Xiaomi has finally presented the new Xiaomi 12 Pro in the global version. It was already presented for China in December – now we were finally able to put our hands on this flagship. The Xiaomi 12 Pro has specs that mean it doesn’t have to hide from the competition. But does this model really deliver what it promises?
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Per
- 120Hz display with AdaptiveSync Pro support
- 120 W charging power with the included adapter
- International warranty service
cons
- No 512GB or 1TB storage options
- Only IP53 certified
Summary of the Xiaomi 12 Pro
The Xiaomi 12 Pro really is a premium smartphone, as we can already tell by looking at the spec sheet. With a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, a whopping 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage, this smartphone has everything a flagship needs in 2022.
The Xiaomi 12 Pro starts at 1,049 euros, which seems reasonable. After all, the iPhone 13 Pro costs at least a hundred more. The Google Pixel 6 Pro, on the other hand, is available from 899 euros.
By the way, if you strike quickly, you will also get a smartwatch from the Chinese for free with the Xiaomi 12 Pro. You can get more information about this in our article on pre-ordering the Xiaomi 12 smartphones.
The Xiaomi 12 Pro is light and feels good in the hand / © NextPit
With this device, Xiaomi offers a guarantee that replaces a broken display free of charge for the first six months. Something like that can definitely be a selling point. However, Xiaomi does not have an IP67 or IP68 certification and only offers protection against splash water with IP53.
Below you can read my first impressions of the Xiaomi 12 Pro. As soon as the smartphone arrives at the editorial office, it is tested extensively and this test report is updated.
Compact design and a great, state-of-the-art display
One thing is for sure: Despite the 4,700 mAh battery, this smartphone is very thin. It is only 8.16 mm thick and weighs 205 grams. It is surprisingly compact for the 6.7-inch screen. The display offers a beautiful curved AMOLED panel and the 1440p resolution brings the pixel density to a crisp 522 PPI.
As far as the refresh rate is concerned, Xiaomi naturally offers 120 Hz, which is said to be even more energy-efficient in connection with the “AdaptiveSync Pro” technology. The screen frequency is varied between 1 and 120 Hz. In terms of brightness, the Xiaomi 12 Pro achieves a really bright 1500 nits. The fingerprint sensor is integrated under the display on the Xiaomi 12 Pro.
The curved screen of the Xiaomi 12 Pro has a maximum brightness of 1,500 nits / © NextPit
Of course, it’s still too early to speak with certainty about the quality of this display. But in the time I’ve spent with this device, I couldn’t tell any difference to the display quality of the iPhone 13 Pro Max or the Pixel 6 Pro – both models that I’ve been using extensively over the past few months.
Power of Snapdragon and Android inside
As expected, this device is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and supports up to 12 GB of RAM as well as up to 256 GB of internal storage. However, I miss more storage options, since we don’t have the option to expand the storage on this device either.
Unfortunately, I was able to run a benchmark test with this model. But looking at the results on the Oppo Find X5 Pro, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 should deliver excellent performance. It is to be hoped that, unlike last year’s Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, the thermal management of this model matches the quality of the Qualcomm SoC.
The Xiaomi 12 Pro relies on the MIUI 13 interface, which is now based on Android 12. Xiaomi also announced that the phone will receive three major Android updates and four years of security update support.
50 MP triple camera
As for the camera, the 12 Pro has three cameras on the rear – all 50-megapixel sensors. The main camera is the new Sony IMX707 sensor, along with an ultra wide-angle camera and a 2x zoom telephoto camera.
According to Xiaomi, there is a night mode 2.0 that can ensure particularly high color fidelity for night shots. Another feature is the so-called CyberFocus technology. The front camera features a 32 MP shooter.
The highlight in this picture is certainly the telephoto lens of this model / © NextPit
At first glance, the camera quality is great. Light is processed very well and the natural colors of the scenery are preserved. However, the 2x optical zoom isn’t really a standout compared to the competition, and the 20x digital zoom doesn’t have the same quality as the Google Pixel 6 Pro’s “Super Res Zoom” feature.
However, it’s still too early to judge, since I’ve only had the device in my hands for a short time. So, willy-nilly, you’ll have to wait for the full Xiaomi 12 Pro review to see how the Xiaomi 12 Pro’s camera performs.
Quick charging with 120 watts!
The battery has a capacity of 4600 mAh and can be charged with up to 120 watts! This is real madness: It only takes 18 minutes to charge the phone to 100 percent.
We had the opportunity to test the manufacturer’s 120-watt quick charging in the Xiaomi 11T Pro review and the result was really impressive. So I don’t think we’re going to have any surprises here. Wireless and reverse charging are also 50 and 10 watts respectively.
I’m really curious to see how the Xiaomi 12 Pro will fare in terms of battery life in the practical test.
Xiaomi 12 Pro: Specifications
| Xiaomi 12 Pro Specifications | |
|---|---|
| product | |
| image |  |
| advertisement | 6.73-inch curved AMOLED 3,200 x 1,440 pixels, 120 Hz adaptive |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| Storage | 128/256GB ROM 8 / 12GB RAM |
| software | MIUI 13 with Android 12 |
| rear camera | Main camera: 50 MP Ultra wide angle: 50 MP Telephoto Camera: 50MP |
| front camera | 32MP |
| battery pack | 4600mAh Wired charging: 120W Wireless charging: 50W Reverse wireless charging |
| connectivity | 5G, Wi-Fi 5 & 6 (ac/ax), BT 5.2, NFC, Dual GPS/Galileo, GLONASS/BDS |
| measures and weight | 163.6 x 74.6 x 8.16mm, 205g |
| To offer* | no |
Preliminary verdict
At first glance, it looks as if the Xiaomi 12 Pro could rank as a powerful competitor in the very first league of smartphones. It will be exciting to see how Xiaomi’s flagship stacks up against Google, Samsung and OnePlus.
Of course it’s still too early to form a concrete opinion on the Xiaomi 12 Pro, but the first impression is an extremely positive one.
Now I would like to know what you think of the Xiaomi 12 Pro. Would you trade your current flagship for a model from the Chinese manufacturer?
Xiaomi 12 Pro
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