Xiaomi 12X vs Xiaomi 12 Pro: A Head-to-Head Showdown

Xiaomi's 12 series offered compelling options, but choosing between the 12X and 12 Pro can be tricky. Both boast premium designs and features, but cater to different user needs and budgets. This comprehensive comparison will break down the key differences to help you make the right choice.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Xiaomi 12 Pro is the clear winner for power users demanding top-tier performance, a brighter display, and blazing-fast charging. However, the 12X offers excellent value with a capable Snapdragon 870 and a surprisingly long-lasting battery, making it a strong contender for those prioritizing affordability.

PHONES
Phone Names	Xiaomi 12X	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, 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 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, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 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, 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	176 g (6.21 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 (1x3.2 GHz Kryo 585 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4x1.80 GHz Kryo 585)	Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)
Chipset	Qualcomm SM8250-AC Snapdragon 870 5G (7 nm)	Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm)
GPU	Adreno 650	Adreno 730
OS	Android 11, 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	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, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/120/240/960fps, 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	5.1 / 5.2, A2DP, LE	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, Wi-Fi 6 (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, proximity, gyro, compass	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer
	-	Virtual Proximity Sensing

Battery
Charging	67W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 39 min	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	Gray, Blue, Purple, Green
Models	2112123AC, 2112123AG	2201122C, 2201122G
Price	About 180 EUR	€ 317.40 / $ 349.99 / £ 364.66 / ₹ 41,999
SAR	-	1.09 W/kg (head) 1.05 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	0.59 W/kg (head) 1.00 W/kg (body)	0.60 W/kg (head) 1.00 W/kg (body)

Tests
Battery life	Endurance rating 105h	Endurance rating 74h
Camera	Photo / Video	Photo / Video
Display	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-25.6 LUFS (Very good)	-29.5 LUFS (Average)
Performance	AnTuTu: 598003 (v8), 690298 (v9) GeekBench: 3168 (v5.1) GFXBench: 47fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)	AnTuTu: 985226 (v9) GeekBench: 3682 (v5.1) GFXBench: 46fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Xiaomi 12X

Excellent value for money
Long battery life (105h endurance)
Capable Snapdragon 870 chipset
Compact and premium design
Fast 67W charging

Lower peak brightness display
Slightly less powerful than 12 Pro
Camera not quite as advanced as 12 Pro

Xiaomi 12 Pro

Top-tier Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 performance
Brighter and more vibrant display (1050 nits)
Faster 120W wired charging and 50W wireless charging
Improved camera system
Reverse wireless charging

Higher price
Shorter battery life (74h endurance)
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 can experience thermal throttling under heavy load

Display Comparison

The Xiaomi 12 Pro takes a significant lead in the display department. While both offer excellent color accuracy and contrast (both listed as 'Infinite' which is a nominal value), the 12 Pro's measured 1050 nits peak brightness is a game-changer, especially in direct sunlight. The 12X's display is still good, but lacks the same punch and visibility outdoors.

Camera Comparison

Both phones offer versatile camera systems, but the 12 Pro generally produces slightly better image quality, particularly in low light. The 12 Pro often has larger sensors and more advanced image processing algorithms. While both capture good video, the 12 Pro's hardware and software optimizations give it a slight edge.

Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the 12 Pro provides a noticeable performance boost over the 870 in the 12X. While the 870 is still a very capable chip, the 8 Gen 1 offers faster processing speeds and improved graphics performance, making the 12 Pro better suited for demanding games and multitasking. Both phones handle everyday tasks with ease.

Battery Life

Surprisingly, the Xiaomi 12X boasts a significantly higher endurance rating (105h) compared to the 12 Pro (74h). This suggests the 12X offers better battery efficiency despite having a smaller battery capacity. However, the 12 Pro's 120W wired charging is a massive advantage, allowing for incredibly fast top-ups.

Buying Guide

The Xiaomi 12X is ideal for users who want a premium Xiaomi experience without breaking the bank. It's perfect for everyday use, social media, and casual photography. The Xiaomi 12 Pro is for those who need the absolute best performance, a vibrant display for media consumption, and the fastest charging speeds available.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the 12 Pro prone to overheating?

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 can experience thermal throttling under sustained heavy load, but Xiaomi has implemented software optimizations to mitigate this issue. However, it's still something to be aware of.

❓ Which phone is better for mobile gaming?

The Xiaomi 12 Pro is generally better for mobile gaming due to its more powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and improved cooling system.