The Redmi Note series has long been known for offering incredible value, packing powerful features into a budget-friendly package. The latest addition, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+, takes things a step further, boasting a fresh design, a top-tier display, and impressive battery life, all at a competitive price point. I’ve tested the Note 13 Pro+, and this is what why I think, this is a very strong contender in the mid-range world.

Design and Display

The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ stands out with its sleek and premium design. The shinny back and curved display not only look stylish but also feel comfortable in the hand. The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ also throws out the old island and rings in the new… rings. Yep, they ditched the camera island for individual rings around each lens, which cleans things up and makes the lighter color model practically glow. Ok, there are sone downsides: smudges galore and a camera bump that makes the phone wobble like a penguin, but hey, it’s not the first, nor last smartphone to have these annoyances.

Moving on. There’s the usual aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus for battle-hardiness, but the star addition here is IP68. Yup, full-on dust and water resistance finally graces the Redmi Note lineup, making it one tough cookie.

But the real head-turner is the front. Xiaomi took a page out of the “Curves Are Cool” handbook and slapped a 3D curved screen on the Pro+. Boom! Suddenly, this budget champ looks like it just walked out of a high-end boutique. This fancy front is exclusive to the Pro+, mind you, the regular Pro gets stuck with a flat panel.

The 6.67-inch AMOLED display delivers vibrant colors, sharp visuals, and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, making it perfect for multimedia consumption and gaming all-around. Additionally, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ rocks an in-display fingerprint sensor! Gone are the side-mounted days, replaced by a speedy and reliable optical sensor in the screen.

The panel cranks the brightness to 1,800 nits in HDR, making it your sun-loving sidekick. And if you prefer things extra crisp, the resolution sits at 2712 x 1220 with 446ppi, which means your eyes are in for a treat.

Colors? Vibrant and very sharp. You can even tweak them to your taste like a digital Van Gogh. And bonus points for an always-on mode with customization options and a dedicated reading mode. On top of all this, Xiaomi included a 1,920Hz PWM dimming feature. Two thumbs up on the display overall for the price point.

Performance and Software

This bad boy rocks the Dimensity 7200 Ultra, built on a sleek 4nm node for top-notch efficiency. Think faster loading times, smoother gameplay, and battery life that will impress you! The MediaTek Dimensity 7200-Ultra processor, paired with up to 12GB of RAM, provides enough power for everyday tasks and even handles gaming (mid grade games) decently. The phone stays cool thanks to a large vapor chamber, ensuring sustained performance. I didn’t notice any overheating issues at all.

Multitasking? Piece of cake. No slowdown in sight during my experience with the phone in real life, everyday use testing.

Ah, software. The land where expectations go to die… at least when it comes to the Redmi Note 13 Pro+. The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ runs Android 13 out of the box, and you get MIUI 14 that’s available on most Xiaomi devices. Here’s the deal:

HyperOS MIA (Missing in Action)

I get it, MIUI has been your trusty sidekick for years. But come on, Xiaomi, HyperOS is the shiny new toy everyone’s talking about! It’s cleaner, it’s smoother, it’s got features that make MIUI look like a flip phone in the age of iPhones. Sure, an update’s coming, but wouldn’t it be cooler to have it rocking out of the box? You know, like that friend who shows up to the party with the hottest new mixtape? Yeah, that’s what HyperOS would be.

Bloatware Blues

The bloatware on this phone? It’s like finding a whole drawer full of expired coupons and random phone numbers in your new apartment. Annoying? You bet. It’s not that they’re hard to uninstall, it’s just the principle of the thing. I DON’T LIKE BLOATWARE.

So, yeah, the software? It’s the pebble in the shoe. Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t ruin the whole party for sure, but it definitely leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

Camera

The 200-megapixel primary sensor captures well-detailed and vibrant images in good lighting conditions. Zooming in also produces impressive results, thanks to the high-resolution sensor. However, the ultra-wide and macro sensors are a bit underwhelming, delivering “ok” image quality. The main sensor, a Samsung ISOCELL HP3 with a wider-than-wide f/1.65 aperture, is the real star of the show.

Daylight shots are actually pretty damn good. Nice dynamic range, colors that haven’t been dipped in a bucket of saturation, and 12.5MP downscaled files that look crisp. You can even crank it up to 50MP if you’re feeling extra detail-y. Low-light isn’t too bad either, with decent colors and acceptable noise levels. Night mode cleans things up a bit, but be prepared to stand still like a statue while it does its magic. One thing surprised me though, the lack of 4K 60fps? Seriously, Xiaomi? why?

The camera interface itself hasn’t changed, and you get all the differentshooting modes in a at the bottom. There’s no zoom lens here, but you get up to 4x digital zoom. Overall, throw in a bunch of extra photography modes and tools like a pro mode and panoramas, and you’ve got a camera experience that’s deep for a mid-ranger at this price point.

Photo samples

Zoom capability photos

Battery and Other Features

You get the same 5000mAh as last year, but thanks to the efficient chip, you squeeze out a bit more juice. A full charge easily lasts a day, even with heavy use. And if you’re ever caught in a battery pinch, the bundled 120W charger is your knight in shining armor. Just 24 minutes and boom, you’re back in business. Plus, you can hit 50% in just 8 minutes – talk about speedy refuels!

Another new addition this year, is the removal of UFS 2.1! The Note 13 Pro+ rocks UFS 3.1 storage, making app loading and file transfers feel like teleportation (minus the nausea). You also get Wi-Fi 6 for zippy internet, Bluetooth 5.3 for all your wireless needs, and NFC for contactless payments.

Verdict

The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ offers a compelling package for users who prioritize design, display, battery life, and a powerful primary camera. However, inconsistent camera performance at times, and bloatware-filled software might deter some buyers. If you can overlook these, and looking for a stylish and powerful mid-range phone, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ is worth considering, especially in its lower-priced configurations.

Get it if:

• Looks matter: This phone’s a stunner, rocking a vibrant AMOLED panel and a design that’ll make your friends think you spent way more than you did.
• Power to the people: Need hardware that gets things done? This bad boy’s got a nice chip under the hood, so apps launch faster than a cheetah on Red Bull.
• Battery life champ: Say goodbye to low-battery anxiety. This phone lasts for ages, and when it finally needs a juice-up, the 120W charging takes you from zero to hero in 24 minutes flat. Talk about speedy refuels!
• Tough cookie: Dustproof, waterproof, this phone can handle life’s little spills and splashes (just please don’t take it for a swim).

Pass if:

• Software snob: This phone rocks MIUI, which isn’t exactly the freshest software out there. Updates are promised, but who knows when they’ll actually land?
• Video fiend: Forget 4K 60fps – this phone’s video skills are stuck a bit in the past
• Camera chameleon: Don’t expect a jack-of-all-trades camera here. The 200MP sensor takes decent daylight shots, but the other cameras are hit an miss.