Xiaomi 12X is a semi flagship offering amongst the Xiaomi 12 Series. The device comes in a compact size with a still capable Snapdragon 870 5G chipset. Boasting the same design language with a smaller size, is it the perfect compact flagship phone, do find out in our Xiaomi 12X Review.
Xiaomi 12X Review
Design and Display
Talking about the design of the Xiaomi 12X, it resembles much of its expensive siblings, the Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12 Pro. There is a smaller curved display packed into a slim body. The camera module is the same here. Also, the dual stereo speaker grills, mic, IR blaster, power, and volume keys sit at the same spots in this model too. It is very comfortable to hold due to its thickness of just 8.2mm. People not preferring bigger phones will be impressed with the form factor of the Xiaomi 12X. It is also lighter with a 176g weight.
When it comes to the screen, there is a Full HD+ 6.2″ AMOLED panel on the front side with a 120Hz refresh rate. The screen resolution is toned down from the WQHD+ resolution of the Xiaomi 12 Pro, but the FHD+ is more than enough on a 6.2″ screen. Thanks to the HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support, the contents look gorgeous with superb quality, vibrant colors, and inkier blacks. The screen size also doesn’t seem that small for multimedia usage. The dual stereo speakers tuned by Harman Kardon are equally contributing along with the AMOLED panel for a worthy experience. Hence, watching movies, and videos become satisfactory on this phone.
Plus the 120Hz refresh rate brings no complaints. The MIUI 13 optimization works great here resulting in fluid scrolling and usage experience. Switching from apps feels equally fluent. Also, you can set the screen motion rate to auto for a variable refresh rate for prolonged battery life.
Xiaomi 12X Performance Review
Housing a powerful and balanced chip like Snapdragon 870 5G, Xiaomi 12X performs like a champ in terms of gaming, day-to-day usage, and other stuff. This last-gen silicon might seem older due to the arrival of Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, but the performance is still more than enough for now. Thanks to its excellent thermal management, the chip performs better in throttling than the aforementioned new chipset. This results in sturdy performance.
Battle Royale titles like Call of Duty Mobile, and PUBG Mobile take no hiccups and can run on full 60fps. You can set the graphics to full settings on both games but the ideal smooth + extreme settings are the best choice for every gamer. There were no frame drops or lags in heavy combat zones. The phone can get hot up to 40°C but given, that it is summer season right now. Still, you get a decent performance for whatever game you throw at it. The new ‘Game Turbo’ mode brings in two modes; balanced and performance modes. You might want to switch to the latter one for a better gaming experience.
Besides gaming, the usual performance is also decent. The phone has MIUI 13 on top of Android 11 which is kind of a bummer. As Android 12 would have been a lot better for a phone of this caliber. MIUI 13 felt good except for a few bugs relating to app opening. It got sorted with an update though. You can edit pictures and videos with MIUI providing you bunch of useful tools for both. Overall, the device does provide a flagship type performance.
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Xiaomi 12X Camera Review
Xiaomi 12X has a triple camera layout on its back. The primary sensor is a 50MP Sony IMX 766 lens with an f/1.9 aperture. It is followed by a 13MP ultrawide and 5MP Telemacro camera. A Telephoto lens is missed. On the front side, there is a 32MP selfie unit.
Outputs from the 50MP primary sensor look decent with amazing dynamic range, color contrast, and quality. The Sony IMX766 is a capable unit offering you some good quality photography capabilities. Daylight shots are on a warmer tone with rich details. Portraits also look very good on the sensor with decent edge detection. The bokeh level can be adjusted aftermath too. There are natural skin tones in human subjects. Also, for nonhuman subjects, the portrait mode works like a charm. For videos, it can capture up to 8K at 24fps. The stabilization kicks in for 4K resolution too but works the best in super steady mode at 1080p 30fps which combines both EIS and OIS.
While the 12MP Ultrawide sensor captures good images in broad daylight. The colors shift a bit from the main camera but for an ultrawide camera, it looks good. The edge distortion is also minimal. The dynamic range also works well in most scenarios. For videos, it can shoot up to 4K at 30fps with a good amount of stabilization. And the remaining macro camera does its job and produces a bit better image than a usual 2MP unit found on midrange devices.
The 32MP selfie camera captures well detailed selfies in daylight condition. The portraits are also very nice and edge detection works well. The dynamic range is also good and for low light, you have a dedicated night mode to improve lightings.
Battery and Charging
Xiaomi 12X packs in a 4700mAh battery. The 67W fast charger provided in the box can fill the cell from 0% to 100% in 45 minutes. Also, the battery gives you around 5.5 hours SOT on moderate usage. While on heavy usage, the SOT reduces to 4 hours. Overall, battery life is good, if not the best.
Final Verdict
Xiaomi 12X offers a compact form factor and aesthetics. The phone feels ergonomic and suits those preferring such a design. Powered by a Snapdragon 870 5G, it feels snappy and balanced for a flagship phone as the silicon is still capable. The Harman Kardon tuned dual stereo speakers are one of the best in this price range. I missed the headphone jack. Although the speakers sound decent, the placement is not that great for gamers. Your palms block the speaker while gaming.
MIUI 13 has become good with an update and there are ample options to play with. The phone boots on Android 11 which is a bummer when the Android 13 preview is already out. Xiaomi should throw an Android 12 update soon. Besides that, MIUI is a personal preference and gets used to if you are coming from other skins. It is not the best out there but not bad too.
In the optics department, the main camera comes as a savior with superb dynamic range, color contrast, and details. Sony IMX 766 is only a bit inferior to Sony IMX 707 sensor used on the Xiaomi 12 Pro. You get a decent portrait shot with nice edge detection and skin tones. The ultrawide is also good in daylight conditions with slightly different color tones. For low light, you get a night mode to bring in more light. The 5MP tele macro sensor is not gimmicky and does its job. A proper telephoto lens would have been great though.
Should You Buy It?
So, Xiaomi 12X is a really good device with a slim form factor and a powerful chipset. The optics perform fine. Ultrawide could have been a bit better though. Battery life is also good for a 4700mAh cell. For moderate usage, it can last a day. And you also get a 67W charger out of the box. The only downsides are no telephoto camera and no headphone jack. The pricing could have been better, Poco F3 was launched a lot cheaper with the same chipset. If you love the compact form factor and a powerful chip, you can consider a buy.
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That is all for our Xiaomi 12X Review. What do you like the most about this device? Are you thinking to buy one for yourself? Do write us your thoughts in the comment section below.
