Along with the 13 and 13 Pro flagship smartphones, Xiaomi had also introduced an entry-level Lite variant when the series launched for the global market back in December of last year. However, this particular model was excluded for the local debut, with the company even confirming with us that it has no plans of releasing the phone in Malaysia. Despite this, we have discovered that an entry of the Xiaomi 13 Lite was recently included in SIRIM’s database (via the Find Your Label app), indicating a potential launch could happen in the near future.
According to the listing, the entry-level flagship (model number 2210129SG) received its approval from SIRIM on 23 February 2023, just a couple of days before its siblings launched in Malaysia. While likely imminent, it is not known when the Xiaomi 13 Lite will be released for the local market, and the company has not hinted on this just yet. But seeing that the Ultra had just been recently announced, there’s a chance that we might see the phone appearing alongside the top-end variant whenever it launches for the local market.
For those unfamiliar with the model, the Lite is actually a refurbished version of the China-exclusive Xiaomi Civi 2, which features some changes in hardware and build. Based on the specifications of its global release, the phone sports a 6.55-inch curved display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, 120 Hz refresh rate, dual front-facing selfie lights, and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. It is rated IP53 for dust and splash resistance, and also features an under-display fingerprint scanner, loudspeaker, and a USB-C port.
Under the Lite variant’s hood is a 5G-enabled Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset, 8 GB of RAM, up to 256 GB of UFS 2.2 storage. Additionally, it also comes with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2 and NFC connectivity, Android 12 via MIUI 14, and a 4,500 mAh battery with 67 W fast charging support.
For imaging, found on the back of the smartphone is a triple camera setup consisting of a 50 MP primary, 8 MP ultra-wide, and a 2 MP macro. Meanwhile, housed within the pill-shaped cutout on its display is a 32 MP selfie camera.
In Europe, the Xiaomi 13 Lite is currently retailing at EUR 499 (~RM 2,397) for the 8 GB + 128 GB configuration, and EUR 599 (~RM 2,877) for the 8 GB + 256 GB trim. As for colour options, the phone is offered in either Lite Black, Lite Pink or Lite Blue.
