The Xiaomi 12X, the cheapest member of Xiaomi’s 12-series, arrived at our office today and we’re ready to begin the evaluation process. The Snapdragon 870-powered Xiaomi 12 is likely to be the most popular of the three, given it is essentially a Xiaomi 12 with a different chipset.
You’ll lose some performance, but the 870 is still a strong CPU, particularly the GPU that was flagship grade a few years ago. The 870 has a reputation for operating cooler than the 8 Gen 1, which might lead to higher sustained performance if Xiaomi gets the cooling perfect.
The 12X, on the other hand, does not support wireless charging. If wireless charging is important to you, the Xiaomi 12 is the superior option (it needs less than an hour for a full charge). There is no difference in the battery life or charging capabilities between the two variants (4,500 mAh and 67W). According to the manufacturer’s specifications, the supplied charger should reach 100% capacity in 39 minutes.
The 6.28″ display is the only thing that has changed. When the Mi 11 launched last year, it sported a 6.81-inch screen, which some found to be a little much for their tastes. 12 mm shorter and 5 mm slimmer, the 12X and 12 are considerably easier to hold with one hand.
As a result of the lower pixel density and narrower diagonal of the new OLED screen, the resolution has been reduced to 1,080 x 2,400 pixels (419 ppi vs. 515 ppi). Of course, this is more tolerable on the Xiaomi 12X than on the more expensive Xiaomi 12. Gorilla Glass Victus protection, however, is still present (the Mi 11i, for example, used older GG5).
Same camera arrangement as its more expensive sister, featuring a 50MP primary module (1/1.56″ sensor, OIS) and a 13MP ultra-wide cam (123°, 1.12m pixels), as well as OIS. Both models lack a telephoto lens (just a 5 MP tele macro module). Even though the camera hardware is the same, the image processing capabilities of the various chipsets will vary.
There is no telephoto or wireless charging on the Xiaomi 12X, which will compete with the Realme GT2. However, the newer Snapdragon 888 is included for the same price. Keep an eye out for our thoughts on the GT2.
The Xiaomi 12 will also be reviewed in detail in the near future. The 8/256 GB version of the vanilla model costs $750/€800, while the Xiaomi 12X costs $650/€700 – but you only get 128 GB of storage. Some of you may have to get the 256 GB version of the 12X since neither phone has a microSD port, which will cut into the savings.
Additionally, the 12 and 12 Pro received three Android OS upgrades and four years of security fixes, while the 12X did not. A free screen replacement for six months is included in the warranty for all three 12-series models. Keep an eye out for our review of the Xiaomi 12X, which will help you decide whether saving money by purchasing the 12X is worth the additional cost of the 12 or not.