article to let me know!

While waiting for the Xiaomi 13 Ultra to arrive, you can also pre-order many Xiaomi smartphones at attractive prices, distributed directly by Mytour. Simply click the button below to see the available options!

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• First Impressions of Xiaomi 13 Ultra: The pinnacle of Xiaomi flagships!