Xiaomi 12S Pro vs Xiaomi 12 Pro: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Xiaomi 12S Pro edges out the 12 Pro thanks to its superior Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, offering noticeably better performance and efficiency. While the 12 Pro remains a strong contender, the 12S Pro’s upgraded internals make it the more compelling choice for most users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Xiaomi 12S Pro | 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, 17, 18, 19, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 | 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, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA | 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 |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, July 04 | 2021, December 28 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, July 07 | Available. Released 2021, December 31 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back or eco leather back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 163.6 x 74.6 x 8.2 mm or 8.7 mm | 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 | 203 g / 204 g (7.16 oz) | 204 g or 205 g (7.20 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~521 ppi density) | 1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~521 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.73 inches, 109.4 cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.73 inches, 109.4 cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1500 nits (peak) | LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1500 nits (peak) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 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 SM8475 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, 512GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Leica lens, 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, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/1.9, 50mm (telephoto), PDAF, 2x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.2, 115˚ (ultrawide) | 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, HDR10+ | 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 | 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/6e, 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 | 120W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 19 min 50W wireless, 100% in 42 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 4600 mAh | Li-Po 4600 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Gray, White, Purple, Green | Gray, Blue, Purple, Green |
| Models | 2206122SC | 2201122C, 2201122G |
| Price | About 670 EUR | € 317.40 / $ 349.99 / £ 364.66 / ₹ 41,999 |
| SAR | - | 1.09 W/kg (head) 1.05 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.60 W/kg (head) 1.00 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 74h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -29.5 LUFS (Average) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 985226 (v9) GeekBench: 3682 (v5.1) GFXBench: 46fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Xiaomi 12S Pro
- Superior Performance (Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1)
- Improved Efficiency & Thermals
- Slightly Better Camera Processing
- Fast 120W Wired Charging
- Potentially Higher Price
- Design may be less distinctive than 12 Pro
Xiaomi 12 Pro
- Excellent Display (1050 nits)
- Impressive Battery Life (74h endurance)
- Premium Design
- Fast 120W Wired Charging
- Older Chipset (Snapdragon 8 Gen 1)
- Potential Thermal Throttling
- Slightly Less Efficient
Display Comparison
Both phones feature excellent AMOLED displays with vibrant colors and smooth 120Hz refresh rates. The Xiaomi 12 Pro boasts a measured peak brightness of 1050 nits, while the 12S Pro's brightness is likely comparable. The 12 Pro's 'infinite' contrast ratio is a nominal specification, and in practical use, both displays offer exceptional visual quality. The 12S Pro may have slightly improved color accuracy due to its newer chipset's image processing capabilities.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer capable camera systems, but the 12S Pro likely benefits from the improved image signal processor (ISP) within the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. This translates to better noise reduction, more accurate colors, and improved dynamic range, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. While both offer excellent photo and video capabilities, the 12S Pro has a slight edge in overall image quality.
Performance
This is where the 12S Pro truly shines. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is a significant upgrade over the 8 Gen 1 in the 12 Pro. Expect smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and notably improved gaming performance on the 12S Pro. The 8+ Gen 1 also addresses the thermal throttling issues that plagued the 8 Gen 1, allowing the 12S Pro to sustain peak performance for longer periods.
Battery Life
Both devices offer similar battery capacities and charging speeds. The 12 Pro boasts an endurance rating of 74 hours, which is impressive. The 12S Pro's more efficient chipset should translate to slightly better real-world battery life, although the difference is likely to be marginal. Both support 120W wired charging (18-19 minutes to 100%) and 50W wireless charging.
Buying Guide
The Xiaomi 12S Pro is ideal for power users, gamers, and anyone prioritizing top-tier performance and efficient power management. The Xiaomi 12 Pro is a great option for those seeking a premium experience with a vibrant display and excellent camera capabilities, especially if found at a discounted price.