Xiaomi 12 vs Xiaomi 12 Pro: A Detailed Showdown
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Xiaomi 12 Pro offers significantly faster charging, a brighter display, and a slightly larger battery. However, the Xiaomi 12 remains a compelling choice with its more compact size and competitive performance, making it the better value for many users. The Pro is for power users prioritizing speed and brightness.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Xiaomi 12 | Xiaomi 12 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) / 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, 42, 48, 66 - International |
| 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, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, December 28 | 2021, December 28 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, December 31 | Available. Released 2021, December 31 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 152.7 x 69.9 x 8.2 mm (6.01 x 2.75 x 0.32 in) | 163.6 x 74.6 x 8.2 mm (6.44 x 2.94 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 179 g or 180 g (6.31 oz) | 204 g or 205 g (7.20 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~419 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~521 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.28 inches, 95.2 cm2 (~89.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.73 inches, 109.4 cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1100 nits (peak) | LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1500 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Adreno 730 |
| OS | Android 12, MIUI 13 | Android 12, MIUI 13 |
| 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 | Color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 0.7µm | 32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 0.7µm |
| 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 | 50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/1.9, 48mm (telephoto), PDAF, 2x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 115˚ (ultrawide) |
| Video | 8K@24fps (HDR), 4K@30/60fps (HDR10+), 1080p@30/120/240/960fps, 720p@1920fps, gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps (HDR), 4K@30/60fps (HDR10+), 1080p@30/120/240/960fps, 720p@1920fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 0.7µm | 32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 0.7µm |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR | 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR10+ |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers (4 speakers) |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio Tuned by Harman Kardon | 24-bit/192kHz audio Tuned by Harman Kardon | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| Infrared port | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5) |
| 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/6 or 6e (market dependent), dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6 or 6e (market dependent), dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer |
| Virtual Proximity Sensing | Virtual Proximity Sensing | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 67W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 39 min 50W wireless, 100% in 53 min 10W reverse wireless | 120W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 18 min 50W wireless, 100% in 42 min 10W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Po 4600 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Gray, Blue, Purple, Green | Gray, Blue, Purple, Green |
| Models | 2201123G, 2201123C | 2201122C, 2201122G |
| Price | $ 284.99 / € 149.99 | € 317.40 / $ 349.99 / £ 364.66 / ₹ 41,999 |
| SAR | 1.09 W/kg (head) 0.91 W/kg (body) | 1.09 W/kg (head) 1.05 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 0.60 W/kg (head) 1.00 W/kg (body) | 0.60 W/kg (head) 1.00 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 82h | Endurance rating 74h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -25.3 LUFS (Very good) | -29.5 LUFS (Average) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 985115 (v9) GeekBench: 3652 (v5.1) GFXBench: 75fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 985226 (v9) GeekBench: 3682 (v5.1) GFXBench: 46fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Xiaomi 12
- More compact and easier to handle
- Excellent performance
- Competitive price
- Good battery life (82h)
- Slower charging speeds
- Lower display brightness
- Potentially less versatile camera
Xiaomi 12 Pro
- Brighter display
- Incredibly fast 120W charging
- Potentially more versatile camera
- Slightly better sustained performance (potentially)
- Larger size
- Higher price
- Slightly lower endurance rating (74h)
Display Comparison
The Xiaomi 12 Pro boasts a noticeable advantage in display brightness, reaching 1050 nits compared to the 12's 896 nits. While both offer excellent contrast (infinite nominal), the Pro's higher brightness makes it more comfortable to use outdoors in direct sunlight. Both utilize AMOLED technology with vibrant colors and smooth refresh rates, but the Pro's extra brightness is a tangible benefit.
Camera Comparison
While both phones offer excellent camera systems, the 12 Pro generally features a more versatile setup, often including a telephoto lens for improved zoom capabilities. The 12's camera is still very capable, but the Pro's additional lens provides more creative options. Image processing and overall quality are generally comparable, with the Pro potentially edging out the 12 in low-light scenarios due to its larger sensors (assumed, based on typical Pro model upgrades).
Performance
Both phones share the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and CPU configuration, ensuring comparable performance in everyday tasks and demanding games. Real-world performance differences will be minimal, with slight variations potentially arising from software optimization and thermal management. The 12 Pro *might* have slightly better sustained performance due to its larger size allowing for better heat dissipation, but it's unlikely to be a significant difference.
Battery Life
The Xiaomi 12 holds a slight edge in endurance rating (82h vs 74h), suggesting slightly better battery life under typical usage. However, the Xiaomi 12 Pro's 120W wired charging is a game-changer, allowing for a full charge in just 18 minutes, compared to the 12's 39 minutes. The wireless charging speeds are also faster on the Pro (50W vs 50W, but likely more efficient).
Buying Guide
The Xiaomi 12 is ideal for users who prefer a more manageable size, don't need the absolute fastest charging, and want a premium experience without breaking the bank. The Xiaomi 12 Pro is best suited for power users who demand the brightest display, incredibly fast charging, and are willing to pay a premium for those features.