Honor 80 SE vs Xiaomi 12 Lite: A Detailed Comparison

The mid-range smartphone market is fiercely competitive, offering incredible value for your money. Today, we're pitting two popular contenders against each other: the Honor 80 SE and the Xiaomi 12 Lite. Both promise a compelling blend of features, but which one truly comes out on top?

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Xiaomi 12 Lite edges out the Honor 80 SE thanks to its superior Snapdragon 778G chipset, brighter display, and faster charging. While the Honor 80 SE offers a competitive price, the Xiaomi 12 Lite delivers a more polished and overall better experience.

PHONES
Phone Names	Honor 80 SE	Xiaomi 12 Lite

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	LTE	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66
5G bands	SA/NSA	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA
Speed	HSPA, LTE, 5G	HSPA, LTE, 5G
Technology	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G	GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
	CDMA2000 1x	-

Launch
Announced	2022, November 23	2022, July 09
Status	Available. Released 2022, December 09	Available. Released 2022, July 11

Body
Build	-	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back, plastic frame
Dimensions	161.3 x 73.4 x 7.7 mm (6.35 x 2.89 x 0.30 in)	159.3 x 73.7 x 7.3 mm (6.27 x 2.90 x 0.29 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	175 g (6.17 oz)	173 g (6.10 oz)

Display
Protection	-	Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Resolution	1080 x 2400 pixels (~444 ppi density)	1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~402 ppi density)
Size	6.67 inches, 107.9 cm2 (~91.2% screen-to-body ratio)	6.55 inches, 103.6 cm2 (~88.2% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz	AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 950 nits (peak)

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (2x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)	Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.2 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.9 GHz Cortex-A55)
Chipset	Mediatek Dimensity 900 (6 nm)	Qualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 5G (6 nm)
GPU	Mali-G68 MC4	Adreno 642L
OS	Android 12, MagicOS 7	Android 12, upgradable to Android 14, HyperOS

Memory
Card slot	No	No
Internal	256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM	128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM
	-	UFS 2.2

Main Camera
Features	LED flash, HDR, panorama	Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama
Single	32 MP, f/2.4, (wide)	32 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm, AF
Triple	64 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF 5 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro)	108 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/1.52", 0.7µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro)
Video	4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps	4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps; gyro-EIS

Selfie camera
Features	HDR	HDR, panorama
Single	32 MP, f/2.4, (wide)	32 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm, AF
Video	1080p@30fps	1080p@30/60fps, 720p@120fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	No	No
35mm jack	No	No
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes, with dual speakers
	24-bit/192kHz audio	24-bit/192kHz audio

Comms
Bluetooth	5.1, A2DP, LE	5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
Infrared port	-	Yes
NFC	No	Yes (market/region dependent)
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, BDS	GPS (L1), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c), GALILEO (E1), QZSS (L1)
Radio	No	No
USB	USB Type-C 2.0, OTG	USB Type-C 2.0, OTG
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, proximity, compass	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass
	-	Virtual proximity sensing

Battery
Charging	66W wired, 3-80% in 30 min	67W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 50% in 13 min
Type	Li-Po 4600 mAh	Li-Po 4300 mAh

Misc
Colors	Black, Blue, Pink, Crystal Blue	Black, Lite Green, Lite Pink
Models	GIA-AN8	2203129G
Price	About 370 EUR	€ 119.80 / $ 269.00 / £ 121.15
SAR	-	1.09 W/kg (head) 0.73 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	-	0.60 W/kg (head) 1.00 W/kg (body)

Tests
Battery life	-	Endurance rating 100h
Camera	-	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-	-25.2 LUFS (Very good)
Performance	-	AnTuTu: 528905 (v9) GeekBench: 2943 (v5.1) GFXBench: 29fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Honor 80 SE

Stylish Design
Fast Charging (66W)
Competitive Price

Less Powerful Chipset
Lower Display Brightness
Potentially Less Refined Camera

Xiaomi 12 Lite

Powerful Snapdragon 778G
Brighter Display (824 nits)
Faster Charging (67W)
Excellent Battery Life (100h Endurance)

Slightly Higher Price
Nominal 'Infinite' Contrast Ratio (Marketing Term)

Display Comparison

The Xiaomi 12 Lite boasts a significant advantage with its measured 824 nits peak brightness, making it much easier to view outdoors. While the Honor 80 SE's display is likely adequate, it lacks the same level of vibrancy and visibility. The Xiaomi's 'Infinite' contrast ratio (nominal) suggests excellent image depth, though this is a marketing term.

Camera Comparison

Both phones offer capable camera systems, but the Xiaomi 12 Lite likely holds an edge in image processing and overall quality. While specific camera specs are not provided, the Snapdragon 778G often pairs well with advanced camera algorithms. The Honor 80 SE's camera is expected to be good, but not exceptional.

Performance

The Xiaomi 12 Lite's Snapdragon 778G 5G chipset is generally considered more powerful and efficient than the Honor 80 SE's Dimensity 900. Expect smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and better gaming performance on the Xiaomi 12 Lite. The Snapdragon also benefits from Qualcomm's optimized software support.

Battery Life

The Xiaomi 12 Lite's endurance rating of 100h is impressive, suggesting excellent battery life. The Honor 80 SE's 66W charging is fast, reaching 80% in 30 minutes, but the Xiaomi 12 Lite's 67W charging with PD3.0, QC4 support, and 50% charge in 13 minutes is even faster.

Buying Guide

The Honor 80 SE is a good choice for budget-conscious buyers who prioritize a stylish design and decent performance for everyday tasks. The Xiaomi 12 Lite is ideal for users who want a smoother, faster experience, a better camera, and a brighter display, even if it means spending a bit more.