Xiaomi 12 vs OnePlus 9 Pro: A Deep Dive into Flagship Performance and Value
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the OnePlus 9 Pro emerges as the more balanced choice. While the Xiaomi 12 boasts a newer chipset, the OnePlus 9 Pro’s slightly superior battery endurance, faster wired charging (29 mins vs 39 mins), and generally more consistent performance make it the more practical daily driver.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Xiaomi 12 | OnePlus 9 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66 - International | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - EU |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - International | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 78 SA/NSA - EU |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China | 1, 3, 28, 41, 78, 79 SA/NSA - CN | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, December 28 | 2021, March 23 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, December 31 | Available. Released 2021, March 30 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 152.7 x 69.9 x 8.2 mm (6.01 x 2.75 x 0.32 in) | 163.2 x 73.6 x 8.7 mm (6.43 x 2.90 x 0.34 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 179 g or 180 g (6.31 oz) | 197 g (6.95 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~419 ppi density) | 1440 x 3216 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~525 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.28 inches, 95.2 cm2 (~89.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~90.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1100 nits (peak) | LTPO Fluid2 AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 12, MIUI 13 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14, OxygenOS 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, Hasselblad Color Calibration, dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | - | 48 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.43", 1.12µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 77mm (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 3.3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 14mm (ultrawide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, AF 2 MP, f/2.4, (monochrome) |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 0.7µm | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.4, 12mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.06", 1.12µm 5 MP, f/2.4, 50mm (telephoto macro), AF | - |
| Video | 8K@24fps (HDR), 4K@30/60fps (HDR10+), 1080p@30/120/240/960fps, 720p@1920fps, gyro-EIS | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 0.7µm | 16 MP, f/2.4, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio Tuned by Harman Kardon | 24-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6 or 6e (market dependent), dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Virtual Proximity Sensing | - | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 67W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 39 min 50W wireless, 100% in 53 min 10W reverse wireless | 65W wired, PD, 100% in 29 min 50W wireless, 100% in 43 min 5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Gray, Blue, Purple, Green | Morning Mist, Forest Green, Stellar Black |
| Models | 2201123G, 2201123C | LE2121, LE2125, LE2123, LE2120, LE2127 |
| Price | $ 284.99 / € 149.99 | € 246.17 / $ 264.95 / £ 287.00 |
| SAR | 1.09 W/kg (head) 0.91 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 0.60 W/kg (head) 1.00 W/kg (body) | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 82h | Endurance rating 86h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | - |
| Loudspeaker | -25.3 LUFS (Very good) | -24.1 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 985115 (v9) GeekBench: 3652 (v5.1) GFXBench: 75fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
Xiaomi 12
- Newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset for potentially higher performance
- Faster 10W reverse wireless charging
- Slightly brighter display (896 nits)
- Potentially more prone to thermal throttling
- Slightly lower battery endurance (82h)
- Slower wired charging (39 mins)
OnePlus 9 Pro
- Slightly better battery endurance (86h)
- Faster 65W wired charging (29 mins)
- Refined software experience (OnePlus's OxygenOS)
- Older Snapdragon 888 chipset
- Slower 5W reverse wireless charging
- Slightly dimmer display (859 nits)
Display Comparison
Both phones feature excellent displays, but subtle differences exist. The Xiaomi 12 achieves a measured peak brightness of 896 nits, slightly surpassing the OnePlus 9 Pro’s 859 nits. This translates to marginally better visibility in direct sunlight. Both displays offer an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, delivering deep blacks. While neither specification details refresh rate, both are expected to offer 120Hz. The OnePlus 9 Pro’s larger display size, however, may be preferable for media consumption, though the Xiaomi 12’s smaller footprint appeals to those seeking one-handed usability.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer capable camera systems, but details are limited to 'Photo / Video' in the provided data. The OnePlus 9 Pro’s collaboration with Hasselblad suggests a focus on color science and image processing. Sensor size and lens apertures are crucial factors not provided, but are likely differentiators. The absence of specific details makes a definitive camera comparison impossible, but the OnePlus 9 Pro’s history suggests a more versatile camera setup, potentially including a wider range of focal lengths. We can assume both phones offer a strong video recording capability.
Performance
The Xiaomi 12’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm) represents a generational leap over the OnePlus 9 Pro’s Snapdragon 888 (5nm). The 4nm process theoretically offers improved power efficiency and thermal performance. However, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is known to be more prone to throttling under sustained load. The Xiaomi 12’s CPU configuration – 1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2, 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710, and 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510 – provides a theoretical performance advantage over the OnePlus 9 Pro’s 1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1, 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78, and 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55. Real-world performance differences will depend on thermal management and software optimization.
Battery Life
The OnePlus 9 Pro edges out the Xiaomi 12 in battery endurance, achieving 86 hours versus 82 hours. This difference, while not massive, is noticeable in daily use. The OnePlus 9 Pro also boasts faster wired charging at 65W (100% in 29 minutes) compared to the Xiaomi 12’s 67W (100% in 39 minutes). Wireless charging is also faster on the OnePlus 9 Pro (50W, 43 mins) than the Xiaomi 12 (50W, 53 mins). The Xiaomi 12 offers 10W reverse wireless charging, while the OnePlus 9 Pro offers 5W, a minor advantage for the Xiaomi 12.
Buying Guide
Buy the Xiaomi 12 if you prioritize peak processing power for demanding tasks like mobile gaming and video editing, and prefer a more compact phone size. Buy the OnePlus 9 Pro if you value a well-rounded experience with a focus on camera versatility, slightly longer battery life, and faster wired charging speeds, even if it means sacrificing the absolute latest chipset.