Xiaomi 12T Pro review: A flagship Android phone for less

If Xiaomi is a model that’s nonetheless unfamiliar – and unpronounceable – to you, then it’s excessive time that state of affairs modified. The Chinese language large is the world’s third-biggest telephone maker after Samsung and Apple, in spite of everything

It’s pronounced shau·mee, and makes not solely flagship telephone to rival the very best round, but additionally good-value low cost telephones.

The 12T Professional is a bit tougher to pigeonhole. A fast have a look at its specs, and also you would possibly leap to the conclusion it’s a flagship. However have a look at its value and also you’ll marvel the way it’s potential to make a telephone with these specs at such a low value.

There are methods and means to do it, and if you happen to can dwell with the compromises Xiaomi has made, this might effectively be a telephone so as to add to your shortlist.

I’d wager the primary cause you’re studying this evaluate is since you noticed that 200Mp digital camera spec someplace and needed to know if the very-reasonably-priced 12T Professional is any good.

Maintain studying and also you’ll discover out.

Options & design

• Bland design
• Stereo audio system
• Glass again with plastic body

If one factor is evident, the 12T Professional sits couple of rungs down the ladder from ‘true’ flagships comparable to the corporate’s 12S Extremely and final yr’s Mi 11 Extremely.

It doesn’t have an IP ranking, for instance, nor the newest Wi-Fi 6E. You don’t get wi-fi charging or a display with curved edges.

The body is constructed from plastic, not steel, and if you get past the 200Mp digital camera, the others are – in a phrase – lackluster.

Of these minimize corners, solely the final one will actually matter to lots of people, and that’s why the 12T Professional will enchantment strongly to anybody that may’t afford or justify spending $1000/£1000 on their subsequent telephone.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

One factor that doesn’t enchantment is the 12T Professional’s fairly bland design which it shares with its sibling, the 12T, reviewed. Xiaomi despatched me the black model to evaluate and that’s the dullest of the lot. The blue and silver variations are extra enticing, however the utterly flat display and, dare I say, generic general look means it doesn’t actually stand out.

As with so many rivals, the 12T Professional is a giant telephone, measuring 163 x 76 x 8.6mm and weighing simply over 200g.

It has stereo audio system on reverse corners and is one in every of more and more few telephones to nonetheless characteristic an IR blaster that you need to use with the Mi distant app to regulate your TV and set-top bins.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

These audio system sound good for a telephone, too. They’ve been tuned by Harmon Kardon and help Dolby Atmos. Whereas that doesn’t actually imply a lot for such tiny, restricted audio system, each ship comparable quantity and are nice for movies and video games.

Biometrics embrace an under-screen optical fingerprint scanner and a 20Mp punch-hole selfie digital camera that can be utilized for face recognition.

That’s much less safe than utilizing the fingerprint scanner, which I discovered to be fast and dependable.

Display

• 6.67in CrystalRes AMOLED show
• 446ppi, 120Hz (480Hz contact sampling)
• HDR 10+, Dolby Imaginative and prescient

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

As you’d rightly anticipate, the 12T Professional has an honest display. Flat it might be, however the 120Hz refresh charge and AMOLED tech imply video games, movies, apps and internet pages look good and scroll easily. Colors are wealthy, blacks are deep and viewing angles are wonderful.

Brightness is likely one of the compromise right here, with 500 nits in regular circumstances (verified by utilizing a DataColor Spyder) and as much as 900 nits peak (one thing I couldn’t take a look at). It’s completely good, however not the brightest on the market.

It’s not a variable refresh charge panel both. It may well run at 30, 60, 90 or 120Hz. The latest LTPO 2.0 panels can regulate the refresh charge to as little as 1Hz to preserve battery energy.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Nevertheless, as soon as once more, this isn’t a deal-breaker, and is a wise compromise to maintain the value down.

The decision of 1220×2712 isn’t the very best both, however it’s lots adequate for a pleasant, sharp picture.

Efficiency

• Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
• Twin 5G

The Xiaomi 12T Professional has the newest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset from Qualcomm. It’s backed by 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage.

All are correct flagship parts and in some nations – not the UK, sadly – you may go for a mannequin with 12GB of RAM.

Xiaomi says it has improved the cooling system with a vapour chamber that’s 65% bigger than the 11T Professional’s.

Sadly, the 12T Professional nonetheless heats up noticeably when pushing the telephone laborious with intensive video games and different apps. It managed to finish our benchmarks advantageous, however it’s in all probability greatest to not contemplate this a gaming telephone and as an alternative view it as a high-performance gadget for extra informal use.

And in regular use, shopping the net, sending emails, taking and viewing pictures, streaming Netflix and taking part in ‘informal’ video games, the 12T Professional feels each inch the flagship.

There’s no choice to develop storage utilizing a microSD card, however the SIM tray will settle for a pair of nano SIMs, each of which may be 5G.

You can even pair a bodily SIM with an eSIM and get twin 5G that means too.

Cameras

• 200Mp predominant digital camera with OIS
• Extensive-angle with f/2.2
• Macro with f/2.4 lens

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Simply how good is that 200Mp digital camera? That’s the most important query. The reply, in brief, is that it’s not masses higher than cameras with far fewer pixels.

It is extremely good, although. Simply don’t anticipate miracles. Even the 108Mp digital camera on the Xiaomi 12T has too many pixels. The next quantity sounds nice, however the fact is that you simply don’t actually need them.

Within the default capturing mode, the 12T Professional will “bin” most of these pixels (merging each block of 16 into 1) and saves a 12.5Mp picture to your digital camera roll. That’s executed for a wide range of causes, chief amongst which is space for storing. You can shoot on the full 200Mp in order for you, however every picture will take up round 50-70MB.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Efficiency is the opposite drawback: you must wait a couple of seconds between photographs. There’s an in-between choice to shoot at 50Mp which speeds issues up slightly.

Even if you happen to don’t plan to print large wall posters with these excessive decision photos, there are nonetheless benefits to having so many pixels. The principle one is you could crop in – quite a bit – and nonetheless find yourself with an in depth picture, fairly than a smeary mess.

Within the Gallery app, an icon seems on pictures taken within the Extremely HD mode. Faucet it, and ProCut opens, displaying a wide range of steered crops. You may decide a number of of those they usually’ll be saved as separate pictures within the digital camera roll.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Usually, pictures from the primary digital camera are sharp and have lifelike colors. Allow the AI mode and also you’ll find yourself with oversaturated pictures, which you may not admire.

HDR is computerized by default, however both didn’t kick in if you’d anticipate it to or didn’t actually make a noticeable distinction. Within the panorama photographs you could see within the gallery under, the sky is properly uncovered, however the foreground is under-exposed and too darkish.

Additionally, it’s annoying that there’s no indication of whether or not or not the autofocus has labored. It is a drawback open air in brilliant circumstances the place it isn’t simple to see simply by wanting on the display in case your topic (such because the pink dahlia flower instance under) is just too shut or not. Whether it is, you’ll get a blurry picture.

There’s additionally numerous processing happening to sharpen pictures, and that is noticeable if you zoom in and examine the main points. Nevertheless, due to fairly a little bit of pure bokeh, which suggests blurry backgrounds, most pictures are inclined to look fairly spectacular.

I used to be shocked by how succesful the primary digital camera is in low gentle, producing pictures that seemed a lot brighter than the precise scene, and that’s with out swapping to the devoted Evening mode.

As talked about, the supporting cameras aren’t nice. The 2Mp macro digital camera appears current solely to make up the numbers and the wide-angle – though able to first rate photographs – has a really low 8Mp decision.

Across the entrance, the 20Mp selfie digital camera is superb, taking good, sharp pictures and doing an honest job of producing bokeh in portrait mode.

Video-wise, the 12T Professional can shoot at 8K30, however it’s greatest to restrict settings to 4K60 as footage will profit from stablilisation.

Video high quality doesn’t disappoint, and sound isn’t dangerous both. Plus, Xiaomi throws in a couple of enjoyable capturing modes comparable to Clone, the place you may seem twice, and a choice of Film Results together with Parallel world, Sluggish shutter and a mode that information from the entrance and rear cameras on the identical time.

Battery & Charging

• 5000mAh battery
• 120W wired charging
• No wi-fi charging

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Although it isn’t unique or new, the 120W wired charging is more likely to be a revelation to most individuals shopping for a 12T Professional.

Xiaomi provides the required charger within the field, which is an actual boon. It replenishes virtually 70% of the battery’s capability in simply quarter-hour, and goes on to totally cost it in below 25 minutes.

That is excellent news because it mitigates the truth that, regardless of a 5000mAh battery, the 12T Professional doesn’t final fairly so long as you would possibly suppose it ought to.

Don’t get me flawed: it isn’t dangerous. In the course of the week or so I’ve used the telephone, it managed to get via a full day with energy to spare, even when that was solely 20% or so. My colleague Anyron had the same expertise with the 12T.

It’s sufficient for about six or seven hours of precise display time, with the remaining draining with the display off.

Utilizing PCMark’s battery take a look at, the 12T Professional lasted the same period of time – 10 hours 54 minutes – to the 12T which has the identical battery and display, however a Dimensity 8100 Extremely chipset.

As ever, your mileage might fluctuate: you would possibly be capable to stretch the 12T Professional to final virtually two days if you happen to use it flippantly, however it’s going to virtually definitely want that super-fast charger if you happen to spend 4 or extra hours taking part in video games.

To maintain prices down, there’s no wi-fi charging.

Software program

• MIUI 13 (Android 12)
• Three years’ OS updates, 4 years’ safety patches

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The 12T Professional is an Android telephone, however Xiaomi’s MIUI pores and skin makes fairly drastic adjustments to the interface in comparison with numerous  rivals.

I don’t thoughts it for probably the most half as a result of it makes Android a bit extra like Apple’s iOS. For instance, swipe down from the right-hand facet of the display and also you’ll get a management centre with a lot of shortcuts to telephone options in addition to sensible house controls.

Swipe down on the left and also you get the notification shade.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

There are nonetheless too many apps preinstalled, although, together with video games, Reserving.com and extra, however many may be uninstalled merely sufficient.

Some can’t, although, together with Xiaomi’s personal apps for safety, video, music and themes.

A pleasant further is Recreation Turbo which supplies you shortcuts to varied options as an overlay whilst you play, together with a voice changer.

Higher information is that Xiaomi has dedicated to a few years of Android updates (which is able to take the 12T Professional as much as Android 15) and 4 years of safety updates.

That is commendable stuff, as the dearth of updates is normally one of many key causes to keep away from sure Android producers.

Worth & Availability

The Xiaomi 12T Professional prices £699 from Xiaomi’s web site. It isn’t bought within the US, sadly, however it’s out there in Europe for €799.99 for the 128GB model.

It’s additionally bought by Currys, and on contract by way of Three, though at £51 per 30 days. Carphone Warehouse was providing the identical mannequin on Vodafone for £32 per 30 days on the time of evaluate, however with a £99 up-front value  in comparison with £30 with Three.

This makes it significantly cheaper than many Android flagships, although you do want to remember the compromises which have been made so as to lower your expenses.

You’ll be laborious pushed to discover a better-specc’d telephone for a similar value, however Motorola’s Edge 30 Extremely, reviewed, is arguably price the additional £50.

It has the identical 200Mp digital camera, the identical measurement display (at a decrease decision), a greater set of supporting cameras, 12GB of RAM (within the UK), Wi-Fi 6E, 125W wired charging plus 50W wi-fi charging. Importantly, it runs a close-to-stock model of Android.

You may additionally have a look at the Pixel 7 Professional, reviewed. For £150 extra, it has wonderful cameras, an excellent show and pure Android software program.

For different options, see our roundup of the very best telephones.

Verdict

With a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, the Xiaomi 12T Professional tries to make case for itself at this sub-flagship value.

Nevertheless, Motorola’s Edge 30 Extremely is a better option for most individuals. It doesn’t include a lot of bloatware, doesn’t fiddle an excessive amount of with Android and gives greater than sufficient {hardware} upgrades over the 12T Professional to make it price spending slightly extra.

Finally, the Xiaomi 12T Professional continues to be nice worth: Xiaomi bundles the charger and a transparent case within the field and pre-installs a display protector. Basically, then, if you happen to see it on sale or cheaper than the common £699 value, it might tempt you away from the Edge 30 Extremely.

Specs

• Android 11 w/ MIUI 12
• 6.67in AMOLED 120Hz 2712×1220 show
• AdaptiveSync: 30Hz/60Hz/90Hz/120Hz
• In-display fingerprint sensor
• Gorilla Glass 5 (entrance), anti-glare glass (rear)
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
• 8/12GB RAM
• 128/256GB non-expandable storage
• Cameras:
  • 200Mp, f/1.69 predominant digital camera with OIS
  • 8Mp, f/2.2 ultrawide digital camera
  • 20Mp, f/2.2 selfie digital camera
• Stereo audio system
• Twin-SIM 5G (nano SIM + eSIM, or twin nano SIM)
• Wi-Fi 6
• NFC
• Bluetooth 5.2
• 5000mAh battery
• 120W quick charging
• No wi-fi charging
• 163 x 76 x 8.6mm
• 205g