Xiaomi 12S vs. Google Pixel 6 Pro: A Head-to-Head Flagship Battle
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For users prioritizing peak performance and faster charging, the Xiaomi 12S is the clear winner. Its Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 offers a significant edge in demanding tasks. However, the Pixel 6 Pro’s superior image processing and unique software features make it a compelling choice for photography enthusiasts and those deeply integrated into the Google ecosystem.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Xiaomi 12S | Google Pixel 6 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, 18, 19, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - GLUOG, G8VOU |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 257, 258, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - G8VOU |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GLUOG | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, July 04 | 2021, October 19 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, July 07 | Available. Released 2021, October 28 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back or eco leather back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 152.7 x 69.9 x 8.2 mm or 8.7 mm | 163.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm (6.45 x 2.99 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 179 g / 182 g (6.31 oz) | 210 g (7.41 oz) |
| - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~419 ppi density) | 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~512 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.28 inches, 95.2 cm2 (~89.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 110.6 cm2 (~88.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1100 nits (peak) | LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+ |
| - | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (2x2.80 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A76 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) | Google Tensor (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 730 | Mali-G78 MP20 |
| OS | Android 12, MIUI 13 | Android 12, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Leica lens, color spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 0.7µm | 11.1 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.22µm |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.4, 15mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.06", 1.12µm 5 MP, f/2.4, 50mm (telephoto macro), AF | 50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/3.5, 104mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 4x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 17mm, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1.25µm |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@1920fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 0.7µm | 11.1 MP, f/2.2, 20mm (ultrawide), 1.22µm |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| 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 | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| Infrared port | Yes | - |
| NFC | Yes | 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 (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| 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/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Ultra Wideband (UWB) support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 67W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 42 min 50W wireless, 100% in 57 min 10W reverse wireless | 23W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 23W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Ion 5003 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Gray, White, Purple, Green | Cloudy White, Sorta Sunny, Stormy Black |
| Models | 2206123SC | GLUOG, G8VOU, GF5KQ |
| Price | About 570 EUR | € 199.99 / $ 204.99 / £ 275.00 / ₹ 29,699 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 84h |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 585485 (v8), 719815 (v9) GeekBench: 2831 (v5.1) GFXBench: 39 fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Xiaomi 12S
- Significantly faster Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor
- Ultra-fast 67W wired and 50W wireless charging
- Potentially more compact form factor
- Camera performance details unknown, potentially less software optimization
- MIUI software can be polarizing
Google Pixel 6 Pro
- Exceptional computational photography and image processing
- Clean Android experience with exclusive Google features
- Bright and vibrant OLED display
- Slower 23W wired and wireless charging
- Google Tensor chip is less powerful than Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
Display Comparison
The Pixel 6 Pro boasts a measured peak brightness of 846 nits, providing excellent visibility outdoors. While the Xiaomi 12S’s display specs aren’t provided, Xiaomi flagships typically offer vibrant colors and high brightness. The Pixel 6 Pro’s infinite contrast ratio, inherent to OLED technology, delivers deep blacks. The absence of LTPO in either phone means refresh rate scaling isn’t as efficient as newer panels, potentially impacting battery life during variable usage. The Pixel 6 Pro’s larger display size will appeal to media consumers, while the 12S likely offers a more compact form factor.
Camera Comparison
The Pixel 6 Pro is renowned for its computational photography prowess, leveraging Google’s Tensor chip to deliver exceptional image quality, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. While the Xiaomi 12S’s camera specs are not provided, Xiaomi flagships typically feature large sensors and advanced image processing. The Pixel 6 Pro’s image processing excels in dynamic range and detail preservation. The Tensor chip’s AI capabilities enable features like Magic Eraser and Motion Mode, enhancing the overall photography experience. Without specific sensor details for the 12S, it’s difficult to directly compare, but the Pixel 6 Pro’s software advantage is a significant differentiator.
Performance
The Xiaomi 12S’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm) is a significant upgrade over the Pixel 6 Pro’s Google Tensor (5nm). The 8+ Gen 1’s Cortex-X2 prime core, clocked at 3.19 GHz, provides a substantial performance boost in single-threaded tasks. The Tensor chip, while capable, focuses on AI and machine learning tasks, excelling in areas like voice recognition and image processing. The 12S’s architecture (1+3+4 core configuration) is optimized for sustained performance, while the Tensor’s (2+2+4) prioritizes AI acceleration. The 4nm process node of the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 also translates to improved thermal efficiency, reducing the likelihood of throttling during extended gaming sessions. The Pixel 6 Pro’s performance is adequate, but the 12S offers a demonstrably faster experience.
Battery Life
Both the Xiaomi 12S and Google Pixel 6 Pro achieve an endurance rating of 84 hours, suggesting comparable battery life under similar usage scenarios. However, the charging speeds differ dramatically. The Xiaomi 12S supports 67W wired charging, achieving a 100% charge in just 42 minutes, and 50W wireless charging in 57 minutes. The Pixel 6 Pro is limited to 23W wired charging, taking approximately 30 minutes to reach 50%. This difference in charging speed is a major advantage for the 12S, offering significantly faster top-ups. The 12S also includes 10W reverse wireless charging, a feature also present on the Pixel 6 Pro, allowing it to charge accessories wirelessly.
Buying Guide
Buy the Xiaomi 12S if you need uncompromising processing power for gaming, video editing, or multitasking, and value the convenience of incredibly fast 67W wired and 50W wireless charging. Buy the Google Pixel 6 Pro if you prioritize computational photography, a clean Android experience with exclusive features, and a phone that learns and adapts to your usage patterns. The Pixel 6 Pro is the better choice for those who value software and camera capabilities over raw speed.