The smartphone market this year offers incredible variety, and Chinese giant Xiaomi is one of the main players here, dictating its rules of the game in each price segment. Choosing a device becomes a difficult task not because of the lack of options, but because of their abundance, when the names of models are confusing and the characteristics seem identical on paper.
In this article, we will take a look at the current lineup of devices available for purchase, and help determine which model will be ideal for you. We will touch on issues of performance, camera quality and autonomy, based on real-life experience and technical tests. A properly selected gadget will last several years, remaining fast and responsive.
We understand the lines: Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi
The first thing that customers face is a confusion of names, as the company uses a multi-brand strategy: flagship devices come under the main brand Xiaomi (formerly Mi), offering the best case materials, top-end cameras and water protection, a choice for those who want to get the most technology and are willing to pay for it.
Redmi is a mass-user sub-brand offering a great balance of price and quality, offering both budget NFC bells and powerful gaming solutions, but often at the expense of body materials or wireless charging. The Redmi Note series, which has historically been a bestseller for bringing flagship features to the middle class, is also a highlight.
The third player is the POCO brand, designed for enthusiasts and gamers. Their philosophy is simple: maximum CPU performance at the lowest possible price. Often these are redone Redmi models, but with a redesign and focus on cooling and speed, although cameras here are usually simplified.
⚠️ Don’t confuse global smartphone versions with Chinese ones (CN). Globals have pre-installed Google services, support for the right communication frequencies (B20) Russian out of the box, while Chinese versions require complex flashing.
Understanding this hierarchy allows you to cut off the extra, and if you care about status and the best photography, look at the main brand, you need a reliable device for every day without extra costs, your Redmi choice, and if the main priority is games and performance, POCO will offer the best price for gigahertz.
Budget segment: up to 20 000 rubles
In the initial price range, the fight is for every ruble, and here Xiaomi feels like a fish in the water. Smartphones of this level often get modern screens with high refresh rates, which is rare for competitors. However, be prepared for compromises: plastic bezels, no optical camera stabilization and slower screens like IPS instead of AMOLED.
The key features are RAM and storage type. 64GB of internal storage is becoming the standard in 2023, but it is better to look for models from 128GB, as applications and messengers take up more space. Processors at the Snapdragon 680 or Helio G99 level ensure smooth interface operation, but in heavy games may not give high FPS.
The popular models include the Redmi 12C and Redmi Note 12 in basic configurations, which offer large displays and capacious batteries, and it is important to pay attention to the presence of the NFC module, since cheap models often cut it out, depriving the user of contactless payment.
- 📱 Screen: Most often IPS LCD permittingly HD+ or FullHD+, 90Hz.
- 🔋 Battery: The de facto standard is 5000 mAh, which provides 1.5-2 days of operation.
- 📸 Camera: 50MP core module takes decent shots in good light, but quality drops at night.
When you buy a device in this segment, you get a functional tool for social media, navigation and multimedia. You don't expect miracles from the processor, but the basic tasks are performed with confidence.
Middle class: balance of price and opportunity
The range from 20 to 40 thousand rubles is the "golden mean" where the most interesting offers are located. AMOLED-It's the segment where stereo speakers and fast charging of 67 watts and higher come in.
Performance is provided by chips level Snapdragon 778G, 782G or Dimensity 1080. these processors cope with most modern games at medium and high settings. RAM like LPDDR4X or LPDDR5 volume of 8 GB allows you to keep many applications open in the background without rebooting.
The Redmi Note 12 Pro and POCO F5 series are particularly noteworthy. The former are often equipped with Sony's IMX766 optical stabilization (OIS) sensor, putting them on a par with the flagships in photo quality.
⚠️ Note: When buying a mid-range smartphone, pay attention to the type of vibrator motor. This segment often uses a conventional motor rather than a linear one, which affects the tactile sensation of printing.
☑️ What to See in the Middle Class
When you pick a smartphone here, you get a device that's visually and tactilely inferior to the top models, and the difference is in the details: waterproofing, telephoto lens, and CPU speed at peak loads.
Flagship solutions: technologies of the future
The top price segment (>50,000 rubles) is represented by Xiaomi 13, 13 Pro and 13 Ultra series, devices designed to compete with Apple and Samsung, which use the best components available on the market: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, adaptive LTPO screens and premium materials like ceramics or eco-skin.
The main advantage of flagships is photo capabilities. Leica optics, huge inch sensors and periscopic telephoto lenses allow you to take professional-level pictures. Optical stabilization is present in all modules, and video is available in 8K resolution.
In addition, flagships receive full protection from water and dust on the standard IP68, wireless charging and back-charging accessories. software support for such devices lasts longer, they are the first to receive Android updates and security patches.
| Model | Processor | Camera (main) | Charging. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi 13 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | 50 MP (OIS) | 67 W/50 W (prov.) |
| Xiaomi 13 Pro | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | 50 MP (1" sensor) | 120 W/50 W (prov.) |
| Xiaomi 13 Ultra | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | 50 MP (diaphragm variable) | 90 W/50 W (prov.) |
| POCO F5 Pro | Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 | 64 MP (OIS) | 67 W. |
Buying a flagship is an investment in the experience. You get not just a phone, but a powerful multimedia center with better screens and cameras. But the performance gains over the upper middle class in everyday tasks may not be as noticeable as the price difference.
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When buying the flagship Xiaomi pay attention to the version of memory UFS. flagships 2023 should be the standard UFS 4.0, which significantly speeds up downloading games and copying files.
Smartphones: POCO and not only
For mobile gamers, a separate category of devices is focused on cooling and FPS stability. The POCO brand (F series) and the game versions of Redmi (K series in China) offer solutions that often overtake more expensive flagships in benchmarks.
The importance of high-quality heat sinks is that engineers use graphene layers, large evaporation chambers, and even fans (in Black Shark’s specialty models, although the brand is less active now), which allows the processor to keep high frequencies long without trottling.
The frequency of the screen sensor survey is also critical, with game models reaching 240 Hz and higher, which provides instant feedback to touches in shooters, and screens here are often protected by the latest generation of glass, as games involve active interaction with the display.
- 🎮 Cooling: Increased area of radiators and heat pads.
- ⚡ Screen: High frequency of touch sampling (Touch Sampling Rate).
- 🔊 Sound: Availability of a 3.5mm jack for wired headphones with low latency.
⚠️ Warning: Gaming smartphones often sacrifice the quality of cameras. POCO F-series photo level Xiaomi 13, here priority is given to the chip and screen.
If the smartphone is bought primarily for PUBG, Call of Duty Mobile or Genshin Impact, then specialized models or their counterparts in the face of POCO will be the best choice in terms of price / performance ratio.
What to look for when buying in 2023
The market is driving new trends, and some features are becoming mandatory, even in the budget segment. In 2023, it is no longer acceptable to buy a smartphone with a 60 Hz screen, unless it is an ultra-budget model.
Support for 5G networks is also worth considering. Although they are not well developed in the CIS, the presence of a 5G modem often indicates a newer and more energy-efficient processor. It is important to check for the right LTE frequencies (Band 3, 7, 20), especially if you often travel or live in a region with poor coverage.
What is eSIM and do you need it?
Xiaomi is famous for putting a charger in the box, unlike some competitors, but in some regions (e.g. Europe) due to eco-standards charging can be removed, so it is better to check with the seller.
When choosing, also look at the operating system version: Current models in 2023 are coming to Android 13 with the shell of MIUI 14 (or HyperOS). Buying a device on the old Android 11 in 2023 will reduce the life of its current support.
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The main criteria for choosing in 2023 is not only hardware, but also screen quality (AMOLED, 120Hz) and the availability of NFC, as these features most affect the daily comfort.