As the year draws to a close, there’s increasing intrigue among Redmi fans as the Note 13’s much-awaited launch is right around the corner. The popular series will see its latest iteration debuting on January 4th and that’s when we’ll learn about its specs and its all-important price. But it’s not like Xiaomi has kept us completely in the dark about its offerings. We know that the Redmi Note 13 5G boasts some of the slimmest, most minimal bezels ever seen on smartphones from its class. This very attribute is enough to set it apart from phones not just in the sub-Rs 20,000 segment, which is the phone’s expected price, but also in the mid-range and premium tiers. Let’s take a deep dive into this unique characteristic and see how it could contribute to an unparalleled user experience.
Face-to-face with the iPhone 14 Pro and others
To understand the impact of the new bezel design on the Redmi Note 13 5G, it’s important to first have a look at its predecessor and also other competitors in the slim bezel race. The Redmi Note 12, with its 6.67-inch AMOLED panel, is known for providing users with an exceptional visual experience ever since its launch. The smartphone uses a punch-hole camera and this helps make the bezels on the top, left, and right sides extremely thin. But the phone does have a noticeable chin at the bottom, albeit a small one. This is common in the affordable smartphone segment. Until now, that is.
Before we learn more about the Redmi Note 13 5G, we must look at how mid-range and premium handsets are treating the bezel issue. The iPhone 14 Pro does have minimal bezels on all its sides but its large Dynamic Island takes a big chunk of display space away from the user. Any videos, movies, or TV shows you’re trying to stream on the device will be presented with black bars on the sides, landing a big blow to the immersion levels of this panel. So, while the uniformly thin bezels will work brilliantly to draw you into the content you’re viewing, the presence of the Dynamic Island holds things back a little.
The Nothing Phone (2) also has slim and equally sized bezels on all four sides and its punch-hole design takes it closer to the Redmi Note 12 and its upcoming successor. But the fact remains; Nothing’s smartphone is priced much higher than what you will pay for the Redmi Note 13 5G. For an affordable smartphone, to have a display and a bezel design that’s comparable to a premium mid-range device makes things much more exciting.
Redmi Note 13’s superior bezel design
The well-designed Redmi Note 13 5G is ready to set a new benchmark in the bezel department. Its 6.67-inch AMOLED panel, which comes with a peak brightness of 1000 nits, is given a whole new aura by the extremely narrow bezels on all four of its sides. What’s more, the phone’s frame is a flat one and this leads to an even more premium appearance, which also offers an easier grip. As we said, its predecessor, while equipped with extremely thin bezels, did have a visible chin. But with the chin size being almost 57% thinner, the Redmi Note 13 5G has somehow managed to beat the immersion levels of its predecessor and has posed a huge challenge to its competitors.
Comparison
Redmi Note 13 5G vs Redmi Note 12
As can be seen in this side-by-side comparison, the new Redmi Note 13 5G, apart from having much thinner bezels than its predecessor, also eschews the chin at the bottom to give a uniform appearance. And it’s worth noting that the boxy nature of its frame adds to the overall appeal.
Redmi Note 13 5G vs iPhone 14 Pro
iPhone 14 Pro’s bezels may be slim but they aren’t as slim as the ones on the Redmi Note 13 5G. Besides, as we said, their advantage is sort of affected when there’s content being streamed on the display to accommodate Dynamic Island.
Redmi Note 13 5G vs Nothing Phone (2)
The front surfaces of the Redmi Note 13 5G and Nothing Phone (2) are quite similar in looks, as both feature extremely thin bezels on all four sides and also adopt the punch-hole approach for the front camera. Besides, both phones have even gone for flat frames that offer great grip.
User experience and impact
Every little design choice that a manufacturer makes has a reason behind it and the Redmi Note 13’s slim bezels are no exception. The large 6.67-inch AMOLED panel makes it ideal for binge-watching enthusiasts. Coupled with high contrast levels, the billion-colour display reels you into the content you’re watching to mimic a movie theatre experience. The visuals become seamless and the experience is much richer than usual. Even when you’re using the device for regular tasks, the reduced border around the display helps draw your attention completely to the content on the screen. Whether you’re reading articles or playing games, the slimness of the bezels has a big impact.
Smartphone buyers can rejoice
The Redmi Note 12 was a solid all-rounder in the affordable price category but the arrival of the Redmi Note 13 5G ups the ante. Along with a big update to the specs, the new device has brought a change that should delight anyone who cherishes the entertainment value of their handset. Minimal bezels on all four sides are no longer the domain of premium smartphones, now that the Redmi Note 13 is ready to enter the realm.
Conclusion
The Redmi Note 13 5G has created immense buzz even before the reveal of its specs. The news of its adoption of minimal bezels on all four sides comes as a welcome change to the pattern that’s followed by other affordable smartphones. The advanced display, surrounded by negligible bezels, will help create spectacular levels of immersion that will be hard to beat for competition. Smartphones like the iPhone 14 Pro and Nothing Phone (2) may be offering similar bezels but the price category in which the Redmi Note 13 exists, makes it a real winner.
