Small handed phone users rejoice, the Xiaomi 12 is one of the most compact flagships around with some impressive specs, but it's by no means perfect.
Should I Buy The Xiaomi 12?
Pros
- Compact design
- Excellent performance
- Solid main camera
- Fast wired & wireless charging
Cons
- MIUI quirks
- Middling battery life
- No IP rating
- No telephoto lens
Our Verdict
Price When Reviewed
- From $749
Now without the ‘Mi’ branding, the Xiaomi 12 series has been given a global launch and the regular model is now smaller and more aligned with Samsung’s Galaxy S range than before. Can Xiaomi win the flagship Android race, though?
Like the Galaxy S22, the Xiaomi 12 offers a much more compact option, leaving the 12 Pro for those that want something bigger – and with more impressive specs.
Starting at US$749, the Xiaomi 12 has a lot going for it including its display, performance, speedy charging and, to an extent, its photography skills. However, some big downsides such as battery life, lack of waterproofing and software peeves mean a rival might be a better choice.
Design & Build
- 8.16mm thick
- 180g
- No IP rating
The Xiaomi 12 is tiny. Well, by modern standards anyway, and especially when I’ve become accustomed to the hefty size of the Pixel 6. Even so, it’s like jumping into a time machine to 2017 and the release of the Galaxy S8.
These two phones have a lot in common and I’m not just talking about the footprint of the handset, although they are very similar. The Xiaomi 12 has a similar metal frame that tapers down to a thin strip on the sides to accommodate the curved display.
It’s 2022 so the screen-to-body ratio is obviously much better and things like a triple rear camera array make it heavier.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 is the most obvious rival for a similarly compact flagship. It’s only 7.6mm and 168g so even more impressive than the Xiaomi 12. It’s a fair bit shorter as well, thanks to a smaller 6.1in screen.
A sizeable camera bump is a clear sign that this phone isn’t from 2017 and it even has two levels to account for the large main lens.
While the build quality is excellent, with Gorilla Glass Victus over the display and Gorilla Glass 5 on the rear, Xiaomi continues to produce its flagship devices without any IP rating for dust and waterproofing. I’m sure it will survive if you get caught in a rain shower but a phone at this price without a proper IP rating is disappointing. The S22, for comparison, is IP68.
While the rear is made from glass, the frosted texture gives it a cheap plastic feel that I’m personally not keen on, although it is good at repelling fingerprints.
Xiaomi provides a clear silicon case in the box so you can eliminate this cost unless you want something fancier.
Screen & Speakers
- 6.28in AMOLED
- Full HD+
- 120Hz with AdaptiveSync
A 6.28in screen is quite small for 2022 and although it’s not much smaller than the Pixel 6’s 6.4in display, the phone is hugely smaller and easier to handle. As mentioned earlier, the S22’s display is even smaller at 6.1in so the Xiaomi 12 is not unique.
Its curved edges on either side are more unusual for today’s market and will likely divide the crowd. I don’t mind it, but equally wouldn’t be unhappy if the display was flat. They have little advantage, although I do like the way they light up for notifications, making it more obvious when the phone is face down.
The refresh rate is 120Hz, it has a 480Hz touch sampling rate and according to Xiaomi, it can hit a peak brightness of 1100 nits. I measured it in direct sunlight at 772 nits and 500 nits with automatic adjustment off and set to maximum.
One thing missing compared to the 12 Pro is AdaptiveSync Pro, meaning its larger brother can dynamically adjust its refresh rate all the way down to 1Hz to save on battery.
The Xiaomi 12 is smooth in operation but can only swap between 60Hz and 120Hz instead. Overall, though, it’s a solid experience if the size and curved style are to your liking.
The display also houses the fingerprint scanner and it’s one of the best I’ve used providing fast and accurate scans of different fingers.
I found the speakers to be decent, offering a good level of volume and generally good performance, though the bass is lacking. I also find Dolby Atmos to make things worse – particularly when listening to music - sounding like a bad EQ setting. Like most phones, there’s no headphone jack and nor is there a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter in the box.
Specs & Performance
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
- Up to 12GB RAM
- Up to 256GB storage
The Xiaomi 12 comes with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 which is Qualcomm’s latest flagship chipset. This is something the phone has in common with the 12 Pro, while the cheaper 12X has a Snapdragon 870.
There are three SKUs to choose from, combining 8 or 12GB of RAM along with 128 or 256GB of storage, which isn't expandable.
The RAM is LPDDR5 and the storage is UFS 3.1 so both are quick. The model I’ve tested is the middle-spec and it's no big surprise that benchmarks are impressive (see below). The phone also coped with anything I could throw at it.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 gets you 5G support (with dual-SIM 5G standby support) and Xiaomi has loaded the phone with plenty of other modern specs including Bluetooth 5.2 and, in some markets, Wi-Fi 6E.
Cameras
- 50Mp main camera
- 13Mp ultrawide
- 5Mp telemacro
- 32Mp selfie camera
Last year's Mi 11 came with a 108Mp main camera but the firm has dropped to 50Mp this year with the Xiaomi 12 getting an IMX766, Sony’s popular sensor. This is your main camera but there’s a 13Mp ultrawide and 5Mp telemacro on the back as well.
That’s a similar setup to last year’s Mi 11, so those wanting more impressive shooters should look to the 12 Pro which has three 50Mp cameras: a slightly better IMX707 sensor for the main camera, plus both an ultrawide and a 2x telephoto.
Like many phones, the phone pixel bins down to a more manageable 12Mp photo but you can use the full 50Mp if you like and you might want to with the lack of a telephoto, although I’d only recommend doing so in good light.
There’s not a big drop in quality moving to the ultrawide and unlike we found with the OnePlus 9 series, the colours are nicely consistent compared to the main camera.
For a while, I wasn't sure what the third camera even was, as the phone doesn’t make it clear. The ‘super macro’ mode is tucked away in the menu with the aspect ratio, timer and other settings like gridlines instead of under ‘more’ with the likes of Night and Slow motion.
Back to the main camera and video quality is excellent with plenty of detail at both 1080p and 4K resolutions, rich colours and the OIS (optical image stabilization) keeping things gimbal-like smooth even when chasing my dog round the garden.
Last but not least is the 32Mp selfie camera which is solid offering excellent detail and the portrait mode, like the main camera, also offers a slider to adjust the level of blur.
Battery & Charging
- 4500mAh
- 67W wired charging
- 50W wireless charging
Considering its compact size, the Xiaomi 12 has a reasonably sized battery at 4500mAh. What’s interesting here is that despite the 12 Pro being significantly bigger it only has an additional 100mAh so you’re not really missing out much on capacity.
In my experience, the 12 can last a day of regular usage though if you’re gaming for extended periods at 120Hz with the brightness up you are unlikely to make it through. In our usual PCMark for Android battery test, the Xiaomi 12 lasted just nine hours and 32 minutes.
Battery life is middling then so it’s a good job the charging is very fast here.
Either way, you get 50W wireless charging, too, which can reverse wireless charge at 10W.
Like some rivals including the Pixel 6, there’s also adaptive charging which can learn your overnight habits and trickle charge the phone while you’re asleep, ensuring it hits 100% before you get up.
Software & Updates
- Android 12
- MIUI 13
I don’t have a huge amount to say on the software side that we haven’t said in various recent Xiaomi phone reviews.
That is to say that you get Android 12, which is the latest version, but paired with Xiaomi's MIUI, which is still not our favourite skin. It’s certainly a lot better than it used to be and is perfectly useable after you get to know it.
While Xiaomi has moved it closer to stock Android, it still has a somewhat childish look and there are pre-loaded apps such as Facebook, Amazon Shopping, Spotify, and Joom. You can change the look and feel somewhat with the Themes app, fortunately.
Luckily, you can combine them in the settings if you prefer but this is another area where MIUI just isn’t as good as rivals – the menu is oddly confusing and even searching for specific things can be a pain.
The Xiaomi 12 should receive three years of Android updates and a fourth of security patches, which would see the phone get Android 13, 14, and 15. That’s typical for high-end Android phones, though lags behind Samsung’s promise of four years of updates for its phones, or Apple’s market-leading long-term support.
Price & Availability
Xiaomi is gradually rolling out information on price and availability, but for now, we know that the Xiaomi 12 starts at US$749 and will arrive in April. This will get you the entry-level 8/128GB model but there are two more available:
- 8/128GB
- 8/256GB
- 12/256GB
We’ll update with more specific information when we can, including the best Xiaomi 12 deals, but it’s clear the Xiaomi 12 takes aim at the £769/$799 Galaxy S22 and the £779/$799 iPhone 13.
There are cheaper alternatives though, such as the £599/$599 Google Pixel 6 and plenty of even cheaper mid-range phones that can get you pretty close to the experience of the Xiaomi 12.
Verdict
The Xiaomi 12 is a compelling flagship smartphone in a number of ways. For starters, its new compact form factor will appeal to those who don’t want a huge handset and overall, the design looks and feels great.
You also get a decent collection of high-end specs such as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, AMOLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate, and speedy 67W charging. It’s also got a solid main camera along with a good ultrawide, but few buyers will be excited by a telemacro lens.
While there’s lots to like about the Xiaomi 12, it still has no waterproofing, battery life is nothing special, and MIUI continues to lag behind rivals. Considering the asking price here, it’s slightly tough for it to stand out compared to handsets like the Galaxy S22 and cheaper options like the Pixel 6.
Specs
- Android 12 w/ MIUI 13
- 6.28in FHD+ AMOLED 120Hz curved display, 20:9, 480Hz touch sampling, HDR10+, Dolby Vision
- In-display fingerprint sensor
- Gorilla Glass Victus
- 4nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
- 8/12GB RAM LPDDR5
- 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 non-expandable storage
- 50Mp, f/1.88, main camera with OIS
- 13Mp, f/2.4 ultrawide camera
- 5Mp, telemacro camera with auto focus
- 32Mp, f/2.54 front-facing camera
- Stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos
- Dual-SIM
- 5G
- WiFi 6/6E (market dependent)
- Bluetooth 5.2
- USB-C port
- 4500mAh battery
- 67W fast charging
- 50W wireless charging
- 10W reverse wireless charging
- 152.7 x 69.9 x 8.16mm
- 180g
- Launch colours: Gray, Purple, Blue
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