Best Xiaomi smartphones: which model to choose in 2023?

Xiaomi 13 Pro, the best smartphone from Xiaomi

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Buying a Xiaomi smartphone is most often a guarantee of a neat design and complete equipment, even of the latest generation, for an unbeatable price. Fans of the Xiaomi brand are perfectly aware of this, watching for each new release or range renewal, but also watching for price drops, which are frequent on models from the previous year.

One thing is certain, when a reference really stands out, the enthusiasm is such that it is better to go for it not to miss it. The new Xiaomi 12T Pro are finally available in stores, as is the brand’s 2023 flagship, the Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro. Here is our selection to help you make the right choice. Follow the leader !

Our selection of the best Xiaomi smartphones

At Xiaomi, the Redmi Note range, here in version 11, is the safe bet for anyone looking for a mid-range smartphone that is both efficient and very affordable. On the Redmi Note 11, the screen is adorned with AMOLED technology, with the added bonus of being able to refresh it at 90 Hz for a very fluid image. We also appreciate the display quality, the autonomy, the sufficient power on a daily basis and even the photo quality, which is satisfactory, when we do not push the device to its limits. Unavoidable.

Like its predecessor before it, the Redmi Note 11 Pro is an excellent vintage that (finally) benefits from 5G connectivity. Among its strengths, we note its large quality screen, very bright, good autonomy and a fairly satisfactory main photo sensor. Its design has also been reworked for a visually very convincing result. Its processor is sufficiently well optimized to handle all types of activities, despite average graphics performance. Finally, the camera shows its limits in low light.

Despite its slim design, the Poco F4 has solid components that will delight gamers, reluctant to put more than 400 euros in a smartphone. The large 6.67-inch screen is adorned with fashionable technologies (Amoled, 120 Hz refresh) for the greatest pleasure of the eyes. The old-generation processor offers good firepower and the 67 W fast charge more than compensates for sometimes just autonomy in gaming. Only downside, the camera has trouble competing with the best in photos when the lighting conditions are not optimal.

You can find our full review of the Xiaomi Poco F4 here.

On several technical criteria, Xiaomi’s 12T Pro puts forward strong arguments, which confirm its high-end positioning: latest Snapdragon chip, lightning charging, excellent display quality, good autonomy, etc. On the other hand, probably to avoid increasing the bill too much, the manufacturer ignores other criteria, which some users might consider essential on a smartphone sold at 800 €. Finally, its 200 megapixel photo sensor may be useless for many users, who would probably have preferred to benefit from an optical zoom. it is nevertheless quite effective at night, thanks to the Pixel Binning technology.

You can find here, our complete test of the Xiaomi 12T Pro.

Xiaomi’s 2022 flagship still impresses in 2023 with its latest-generation top-of-the-line equipment. Its huge 6.73-inch AMOLED screen at 120 Hz offers impeccable display quality, its triple photo module delivers successful shots and its charging function takes it from 0 to 100% in just 22 minutes, according to our measurements. Its ultimate asset but also its achilles heel? Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, so powerful that it tends to heat up the 12 Pro during ultra-intensive use, despite rather efficient heat dissipation.

With the Xiaomi 13 Pro, we arrive on the latest model released by the Chinese brand and which wants to be its flagship. It has a ceramic chassis and a 6.73-inch WQHD+ AMOLED display. The optical part is different from its little brother the Xiaomi 13 since we find on the Xiaomi 13 Pro: a 50 MP Leica main camera, a 50 MP Leica floating telephoto lens and also a 50 MP ultra wide-angle lens. Finally, the smartphone is equipped with a 4820 mAh battery which recharges to 100% in less than 30 minutes in standard mode.

And it is of course 5G compatible. In short, it is currently the best smartphone that the brand offers, and of course its price is particularly high. For those who wish, there is also the Xiaomi 13 at 999 euros that you have tested for you.

You can find our full test of the Xiaomi 13 Pro here.

? Understanding Xiaomi ranges

Mi, Mi Mix, Mi T… The flagships of Xiaomi were identified until August 2021 thanks to their Mi name. high-end smartphones are represented by a simple number, designer models by the name of Mix, premium models by a number preceding the letter T (as with the Xiaomi 12T Pro). The entry and mid-range are detected for their part by the name of Redmi, followed by a number while the most low-cost models are identified by their letter A preceded by a number. You can also discover additional qualifiers such as Note (premium, too), Max (large screens), Ultra or Pro (over-equipped) or Lite (lighter equipment). As for Xiaomi’s Pocophone brand, it brings together under the diminutive Poco devices with often unbeatable value for money. Once you have assimilated all this, it becomes easier to find the model adapted to your uses and your budget! One thing is certain, even if Xiaomi today markets smartphones that cost more than 1000 euros, the brand remains renowned for its lower prices than those of its most prestigious competitorswith equivalent equipment.

? Which model to choose to play?

At Xiaomi, the top models (Xiaomi 13 or Xiaomi 13 Pro) have the essential equipment to handle the most sophisticated mobile games, thanks to their high-end processor and screens refreshed up to 120 Hz. And good new, the brand also offers devices in its catalog that benefit from these same two characteristics for less. This is the case with the T range or the best Pocos. If the Xiaomi 13 Pro costs almost 1300 euros at launchthe brand offers its equally powerful Poco 12T pro for less than 800 euros !

?‍♂️ Which model to choose to surf and communicate?

To browse your favorite sites, post photos on Instagram, communicate via social networks or watch your favorite series, there is no need to buy a powerful smartphone. And that’s good because Xiaomi markets mid-range models, extremely well equipped, at entry-level prices. For less than 200 euros, the Redmi Note 11 offers enticing features, capable of responding to all common uses. The Redmi Note 10 5G, model of 2021, is even one of the few at this price level to offer very high speed mobile.

⚖️ Which model to choose so as not to weigh down your pockets?

No need to look for a small model from the manufacturer. As a Chinese brand, Xiaomi only offers smartphones with XL screens. The 6.67 format also seems to be becoming more widespread, whether at the entry level or the top of the range. However, there is a model with a less giant format, with fairly discreet edges for increased compactness, and which is one of the thinnest and lightest on the market (6.8 mm for 158 g.): the Mi 11 Lite 5G. A reference that is rare among distributors. In our current selection,he thinnest model is the Poco F4 but it is still 1mm longer.

? Which model to choose to avoid dry breakdown?

Xiaomi’s devices are large, so you can easily fit a large 5000 mAh battery in their case with the corollary of good autonomy, from 24 to 48 hours. More remarkably, the manufacturer offers a fast charging function on its latest models. Ideal for restoring a few hours of battery life to your mobile by plugging it in for just a few minutes. This function is quite spectacular on the Xiaomi 11T pro or even the 12 Pro as well as the 13 Pro, since they are fully recharged in about twenty minutes!

? Which model to choose to store apps and files?

The Xiaomi brand has two definite advantages in terms of storage capacity. Choosing a device with 256 GB of storage instead of 128 GB does not necessarily cost much more! On the other hand, the vast majority of the brand’s entry-level and mid-range smartphones have a microSD card slot.