Xiaomi 12S vs Xiaomi 12S Ultra: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is the clear winner for photography enthusiasts and those prioritizing battery life. The 12S offers a more compact design and slightly faster wireless charging, making it a great choice for users who value portability and a balanced experience. Ultimately, the Ultra's camera system justifies its higher price.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Xiaomi 12S | Xiaomi 12S Ultra |
| 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, 17, 18, 19, 26, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2022, July 04 | 2022, July 04 |
| Status | Available. Released 2022, July 07 | Available. Released 2022, July 09 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back or eco leather back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), eco leather back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 152.7 x 69.9 x 8.2 mm or 8.7 mm | 163.2 x 75 x 9.1 mm (6.43 x 2.95 x 0.36 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 179 g / 182 g (6.31 oz) | 225 g (7.94 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 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~522 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.28 inches, 95.2 cm2 (~89.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.73 inches, 108.9 cm2 (~89.0% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1100 nits (peak) | LTPO2 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 (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8475 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 | 256GB 8GB 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, color spectrum sensor, Leica lenses, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 0.7µm | 32 MP, f/2.4, 25mm (wide), 0.7µm |
| 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, 23mm (wide), 1.0"-type, 1.6µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/4.1, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 48 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 128˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, dual pixel PDAF TOF 3D, (depth) |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@1920fps, gyro-EIS | 8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, 720p@3840fps, gyro-EIS, Dolby Vision HDR 10-bit rec. (4K, 1080p) |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 0.7µm | 32 MP, f/2.4, 25mm (wide), 0.7µm |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR | 1080p@30fps |
| 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 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 |
| 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/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer |
| - | Virtual proximity sensing | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 67W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 42 min 50W wireless, 100% in 57 min 10W reverse wireless | 67W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 41 min 50W wireless, 100% in 52 min 10W reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Po 4860 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Gray, White, Purple, Green | Black, Dark Green |
| Models | 2206123SC | 2203121C |
| Price | About 570 EUR | $ 288.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 93h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.6 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 1039412 (v9) GeekBench: 4300 (v5.1) GFXBench: 51fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Xiaomi 12S
- More compact and pocketable
- Slightly faster wireless charging
- Excellent performance
- Premium design
- Camera not as impressive as the Ultra
- Shorter battery life
- Less bright display
Xiaomi 12S Ultra
- Exceptional camera system
- Outstanding battery life
- Brighter and higher contrast display
- Premium build quality
- Larger and heavier design
- Slower wireless charging
- Higher price
Display Comparison
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra boasts a significantly brighter display with a measured peak brightness of 1065 nits, offering superior outdoor visibility. Its contrast ratio is also nominally infinite. The 12S has a very good display, but doesn't reach the Ultra's levels of brightness or contrast. Both use AMOLED technology with smooth 120Hz refresh rates.
Camera Comparison
This is where the 12S Ultra truly shines. Its larger sensor and advanced camera hardware deliver significantly better image quality, especially in low light. The Ultra's zoom capabilities are also far superior. The 12S still has a very capable camera system, but it can't compete with the Ultra's flagship-level performance.
Performance
Both phones are powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, ensuring blazing-fast performance for any task. Real-world performance differences are minimal, with both handling demanding games and multitasking with ease. The 12S might have slightly better thermal management due to its smaller size, preventing throttling under sustained load.
Battery Life
The 12S Ultra's endurance rating of 93h is exceptional, indicating significantly longer battery life than the 12S. While the 12S offers fast wired and wireless charging speeds, the Ultra's larger battery capacity provides more runtime between charges.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Xiaomi 12S? Users seeking a premium, compact flagship with excellent performance and fast charging. It's ideal for those who don't need the absolute best camera system but still want a top-tier experience. Who should buy the Xiaomi 12S Ultra? Photography lovers and power users who demand the best camera capabilities, longest battery life, and a stunning display. Be prepared for a larger, heavier device.