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In this article, we’ll compare the Google Pixel 7a vs Xiaomi 13. Some would say this is a rather odd comparison, and it is, to a degree. The Xiaomi 13 is a flagship-level smartphone, while the Pixel 7a is more of a mid-ranger. It’s considerably more affordable than the Xiaomi 13. The thing is, they’re similar in terms of size, as they’re both somewhat compact. So chances are some of you are looking into both of them due to their size.
These two devices are quite different, outside of the size aspect. They even look considerably different. Having said that, we’ll first list their specifications, and will then move to compare them across a number of different categories. We’ll compare their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio performance. Without further ado, let’s get started.
Specs
| Google Pixel 7a | Xiaomi 13 | |
| Screen size | 6.1-inch fullHD+ flat OLED display (90Hz refresh rate) | 6.36-inch FullHD+ AMOLED display (120Hz refresh rate, 1,900 nits peak brightness) |
| Screen resolution | 2400 x 1080 | 2400 x 1080 |
| SoC | Google Tensor G2 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| RAM | 8GB (LPDDR5) | 8GB/12GB (LPDDR5X) |
| Storage | 128GB (UFS 3.1), non-expandable | 128GB (UFS 3.1)/256GB/512GB (UFS 4.0), non-expandable |
| Rear cameras | 64MP (f/1.9 aperture, 26mm lens, 0.8um pixel size, OIS, Dual Pixel PDAF) 13MP (f/2.2 aperture, 120-degree FoV, 1.12um pixel size) |
50MP (f/1.8 aperture, 23mm lens, 1.0um pixel size, PDAF, OIS) 12MP (ultrawide, 120-degree FoV, f/2.2 aperture, 15mm lens, 1.12um pixel size) 10MP (telephoto, f/2.0 aperture, 75mm lens, 1.0um pixel size, PDAF, OIS, 3.2x optical zoom) |
| Front cameras | 13MP (f/2.2 aperture, 20mm lens, 1.12um pixel size) | 32MP (f/2.0 aperture, 22m lens, 0.7um pixel size) |
| Battery | 4,385mAh, non-removable, 20W wired charging, 18W wireless charging Charger not included |
4,500mAh, non-removable, 67W wired charging, 50W wireless charging, 10W reverse wireless charging Charger included |
| Dimensions | 152 x 72.9 x 9mm | 152.8 x 71.5 x 8mm |
| Weight | 193.5 grams | 185/189 grams |
| Connectivity | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C | 5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C |
| Security | In-display fingerprint scanner (optical) Face Unlock |
In-display fingerprint scanner (optical) |
| OS | Android 13 | Android 13 MIUI 14 |
| Price | $499 | €999 |
| Buy | Amazon | Xiaomi |
Google Pixel 7a vs Xiaomi 13: Design
Both of these phones have a frame made out of aluminum, but their backplates are different. The Xiaomi 13 sports a glass-made backplate (or vegan leather, depending on the model), while the Pixel 7a has a plastic backplate included. The Xiaomi 13 is more rounded of these two, and it also has thinner, uniform bezels. The Pixel 7a bezels are thicker overall, and they’re also not uniform, its bottom bezel is thicker than the rest.
Both smartphones have a centered display camera hole at the top. Their backsides are entirely different, though. The Xiaomi 13 has a regular camera island in the top-left corner. A rectangular one with rounded corners. The Pixel 7a has a camera visor on the back, like its siblings. It stretches from one side of the phone to the other. The Xiaomi 13 has three cameras on the back, while the Pixel 7a has two.
The Xiaomi 13 has a noticeably larger display than the Pixel 7a, and despite that, it’s barely shorter than the Pixel 7a (less than 1mm difference), while it’s also narrower, and thinner. On top of all that, the Xiaomi 13 is also lighter than Google’s latest mid-ranger at 185/189 grams, compared to 193.5 grams. Both smartphones offer water and dust resistance, but the Xiaomi 13 is better in that aspect. It offers an IP68 rating, compared to the IP67 rating on the Pixel 7a. Both phones feel like quality products in the hand.
Google Pixel 7a vs Xiaomi 13: Display
You will find a 6.36-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) AMOLED display on the back of the Xiaomi 13. That display supports a 120Hz refresh rate, and also has Dolby Vision support. HDR10+ content is also supported here, while the display goes up to 1,900 nits of brightness at its peak. The aspect ratio is 20:9, and the display is flat. Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5 is included to protect this display.
The Google Pixel 7a, on the other hand, features a 6.1-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) display. This is an OLED panel with a 90Hz refresh rate. It is also flat, like the Xiaomi 13’s, while it has the same display aspect ratio too, 20:9. The Pixel 7a does come with worse display protection, though. It includes a sheet of Gorilla Glass 3 on the front, which is not the best when it comes to scratch protection.
When it comes to actual use, both of these displays are very good. They have vivid colors, and good viewing angles. They’re also both more than sharp enough, and offer deep blacks. The Xiaomi 13 does have a higher refresh rate, and it is noticeable in direct comparison. It also gets noticeably brighter than the Pixel 7a’s panel in direct sunlight. So, if that’s important to you, take note of it. The touch response is really good on both panels.
Google Pixel 7a vs Xiaomi 13: Performance
Google’s Pixel 7a handset is fueled by the Tensor G2 processor from Google. That is the same chip that fuels the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro flagships. Google also included 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM here, and UFS 3.1 flash storage. The Xiaomi 13, on the flip side, is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. It also comes with up to 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and UFS 3.1/4.0 storage. Only the variant with 128GB of storage includes UFS 3.1.
The Xiaomi 13 does have a more powerful processor, while it also has newer and faster RAM and storage modules. That does make the phone a bit more snappy in certain aspects of its performance, such as launching apps and so on. The thing is, if you’re not using them side-by-side, both smartphones will feel plenty fast, because they are. Both provide rather smooth performance.
The Xiaomi 13 does do better when gaming is concerned, though. It can run extremely demanding games better than the Pixel 7a. That is not exactly surprising due to its hardware, but it is worth noting. The Pixel 7a can still play pretty much everything just fine, but when it comes to demanding titles, the Xiaomi 13 is the better choice.
Google Pixel 7a vs Xiaomi 13: Battery
A 4,385mAh battery sits inside the Pixel 7a, while a 4,500mAh unit is included inside the Xiaomi 13. The Xiaomi 13 does have a slightly larger battery than the Pixel 7a, but it doesn’t offer better battery life overall. That is not surprising considering it also has a larger display, and a higher refresh rate. Still, the difference is not that major.
The Pixel 7a, in our experience, provided around 7 hours of screen-on-time, usually a bit more than that. The Xiaomi 13 will likely offer you around 6-6.5 hours of screen-on-time. Do note that your numbers could vary, considerably. You will be using different apps in different ways, under different signal strengths. So… you could be able to pull out more or less juice out of each phone.
What about charging? Well, the Xiaomi 13 humbles the Pixel 7a in that regard. It supports 67W wired, 50W wireless, and 10W reverse wireless charging. The Pixel 7a offers 18W wired, and 7.5W wireless charging. Do note that the Xiaomi 13 also comes with a charger, unlike the Pixel 7a. The Xiaomi 13 will charge up a lot faster than the Pixel 7a, that goes for both wired and wireless charging. It’s not even close.
Google Pixel 7a vs Xiaomi 13: Cameras
The Pixel 7a has a 64-megapixel main camera, and a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera (120-degree FoV) on the back. The Xiaomi 13, on the other hand, includes a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit (120-degree FoV), and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera (3.2x optical zoom). Do note that the Xiaomi 13 also has Leica lenses included, unlike the Pixel 7a.
When it comes to final products, both smartphones do a great job, though different. The Pixel 7a tends to provide more contrasty photos, while the photos from the Xiaomi 13 will depend on which shooting mode you go for. Leica Authentic and Leica Vibrant are your choices. We’d suggest the ‘Vibrant’ mode to avoid vignetting and get more vibrant photos at the same time. Both phones do well in HDR situations, though the Pixel 7a photos do end up looking more appealing most of the time, even though they are not exactly close to real life.
Both phones do a really good job in low light, while the Xiaomi 13 will keep photos looking closer to what you actually see. Still, once again, most people will likely prefer the Pixel 7a output, even in low light. The video recording is better on the Xiaomi 13, it’s considerably less shaky, the difference is quite noticeable.
Audio
There is a set of stereo speakers on both of these phones. The Xiaomi 13 will, however, provide you with a slightly richer audio output. Its speakers sound a bit better, as the soundstage seems to be a bit wider, not to mention there’s a bit more bass in the output. The difference is not that big, however.
What you will not find on either phone is an audio jack. You’ll have to rely on their charging ports, Type-C ones, if you want to establish a wired audio connection. If you want to go wireless, there’s always Bluetooth 5.3 which is included on both devices.