Xiaomi has been making waves with the recent launch of its latest flagship phone, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra, which boasts an ultra-bright display. However, while brightness is often marketed as a key selling point for displays, it’s not necessarily the most important metric for judging quality. A new efficiency test conducted by Chinese outlet Xiaobai Evaluation suggests that the Xiaomi 13 Ultra’s Huaxing C7 display may not be as efficient as its cheaper sibling, the Xiaomi 13 Pro.
In the test, both displays were neck-and-neck at 100 nits, but as the brightness was increased, the E6 display on the Xiaomi 13 Pro began to show an efficiency advantage over the Ultra’s C7 panel. At 350 nits, the 13 Pro consumed just 0.933 W compared to the Ultra’s 1.055 W. And at the peak manual brightness of 510 nits, the gap widened further, with the 13 Pro’s display using up 1.570 W while the Ultra’s C7 panel consumed 1.771 W of power.
While the 10% efficiency advantage for the E6 panel on the Xiaomi 13 Pro may not seem significant, it’s likely to grow as the brightness is increased further. Xiaomi may have chosen the Huaxing C7 panel over more expensive options from Samsung in an effort to keep costs down, which would explain why the Xiaomi 13 Ultra costs only slightly more than the Xiaomi 13 Pro, despite its many camera improvements.
It’s worth noting that while efficiency is an important consideration for displays, it’s not the only factor that determines overall display quality. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra’s ultra-bright display is still likely to be a standout feature for many users, and it’s possible that the efficiency gap between the two displays may not be noticeable in everyday use.
Overall, while the efficiency test results may not be great news for Xiaomi, they don’t necessarily detract from the overall quality of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra. As with any technology product, there are always trade-offs to be made between cost, performance, and features, and Xiaomi’s decision to use the Huaxing C7 panel may have been a calculated one that will pay off in other ways. For users who prioritize display efficiency, however, the Xiaomi 13 Pro may still be the better option.
