UI, speed, feel: For a budget phone, it generally does what it promises. The transitions between apps are smooth, without significant issues or freezes. The phone was truly at its best with the MIUI it came with out of the box; HyperOS 1.0 was more of a downgrade than an upgrade, as it hid/removed settings and overall reduced speed. Fortunately, with HyperOS 2.0.3.0, things seem to be heading in the right direction, and the device is once again quite smooth and fluid in navigation. Regarding ads, there are easy ways to cut them out, mainly by using a private DNS server and disabling the msa system app. However, system apps are certainly not the strong point of the phone, but then again, Xiaomi has always had issues with bloatware.
Photos: The 200MP camera surprises you with its quality for a model at this price. Daytime photos are good, very good; the Samsung sensor does an amazing job. Indoor photos could be improved; they appear quite soft and with a warmer tone than I would personally prefer. Fortunately, this is something that can be easily solved with Gcam, which has significantly improved auto white balancing. Don't use the 200MP mode; it's not worth it, as it has a lot of noise and the dynamic range doesn't say much. It's more of a marketing gimmick. Otherwise, the 2x zoom is very good, the 4x has a bit of noise but is generally acceptable, the ultrawide camera is quite mediocre, and the macro is okay in good lighting conditions but that's about it. The night sight again pleasantly surprises as it takes very decent photos automatically, better than those with Google Cam. The selfie camera is generally decent, although the colors are somewhat pale, which can be corrected, of course. The camera of the Redmi compared to that of the Poco X6, although they are almost the same device, is literally night and day in terms of quality, heavily favoring the Redmi.
Video: The device supports 4k at 30 fps (yes, I would also like it at 60 fps, and it is definitely a minus), and within these limits, it does its job relatively well. The details are as they should be, the colors are accurate, and there is zero noise. The contrast could be better. In low light conditions, there is noticeable noise in the shadows, but okay, personally, I wasn't expecting miracles in this area.
Gaming: There is absolutely no issue with simple games. In 3D games like Genshin Impact, CoD, Diablo Immortal, etc., the device inevitably heats up after half an hour, reaching temperatures of 41-42 degrees, making the touch start to become uncomfortable (but not unbearable). The only solution in these cases is to buy a cooling pad for the back (there are many on Skroutz that you can choose from, and they really do work), which, of course, is not only relevant to this specific device but also to flagship models when we talk about demanding games.
Battery: Since I read many complaints in general, I honestly try to understand how they have arisen. The Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G can achieve 10 to 11 hours of screen on time (measured in various scenarios and with different apps), without gaming, or about one day, at the end of which it will need a charge. With 5G constantly on, Bluetooth constantly on except during sleep hours, 7-8 hours of Wi-Fi, brightness locked in the middle, balanced battery mode, recommended refresh rate, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning turned off except when I need increased accuracy in GPS, NFC only on when making payments. The usage included calls, messages/emails/chats, surfing, social media, YouTube videos, mobile banking, generally what an average person does. Along with gaming performance mode, this statistic drops to about 8 and a half hours or even lower depending on other usage. Ok, it’s not going to win any awards for battery management but it operates at quite acceptable levels, especially considering it charges incredibly fast.
In conclusion, the Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G is a very good device that won't disappoint anyone who approaches its purchase with realistic expectations. It doesn't do everything perfectly, obviously there are shortcomings (hence the 4 stars) but in the overall picture, it delivers what you pay for, which for me personally is the most important thing.
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