Xiaomi 12T Pro Review: It doesn’t just have a 200-megapixel camera. A new family of Xiaomi smartphones arrives on the market for the last months of this 2022, its name is Xiaomi 12T series and is presented as an addition to the already existing Xiaomi 12. It consists of two smartphones: Xiaomi 12T and Xiaomi 12T Pro with mainly a couple of differences that we will analyze at the end of this review dedicated to the most important model, both in economic terms but above all in technical characteristics.
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Xiaomi 12T Pro therefore does not want to replace Xiaomi 12 Pro but rather to support it, in fact it presents different hardware solutions, some more, others less interesting. What matters, however, is that we are dealing with a well-functioning and complete smartphone, in all its aspects.
Unboxing of Xiaomi 12T Pro
Inside the Xiaomi 12T Pro package there is the 120W power supply (which recharges the smartphone from 0 to 100 in just 19 minutes), a transparent soft rubber cover, the USB – Type C cable for charging and transfer file. The smartphone also comes with a pre-applied protective film.
Design & Ergonomics
In terms of aesthetics, the new Xiaomi 12T family is very similar to that of the beginning of the year, simply less refined in detail but still pleasant. The main difference is on the photographic module and here we can say that this also represents the main novelty in terms of hardware.
On the back it has a frosted glass panel pleasant to the touch, curved on the sides and with a slightly anti-fingerprint treatment, on the front there is a large 6.67 “display with 1220p resolution, sharp, with bright colors and AdaptiveSync technology or capable of varying the refresh rate between 30, 60, 90 and 120 Hz. Unfortunately, however, it is not LTPO technology like Xiaomi 12 Pro. In the same way, the audio is also slightly lower but still of high quality, edited by harman kardon and with stereo effect coming out of the ear capsule and the main speaker.
Below the display, on the other hand, there is the fingerprint sensor which is awake and fast, if necessary it can also be used to measure the heartbeat thanks to the dedicated function present in the special features.
The proximity sensor deserves an honorable mention, where the company has finally re-introduced an optical type; after years of stubbornness in using an ineffective virtual sensor, here we certify that there is no problem and indeed, the optical sensor is visible as it should be in the eyes of a camera.
Functionality
On board the Xiaomi 12T Pro there is Android 12 with the new MIUI 13 graphic interface and here we confirm another time that Xiaomi seems to have worked better than in the past, listening to the criticisms of the community. In fact, during our test we did not detect any serious usability problems: notifications arrive on time, there are no overlaps inside the curtain nor did we encounter the usual aggressiveness in closing applications.
Having said that, the MIUI 13 does not differ excessively from the previous one, graphically speaking, it is a little more minimal but any trace of the Material You (the stock interface of Android) is usually supplanted, for example the Themes are the classics of MIUI and there is no feature that matches the system colors to the background. This can be good or bad, it depends on your point of view, it is undoubtedly iconic for the brand.
Among the various features there is obviously the always-on display, there is the integration of the side panel where you can add quick links, the apps in the window, the hidden space to be protected with a fingerprint or password and the lite mode.
Performance
Xiaomi 12T Pro is obviously powered by Qualcomm’s latest super processor, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 which represents a nice improvement over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. We know this because we have also seen it in action on other recent smartphones but above all because it shows it in practice, presenting zero overheating problems and extreme reliability in terms of performance on this product as well.
In terms of connectivity, it supports up to 5G even in Dual SIM. Reception is very good and obviously there is WiFi 6 and bluetooth in version 5.3 which allows you to connect simultaneously to multiple devices in addition to the infrared transmitter on the top.
Instead, there are four features often used to stand out on the market, we are talking about memory expansion, the 3.5 mm hole for headphones, a certification against water and dust and wireless charging.
Camera
The photographic sector of Xiaomi 12T Pro is completely different compared to the Xiaomi 12 Pro model which had a 50 megapixel trio. In this case, the Chinese company focuses entirely on the main sensor, leaving out the other two:
- 200MP f / 1.69 with 4-in-1 pixel binning;
- 8MP ultra wide angle;
- 2MP macro;
- 20 megapixel front camera.
The main sensor obviously deserves a large paragraph. It is 200 megapixel and therefore extremely defined but obviously the photos with the point and shoot is done at 12 megapixels. Good because otherwise 1 TB of storage memory would not be enough to hold all the photos that would otherwise weigh 50 MB each. It works in 4-in-1 pixel binning, this means it takes a real 50 megapixel photo by joining 4 pixels at a time, so it actually takes very detailed photos. Proof of this is the fact that, even when zooming in on the photos, there are very few differences when shooting in ultra HD mode at 200 mpx and 50 mpx. Secondly, however, this allowed Xiaomi to avoid having to insert a fourth photographic sensor to have a 2x zoom, because it is sufficient to make a crop on the main sensor to make the same photo, a two in one in practice.
It is a solution that will allow manufacturers to save a sensor and therefore space on the back and money. The benefits are many and not only for the company: shooting with the same sensor at 1x and 2x allows to have a homogeneity often sought in the white balance, and for example also the portraits that, taken at 2x offer a very interesting rendering with details and a nice bokeh real and impact.
The sensor is really of quality and the photos taken by Xiaomi 12T Pro are very valid in all light conditions, even when there are strong contrasts. The speech is different when using the other two sensors, and it is really a pity that Xiaomi has not provided it with the same ultra wide angle as Xiaomi 12. The quality is good but lower than the model at the beginning of the year.
It is interesting that, by shooting in high resolution, it is then possible in post to choose the most suitable aspect ratio for our purpose.
Similarly, videos can also be recorded up to 8K resolution at 24 fps while it can switch from one sensor to another while recording up to 30 fps, both in 1080p and 4K.
Battery & Autonomy
The Xiaomi 12T Pro battery is 5000 mAh, an important capacity that offers an equally important duration. In terms of autonomy it manages to offer between 6 and 7 hours of display on, setting the refresh rate to 120 Hz (dynamic), full resolution and no type of energy saving.
If necessary, there is also fast charging at 120 W via cable for which it is recharged from 0 to 100 in just (about) 19 minutes.
In conclusion
Xiaomi returns to be heard loudly and offers a convincing smartphone. Solved the problem with the proximity sensor, it now really has the possibility to make its way through the competition and does so with one of the first smartphones with a super definitive 200 megapixel optical sensor. It is not technologically its best product, Xiaomi 12 Pro and Xiaomi 12s Ultra still remain at the top, but it is reliable and very balanced. It is no coincidence that the price is also relatively low compared to these brothers.
At the same time, Xiaomi 12T also arrives on the market which has a different processor, Dimensity 8100-Ultra, and the main photographic sensor which is 108 megapixel, in addition of course to the price of 250 euros less: 649 euros for the 8/256 GB version. and 599 Euros for the 8/128 GB version.