What to buy a Xiaomi phone in 2023: a complete guide to choose from

Choosing a smartphone has become a tough quest today, especially when it comes to the Xiaomi ecosystem. The market is saturated with models that promise to become a sales leader, but reality makes its own adjustments. In 2023, the company divided its lines into clear segments to cover audiences from economy class to premium flagships, and to understand this flow without preparation is almost impossible.

If you’re wondering which Xiaomi phone to buy in 2023, you should understand that the brand no longer produces just “good phones.” These are now specialized tools: some are focused on mobile gaming, others on professional photography, and still others offer maximum autonomy for minimal money. We analyzed the technical specifications, user reviews and test results to compile a comprehensive guide for you.

In this article, we will not just list dry specs. We will discuss why Snapdragon is often better than MediaTek at certain tasks, whether to overpay for a glass case instead of plastic one, and how to choose a device that does not lose value in six months.

Strategy of choice: define the budget and objectives

The first thing to decide on is budget. Xiaomi is famous for offering great value for money, but the price range between the cheapest Redmi and the top Xiaomi 13 Pro is huge. Buying a flagship for social media is a waste of money, just like taking a budget for mobile eSports.

In 2023, there is a clear division: the budget segment (up to 15-20 thousand rubles) offers basic functionality, the average (20-40 thousand) – excellent screens and cameras, and premium (from 60 thousand) – materials and technologies of the iPhone level.

You prioritize. Do you care about the screen? The camera? Or maybe battery life? If you answer these questions, you can cut off 80 percent of the wrong models. Don't chase megapixels if the main use case is messengers and YouTube.

The flagship Xiaomi and POCO F series are usually slower to lose in value in the secondary market than the obscure Redmi Note models with the prefix "S" or "Pro" of the past.

Budget Segment: Redmi Note and Available POCO

The Redmi Note series continues to dictate the game in the lower and middle price segment in 2023, with models like the Redmi Note 12 and 13 becoming the benchmark for what a user should get for a little money. AMOLED-The screens have become standard even for the public sector".

But there's a nuance: often in the pursuit of a thin body, manufacturers sacrifice autonomy or build quality, plastic frames can slug, and vibration can be loud and unpleasant. NFC-The module is not available in some regional versions.

The POCO M and C range offers an alternative to Redmi. Often the same devices, but with a different back cover design and a different software shell. POCO often relies on a cleaner Android and no extra advertising on the system, which for many is a decisive factor when buying.

When choosing a budgetary, be sure to check the kit. In 2023, Xiaomi began to save on power supplies in some series, although in the budget segment the charger is usually still put in the box.

• 📱 Screen: Look AMOLED or IPS refreshable 90-120 Hz for interface smoothness.
• 🔋 Battery: Standard in 2023 – 5000 mAh, less to take does not make sense.
• 💾 Memory: Minimum comfortable volume - 128 GB of internal memory and 6 GB of RAM.

The Golden mean: subflagships POCO F and Xiaomi T

If you’re looking for a balance between price and performance, your choice is the POCO F series (like the F5) and the Xiaomi T series (like the 13T), which come with previous-generation flagship processors or powerful mid-rangers, delivering excellent speed for any task.

In this class, optical stabilizers (OIS) in cameras are starting to appear, which dramatically changes the quality of low-light and video shooting, and stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support are also more common here, turning a smartphone into a portable media center.

The materials in the case are also getting better: glass, metal, IP53 or even IP68 moisture protection. However, be careful with heating. Powerful processors in thin cases require good cooling, and not all models boast an efficient heat sink system.

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Pay attention to the "out of the box" version of the operating system. 2023 sub-flagships often come with Android 13, but some may come with Android 12 requiring an update immediately after being turned on.

A great choice in 2023 was Xiaomi’s T series, developed in collaboration with Leica (in some aspects of software), which offers high-quality screens for those who want flagship experiences but are not willing to pay full price for the Xiaomi brand’s premium.

Flagship power: Xiaomi series 13 and 14

When it comes to “what to buy Xiaomi phone in 2023” and budget is tight, the eye is on the flagship lineup: Devices like the Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro (and the 14th coming later this year) are the company’s showcase of technology, using Sony’s best sensors, Snapdragon 8 Gen processors, and premium materials.

The main difference from previous years is the work on software and stability. Xiaomi has made a huge effort to ensure that HyperOS (or MIUI of the latest versions) runs smoothly. The cameras in these phones often outperform competitors in their class due to the large size of the matrix and high-quality optics.

But the price is high, and it only makes sense to buy them if you really want top-end capabilities: 8K video, maximum graphics settings in games, high-power wireless charging, full-cycle moisture protection, and in normal scenarios, the difference with subflagships may not be so noticeable.

⚠️ Note: Global versions of Xiaomi flagships may have different camera settings from Chinese versions. Chinese versions often have more aggressive sharping and noise cancellation.

Also worth noting is the compactness of some models: Xiaomi 13 has become one of the few handy smartphones with a screen diagonal of about 6.3 inches, which is highly appreciated by users tired of shovels.

Game monsters: Black Shark and POCO X GT

For mobile gaming, conventional smartphones may not be suitable due to trotting (decreasing heat performance).This is where specialized devices come on the scene. Black Shark (despite the brand's internal challenges in 2023) and game versions of POCO offer active cooling, body triggers and aggressive design.

The key is not just the processor, but the cooling system, and the graphite sheets, the copper tubes, the fans, all help keep the FPS high in heavy games like Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile at maximum settings.

But buying a gaming smartphone is a compromise, and the cameras are usually mediocre, and they're very specific (many of them). RGB-Backlights, which is not everyone’s favorite, and the software may be less optimized for everyday tasks than in conventional Xiaomi.

If you're not a professional esportsman, you might want to look at the POCO F5 Pro, or the ones with good passive cooling, which will give you 90 percent of the power of gaming phones, but will be more versatile in everyday use and photography.

Characteristics Comparison: What to Look at in Specifications

To make a final decision, let's put the basics in a table, which will help you quickly navigate which series is responsible for what in the model range of 2023.

Not only do you look at the processor model, but you also look at the type of memory. UFS 4.0 into 2023 The year is a critical factor for the longevity of the performance of the smartphone, especially if you plan to use the device. 3-4 The public sector is doing it. UFS 2.2, noticeably slower.

Also important is the type of screen array. AMOLED gives deep black and energy savings, but can cause eye fatigue in some users due to PWM (flickering). IPS in this regard is safer, but loses in contrast. Xiaomi in 2023 is actively implementing PWM (high frequency brightness control) technology for eye protection.

Frequent Questions and Answers (FAQ)

⚠️ Warning: When buying a device on marketplaces, always check the seller.Gray" imported phones may not have an official warranty in your country, and their IMEI-codes may not be entered into the databases of operators, which will lead to blocking.

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Xiaomi’s perfect smartphone in 2023 is a balance between a current processor (not older than 1-2 years), an AMOLED screen with high frequency and enough storage.