The 10 Best Xiaomi Phones to Buy in 2022
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Looking to get your hands on a new Xiaomi phone? Here are some of the best Xiaomi phones you can buy right now.
Xiaomi has been killing it! They are not only one of the largest mobile phone manufacturers in the world but also one of the largest consumer electronics brands in the world.
While you can see unique Xiaomi products and gadgets like Smart Shoes and Toothbrushes pop up here and there, Xiaomi still makes some of the best Phones. Check out the Best Xiaomi Phones for all the details.
Today, we are going to review the latest and Best Xiaomi phones. Xiaomi certainly has some fantastic and interesting phones under its Redmi and Mi sub-brands. So let’s find out what should be your next Xiaomi phone.
Related: Xiaomi Phone with Best Camera
Best Xiaomi Phones 2022
The Ultimate Xiaomi phone for 2022 is the Xiaomi 12S Ultra. The Xiaomi 12S Ultra can go head to head with the likes of the Samsung S22 Ultra and iPhone 13 Pro Max. The phone features all the best specs and features that make it an attractive option for anyone who wants the best of the best.
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is easily the best Xiaomi phone thanks to its 120Hz AMOLED screen, SNapdragon 8+ Gen 1, and a 1-inch Leica sensor. These are currently the best specs you can get on a smartphone, and they translate well into real-world performance as well.
Display
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra’s display is simply superb. The 6.73-inch display is a 10-bit LTPO2 AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1440 x 3200 pixels.
The screen has a dynamic refresh rate of 120 Hz and can switch between 1 and 120 Hz. This allows it to preserve battery life and offer a super smooth experience.
The display also has HDR certifications like HDR10+, and Dolby Vision making it one of the best displays you can get on a smartphone. The 10-bit panel can display up to 1 billion colors and the 1000+ nits of peak brightness is only short of the S22 Ultra.
All in all, the Xiaomi 12S Pro has the best display on a Xiaomi phone and it is almost as good as the S22 Ultra.
Camera
This is where Xiaomi has cooked up something special. They have partnered with Leica to create the best camera hardware for a smartphone. Xiaomi and Leica have fitted a 1-inch sensor on the back of the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, that takes DSLR-like images.
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra can take images with amazing clarity and natural bokeh. There are no other smartphone cameras that come close when you compare the bokeh quality. The large sensor is also great for nighttime shooting as it can capture more light than other sensors.
If you want the ultimate stills-taking smartphone, then the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is the way to go. When it comes to videos, the Xiaomi 12S loses to the iPhone 13 Pro Max and S22 Ultra, but only by a little. I love taking pictures with the Xiaomi 12S Ultra.
For secondary cameras, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra does put up a good fight, the ultrawide and periscope lenses are top-notch as well. But for selfies, I prefer the iPhone and S22 Ultra.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is a step up from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. The new chip is more efficient and powerful which makes the Xiaomi 12S Ultra one of the fastest phones to get. Xiaomi has optimized performance well.
You also get up to 12 GBs of RAM and 512 GBs of storage. These are top-of-the-line memory so no complaints. As I said, the optimization of the MIUI 13 on the 12S Ultra is excellent as well. From my use, everything felt fast, smooth and responsive.
Battery
With the new Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, Xiaomi can squeeze out more battery life thanks to the efficient TSMC 4nm process. This makes the Xiaomi 12S Ultra one of the best battery life smartphones. It gets beaten only by the iPhone 13 Pro Max and monsters like Asus ROG Phone 6 with a 6000 mAh cell.
One area where Xiaomi took a step backward is in the charging department. The Xiaomi 12S Ultra only supports 67W fast charging, while the last Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra and its cheaper sibling, the Xiaomi 12 Pro both feature 120W fast charging.
While Xiaomi’s 67W charging beats most flagships in its price category, 120W would have made it truly ultra. In the real world, the Xiaomi 12 Pro takes only 21 minutes to charge, while the 12S Ultra takes around 50 mins to charge from 0 to 100%.
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra has wireless charging and reverse wireless charging capabilities too.
Specifications
Model Xiaomi 12S Ultra Display 6.73 inches 1440 x 3200 pixels 120 Hz Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 RAM 8/12 GB Internal storage 128/256/512 GB Camera 50 MP Wide
48 MP Ultrawide
48 MP Periscope Telephoto
32 MP Front Camera Battery 4,860 mAh Operating system MIUI 13 over Android 12 Connectivity Wi-Fi/Bluetooth v5.2/GPS/Infrared/USB Type-C/5G Sensors Fingerprint/Compass/Magnetometer/Virtual Proximity sensor/Accelerometer/Gyroscope
The Xiaomi 12 series features the company’s flagship for 2022. With an updated design and specs, there‘s a lot to be excited about them. The phones are starting to launch globally with Xiaomi 12S Ultra spearheading the lineup along with 12 Pro, 12, 12X, and 12 Lite.
Display
The Xiaomi 12 features a 10-bit OLED display that is bright, crisp, and gorgeous to look at. With 1100 nits of peak brightness along with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, the display on the Xiaomi 12 is a treat to look at.
The 6.28-inch display packs 2400 x 1080 pixels which may not be as good as a 1440p panel but it is still sharp at 419 PPI. Overall the display on the Xiaomi 12 is fantastic.
Camera
The Xiaomi 12 has a camera system loaded with some of the best lenses and sensors. The main camera features a large 50MP wide sensor with PDAF and OIS which can take some great pictures and stable videos.
The secondary cameras are a 13 MP ultrawide sensor and a 5MP telephoto sensor. Both of these sensors do a good job at taking ultrawide shots and zooming into far objects.
And on the front the Xiaomi 12 houses a 32MP wide selfie camera that can capture HDR pictures and 1080p video recording. It takes sharp and detailed pictures.
Performance
When it comes to performance, the Xiaomi 12 offers the best specs among Android smartphones. The phone comes with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and 8/12 GB RAM.
The Adreno 730 that handles graphics provides some much-needed oomph allowing Android phones to fight with Apple iPhones.
Xiaomi 12 also features UFS 3.1 storage which is the fastest you can find on smartphones. Overall, when it comes to performance the Xiaomi 12 is just amazing.
Battery
The Xiaomi 12 features a large 4,500 mAh Li-Po battery despite its sleek design. It features 67W fast charging that can charge the phone from 0 to 100% in just 39 minutes.
It can charge wirelessly at 50W which is super cool. And finally, it can reverse charge other devices at 10W. Overall the battery department on the Xiaomi 12 is just as exceptional as the other areas of the phone.
With #Xiaomi12 ’s latest Xiaomi ProFocus and master-grade lenses, you’re going to #MasterEveryScene , every capture, every moment in your life with ease. — Xiaomi Support (@XiaomiSupport) March 15, 2022
Specifications
Model Xiaomi 12 Display 6.28 inches 1080 x 2400 pixels 120 Hz Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 RAM 8/12 GB Internal storage 128/256/512 GB Camera 50 MP Wide
48 MP Ultrawide
48 MP Periscope Telephoto
32 MP Front Camera Battery 4,500 mAh Operating system MIUI 13 over Android 12 Connectivity Wi-Fi/Bluetooth v5.2/GPS/Infrared/USB Type-C/5G Sensors Fingerprint/Compass/Magnetometer/Virtual Proximity sensor/Accelerometer/Gyroscope
The Xiaomi 11T is the best Xiaomi phone you can buy in the US right now without having to worry about importing and other problems. The phone has a beautiful AMOLED screen and competent cameras for the price.
Smooth meets Revolutionary.
The #Xiaomi11TPro comes with a 120Hz AMOLED Display so you can enjoy a stutter-free revolutionary experience anytime anywhere.
Available at: — Xiaomi India (@XiaomiIndia) March 24, 2022
The phone is powered by Snapdragon 888, which is still a ridiculously fast CPU. The 11T Pro supports 5G along with all the bands (14 bands) you will need. This is easily one of the best Xiaomi Gaming phones you can buy right now.
Specifications
Model Xiaomi 11T Pro Display 6.67 inches 1080 x 2400 pixels 120 Hz Processor
RAM
Internal storage Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
8/12 GB
128/256 GB Cameras 108 MP Wide
8 MP Ultrawide
5 MP Macro
16 MP Wide Front Camera Battery 4,500 mAh Operating system MIUI 13 over Android 12 Connectivity Wi-Fi/Bluetooth v5.1/GPS/Infrared/USB Type-C/5G Sensors Fingerprint/Compass/Magnetometer/Proximity sensor/Accelerometer/Ambient light sensor/Gyroscope
The new entry in the famous line of Redmi Note smartphones, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is an upgrade over last year’s hugely popular Note 10 Pro 5G.
As the name suggests, this is a 5G phone. And what is impressive is that the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G supports 13 5G bands unlike the others in its price category that only support a few.
There is no mmWave support, but given the price that is not possible. It will run on T-Mobile and Mint without any issues.
While the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G is impressive as a 5G phone, it is also an impressive smartphone. It has a class-leading AMOLED display, excellent design, good performance, and a large battery. It is easily a top contender for the best budget gaming smartphone in 2022.
Specifications
Model Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G Display 6.67 1080 x 2400 pixels 120 Hz Processor
RAM
Internal storage Qualcomm Snapdragon 695
6/8 GB
64/128 GB Cameras 108 MP Wide
8 MP Ultrawide
2 MP Macro
16 MP Front Camera Battery 5,000 mAh Operating system MIUI 13 over Android 11 Connectivity Wi-Fi/Bluetooth v5.1/GPS/Infrared/USB Type-C/5G Sensors Fingerprint/Compass/ Magnetometer/Proximity sensor/Accelerometer/Ambient light sensor/Gyroscope
Xiaomi’s Ultra model from last year is still a great option if you want the best when it comes to hardware and features. The Mi 11 Ultra is powerful, big, and versatile. You get two screens, one of the biggest camera sensors on a smartphone, and a large battery with 120W fast charging support.
It is truly the Ultra gaming smartphone. It is also an Ultra 5G phone with support for 13 5G bands and mmWave. If you are tired of waiting for the Xiaomi 12 Ultra, go ahead and get yourself one of these bad boys.
Specifications
Model Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra Display 6.81 inches 1440 x 3200 pixels 120 Hz Processor RAMInternal storage Qualcomm Snapdragon 88812 GB256/512 GB Rear camera
Front camera 50 MP Wide 48 MP Ultrawwide48 MP Telephoto20 MP Wide Battery 5,000 mAh Operating system MIUI 12.5 over Android 11 Connectivity Wi-Fi/Bluetooth v5.1/GPS/Infrared/USB Type-C/5G Sensors Fingerprint/Compass/Magnetometer/Proximity sensor/Accelerometer/Ambient light sensor/Gyroscope
One of my favorite Xiaomi phones is the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite NE 5G. It has everything I need in a smartphone. A sleek, lightweight design, powerful processor, beautiful 10-bit AMOLED screen, and Lite price tag.
It is also an excellent 5G smartphone with support for 12 5G bands along with support for T-Mobile and Mint. It has no mmWave support but for the price, you can’t expect that yet.
Specifications
Model Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite NE 5G Display 6.55 inches 1080 x 2400 pixels 90 Hz Processor
RAM
Internal storage Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G
6/8 GB
128 GB Cameras 64 MP Wide
8 MP Ultrawide
5 MP Macro
20 MP Front Camera Battery 4,250 mAh Operating system MIUI 12.5 over Android 11 Connectivity Wi-Fi/Bluetooth v5.1/GPS/Infrared/USB Type-C/5G Sensors Fingerprint/Compass/Magnetometer/Proximity sensor/Accelerometer/Ambient light sensor/Gyroscope
The Xiaomi Poco F3 is an impressive mid-ranger with last year’s flagship Snapdragon 870 Chip. The phone is well-rounded with decent camera hardware and a large battery too.
When it comes to 5G capabilities the Redmi K40 Pro supports 12 5G bands with no mmWave support. It will run on supported carriers in the US without issues. For the price, the Redmi K40 Pro punches well above its weight making it one of the best Xiaomi Gaming phones.
Model Xiaomi Poco F3 Display 6.67 inches 1080 x 2400 pixels 120 Hz Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 RAM 6/8 GB Internal storage 128/256 GB Camera 64 MP Wide
8 MP Ultrawide
5 MP Macro
20 MP Front Camera Battery 4,520 mAh Operating system MIUI 12 over Android 11 Connectivity Wi-Fi/Bluetooth v5.1/GPS/Infrared/USB Type-C/5G Sensors Fingerprint/Compass/Magnetometer/Proximity sensor/Accelerometer/Ambient light sensor/Gyroscope
The Xiaomi 11i is the new midrange phone to beat. With a strong focus on offering the best value for money, the Xiaomi 11i should excite young users that want a complete package at a reasonable price.
Display
The Xiaomi 11i cuts no corners here as it packs a 6.67-inch Full HD AMOLED display that can do 120Hz and HDR10 support. This large display is great for videos and games thanks to its brightness and high refresh rate.
The display is also protected by Gorilla Glass 5.
Camera
On the back, the Xiaomi 11i features a triple camera setup with a 108MP wide sensor, 8MP ultrawide, and a 2MP Macro camera.
The main camera takes some excellent shots both day and night time. The ultrawide is an excellent addition, but the 2MP macro sensor is underwhelming.
On the front, the single 16MP wide camera is responsible for all your selfies and video calls. It is a sharp and dynamic selfie camera that can go against the best in the price category.
Performance
The Xiaomi 11i is powered by the new Dimensity 920 chip from Mediatek. This is a 5G chip that is made on a 6nm node for excellent performance and efficiency. This is one of the fastest phones you can find in the price category.
Both the CPU and GPU are powerful making it great for power users and gaming aficionados. The dual stereo speakers also make it an amazing phone for gaming and entertainment.
The Dimensity 920 in the Xiaomi 11i is complemented with 6/8 GBs of RAM and up to 256 GBs of UFS 2.2 storage.
Battery
In the battery department, the Xiaomi 11i features a 5160 mAh Li-Po cell with fast charging capabilities.
The battery can be charged from 0 to 50% in 13 mins thanks to the 67W fast charging technology.
There is no wireless charging or reverse charging feature.
At just S$369, the Redmi Note 10 Pro is one of the best value smartphones you can get in 2020. Combining an amazing camera system, an outstanding display, stellar battery performance, fast charging capabilities, and some great performance overall, the Redmi Note 10 Pro is easily a value champion.
Pros Cons Fantastic value performance
Flagship-level 120Hz OLED display
Top-notch camera system
Extra large two-day battery No 5G Capability
Video Stabilization is lacking.
Key Features
The 6.67” AMOLED 120Hz display is the best in its class.
Gorilla Glass 5 build is premium and durable with IP53 rated protection.
Camera performance punches way above its pay grade.
Gaming-optimized Snapdragon 732G SoC offers superior performance.
The large 5,020 mAh can get you as much as 20 hours of screen-on time.
Redmi Note 10 Pro Review
Xiaomi’s made a name for itself as a brand that offers great value for price across many of their product lines, but they’ve taken it even further with the Redmi Note 10 Pro – arguably one of the best-value smartphones ever.
For example, you wouldn’t expect a sub-S$400 smartphone to come with a premium Gorilla Glass 5 front and black but the Redmi Note 10 Pro does. The smartphone also comes with IP53 water and dust protection, a powerful dual speaker stereo system, a gigantic 5,020 mAh battery, and 33W fast charging that can give you up to two whole days of battery life after just an hour and a half plugged in.
In terms of performance, the Redmi Note 10 Pro is smooth, fast, and powerful. The gaming-optimized Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G chipset offers a great, mid-range, middle ground between performance and power efficiency, so it’s great for games and other demanding apps – especially on its silky and vibrant 120Hz AMOLED display.
The camera system is fantastic, too, with the same kind of hardware you’d expect from a modern flagship – 108 mp main camera, 8 mp ultrawide, 5 mp telemacro, and a 2 mp depth sensor. Plus, Xiaomi’s advanced computational photography features make the camera system even better. It even comes with flagship features like an enhanced night mode for better low-light photography, a long exposure mode for some unique creative shots, dual video, pro-time-lapse, and more.
With all of the great features we loved about the Redmi Note 10 Pro – from the amazing battery life to the best camera system you can find in this price range (or even a few price brackets higher) – the Redmi Note 10 Pro has very few faults, at least from our viewpoint.
The camera lacks video stabilization features, but you can rectify that by getting an action cam if you need smooth, stable video when you’re running around, and the lack of 5G connectivity won’t even be a problem for at least a year or two while the world’s still operating happily on LTE networks. From where we’re standing, that are a lot of pros for the Redmi Note 10 Pro, and at this price point, barely any cons at all.
Check it out on AliExpress here.
The Xiaomi Redmi K40 is one of Xiaomi’s Latest smartphones for 2021. While it still will take time to be available internationally, it has already received a positive reception from the Chinese market. This Flagship model comes with an upgraded display, unbelievable sound performance, and a stellar user experience.
This beast offers the complete flagship experience. For example, it comes with an IR blaster that lets your control all the traditional household appliances. It also of course comes with NFC for contactless payments. Most importantly, it has an X-linear motor that enables powerful vibrations and quick response.
It comes in three colors Glossy Black, Icy White, and Dreamland.
Display
The Redmi K40 is equipped with a beautiful 6.67-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. The visuals are further elevated by a pixel density is 395 PPI. Additionally, the screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5.
Camera
This phone comes with a triple-camera set up that includes a 48 MP (wide) + 8 MP (ultrawide) + 5 MP (macro) . On the front portion, you find a 20 MP selfie camera. The 108MP main camera supports 2.1μm large pixels that can improve photos in low-light conditions.
It also comes with an Audio Zoom feature for videos and three microphones. So, the third microphone can essentially capture audio when you zoom in to capture images at a distance. So, the sound quality on this one is brilliant.
Performance
This phone is also one of the latest phones to be equipped with Qualcomm’s SM8250-AC Snapdragon 870 5G processor and Adreno 650 GPU. The Pro version is expected to have the Snapdragon 888 process.
Battery
This device is powered by a 45000mah battery which is one of the best in its space. You can easily use it for an entire day with heavy use. Like most of the latest phones from Xiaomi, this one comes with a 33W fast charging capability and power delivery 3.0. It can go from 0 to 100% in 52 minutes.
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FAQs
Does Xiaomi’s cheap price mean cheap quality? Xiaomi’s phones aren’t that cheap if you think about it. They are competitive. Although Xiaomi’s CEO had mentioned that they won’t earn a profit of more than 5% per device. Xiaomi like other smartphone makers is not reliant on the profits of their smartphone products to keep the company alive. Xiaomi sells a lot more products than just smartphones.
They make a lot of money on their products like toothbrushes and other electronics.
They split their profits among these products and this is why they can price their products cheaper.
This does not mean that their products are inferior. After all, the Mi 10 Pro and the Pocofone are some of the best phones in their respective categories. Check out our list of the Best Xiaomi Phones for more details. Can a Xiaomi phone last for 3 to 4 years? Truth be told, Xiaomi phones were pretty poor in the past. I’ve personally been at the receiving end of the Xiaomi Mi 4i’s very poor performance. Especially the hardware, it used to be bad in the initial years ie. 2011-2013.
But Xiaomi has come a long way. They’ve worked on the software and the hardware over so many years and have made some pretty awesome phones. Some are unmatchable in their respective price ranges.
The Pocofone series is a perfect example of durable phones that have amazing software and hardware. Even the latest Xiaomi phones like Mi 10 Pro and Mi 9S are quite sturdy. Check out our list of the Best Xiaomi Phones for more details.
Currently, Xiaomi is making some pretty awesome phones and they do last for about 3 to 4 years without any issues. What is the Best Xiaomi Camera Phone? If you are looking for the Xiaomi phone with the best camera then look no further than the Xiaomi 12S Ultra. Not only is it considered the best Xiaomi camera but it is a flagship model that is meant to be a direct competitor to Samsungs Galaxy S22 and Apple’s iPhone 13. Check out our list of the Best Xiaomi Phones for more details.
Apple iPhone vs Xiaomi Phones
Are Xiaomi phones better than Apple phones?
The right answer is no. Xiaomi phones aren’t meant to compete with Apple iPhones.
What aspects are iPhones better than Xiaomi phones?
Apple’s iPhones are better than Xiaomi’s in the following aspects
Software
Apple’s iOS software is much much better than Xiaomi’s MIUI. The MIUI is bloated and has a lot of firmware and bloatware added to it that you cannot delete. Apple’s iOS is more intuitive, user-friendly, and blazing fast.
Hardware
Apple’s hardware is a tad better than Xiaomi’s hardware. They use a glass finish with aluminum, whereas Xiaomi uses a lot of plastic for the cheap models and uses glass and aluminum for the premium models which is good.
Chipset
Apple’s chipset is their own and it works beautifully with the hardware, whereas Xiaomi’s chipsets are mostly others like Snapdragon among others. In this department, Apple is a tad better.
Camera
Apple’s cameras are unmatched. The megapixel count may be less, but the quality of the camera and the software running it is unmatched. The Mi Note 10 has an incredible camera that might come close to Apple’s camera.
Battery
Apple’s battery life keeps getting better and better. Xiaomi’s certain phones have good batteries while some others like the K50 have known battery issues.
However, there are exceptions.
While Xiaomi’s space is the mid-range market. It does have a flagship model that can go toe to toe with Apple’s latest iPhone 13.
The Xiaomi 12 is an absolute beast of a phone that has more or less the same features as the iPhone 13. It takes the cake as it provides a customizable user interface and is hundreds of dollars cheaper than iPhone 13.
Read also:
Xiaomi 12 review: The best compact smartphone you can currently buy in Irish stores
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Xiaomi 12 is what I would call a compact phone compared to the likes of iPhone 13 Pro Max and Galaxy S22 Ultra.
It’s a lot smaller than many phones on the market and that will be a big positive for consumers who prefer smaller handsets.
It’s a premium device with excellent performance, superfast 67w wired charging and 50w wireless charging, a brilliant 50MP main camera (with the same Sony IMX766 sensor as Oppo’s Find X5 Pro), an outstanding macro camera and 8K video capture.
Xiaomi 12 is the smallest phone I’ve tested so far with this year’s high-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip that is powering most Android flagships.
Read more: Xiaomi 12 Pro review: one of the best smartphones of 2022 so far
It delivers a fluid and fast experience and in everyday use this phone can match the best performers.
Display
The FHD+ AMOLED display is still 6.2in, but that is small by today’s standards. The unit is slim, lightweight, comfortable to hold and easy to use one-handed.
My review unit was Purple and it’s eye-catching and stylish. It has Gorilla Glass Victus protection on the front and Gorilla Glass 5 on the rear.
Xiaomi 12 comes with a slim metal frame and a curved-edge display. Like all Xiaomi devices, there is no official IP rating for water and dust resistance, but it well built and from my experience can withstand being used in the rain.
The screen is bright and vibrant. It’s great for watching video content – it supports HDR 10+ and Dolby Vision – and its 120Hz refresh rate and 480Hz touch sampling rate means it’s extra responsive for gaming.
There is no LTPO tech, however, so the screen can only swap between 60HZ and 120Hz refresh rates. This did not impact battery life in any noticeable way for me, incidentally.
Xiaomi 12 cameras
The main wide angle camera uses Sony’s popular IMX766 sensor and delivers consistently pleasing images with nicely balanced exposure, good colour accuracy and only limited noise.
Like a lot of phones, Xiaomi 12 pixel bins images down to a more manageable 12MP photo but you can use the full 50MP if you wish. It’s useful for cropping in.
I really can’t rate the 5MP telemacro camera highly enough – the detail and clarity it delivers is incredible.
There is also a 13MP ultrawide that works best in good lighting conditions. You can shoot in RAW (n Pro mode) with all three cameras.
Video stabilisation is impressive and while 8K capture is limited to 24fps the 4K footage can be shot at up to 60fps and it delivers excellent footage with plenty of detail.
There’s a decent 32MP selfie camera too.
Performance and battery life
Xiaomi 12 comes with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, which is Qualcomm’s latest flagship chipset. The 8GB RAM is LPDDR5 and the 256GB storage is UFS 3.1 so both are zippy.
Benchmark scores match or beat most 2022 Android flagships and Google’s Pixel 6 Pro from 2021. My real world experience was also entirely positive in this regards.
The OS is MIUI 13, which I enjoy using, sitting atop Android 12.
This is a supremely capable phone. And I found the phone did not get too hot during intensive gaming sessions.
Battery life is as you might expect – I was able to get a full day (8am to midnight) from the 4500mAh power pack but this depends on what you are using the device for.
But if you run out the Xiaomi 12 supports 50w wireless charging that refuels it fully in little more than an hour. You can also get a 90 per cent boost in 30 minutes from the 67W charger in the box.
Other features
The in-screen fingerprint sensor is fast and reliable.
The reasonably loud stereo speakers are tuned by Harman Kardon and support Dolby Atmos.
Xiaomi 12 should receive three years of Android updates and four years of security patches.
Verdict
Overall, this reminds me of Sony’s Xperia 5 device – it offers compelling flagship features in a more compact body.
I’m loving using it and highly recommend it.
Pricing and availability
Xiaomi 12 (with 256GB storage and 8GB RAM) costs €199.99 on Vodafone Billpay and €799.99 on Vodafone PAYG and €29.99 on Three Billpay and €689.99 from Three Prepay.
You can also buy it direct from Tesco Ireland, Euronics Group, Expert Group, JAV Electronics and DID.
If you order before May 20, you can claim a Mi Smart Clock, Mi Smart Speaker and two Mi 360 Cameras (1080P) which have a combined value of €189.
Xiaomi 12 key specs
Dimensions: 152.7mm x 69.9mm x 8.2 mm
Weight: 180g
Display: 6.28in, FHD+ AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 256GB
Rear cameras: 50MP wide angle, f/1.9; 13MP ultrawide, f/2.4; 5MP telemacro
Front camera: 32MP
Battery: 4500mAh
Charging: 67W wired, 50W wireless charging
Connectivity: 5G, USB-C, wifi 6E, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2 and location
Water resistance: no IP rating
Xiaomi 12S Ultra Review: Large 1-Inch Sensor Works Wonders
A product render of the 12S Ultra Xiaomi
When Huawei’s mobile business was essentially crippled by U.S.-imposed sanctions, it was assumed that Samsung would be the biggest beneficiary, after all, Huawei’s phone business was ascendant and was on pace to overtake Samsung as the number one phonemaker by market share. But while Samsung has definitely enjoyed the removal of a rival breathing down its neck, it is looking like Xiaomi has come away from this having gained the most. The Beijing-based tech giant saw smartphone shipments rise 69% in 2021, with 54.7% revenue growth year-on-year, according to its earnings report released last year. This appears to be Xiaomi snapping up most of Huawei’s former mobile customers.
And now, Xiaomi has also taken Huawei’s former mobile imaging business partner, too. Shortly after Huawei announced that its partnership with German camera maker Leica was ending earlier this year, Xiaomi announced it had entered a multi-year “strategic partnership,” and the first Xiaomi phone to use this new Leica co-branding has arrived: the Xiaomi 12S Ultra.
Truth be told, Xiaomi’s Ultra phones were already very well received by tech reviewers and consumers in the last two years, and this new 12S model brings cutting-edge never-before-seen camera tech—the Leica branding is just the cherry on top.
Xiaomi 12S Ultra Ben Sin
The main camera of the 12S Ultra is a new Sony IMX989 sensor co-developed by Sony and Xiaomi (Xiaomi invested $15 million into the sensor’s R&D and development). And it’s the largest sensor ever seen in a smartphone, coming in at 1-inch. It’s worth mentioning the actual IMX989 sensor doesn’t measure one full inch in physical size, but this somewhat misleading marketing is a camera industry standard, not Xiaomi’s doing.
Whatever the case, this visual graphic showing the IMX989 next to other leading smartphone sensors really puts into perspective the size difference.
The SonyIMX989 sensor next to the other Sony sensors used in other phones. Xiaomi
Why a larger sensor matters
In mobile photography, we often hear phone brands tout megapixel count or aperture size, and while both factors could help improve image quality, the most important hardware factor is sensor size, because the larger the image sensor, the more light it takes in. And in digital photography, light is absolutely the most important factor.
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra having such a larger sensor compared to something like an iPhone 13 Pro Max or even Samsung’s top dog S22 Ultra means the Xiaomi phone can consistently take in more light information, which includes dynamic range and details. It also helps give Xiaomi’s camera shallower depth-of-field for that professional bokeh look. For example, notice in the below collage, Xiaomi’s image has stronger focus dropoff, not just separating the 360 camera from background wall, but also the wallet and phone as well.
Xiaomi (left), iPhone 13 Pro (right) ben sin
Leica color science
So where does Leica come in? Well it helped Xiaomi fine tune color processing, resulting in that iconic contrasty Leica look with deep shadows and bright reds.
An image captured by the Xiaomi 12S Ultra Ben Sin
By the way, you can turn off that Leica watermark label at bottom of images — it’s actually off by default. I just turned it on for these sets during testing.
Xiaomi 12S Ultra image Ben Sin
There are lots more photo and video samples in the video below.
Ultra flagship components everywhere
Everything else about the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is premium flagship, too. The 12S Ultra features a 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED display with a variable refresh rate between 1Hz and 120Hz, and it is powered by the newest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chip that’s noticeably more energy efficient than the standard Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.
Xiaomi 12S Ultra screen ben Sin
The phone’s backside has this faux-leather finish that lends it a bit of class, and the bulky camera module is wrapped by a 24-karat gold ring.
There’s also a really good 5X Periscope zoom lens and an ultra-wide camera that grabs sweeping landscape shots. But it’s ultimately all about that main camera, with its huge image sensor. Night shots are clean and remarkably noise-free even without the need to resort to night mode.
A Xiaomi 12S Ultra night shot. ben sin
China only for now, unfortunately
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is unfortunately, only sold in the mainland China market for now, but the price is very attractive, at about the equivalent of $900, this has made importing the phone an enticing options for phone fans.
Whatever the case, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is Xiaomi flexing its hardware prowess, and signaling to even mainstream U.S. tech media which don’t often cover Xiaomi that this phone camera is legitimately “incredible,” at least on a hardware level.
Increasing camera image sensor size is the next frontier for smartphones to venture into (Apple, for example, made a big deal about increasing the sensor size of the iPhone 13 last year during marketing), and Xiaomi has laid the path on which other brands will surely follow.
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