Xiaomi 12 Review: Using Some time My Opinion and Details

REASONS TO BUY

 +  Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor

 +  6.28-inch FHD AMOLED display

 +  Good camera system

REASONS TO AVOID

 -  Average battery life

 -  Lacks a standout design

 -  No MicroSD card slot

Are you looking for a small but modern phone? This Xiaomi 12 is the place to be; it's one of the best phones of the year so far, especially if you're not a fan of bulky handsets that barely fit in your pocket.

The Xiaomi 12 has shrunk in comparison to last year's handset, the Xiaomi Mi 11, following in the footsteps of the iPhone SE and the Sony Xperia 5 III in the trend for smaller smartphones. Xiaomi has dropped the 'Mi' and gone with a more direct approach, calling it the Xiaomi 12.

When it comes to the best Android phones in the world right now, this handset is unquestionably a contender because it's the most recent device to include the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, as well as one of the most affordable.

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XIAOMI 12 REVIEW: PRICE AND WHAT’S NEW 

(Image credit: mi)

The Xiaomi 12 will be available in three different configurations: 8GB RAM with 128GB storage, 8GB RAM with 256GB storage, and 12GB RAM with 256GB storage. Prices in the UK will range from £749 to £849.

The Xiaomi 12 will be available to pre-order in the UK from the 1st of April 2022, following its global launch on the 15th of March. Sales will begin on the 15th. This phone is unlikely to be released in the United States.

If you're wondering how the Xiaomi 12 differs from the Xiaomi Mi 11, there are a few differences to be aware of.

When you take the phone out of the box, the most noticeable difference is the design and smaller 6.28-inch screen, but there's also an upgraded processor, a new camera system with an improved 32MP selfie snapper, and it runs on the latest MIUI software based on Android 12.

Xiaomi Mi 12 Price in India

The Xiaomi Mi 12 was expected to cost Rs. 43,390 in India. This is the base variant of the Xiaomi Mi 12 with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage, which was expected to be available in Black, Blue, Green, and Purple.

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XIAOMI 12 REVIEW: DESIGN AND DISPLAY 

(Image credit: mi)

The Xiaomi 12 looks modern thanks to its new refreshed design, though it isn't that different from a lot of other phones this year. The previously rounded camera notch has been replaced with a rectangular one, and the curved edges have been sharpened significantly. Not to mention the size; it now has a smaller screen and a smaller build, measuring 152.70 x 69.90 x 8.16mm. It's also lighter than the Xiaomi Mi 11, weighing in at 180g rather than 196g.

If you have small hands, this compact phone is easy to use one-handed and will easily fit into your pockets. Anyone who has been frustrated by how large phones can be will be relieved to see smaller options that do not sacrifice screen or hardware.

The Xiaomi 12 will be available in three different colours: grey, purple, and blue. I tried out the Purple variant, which appears to be more fun while remaining sleek and stylish.

There's a USB-C charging port, a power button, and a volume rocker around the frame; there's no headphone jack, so you'll need to use an adaptor or Bluetooth headphones with this.

The fingerprint scanner is quick and easy to use for unlocking the display, though it is slightly too far down the screen from where your thumb naturally sits. If you prefer, you will also be able to use facial recognition.

The 6.28-inch FHD+ (2400 x 1080) AMOLED display may be small, but it's not lacking in quality, and it's low blue light certified to protect your eyes. With over 68 billion colours and a peak brightness of 1,100 nits, it looks vibrant and the details stand out. The clarity is excellent, making it a pleasure to use for messaging or browsing the web.

Streaming shows look great thanks to Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support, which boosts contrast to improve how well you can see even the lightest and darkest areas of the video, and they also help to improve colours.

The 120Hz refresh rate will be a blessing for mobile gamers, making every swipe and scroll feel effortlessly smooth, even if the display's size may not lend itself well to more complex games.

The handset is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, so it should survive a drop, though there is no official IP rating, so you'll have to be cautious of any water-related mishaps.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy A53 5G Review

XIAOMI 12 REVIEW: CAMERA SYSTEM 

(Image credit: mi)

In comparison to the Xiaomi Mi 11, the camera system has undergone some changes. It now has a 50MP main camera, a 13MP ultra-wide-angle camera, a 5MP Telemacro camera, and a 32MP selfie camera on the front - see some examples of photos taken with the Xiaomi 12 below.

As you can see, even with its default point-and-shoot settings, the Xiaomi 12 takes some impressive photos. They're bright with little noise and well-balanced exposure, and the colours are vibrant without being oversaturated. Each image has a vibrant sense of life to it. Although you can tell they aren't quite realistic, they still look fantastic.

The level of detail isn't quite as high as that of the Xiaomi 12 Pro, the Xiaomi 12's higher-megapixel older sibling. Nonetheless, these photos are more than adequate for use on social media or printing.

To fit more into the shot, the ultra-wide-angle camera has a 123-degree field of view, which is sufficient, but you will lose some detail. You also only get up to 10x zoom on the Xiaomi 12, which is significantly less than the 100x zoom available elsewhere, but how often would you use that anyway? It's a shame there aren't more, but I doubt that will be a deal-breaker for most people.

Selfies are another type of photo that produces excellent results. They're flattering, and the portrait mode does a good job of blurring out the background, though it's not as accurate as on more expensive devices, such as the best Samsung phones.

You'll be able to shoot video in resolutions up to 8K, and there's also an Ultra Night Video mode for when the sun goes down.

Also Read: Xiaomi 12 Pro Review

XIAOMI 12 REVIEW: PERFORMANCE AND BATTERY  

(Image credit: mi)

The Xiaomi 12 is the latest in a line of smartphones to feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen1 processor, as well as a Qualcomm Adreno GPU and liquid cooling, which should help it perform better in more demanding tasks. All things considered, I had high expectations for performance.

The phone I tested had 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, but you can get it in a variety of configurations depending on what you want or need from your next phone. 

Everything about using the Xiaomi 12 was simple; it handled loading even the largest apps with ease and didn't struggle when I had several of them open at once. It's a solid smartphone in terms of performance, capable of running even large mobile games.

On the Geekbench 5 performance test, it scored 1,124 in single-core and 3,512 in multi-core, which is comparable to flagships such as the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and the OnePlus 9 Pro. However, it outperforms many similarly priced phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE.

With 5G and Wi-Fi 6 support, you're assured of the fastest connection speeds in your home and area.

Along with the fast performance, the Xiaomi 12 comes with a large 4,500mAh battery. It lasted me an entire day before needing to be charged. During that time, I responded to a few messages, read a few articles online, scrolled through social media, and took a few photos with my camera.

To put it through its paces, I downloaded and played an HD video at full brightness for two hours. The battery level dropped by 18% during that time, so it would have lasted just under 13 hours in total. That's fine, but it's not nearly as long as some smartphones, which can last 17 hours or more.

It took a little more than an hour to charge the phone again using the included charger. That's fine, but with some smartphones now boasting 0 to 100 per cent charge times of less than half an hour, the Xiaomi 12 could definitely do better.

The Xiaomi 12 is powered by MIUI 13, which is based on Android 12. This operating system isn't all that different from stock Android, but it's not quite as pleasant to use because some of the app icons and fonts are cartoonish.

All of Google's apps, as well as a few popular services such as TikTok and Amazon, are pre-installed. To download more, you have the option of using the Google Play Store or the Mi Store, both of which provide an almost limitless number of options.

Also Read: iPhone SE (2022) Review 

XIAOMI 12 REVIEW: VERDICT 

(Image credit: mi)

There are a few things that the Xiaomi 12 could do better in. For example, the battery life and charge time could be improved, and Xiaomi could increase the camera's zoom. Another point to consider is that, while the design is very classy, it risks getting lost amongst the rest of the mid-range smartphone crowd.

Even so, in comparison to other phones in this price range, the Xiaomi 12 is unquestionably one of the best because it makes no compromises on hardware, ensuring that you get fantastic performance, a stunning display, and a good camera.

Its most notable feature, however, has to be its size. If you have small hands or simply prefer a more compact handset, this is the best cheap phone right now. It's so small!