Xiaomi 13 Ultra review: specs, battery & used prices

Summary

The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is Xiaomi's 2023 Leica flagship and the phone that made variable apertures mainstream again: a 6.73-inch OLED, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, a quad Leica camera built around a one-inch-class 50 MP main sensor, and 90 W charging. It launched around $1,499 in its global configuration, and used units now trade between roughly $335 and $578 — one of the sharpest depreciations of any camera flagship we track.

Display and design

The 6.73-inch OLED runs at 120 Hz with a 1,300-nit peak, scoring 68/100 on our screen-quality axis — the camera, not the panel, is the purchase argument. At 227 g with a very large camera housing and a compactness score of 65/100, it is a photographer's brick, protected at IP68.

Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 still delivers capable performance — a gaming score of 40/100 with good sustained behaviour — and everyday responsiveness remains fluid. Support is the deadline: three years from 2023 means the update window has closed, a serious consideration despite the price.

Camera

The quad 50 MP Leica system — one-inch-class stabilised main, ultrawide, and two telephoto modules covering 3.2x and 5x — was the most complete zoom set of its generation, shooting to 8K at 24 fps. Our camera score of 60/100 tops the catalog, and the Leica colour profiles remain the line's signature.

Battery and charging

The 5,000 mAh battery earns a 40/100 battery-life score with 90 W wired charging at 71/100 — full charges in about 40 minutes — plus wireless charging.

Verdict

At $335–578 used, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra offers the best zoom hardware per dollar in the catalog — with an expired update window as the price of that bargain. It makes sense as a photography tool bought with open eyes; as a primary long-term phone, the newer Xiaomi 14 Ultra or Xiaomi 15 Ultra carry the torch with fresher support.