Xiaomi 12 Lite review

Introduction and specifications

The Xiaomi 12 Lite arrives a little later than the rest of the 12 series. Aside from the completely revamped, square and trendy design, it offers an updated 120Hz OLED panel, a better 108MP main camera and faster charging. . The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 778G, which is up to the task.

The 12 Lite is also one of the first Xiaomi phones to offer Android 12 with the company’s MIUI 13 interface.

Xiaomi 12 Lite specifications at a glance:

• Body: 159.3×73.7×7.29 mm, 173 g; Gorilla Glass 5 front, plastic back, plastic frame; IP53, resistant to dust and splashes.
• Screen: 6.55 “AMOLED, 68B colors, HDR10 +, Dolby Vision, 120Hz, 500 nits (typical), 800 nits, 1080x2400px resolution, 20: 9 aspect ratio, 402ppi.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 5G (6 nm): Octa-core (4×2.4 GHz Kryo 670 and 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 670); Adreno 642L.
• Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM; UFS 2.2.
• Operating system / software: Android 12, MIUI 13.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 108 MP, f / 1.9, 26 mm, 1 / 1.52 “, 0.7 µm, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f / 2.2, 120˚, 1 / 4.0 “, 1.12µm; Macro: 2 MP, f / 2.4, 1 / 5.0 “, 1.75µm.
• Front Camera: 32 MP, f / 2.45, 1 / 2.8 “, AF.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K at 30fps, 1080p at 30/60/120 fps; gyroscope-EIS; Front camera: 1080p @ 30 / 60fps, 720p @ 120fps.
• Battery: 4500 mAh; Quick Charge 67W, Quick Charge 4+, Power Delivery 3.0.
• Various: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); Infrared port; two speakers; Virtual proximity detection.

Another noteworthy update is the selfie camera. It has a higher resolution, 32 MP, but most importantly it offers autofocus. This is an extremely rare feature nowadays and even most flagship devices omit it. We find it interesting, but disconcerting, since the Xiaomi 12 and 12 Pro also have the same 32 MP shooters, but with fixed focus. Selfie lovers, rejoice!

It’s nice to see the company being able to adapt to the upgrade around € 400, especially as many competitors have significantly increased their prices. And if the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE is anything to rely on, the price cuts will come sooner than you might expect. Even more, there aren’t many compact options around and the Xiaomi 12 Lite seems to appeal to an audience looking for portability. After all, the 6.55-inch diagonal is quite compact in 2022. Furthermore, the 12 Lite offers a light and slim design.

Unboxing of the Xiaomi 12 Lite

The device comes in a standard retail box containing the usual user manuals and the appropriate 67W wall charger. Of course, the USB-A to USB-C cable is also handy used not only for charging but also for data transfer.

Xiaomi has included a clear silicone case that doesn’t hide the design.