Xiaomi has a lot of (far too many) smartphones in its 2023 catalog. There are its sub-brands Redmi and Poco, where each has a respective entry-level, mid-range, and high-end models to choose from. With such a wide selection, we help you choose the best Xiaomi, Redmi, or Poco smartphone.
The best Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco smartphones in 2023
Attention: Xiaomi does not officially import the following devices to the United States. The prices mentioned in the article are approximate conversions of the MSRP and they may not reflect the market price in the US. All the affiliate links included are from third-party sellers and may not represent the MSRP. The devices may not include a warranty or support to your carrier.
Listed here are the Xiaomi, Poco, and Redmi smartphones that the NextPit editorial staff has recommended. For each price range from $200 all the way to a lofty $1,000, we put our best choice forward.
After the Chinese release in December 2022, the Xiaomi 13 Pro has now made it to the West (except in the US, as usual). As expected, Xiaomi packs a lot of high-end technology into its flagship smartphone. This includes an excellent OLED screen with QHD+ resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate, and with 1900 nits, it is almost as bright as it can get.
Furthermore, we find the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 on board and a battery that even charges faster wirelessly (50 W) than the best Samsung smartphone with a cable (45 W). The battery even charges at 120 W with a cable and also lasts for a long time. Also convincing: The triple camera, where the 50 MP main camera with a 1-inch sensor is particularly impressive.
There is not much to complain about. Apart from the fact that MIUI 14 has hardly improved compared with the last version of this software and the preinstalled bloatware is still annoying.
Want to save a bit on price, but still craving a high-end smartphone from Xiaomi? Here you go, here is the Xiaomi 13! The AMOLED screen of 6.36" is smaller than that of the big brother, but it is still convincing all along the line. Matt also has only positive things to say about the triple-cam after his review, even though it is not quite on the same level as the Pro model.
Like the Pro, the Xiaomi 13 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and is also available in storage variants up to 512 GB. The battery of 4,500 mAh is a bit smaller than in the Pro, and the charging speed is also lower at 67 watts. However, most people won't even notice the difference, especially considering the savings.
Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro not fancy enough for you? No worries! The Chinese manufacturer has launched the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, its new ultra-premium smartphone that will top its lineup for 2023.
This more muscular version of the Xiaomi 13 Pro with which it shares some characteristics, is thought for those who want to have the top of the top. Compared to the Xiaomi 13 Pro, it stands out for its more worked and massive design, its much brighter 2K screen with its 2600 Nits of peak luminosity, its 16 GB of RAM and the storage that goes up to 1 TB or its 5000 mAh battery.
The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is especially impressive when it comes to the camera module, with its quadruple camera module consisting of a 50 MP main lens with a 1-inch sensor, its 50 MP ultra-wide angle lens and its two 50 MP telephoto lenses with focal lengths of 75 and 120 mm respectively.
In the review, the device got 4.5-stars. We miss eSIM support and find a bit too much bloatware on the device—otherwise, there is just about nothing to criticize about this phone!
The Poco F4 GT positions itself in the upper mid-range segment comfortably. It's not a full-fledged flagship like a Xiaomi 12, but it sets the right tone with its specifications that go all out when it comes to performance and multimedia content.
It is a smartphone made for gaming, armed with a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, a 120 Hz AMOLED display, and good temperature control. The smartphone won't overheat even during long gaming sessions and you can play all your games at a constant 60 frames per second. The Poco F4 GT has an exceptional feature—retractable physical triggers are very nice to use.
Its 4,700 mAh battery isn't the longest lasting on the market, but it more than makes up for it with its 120-watt Hyper Charge fast charger. Going from 0 to 100% in 25 minutes is what's known in the industry as a "game changer." If you're looking for a premium smartphone with MIUI that's more suited for gaming than photography, I think the Poco F4 GT is the best choice.
The Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is the Xiaomi smartphone offering the best value for money. At less than $500, it offers everything you need to work, go online or exchange with your contacts or play comfortably.
It offers a very well-balanced spec sheet with a sublime 6.67-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, a good triple camera module, a MediaTek Dimensity 1080 SoC backed by 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage as well as a 5000mAh battery. The big strength of the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is its HyperCharge 120 W fast charging which is even the best that Xiaomi currently offers.
The only hitch of this smartphone is the rather limited update policy and. But if you've been with Xiaomi for a while, this clearly won't be a hindrance for you.
As an alternative to the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G, we recommend the Poco F5 Pro, which is available for less than $560. For this price, Xiaomi installs the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and a 6.67-inch AMOLED display protected by Gorilla Glass 5. This offers a 1440p resolution and repeats images at 120 Hz.
The more than decent spec sheet is rounded off with a good 64 MP main camera (although the 2 MP macro shooter could have been left out of the three-port lineup), a fat 5,160 mAh battery, and Dolby Atmos stereo sound. Thus, the Poco F5 Pro is an inexpensive alternative to much more expensive flagship models—and hardly has any real weaknesses.
Every single year, Xiaomi renews its entry-level range with a Redmi. The Redmi Note 11 is the base model among the 5 variations that this range currently has. It is slightly more premium than the Redmi 10 launched by Xiaomi this year (not to be confused with the Redmi Note 10).
Thus, for less than $300, we have a 6.43-inch AMOLED screen in Full HD+ and 90 Hz. The screen is outstanding, there is sufficient power underneath the hood to play games as well as for everyday applications, and the camera module is pretty decent for its price. The Redmi Note 11 also offers excellent battery life and expandable storage.
Between Xiaomi and Redmi: Which do you pick in 2023?
If we were to take Xiaomi and Redmi into consideration, we have to consider them as two distinct brands and two ranges within the same catalog. Yes, I know, it's complicated, but basically, Xiaomi is slightly more premium overall than Redmi.
However, there are times when Redmi's flagship range is sometimes more interesting than Xiaomi's entry-level handsets. For example, the Redmi Note 11 Pro at $280 is more competitive than the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite at $300. By the way, we asked you in our survey if you still feel comfortable with Xiaomi—and the answer was a big fat NO.
Flagships
Let's start with Xiaomi's flagship range. These are the top-of-the-range smartphones of the manufacturer with, generally, the most premium technical specifications. The flagship of the range is the Xiaomi 13 Pro with its vanilla version, the Xiaomi 13. But the family is usually expanded throughout the year with Ultra and "T" models, so it is worth keeping an eye on updates on this article.
If we go further down in the hierarchy, we get to the Mi Note range. The question here is whether Xiaomi will really continue this series since we have not seen a continuation of the series since the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 from 2019. So, it is possible that Note models can now be found completely under the Redmi umbrella.
Mid-range
If we take Xiaomi as the global scale brand, the manufacturer that is, Redmi constitutes the mid-range of its catalog, but if we consider Xiaomi and Redmi as two brands, Redmi also has its own sub-ranges, from flagships to entry-level.
Redmi's top-of-the-line, which corresponds to Xiaomi's mid-range, is the Redmi Note. They too come in several numbered versions like the Redmi Note 12, Note 12 5G, Note 12 Pro 5G and Note 12 Pro+ 5G, from the basic to the most premium model.
Entry-level
Next up are the Redmi all-in-ones, which is the entry-level with the Redmi 10 this year. Here again, we'll probably see variations of the Redmi 10A, which is more affordable, and a Redmi 10C, an intermediate model. Well, at least there you are sure to be on entry-level models of Xiaomi and Redmi.
The Poco catalog
Poco is a rather unusual sub-brand. The brand seems quite independent of Xiaomi compared to Redmi. Within the Poco catalog, you can again find further differences and classes based on a wide price range.
The Poco F models, like the Poco F4 GT, are the flagship models, being the most powerful and expensive smartphones from the manufacturer. The Poco X models like the Poco X5 5G (review) represent Poco's mid-range price segment, with smartphones that place more emphasis on the quality of the screen and the camera.
The Poco M like the Poco M4 Pro makes up Poco's entry-level segment, with prices of less than $200 while offering more limited (but still functional) specifications, in addition to a longer battery life.
Poco smartphones are less popular outside of Asia, though. You are more likely to find a Xiaomi or Redmi device in a store than a Poco device. On the other hand, Poco models are the Xiaomi models that usually see the biggest price drops over time.
That's it for this selection of the best Xiaomi smartphones to choose from in 2023. What do you think of NextPit's choices? Which model should be in this comparison that you think we didn't mention? What is YOUR candidate for the best Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone in 2023? Tell us all about it in the comments!
Xiaomi has a lot of (far too many) smartphones in its 2023 catalog. There are its sub-brands Redmi and Poco, where each has a respective entry-level, mid-range, and high-end models to choose from. With such a wide selection, we help you choose the best Xiaomi, Redmi, or Poco smartphone.
The best Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco smartphones in 2023
Attention: Xiaomi does not officially import the following devices to the United States. The prices mentioned in the article are approximate conversions of the MSRP and they may not reflect the market price in the US. All the affiliate links included are from third-party sellers and may not represent the MSRP. The devices may not include a warranty or support to your carrier.
Listed here are the Xiaomi, Poco, and Redmi smartphones that the NextPit editorial staff has recommended. For each price range from $200 all the way to a lofty $1,000, we put our best choice forward.
After the Chinese release in December 2022, the Xiaomi 13 Pro has now made it to the West (except in the US, as usual). As expected, Xiaomi packs a lot of high-end technology into its flagship smartphone. This includes an excellent OLED screen with QHD+ resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate, and with 1900 nits, it is almost as bright as it can get.
Furthermore, we find the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 on board and a battery that even charges faster wirelessly (50 W) than the best Samsung smartphone with a cable (45 W). The battery even charges at 120 W with a cable and also lasts for a long time. Also convincing: The triple camera, where the 50 MP main camera with a 1-inch sensor is particularly impressive.
There is not much to complain about. Apart from the fact that MIUI 14 has hardly improved compared with the last version of this software and the preinstalled bloatware is still annoying.
Want to save a bit on price, but still craving a high-end smartphone from Xiaomi? Here you go, here is the Xiaomi 13! The AMOLED screen of 6.36" is smaller than that of the big brother, but it is still convincing all along the line. Matt also has only positive things to say about the triple-cam after his review, even though it is not quite on the same level as the Pro model.
Like the Pro, the Xiaomi 13 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and is also available in storage variants up to 512 GB. The battery of 4,500 mAh is a bit smaller than in the Pro, and the charging speed is also lower at 67 watts. However, most people won't even notice the difference, especially considering the savings.
Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro not fancy enough for you? No worries! The Chinese manufacturer has launched the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, its new ultra-premium smartphone that will top its lineup for 2023.
This more muscular version of the Xiaomi 13 Pro with which it shares some characteristics, is thought for those who want to have the top of the top. Compared to the Xiaomi 13 Pro, it stands out for its more worked and massive design, its much brighter 2K screen with its 2600 Nits of peak luminosity, its 16 GB of RAM and the storage that goes up to 1 TB or its 5000 mAh battery.
The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is especially impressive when it comes to the camera module, with its quadruple camera module consisting of a 50 MP main lens with a 1-inch sensor, its 50 MP ultra-wide angle lens and its two 50 MP telephoto lenses with focal lengths of 75 and 120 mm respectively.
In the review, the device got 4.5-stars. We miss eSIM support and find a bit too much bloatware on the device—otherwise, there is just about nothing to criticize about this phone!
The Poco F4 GT positions itself in the upper mid-range segment comfortably. It's not a full-fledged flagship like a Xiaomi 12, but it sets the right tone with its specifications that go all out when it comes to performance and multimedia content.
It is a smartphone made for gaming, armed with a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, a 120 Hz AMOLED display, and good temperature control. The smartphone won't overheat even during long gaming sessions and you can play all your games at a constant 60 frames per second. The Poco F4 GT has an exceptional feature—retractable physical triggers are very nice to use.
Its 4,700 mAh battery isn't the longest lasting on the market, but it more than makes up for it with its 120-watt Hyper Charge fast charger. Going from 0 to 100% in 25 minutes is what's known in the industry as a "game changer." If you're looking for a premium smartphone with MIUI that's more suited for gaming than photography, I think the Poco F4 GT is the best choice.
The Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is the Xiaomi smartphone offering the best value for money. At less than $500, it offers everything you need to work, go online or exchange with your contacts or play comfortably.
It offers a very well-balanced spec sheet with a sublime 6.67-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, a good triple camera module, a MediaTek Dimensity 1080 SoC backed by 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage as well as a 5000mAh battery. The big strength of the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is its HyperCharge 120 W fast charging which is even the best that Xiaomi currently offers.
The only hitch of this smartphone is the rather limited update policy and. But if you've been with Xiaomi for a while, this clearly won't be a hindrance for you.
As an alternative to the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G, we recommend the Poco F5 Pro, which is available for less than $560. For this price, Xiaomi installs the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and a 6.67-inch AMOLED display protected by Gorilla Glass 5. This offers a 1440p resolution and repeats images at 120 Hz.
The more than decent spec sheet is rounded off with a good 64 MP main camera (although the 2 MP macro shooter could have been left out of the three-port lineup), a fat 5,160 mAh battery, and Dolby Atmos stereo sound. Thus, the Poco F5 Pro is an inexpensive alternative to much more expensive flagship models—and hardly has any real weaknesses.
Every single year, Xiaomi renews its entry-level range with a Redmi. The Redmi Note 11 is the base model among the 5 variations that this range currently has. It is slightly more premium than the Redmi 10 launched by Xiaomi this year (not to be confused with the Redmi Note 10).
Thus, for less than $300, we have a 6.43-inch AMOLED screen in Full HD+ and 90 Hz. The screen is outstanding, there is sufficient power underneath the hood to play games as well as for everyday applications, and the camera module is pretty decent for its price. The Redmi Note 11 also offers excellent battery life and expandable storage.
Between Xiaomi and Redmi: Which do you pick in 2023?
If we were to take Xiaomi and Redmi into consideration, we have to consider them as two distinct brands and two ranges within the same catalog. Yes, I know, it's complicated, but basically, Xiaomi is slightly more premium overall than Redmi.
However, there are times when Redmi's flagship range is sometimes more interesting than Xiaomi's entry-level handsets. For example, the Redmi Note 11 Pro at $280 is more competitive than the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite at $300. By the way, we asked you in our survey if you still feel comfortable with Xiaomi—and the answer was a big fat NO.
Flagships
Let's start with Xiaomi's flagship range. These are the top-of-the-range smartphones of the manufacturer with, generally, the most premium technical specifications. The flagship of the range is the Xiaomi 13 Pro with its vanilla version, the Xiaomi 13. But the family is usually expanded throughout the year with Ultra and "T" models, so it is worth keeping an eye on updates on this article.
If we go further down in the hierarchy, we get to the Mi Note range. The question here is whether Xiaomi will really continue this series since we have not seen a continuation of the series since the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 from 2019. So, it is possible that Note models can now be found completely under the Redmi umbrella.
Mid-range
If we take Xiaomi as the global scale brand, the manufacturer that is, Redmi constitutes the mid-range of its catalog, but if we consider Xiaomi and Redmi as two brands, Redmi also has its own sub-ranges, from flagships to entry-level.
Redmi's top-of-the-line, which corresponds to Xiaomi's mid-range, is the Redmi Note. They too come in several numbered versions like the Redmi Note 12, Note 12 5G, Note 12 Pro 5G and Note 12 Pro+ 5G, from the basic to the most premium model.
Entry-level
Next up are the Redmi all-in-ones, which is the entry-level with the Redmi 10 this year. Here again, we'll probably see variations of the Redmi 10A, which is more affordable, and a Redmi 10C, an intermediate model. Well, at least there you are sure to be on entry-level models of Xiaomi and Redmi.
The Poco catalog
Poco is a rather unusual sub-brand. The brand seems quite independent of Xiaomi compared to Redmi. Within the Poco catalog, you can again find further differences and classes based on a wide price range.
The Poco F models, like the Poco F4 GT, are the flagship models, being the most powerful and expensive smartphones from the manufacturer. The Poco X models like the Poco X5 5G (review) represent Poco's mid-range price segment, with smartphones that place more emphasis on the quality of the screen and the camera.
The Poco M like the Poco M4 Pro makes up Poco's entry-level segment, with prices of less than $200 while offering more limited (but still functional) specifications, in addition to a longer battery life.
Poco smartphones are less popular outside of Asia, though. You are more likely to find a Xiaomi or Redmi device in a store than a Poco device. On the other hand, Poco models are the Xiaomi models that usually see the biggest price drops over time.
That's it for this selection of the best Xiaomi smartphones to choose from in 2023. What do you think of NextPit's choices? Which model should be in this comparison that you think we didn't mention? What is YOUR candidate for the best Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone in 2023? Tell us all about it in the comments!
