The best Xiaomi phone 2023

The Xiaomi 13 Pro takes what made the 12 Pro so great and makes it even better.

Performance from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is absolutely fantastic, with its improved power efficiency and a larger battery delivering significant battery life improvements. New Leica cameras are close to the best you’ll find on any phone, with great results across all four lenses – especially the 1in main camera.

But a huge new camera bump interrupts an otherwise sleek design, while the software experience remains a major source of frustration – though this is true for every Xiaomi model.

The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is currently the company’s most powerful phone, but it’s not quite the one we’d recommend most people by.

Part of that is purely practical: the phone isn’t available in the UK or US, though you can buy one in Europe at least. It’s expensive too, at €1,499, and between that and its sheer size this won’t be a phone for everyone. If those don’t put you off then you’re in for a treat though.

The Leica-branded camera is the main draw, with a 1in main sensor equipped with a variable aperture backed up by a trio of exceptional 50Mp ultrawide and zoom lenses, driving detailed photos, great low-light performance, and beautiful natural bokeh.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip delivers strong performance and excellent battery life too, while the display is hard to fault either.

On the hardware front, the Xiaomi 13 is solid. It’s extremely well built, and more durable than the previous generation. The main camera produces clear, crisp shots, even in darker conditions, and we can’t ignore its impressive performance thanks to the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.

It offers the best of the Xiaomi 13 Pro but in a smaller package and at a lower price – though do bear in mind that the camera, while great, isn’t the same as in its Pro sibling.

If the Xiaomi 13 has a failing, it’s only that rival offerings from competing brands look a little more appealing at the same price.

The Note 12 Pro+ elevates Xiaomi’s budget-friendly Redmi brand from competitive mid-rangers to potential flagship killer.

Its headlining 200Mp camera is a bona fide premium feature, while performance and display are among the best you’ll find at this price point. Battery life is solid too, while the 120W fast charging is excellent.

As a result, the 12 Pro+ is easy to recommend. The polarising MIUI software and poor supporting rear cameras are the only real downsides, but you certainly shouldn’t rule out this phone.

The Poco X5 Pro 5G is a great option for the price in terms of features and design, with a premium look and feel despite the plastic body. The 120Hz AMOLED display is bright, vibrant and buttery-smooth, and still better than most rivals at this price.

While the refresh rate isn’t adaptive like premium alternatives, the phone can still comfortably last more than a day with average use, and when it does need a top up there’s 67W fast wired charging (with the necessary charger supplied in the box).

The 108Mp camera is a real treat too, offering impressive detail and colour representation in well-lit environments, although the lack of OIS means night photography could be improved. The accompanying 8Mp ultrawide is handy, but sadly the same can’t be said for the 2Mp macro lens.

The internals are mid-range, with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 778G leading the show, but performance is very decent for the money. A tempting option for the cost-conscious.

There’s one thing that will immediately attract potential phone purchasers to the Poco F5 Pro: its price. For the money, it’s a great bargain.

The specs are in-line with 2022 flagship models, but at half the cost. That you get long battery life, a nice main camera, and wireless charging tops off a great deal.

There are, of course, some caveats. On the hardware side the main drawback is the limited performance from the secondary cameras, but it’s also a shame that Xiaomi only promises it two major OS updates, meaning it won’t last as long as some other options on this list.

The Xiaomi 12 is a compelling flagship smartphone. Its compact form factor will appeal to those who don’t want a huge handset (it’s even smaller than this year’s Xiaomi 13) and the design looks and feels great. 

You also get some high-end specs, such as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, an AMOLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate, and speedy 67W charging. It’s also got a solid main camera, along with a good ultra-wide shooter, but few buyers will be excited by a telemacro lens. 

While there’s lots to like about the Xiaomi 12, it still has no waterproofing, and battery life is nothing special. 

The Poco F5 is a powerful phone at the more affordable end of the mid-range market, and with a secret weapon: a headphone jack.

Performance is what makes the F5 stand out, with more power under the hood than you’ll find in the likes of the Samsung Galaxy A54 or Pixel 7a, making it a great choice for gamers on a budget.

It does lag behind those phones when it comes to the camera though, so if you want a more well-rounded experience then look elsewhere – or at one of Xiaomi’s other affordable options.

Following up on success is always difficult, but Xiaomi nailed it – mostly – with the 13 Lite.

The design and build is lovely, with a lightweight frame that is nice to use all day, and the decent battery life with quick recharging means you won’t have to worry about power.

However, the cameras are a little underwhelming this time around, which is the one area where the older 12 Lite has an edge. There are also some build issues surrounding the curved edges of the display.

Still, there’s plenty of performance and charm on offer, plus the camera quality can most likely be improved by updates to the software, so the Xiaomi 13 Lite is a solid option if you want a lightweight mid-ranger with the latest specs and performance.

The Note 12 Pro lacks the wow factor of the Pro+, but it’s arguably better value for money. If you can live without a 200Mp camera and 120W charging, this is an excellent affordable option.

It retains the gorgeous 120Hz OLED screen, capable MediaTek Dimensity 1080 chipset, and solid 5000mAh battery of its bigger brother, plus an excellent selfie camera.

Dropping down to a 50Mp main camera doesn’t feel like much of a compromise, and the 67W charging is still fast compared to the competition.

MIUI remains the single biggest reason not to buy it, especially when many rivals have a more polished software experience. Internal storage is also limited, and can’t be expanded, so you may need to invest in cloud storage.

You can save even more money by dropping down to the regular Redmi Note 12 5G, but for what it’s worth we think that the Pro model delivers better bang for your buck.