Xiaomi cell phone comparison 2022: The 5 best smartphones

For chic photos, you get three 50-megapixel cameras: an optically stabilized main camera, an ultra-wide-angle lens for landscape and architectural shots, and a telephoto lens for zooming in on distant subjects – unfortunately only with a double zoom. The selfie cam also has a high resolution of 32 megapixels, but unfortunately does not record 4K videos. Also practical: Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 are complemented by an infrared port, you can use the cell phone as a TV remote control.

The currently fastest Android chip, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, is responsible for the performance, accompanied by 8 or 12 GB of RAM. The internal memory is a decent size at 256 GB, but it cannot be expanded. You can charge the 4,600 mAh battery extremely quickly with a 120 watt power supply unit, wirelessly it works with 50 watts. However, the scope of delivery “only” includes a 67 watt power supply. Also a bit irritating: Unlike most other flagships, the smartphone is not waterproof, at least the manufacturer has skipped the IP certification. Overall, the Xiaomi 12 Pro is one of the top Android smartphones of the year.

Like the Pro model, the Xiaomi 12X offers an optically stabilized 50 megapixel main camera. Users have to accept compromises with the other cameras, the lack of a telephoto lens for the optical zoom is particularly noticeable. After all, there is an ultra wide-angle camera for landscape and architectural photography and a macro lens for close-up shots, such as flowers and insects. As with the flagship, the selfie cam has a resolution of 32 megapixels. Bluetooth 5.1 and Wi-Fi 6 are not the latest wireless standards, but the Xiaomi 12X impresses with powerful stereo speakers.

The processor is the high-end Snapdragon 870 chip along with 8 GB of RAM. In practice, the performance differences to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 should hardly be significant. The 4,500 mAh battery can be charged with a 67 watt power supply, which is included in the scope of delivery. Unfortunately, wireless charging isn’t an option, and there’s no IP certification for a waterproof build, either. After all, Android 11 is installed ex works instead of 12 as in the Pro model. However, the price difference to the Xiaomi 12 Pro is also significant, the top model costs twice as much. Many users will be able to cope with the savings.

Photographers are also well catered for. The Poco F3 has a 48-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel lens for ultra-wide-angle shots, and a 5-megapixel macro lens for snapping flowers and bugs — but no telephoto lens for optical zoom. The selfie cam has a resolution of 20 megapixels.

Super: the valuable processing of glass and metal. This phone is not waterproof either. It’s also a pity that there is no headphone jack and no microSD card slot, which is otherwise common in this price range. After all, there is either 128 or 256 GB of internal memory, which will be sufficient for most users. Another plus is the stereo speakers.