Xiaomi Unveils Xiaomi 13 Ultra, co-engineered with Leica

Xiaomi 13 Ultra, the latest result of Xiaomi and Leica’s collaboration in further advancing mobile imaging technology, debuted today at the Xiaomi 13 Ultra Launch Event. Flaunting a quad camera system centering the main camera with 1-inch sensor and a variable aperture, an ultra-grade WQHD+ display with excellent color accuracy, along with premium flagship Snapdragon® 8 Gen 2 performance, all packed in a classic design, Xiaomi offers smartphone users seeking a professional camera experience the ultimate, in all capabilities.

Leica optics, to build the perfect Summicron Lens of Leica in mobile imaging

The strategic cooperation between Xiaomi and Leica in the global imaging field has taken another crucial step: By further upgrading the Summicron lens for mobile imaging in the optical system, offering “a coming-of-age ceremony in mobile imaging”. 

Inherited from the optical concept of the Leica M series, the Leica optical system of Xiaomi 13 Ultra has the characteristics of compact size, large aperture, high imaging performance, reliability, and durability. The lens adopts an ultra-high-order polynomial design, allowing the precision of design to reach a nanometer level, nearing the optical limit. Meanwhile, a multi-layer coating greatly reduces glare and ghosting, presenting stable performance in extremely cold and extremely hot environments.

Xiaomi 13 Ultra is equipped with a quad camera system with Leica optical lens covering focal lengths ranging from 12mm (ultra-wide angle), 23mm (wide-angle), 75mm (telephoto), to the new 120mm (super-telephoto), as well as the extra 46mm and 240mm lengths through the In-Sensor-Zoom. Adding on the full degree of focal length flexibility, the smartphone’s professional camera setting offers variable aperture. Three of Xiaomi 13 Ultra’s cameras feature an aperture wider than ƒ/2.0, which brings in lighter and a soft, shallow depth of field, and allows for shorter shutter times, thus quicker capturing of natural and unmissable moments. Flaunting an ultra-large 1-inch IMX989 sensor and a new physical two-stop aperture switching between ƒ/1.9 and ƒ/4.0, the main camera offers content creators more freedom in customizing the exposures based on different scenarios.

Inspired by the “hyperfocal distance” shooting method commonly used by street photographers, Xiaomi 13 Ultra also brings a new Fast Shot mode that allows taking focus-free snapshots by setting the focus point manually, and later starting and capturing the moment in just 0.8s.

Pro color restoration capability powered end-to-end from capture to presentation.  

Xiaomi 13 Ultra has fully optimized the RAW workflow, and more algorithms are migrated to the RAW domain to maximize the dynamic range, details, and texture of the image, thus significantly improving imaging quality. The main camera supports 50MP RAW, bringing a higher imaging resolution, while providing multi-frame 14-bit UltraRAW, which takes the data directly from the computing pipeline, bringing better resolution and high dynamic range. Camera profiles will be created by Adobe, providing a better starting point for post-production.

In terms of display, Xiaomi 13 Ultra sports a 6.73″ pro-grade WQHD+ display with excellent color accuracy and up to 2600 nits peak brightness. This display is also calibrated according to the new CIE 2015 colorimetry, which supports perfect automatic color management to ensure accurate and consistent color presentation across different displays from Xiaomi devices released recently. 

Xiaomi 13 Ultra also supports end-to-end experience supported by Dolby Vision®, capturing vivid colors, astonishing contrast, and brightness, along with a panoramic view of rich details in dark and bright areas, while offering users the opportunity to share their own creative content in UGC communities that support Dolby Vision®.

Ultra-fast experience with self-developed heat dissipation technology and Xiaomi Surge Battery Management System

As the annual masterpiece of the Xiaomi Ultra product line, Xiaomi 13 Ultra has the most powerful hardware configuration available, along with a suite of new innovative technologies for a top-notch flagship experience.

Xiaomi 13 Ultra pays tribute to the classic look of Leica’s M camera series with its circular camera module, unibody metal frame, and leather texture finish. Weighing 227g¹ and with the unibody metal frame giving more resilience for bending than the previous generation, the smartphone design provides a foundation for the entire structure and a more secure grip. Wrapped in a second-generation antibacterial nanotech silicone leather, the back panel of Xiaomi 13 Ultra not only resists fingerprints and smudges but also is antibacterial and anti-yellowing. Its bacterial inhibition rate can reach as high as 99%, perfect for nearly any environment.

Equipped with the latest Snapdragon® 8 Gen 2 flagship processor, which adopts 4nm process technology, Xiaomi 13 Ultra brings superior performance and energy consumption. The smartphone supports RAM up to 16GB LPDDR5x and UFS4.0 storage of up to 1 TB, as well as FBO (File Based Optimization). Xiaomi 13 Ultra also features a USB 3.2 Gen 1 interface, achieving DisplayPort video output up to 4K 60Hz.

Thanks to Xiaomi’s self-developed Loop LiquidCool technology, the first landing of an aerospace-grade large toroidal cooling system on a smartphone, Xiaomi 13 Ultra has achieved “one-way conduction” of the internal circulation through the “vapor-liquid separation” structure. This ensures equivalent thermal conductivity more than three times that of traditional VCs, and heat dissipation capacity exceeds 10W. With this powerful and advanced technology, Xiaomi 13 Ultra is capable of supporting stable 4K 60fps video recording without frame rate drop due to temperature.

By pairing a Xiaomi Surge P2 Charging Chip and Xiaomi Surge G1 Battery Management Chip with a 5,000mAh battery, Xiaomi 13 Ultra utilizes a series of battery health functions and is able to estimate the battery life at extremely granular levels. Xiaomi 13 Ultra also adds a new Hibernation mode, which will be automatically triggered when the battery is low, limiting background activities and offering up to 60 minutes of additional standby.

Pricing and availability
Xiaomi 13 Ultra will first be available in Mainland China on April 21, 2023, and in the next few months will be launched in various international markets. The device will be available in three colors: Black, White, and Olive Green. 12GB+256GB is priced at RMB 5999, 16GB+512GB is priced at RMB 6499, and 16G+1TB is priced at RMB 7299.