Xiaomi 13 Ultra vs Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: The Battle of the High-End Android Phones
When it comes to high-end smartphones, Xiaomi and Samsung are two of the most prominent players in the market. The latest addition to Xiaomi's 13 series is the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, which is pitted against Samsung's excellent Galaxy S23 Ultra. Here, we take a look at how these two smartphones compare.
Camera Comparison
Both the Xiaomi 13 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra are camera-centric smartphones. While we haven't reviewed the Xiaomi 13 Ultra in its entirety, we can confidently say that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is one of the best camera phones available today.
The Xiaomi 13 Ultra features a massive circular camera housing on its back, which houses four distinct cameras, each with 50-megapixel sensors. It has two telephoto cameras, one with a 75mm zoom and another with a 120mm zoom, as well as a 122-degree field of view ultra-wide and a main camera with an aperture that can shift between f/1.9 and f/4.0. Importantly, the main sensor on the Xiaomi 13 Ultra is larger than the one in the S23 Ultra.
In contrast, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra features a 200-megapixel main sensor along with a 10MP 230mm telephoto, another 70mm telephoto and a 12MP ultra-wide. Both phones can shoot 8K video and in HDR formats, but only the Xiaomi shoots in the Dolby Vision format.
Internals and Specs
Both phones are top-of-the-line in terms of specs and internals. They are powered by Qualcomm silicon, with the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra coming with a marginally souped-up version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, thanks to an exclusive deal between Samsung and Qualcomm. However, both phones are among the fastest Android phones in the market.
Both phones lack expandable storage, but offer internal storage options up to 1TB. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra offers up to 16GB RAM, which is more than the 12GB maximum on the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Display and Design
Both the Xiaomi 13 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra feature excellent OLED displays. The 6.8-inch panel on the Galaxy is marginally larger than the 6.7-inch panel on the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, but both are large, bright, and fantastic for content. The displays adaptively shift refresh rates from 1-120Hz depending on the usage, and both have a slight curvature and WQHD+ resolutions.
The Xiaomi 13 Ultra has a silicone leather back with a textured finish, and its massive camera hump dominates the whole thing. Its design is not subtle and looks more like a classic camera than a modern smartphone. The S23 Ultra, on the other hand, has a more traditional smartphone design and is available in more colors.
Availability
Currently, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra has been released only in China, and further availability hasn't been announced at the time of writing. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is far more widely available both SIM-free and on pay monthly contracts. It's the much easier of the two phones to buy.
Conclusion
Both the Xiaomi 13 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra are excellent high-end smartphones with their own unique strengths. While the Xiaomi 13 Ultra has a better camera setup and a more distinctive design, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has wider availability and an S Pen stylus. Ultimately, the choice between the two comes down to personal preference and priorities.
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