Xiaomi’s Redmi Note lineup has for long been the torchbearer of value, and its performance-and-value proposition for the budget segment has played a pivotal role in cementing the brand’s position in India. With the flagship Redmi Note 13 Pro+ priced at INR 31,999 onwards, the series has left budget pretences behind and firmly set foot in the mid-range. It’s Xiaomi’s most expensive Redmi phone to date, one that goes up against the Nord and the Edge series of mobiles from OnePlus and Motorola.
The added premium is most visible in the two areas you’d immediately notice about any phone — design and display. Gone is the camera island on the rear, giving way to large rings around the camera modules that look cleaner and more premium. You can pick from white and black colour variants, but the model to get is the one in purple with its textured faux leather rear. Amping up the premium appeal are the IP68 dust and water resistance and Gorilla Glass Victus screen protection; the former is still a rarity for phones under forty grand, but it’s the 3D curved display with symmetric curves on the front and rear that really takes the in-hand feel to a whole different level. Sure, there are no functional benefits to the design, but it does look more upmarket than Notes from the past. The infrared blaster, a Redmi regular, is present, as is an in-display fingerprint scanner that works fast but sits altogether too low on the screen for it to be conveniently accessible.
The curved edges aren’t the only upgrade the 6.67-inch, 120 Hz screen receives on the Note 13 Pro+; not only is the panel a higher 1.5K (2,712x1,220 pixel resolution) with barely-there bezels, it goes brighter as well, up to 1,800 nits with HDR content (HDR10+ and Dolby Vision are supported). Games and streaming content shine on this device (with the capable stereo speaker setup), as do viewing photos and static content. Keeping the always-on display enabled, one was able to eke out a day of heavy use from the 5,000 mAh battery and top it up in under 30 minutes with the bundled 120 W charger.
The added longevity is also on account of the more efficient MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Ultra, which handles moderately intensive gaming and general everyday use without a hiccup. Interestingly, the phone is equipped with at least 256 GB of storage, with higher-end models going up to 512 GB of UFS 3.1 storage and 12 GB of faster LPDDR5 memory–upping the base storage — a trend more brands need to get behind. What Xiaomi needs to work on is the number of pre-installed apps on the phone, and their presence takes some shine away from the premium ‘Redmi’ image the brand is trying to carve out with this device. The bigger misstep though is the software that the Note 13 Pro+ runs—it’s still on Android 13, with no sign of the HyperOS that we’re starting to see on other Xiaomi devices, not to mention a recent POCO device in the same segment. Not a good look, Xiaomi.
Also read: Xiaomi Pad 6 Review: Impresses on all fronts
Finally, the camera on the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ sees an upgraded 200 MP Samsung HP3 sensor, which captures good details and more light for good low-light performance. The 8 MP ultra-wide is sufficient in terms of dynamic range and colour consistency with the main camera, but the details level let it down. And that 2 MP macro camera? It exists merely to buff up the spec sheet, nothing more; you’d do better by using the zoom on the main camera.
Undoubtedly, the Note 13 Pro+ is an upgrade in every sense, but Xiaomi’s confusing stance with regards to software and pre-installed apps holds it back from an unqualified recommendation against peers in the mid-range segment for which it is priced. Worth picking up if you’re getting one on seasonal sales online.