Redmi’s all-new flagship challenger

CHENNAI: Redmi fired the first salvo in the highly competitive sub Rs 30,000 smartphone segment with its first big launch of the year. The first thing you are likely to notice about the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G is the design language. It’s easily one of the best looking Redmi smartphones we’ve seen thus far with an elegant vegan leather texture with a stylish colour-block pattern. It doesn’t just add to the visual appeal but also to the ergonomics. The device comes in three colour ways including our favourite – Fusion Black, with its distinctive two-tone finish.

The Note 13 Pro+ 5G is the top-end device in a trio of Note 13 devices. This one flaunts a 3D curved display. The 6.67-inch AMOLED display features a 120Hz refresh rate with a pixel density of 446 PPI (Pixels per inch) and a peak brightness of 1800 nits. The slim bezels add to its immersive viewing experience; Redmi pegs the screen: body ratio at an impressive 93.5%. The display also boasts of Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support. It’s also one of the first Redmi devices with IP68 dust and water resistance – Redmi claims 30 minutes in 1.5 metres of fresh water without compromising performance.

The hardware spec sheet is quite impressive. At its heart is a MediaTek Dimensity 7200-Ultra chipset with a 4nm process, Redmi offers a choice of three hardware variants including the top-end 12GB/512 option. The stellar display is backed by a robust 5000 mAh battery. Redmi sweetens the deal with a 120W in-box charger that takes this device from 1 to 100% in just under 20 minutes. Last year’s Redmi Note 12 Pro was one of our favourite cameras under Rs 30,000. The 2024 version is kitted with a capable 200MP camera. The large 1/1.4” sensor size and f/1.65 aperture combine to produce bright and clear low-light photos. In addition to the primary lens you also get an 8MP ultra-wide lens and a 2MP Macro Lens. We wish Redmi had packed a zoom lens instead of a macro lens but that’s a minor crib in a device that fires on most cylinders.

(Rs 29,999 onwards)