Two new models are available: the Xiaomi 12T and 12T Pro, which we took for a test drive. Let’s confirm that this is the initial impression of the phone. More detailed testing is scheduled for the next few days, during which time we’ve focused on the phone’s most important points. Let’s take a look at what has changed compared to last year’s Xiaomi 11T and what will convince Slovenian users the most.
Upgrades in many key areas
Let’s touch the screen first. The diagonal is 6.67 inches, and the screen itself is of an AMOLED type, or, according to Xiaomi, CrystalRes AMOLED, which should indicate a crystal clear display of the content on the screen. With a resolution of 1220 pixels and more than 68 billion colors, everything is as it should be, at least on paper. During the short test, we did not encounter any obstacles that would distort the initial impression of the phone. The AMOLED display delivers typical AMOLED quality, which means colors are dynamic and deep. Although there isn’t a strong sun in Munich, the screen was bright enough in daylight to say visibility wouldn’t be an issue with use. AMOLED refreshes at a frequency of up to 120 Hz, and the AdaptiveSync function is also built in, which adjusts the refresh rate according to the selected content, but only between 60 Hz and 120 Hz, not all the way to 1 Hz, like some flagship phones. Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, and Adaptive Reading are also available for even more reading comfort, but we haven’t been able to test the functionality yet.
Under the hood is the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, which is pretty powerful for 99% of users. Optimizing and cooling the phone during heavy use is more important. During our one-day testing, we mainly used it to take pictures, browse the web, and play videos, which means the phone hasn’t stretched its legs yet. With such moderate use, it is understandable that we did not experience any noticeable stuttering, sluggishness or heating of the phone. In the next few days, we will do more extensive tests and check if the Snapdragon processor, which is not exactly known to be the hottest, works well in the new Xiaomi 12T Pro. Xiaomi claims to have included a 65% larger chamber with 125% higher physical thermal coverage than its predecessor. What this means in practice remains to be seen.
Fast charging is still amazing
The Xiaomi 12T Pro has a decently large battery, i.e. 5000 mAh, but the most interesting is the 120W charging, which Xiaomi calls HyperCharge. We are glad that the corresponding charger is still included, so there is no need to purchase an additional charger. When we received the phone it was charged 75%. After wandering the streets of Munich we finished the day at around 30%, which is well within the expected range. We plugged it in for 10 minutes before breakfast and it was 40% charged, which means it’s ready to use all day again.
200MP Camera – Just a Number or a Real Upgrade?
There is a set of 3 cameras on the back: a 2MP macro camera, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a new 200MP main camera with optical image stabilization. There is also a 20MP selfie camera on the front.
If you want to take photos in 200MP mode, you will first need to turn on the Ultra HD feature, which will switch the camera to 50MP mode. You will then be presented with a 200MP feature. And what was the result? The first images are encouraging, despite the size of the sensor, we expected a more pronounced upgrade. Images are crisp and clear, full of color and plenty of detail, but the same goes for the 50MP mode and Classic mode. In low light, we don’t recommend using 200MP, as the camera itself warns you. We will leave a more detailed test of the camera’s performance to review the phone. What can be immediately noticed is that the phone cannot be compared to the competitors when it comes to zoom, which is the result of a loss of the zoom sensor and a stronger optical zoom.
Xiaomi 12T Pro can record up to 8K (24fps) and 4K (60fps). Interestingly, when you turn on image stabilization, the phone automatically switches to 1080p (30 frames per second). Manual intervention is not possible. Image stabilization works fine and we haven’t noticed any major glitches, at least for the time being.
