Xiaomi 12 Lite review

Xiaomi has been busy. Its 12S vary of units have not too long ago been introduced and following on is the mid-range 12 Lite mannequin that guarantees the basic Xiaomi expertise at a modest worth.

However, in a fiercely aggressive sector of the market, can the Chinese language mannequin compete? Right here’s the complete Tech Advisor overview of the Xiaomi 12 Lite.

Design & Construct

• Snug, gentle chassis
• Fairly color schemes
• No IP waterproof ranking

Normally, the Lite suffix on a smartphone denotes a downgraded spec sheet, however with the Xiaomi 12 Lite this appears extra precisely utilized to the chassis. Weighing in at a really comfy 173g, it’s a pleasant gadget to carry for prolonged durations, plus the 159 x 74 x 7.3mm sits nicely within the hand, making a pleasant change from the cumbersome, 200g frames that appear to have grow to be the norm within the final 12 months or so.

The color scheme can be recent, with a alternative of Pink, Black or the Inexperienced on my overview mannequin. The plastic again panel is graduated, in order you tilt it within the gentle it modifications color in a really pleasing method. Within the high left nook of the panel there’s additionally a raised rectangular space that homes the triple digicam array. The plastic is evident, with a lite blue/inexperienced hue that once more appears to be like sensible.

Foundry / IDG

As with the Redmi Notice 11 Professional 5G that I reviewed not too long ago (Redmi is a Xiaomi sub-brand), the sides are squared off reasonably than the curved kind which featured on the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G from final 12 months. This provides to the grip and offers the 12 Lite a contemporary aesthetic.

The entrance panel is made up nearly solely of the 6.55in AMOLED show, with solely a central punch-hole aperture for the digicam interrupting the graphics. That is partly enabled by an under-display fingerprint sensor which saves area, plus it additionally signifies that the ability button on the appropriate flank is small because it doesn’t want to deal with a sensor both.

Add to this the quantity controls, Twin-SIM slot and twin audio system, and the result’s a gorgeous gadget that’s genuinely good to make use of.

The show is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5, so it ought to face up to a good bit of damage and tear, however there’s no listed IP ranking on the 12 Lite (as there wasn’t with its predecessor the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G). Maintain it away from water although and it ought to be fantastic, particularly in case you use the included silicone case that Xiaomi places within the field.

Alongside this, you’ll additionally discover a 67W quick charger and cable to replenish the 4,300mAh battery by way of the telephone’s USB-C port.

Display screen & Audio system

• 6.55in AMOLED Full HD+
• 120Hz refresh fee
• HDR10+ and Dolby Imaginative and prescient
• Stereo audio system

The 6.55in AMOLED Full HD+ panel on the 12 Lite is nicely balanced and supplies loads of color and definition. You may select between both 60- or 120Hz refresh charges, with the previous saving on battery life and the latter providing easy scrolling. Not that the 60Hz possibility isn’t good, however when you’ve turned on the 120Hz setting you’ll in all probability wish to go away it there because it feels nice.

All of that is enhanced by the show’s assist for HDR10+, Dolby Imaginative and prescient, in addition to one thing Xiaomi calls TrueColor, which bolsters the palette of the panel.

Foundry / IDG

The Xiaomi 12 Lite doesn’t have the brightest display available on the market, with my measurements exhibiting round 450nits most, however that proved sufficient to deal with vibrant daylight for essentially the most half when turned as much as full. Indoors or on extra overcast days you received’t have any drawback seeing what’s on the show.

Utilizing the under-display fingerprint sensor was pleasingly simple, albeit with the preliminary setup taking a little bit longer than with a bodily sensor in a button, because it was tougher to know which a part of my finger the sensor had tracked. This solely added about 30 seconds to the method although, and after that I discovered that I may unlock the telephone with a really excessive success fee of first-time makes an attempt.

Professional tip: When saving your fingerprint, save two separate variations for every of the primary fingers/thumbs you primarily use to unlock the gadget. This will increase the possibility of the sensor detecting you instantly.

Foundry / IDG

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These desirous to sport on the Xiaomi 12 Lite may even admire the 240Hz contact sampling fee which ought to assist these fast actions within the warmth of battle. One minor gripe I had with the gadget alongside these strains was that the palm cancellation (the place the telephone ignores faucets and swipes from different elements of your fingers that by accident contact the display) wasn’t pretty much as good because it might be.

On just a few events I all of the sudden discovered the display switching to the All Opened Apps web page as a result of I’d rubbed in opposition to the sensible button with out realising. This may be fastened in software program although, so hopefully an improve will additional enhance this space sooner or later.

On the audio aspect of issues, you’ll discover audio system at both finish of the gadget, which produce an honest quantity of sound. Certain, it received’t win over the hearts of any audiophiles on the market, however for podcasts, audiobooks, watching movies or some gentle music use, the audio system can do an honest job.

There’s no 3.5mm headphone jack, so that you received’t be hooking this up on to a speaker, however the Bluetooth 5.2 capabilities imply that wi-fi headphones and audio system can immediately enhance the audio output of the Xiaomi 12 Lite.

Specs & Efficiency

• Snapdragon 778G SoC
• 8GB RAM
• 128GB Storage
• Twin SIM

Maybe surprisingly, Xiaomi has fitted the 12 Lite with the identical Snapdragon 778G processor that appeared within the earlier era 11 Lite 5G. Whether or not that is right down to the world-wide scarcity of processors that has been happening for the final 12 months or so is unknown, however to be honest the efficiency of the 12 Lite for many issues folks will normally do with their smartphones is on the cash.

Opening apps and transferring by way of numerous screens and menus are all swift and responsive. There’s no noticeable lag when utilizing the gadget in any respect, and even within the cameras you get a fast launch with the cameras able to go: important if that ‘decisive second’ seems earlier than your eyes.

The Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12 Professional each have the flagship Qualcomm 8 Gen 1 processor so this can be a key distinction.

Little doubt the 8GB of RAM that comes on this variant helps with the efficiency, though you possibly can order a 6GB model if you wish to avoid wasting cash (I wouldn’t advise this). Xiaomi additionally affords a digital reminiscence extension function that may supposedly deputise as much as 3GB of onboard storage as RAM.

The telephone’s greater brothers include as much as 12GB of RAM so naked that in thoughts in case you assume you’ll want extra energy.

Storage itself is a normal 128GB of UFS 2.2, however once more you possibly can go for 256GB in case you assume this will probably be too small. In a transfer that may upset some customers, Xiaomi has determined in opposition to supporting microSD playing cards within the 12 Lite, with the twin card slot solely able to holding SIM playing cards.

This implies you’ll want to decide on the configuration that fits your wants from the get-go, as you received’t be capable to change it later. That’s disappointing, particularly because the 11 Lite 5G provided a hybrid slot which may host both twin SIMs or a single SIM and microSD card.

Foundry / IDG

In some ways, the Xiaomi 12 Lite shares nearly all of its specs with the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G. There’s the identical processor I discussed above, storage and reminiscence configurations, and the record continues when it comes to Wi-Fi 6, NFC, Bluetooth 5.2 to not point out the show may be very comparable, though the 12 Lite goes as much as 120Hz refresh fee the place the 11 Lite tops out at 90Hz.

Just a few areas the place they differ is when it comes to dimension, the 11 Lite is definitely slimmer and lighter, battery charging speeds are sooner on the 12 Lite, plus the cameras have been given an improve on the brand new mannequin. We had been impressed with the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G, and it’s been diminished in worth on the time of writing, so if you would like most of what the 12 Lite affords however at a less expensive worth, it’s value contemplating.

That being stated, the 12 Lite is a really good to make use of and usually impressed by simply getting on with all the pieces and never making a fuss. Precisely what you need from a telephone.

To see the way it compares to others in its class. Right here’s the usual benchmark testing that each one overview telephones undergo (on account of technical difficulties with the positioning on the time of testing, the GFX Bench scores will not be registered):

Cameras

• 108Mp f/1.88 Major digicam with Samsung HM2 sensor
• 8Mp Ultrawide and 2Mp Macro
• Night time Mode
• 32Mp Selfie digicam

Mid-range units typically stay or die by their cameras. In that case, the Xiaomi 12 Lite is in a really wholesome state and may in all probability make it comfortably to outdated age. The triple digicam mixture of 108Mp f/1.88 fundamental, 8Mp f/2.2 ultra-wide and 2Mp f/2.4 macro flip in some really spectacular outcomes.

Foundry / IDG

Focussing is quick and normally tracks the supposed material (not at all times true with telephones I’ve examined). In good gentle I received some glorious pictures, whether or not it was close-ups of flowers, catching my canine in a heroic pose (ready for a deal with), panorama photos or normal on a regular basis footage.

Extra impressively, the night-time pictures I managed to seize actually did make me surprise if the telephone was costlier than I’d first thought. There’s a Night time Mode and it does a very good job of selecting out issues like a darkish blue boat in a harbour at night time and making it seen. However, after I turned off the Night time Mode and let the traditional digicam do its factor, I managed to get some atmospheric pictures that I used to be pleased with.

The metering appears nicely balanced, and as long as you could have a wall or in my case the aspect of a bridge to relaxation the telephone on when taking the picture, then photos stay nicely uncovered and sharply focussed.

There may be some noise within the photos, which the software program does its finest to easy out, which suggests any footage you’re taking will probably be completely fantastic for sharing on social media, however if you wish to crop in and probably print them off you then would possibly see much less spectacular ultimate photos.

Right here’s a range on photos I took with the Xiaomi 12 Lite:

Xiaomi contains numerous images modes, together with Macro, Portrait, Professional, Panorama, Gradual Movement, Time Lapse and others, however remember that a number of of those have to obtain earlier than you need to use them. So, you would possibly wish to mess around with them at dwelling earlier than heading out and utilizing up any of your knowledge plan.

Video tops out at 4K/30fps, with the default being 1080p/30fps. You may seize some good footage with the digicam, though the sound felt a bit skinny. Transferring from vibrant to darkish areas didn’t appear to section the sensor an excessive amount of, though on very vibrant days there was a bent to overexpose the sides of the footage.

However once more, completely good for social media and the inclusion of OIS (optical picture stabilisation) on the primary sensor helps preserve issues easy.

A 32Mp selfie digicam is discovered on the entrance, and once more it’s able to some respectable photos. You’ll discover extra modes and filters built-in that may easy out your pores and skin or different such trickery, however the usual digicam does a very good job of capturing element shortly and precisely.

Whereas it’s not the most effective digicam telephone for individuals who need professional stage photos, as an on a regular basis shooter in your pocket that allows you to get these essential pictures and share them on Instagram or Fb, the Xiaomi 12 Lite is a good possibility.

Battery Life & Charging

• 4300mAh battery
• 67W Quick Charging (with charger included)
• Xiaomi AdaptiveCharge

Battery life on the Xiaomi 12 Lite may be very respectable. Utilizing the telephone closely throughout a day – watching some YouTube movies, numerous internet searching, emailing, social media apps and even the occasional telephone name – left me with round 30% within the tank at bedtime (which is usually previous midnight).

Easing off on the screentime meant that I may simply get by way of two days on a single cost. Not that getting the gadget again to 100% is far of an inconvenience.

Foundry / IDG

Utilizing the included 67W charger, the 12 Lite went from empty to full cost in 41 minutes, which is great. So, even in case you determine to spend hours every day staring on the display, you’ll be capable to replenish your entire battery in much less time that it takes to have your lunch.

There’s no wi-fi charging assist for this mannequin, so that you’ll have to plug it in once you wish to energy it again up, however as I discussed above you a minimum of get the charger included within the field.

For benchmark followers, placing the Xiaomi 12 Lite by way of the PCMark Battery Take a look at returned the results of 11 hours and three minutes. Which is kind of respectable if not exceptional.

Software program & Apps

• MIUI 13
• Android 12
• Safety updates till July 2026

If there’s one weak spot on the 12 Lite, then it’s in all probability the software program. Don’t get me mistaken, MIUI 13 is a wonderfully serviceable system that provides loads of options, but it surely does take a little bit getting used to. And I’m not the primary particular person at Tech Advisor towers to seek out this to be the case.

For example, wallpapers and themes all come by way of a Theme retailer. There’s loads of free stuff, and also you get ones bundled in with the telephone, but it surely’s a barely completely different method to a number of the different variations of Android that you could have already used.

Bloatware isn’t too dangerous, with the telephone having just a few video games and social media apps pre-installed out of the field. Xiaomi additionally contains its personal bespoke apps for notes, internet searching and different issues, however that is stored to a minimal and most will be uninstalled.

Foundry / IDG

I did discover that the display might be a little bit delicate, particularly in the case of long-pressing icons. When transferring apps from one display to the opposite, the slightest wobble of my finger would make the telephone assume I used to be scrolling between pages, making it a little bit difficult to choose up the apps. A gradual hand solved this, however in case you’re used to whizzing round you would possibly discover this considerably annoying.

Android 12 is working beneath MIUI 13, and Xiaomi now guarantees three main Android model updates plus 4 years of safety updates throughout the lifespan of its units. Briefly, this implies the gadget will probably be usable for 4 years from its launch date, however after that the safety updates will cease and you’ll have to retire the telephone. We’re not loopy that that is the case, because it means you’re much less prone to hand on a telephone to a relative, thus consigning it to a landfill someplace. Sadly, that is the case throughout the trade, and 4 years is definitely fairly good. If you would like longer, attempt Samsung or Apple.

Worth & Availability

On the time of writing Xiaomi has solely confirmed the worth of the 12 Lite in US {dollars}, although it received’t formally go on sale in America. We’ll replace this with extra pricing when it turns into obtainable however right here’s how the fashions break down:

• 6GB/128GB – $399
• 8GB/128GB – $449
• 8GB/256GB – $499

There’s a very good likelihood that these costs might have the identical numbers connected when they’re launched on 9 July within the UK, Europe, and greater ones (on account of foreign money conversion charges) in India and different territories. As a reference level, the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G was priced at £399/€399 for the 8GB/128GB variant, so the pricing on the 12 Lite might be across the similar.

This brings the gadget into competitors with the likes of the OnePlus Nord 2T, Realme GT 2 and Xiaomi stablemate the Poco X4 Professional 5G. All of those are nice telephones for lower than £/$/€500 and the Xiaomi 12 Lite definitely doesn’t embarrass itself on this firm.

Try extra choices in our greatest mid-range smartphones chart.

Verdict

The Xiaomi 12 Lite is a really stable mid-range telephone. The light-weight building is a cushty change from the heavier alternate options discovered at this worth level, plus the squre-edged design is each trendy and makes it simpler to carry within the hand.

Efficiency is once more excellent, as are the cameras if you would like one thing for social media platforms. The software program could be a bit clunky at instances, and the overly delicate show takes a little bit getting used to, however these are minor gripes in comparison with all the opposite advantages on supply.

Should you’re meaning to spend this type of cash on a telephone in 2022, the Xiaomi 12 Lite must be on the very high of your ‘ones to attempt’ record.

Specs

• 6.55-inch AMOLED FHD+ DotDisplay, with 120Hz refresh fee, 240Hz contact sampling, Dolby Imaginative and prescient and HDR10+ assist, Corning Gorilla Glass 5
• Snapdragon 778G
• MIUI 13 with Android 12
• 6/8GB LPDDR4X RAM
• 128/256GB UFS 2.2 Storage
• 108Mp f/1.88 Major digicam (with Samsung HM2 sensor)
• 8Mp f/2.2 Extremely Extensive digicam
• 2Mp f/2.4 Macro digicam
• 32Mp f/2.45 Selfie digicam
• 5G (Twin SIM)
• Wi-Fi 6
• NFC
• Bluetooth 5.2
• 4300mAh battery with 67W wired turbo charging
• Twin audio system with assist for Dolby Atmos
• USB-C charging port
• 159 x 74 x 7.3mm
• 173g