In addition to the Xiaomi 13 Pro and Xiaomi 13 flagship smartphones, Xiaomi also unveiled the Xiaomi 13 Lite on Sunday, just ahead of MWC 2023. These devices have been launched globally, but only the Leica-powered Xiaomi 13 Pro will be making its way to India. The company has not announced anything regarding the India availability of the Xiaomi 13 or the Xiaomi 13 Lite. I had the opportunity to get my hands on the Xiaomi 13 Lite at the event sidelines, and I believe that it’s a phone that can cater to the masses.
While the Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro are high-end premium devices with starting prices upwards of EUR 999 (approx. Rs 87,500), the Xiaomi 13 Lite comes with a much more affordable price tag of EUR 499 (approx. Rs 43,700). While it doesn’t offer the kind of raw power that the Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro do, the Xiaomi 13 Lite will look to charm you with its design, display, and cameras.
Staying true to its ‘Lite’ nature, the Xiaomi 13 Lite is a slim and lightweight phone, weighing only 171 grams and measuring 7.23mm in thickness. The phone’s curved front and back also contribute to its ergonomic design. The device comes in Pink, Lite Blue, and Black colour options. The matt finish on the rear panel feels smooth to the touch and doesn’t register a lot of smudges.
The 6.55-inch FHD+ AMOLED display is vibrant and should deliver decent brightness levels under direct sunlight with a peak brightness of 1000nits. The 120Hz refresh rate made animations smooth and lag-free in my brief time with the device. It features a pill-shaped punch-hole that holds two camera sensors: a 32MP ultra-wide angle lens and an 8MP depth sensor. Xiaomi has fitted two LED lights on either side of the top bezel for brighter low-light photos.
The rear camera system includes a 50MP wide-angle Sony IMX766 sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 2MP macro camera. Xiaomi says the flagship main camera will deliver sharper and brighter photos.
Powering the Xiaomi 13 Lite is the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 5G chipset that is based on a 4nm process and comes with a peak clock speed of 2.4GHz. In my brief time with the device, the phone did not feel slow while opening and switching between apps. However, it will be interesting to see how well the chipset holds under heavy usage and gaming. Globally, the phone has been launched with 8GB RAM and up to 256GB internal storage.
Lastly, the phone houses a 4,500mAh battery with 67W fast charging support. Xiaomi is also bundling a 67W charger in the box. This is a marked improvement over the Mi 11 Lite which supported 33W charging.
Xiaomi did launch the Mi 11 Lite and Xiaomi 11 Lite NE in India, which raises hopes that the Xiaomi 13 Lite may also make its way to the country. However, at the moment, the company is solely focusing on releasing the Xiaomi 13 Pro in India. This phone has been co-engineered with Leica, and Xiaomi is proud of this partnership and hopes Indian consumers will appreciate the device.
