Xiaomi 13 vs Xiaomi 12: Three key differences you need to know about

Xiaomi has just unveiled its newest flagship phone, but what are the real differences compared to its predecessor?

We’re approaching the start of a new year, and that can only mean that Xiaomi is introducing a new model to its flagship range.

We were impressed by the Xiaomi 12, but this year sees a new beginning with the Xiaomi 13. So what’s actually new about this latest instalment? This article breaks down three key differences between the models.

Processor

It’s not exactly surprising to see that the new model has received an upgrade to the processor; after all, it’s expected to have an incremental improvement in this area year-on-year to keep up with the competition.

Nonetheless, it’s encouraging news to see the Xiaomi 13 adopt the new flagship Qualcomm processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which is the successor to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 we saw on the Xiaomi 12.

Qualcomm claims many improvements will be brought by this new silicon, including upgraded Artificial Intelligence, new camera capabilities, spatial audio, better gaming performance, increased security, and Wi-Fi 7 support. We’re eagerly awaiting the chance to put it through its paces ourselves to see how it holds up.

Camera

The camera set-up of the Xiaomi 13 has also seen a major revision.

The Xiaomi 12 had a triple-camera set-up, with a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 13-megapixel ultrawide sensor, and a 5-megapixel telephoto macro lens. But while its sequel will also have a 50-megapixel main sensor, the accompanying cameras will consist of a 10-megapixel telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide lens.

We’re looking forward to seeing whether that will be a big step up in terms of its photographic ability.

Design

Visually, there will be a few differences you’ll be able to spot between this handset and its forerunner.

The camera module takes on a whole new look, as you can see from the above images. It now resembles a large black square rather than the smaller rectangular shape that was of a similar colour to the rear panel.

Speaking of colours, there will be far more options to choose from with the newer handset. While the Xiaomi 12 was available in grey, blue, purple and green, the Xiaomi 13 will come in similar pastel shades of black, light green, light blue, grey, and white, but there will also be much more vibrant options of red, yellow, green, and blue.

The Xiaomi 13 will have a flat-screen rather than one that curves around the edges, and the Light Blue colour option mentioned above will have a leather-like finish.