Xiaomi 12S Ultra Review

• Overview
• Design and Build Quality
• Display
• Performance
• Software and User Interface
• Camera
• Battery Life
• Connectivity and Networking
• Additional Features
• Comparison with Other Related Phones
• Pros and Cons
• Conclusion

Overview

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is an absolute powerhouse that pushes the boundaries of smartphone technology. With its impressive camera system, it promises to redefine smartphone photography. The Leica lenses and advanced features deliver stunning results, whether you're capturing landscapes or zooming in for intricate details. The phone boasts a large 6.73-inch LTPO2 AMOLED display, ensuring a visually immersive experience. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset and paired with ample RAM options, it offers smooth performance and seamless multitasking. The Xiaomi 12S Ultra also features a robust battery with fast charging capabilities. With its sleek design and IP68 rating, this device is as durable as it is stylish. Available in black and dark green, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is a premium smartphone that truly stands out. Starting at a competitive price of $779, it offers incredible value for its top-of-the-line features.

Design and Build Quality

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra boasts an impressive design and build that exudes a premium look and feel. Its sleek and elegant form factor, combined with its slim profile and minimal bezels, make for an aesthetically pleasing device. The device features a combination of materials, with a glass front protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, an eco-leather back panel, and an aluminum frame, giving it a unique and luxurious texture. The choice of materials not only enhances its visual appeal but also adds to its durability and robustness. The device is also IP68 dust and water-resistant, providing an extra layer of protection.

In terms of ergonomics, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is well-balanced and comfortable to hold, despite its larger dimensions. The weight of 225g feels substantial in the hand, contributing to its premium feel. The placement of buttons and controls is well thought out, ensuring easy accessibility without compromising the overall design.

The finishing touches on the device are meticulous, with attention to detail evident in every aspect of its construction. The seamless integration of the display, the precision of the camera module, and the overall fit and finish of the device showcase Xiaomi's commitment to quality.

Overall, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra offers a combination of sleek design, premium materials, and sturdy construction, making it a standout device in terms of both aesthetics and build quality. Its ergonomic design and thoughtful placement of buttons further enhance its usability, while its durability ensures long-lasting performance.

Display

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra boasts an impressive display that is sure to catch the eye of gadget enthusiasts. With its large screen size of 6.73 inches, users can enjoy an immersive viewing experience. The display resolution of 1440 x 3200 pixels ensures sharp and detailed visuals, with a pixel density of approximately 522 ppi. The LTPO2 AMOLED technology used in the display provides vibrant colors and deep blacks, making images and videos come to life.

The display also supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, allowing for a wider dynamic range and enhanced contrast. With a peak brightness of 1500 nits, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra offers excellent outdoor visibility even in bright sunlight. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, ensuring durability and resistance to scratches.

Users can expect smooth and responsive touch interactions thanks to the display's high touch responsiveness. Additionally, the screen-to-body ratio of approximately 89.0% maximizes the use of the front surface, providing an immersive viewing experience. The display also features an always-on display option, allowing users to quickly glance at important information without fully unlocking the device.

Other notable features of the display include a blue light filter for reduced eye strain, adaptive brightness for optimal viewing in different lighting conditions, and screen calibration options for personalized color settings. Overall, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra offers a top-notch display that delivers impressive visuals and a great user experience.

Performance

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra boasts an impressive performance thanks to its powerful chipset and optimized system. Equipped with the Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) chipset and an octa-core CPU, including the high-performance Cortex-X2 core, this smartphone delivers exceptional processing power. The CPU benchmarks and synthetic benchmarks showcase its capabilities, with the Xiaomi 12S Ultra achieving impressive scores in tests like AnTuTu and GeekBench.

When it comes to gaming, the Adreno 730 GPU ensures smooth graphics and immersive gameplay. The GPU benchmarks and gaming benchmarks demonstrate its competence in handling demanding games with ease. Users can expect a lag-free gaming experience and impressive graphics scores, making the Xiaomi 12S Ultra an excellent choice for mobile gaming enthusiasts.

In addition to gaming, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra excels in multitasking and app loading speeds. The combination of the powerful chipset and ample RAM options (8GB or 12GB) ensures seamless performance even when running multiple apps simultaneously. Users can switch between apps effortlessly and enjoy a smooth user experience.

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra also impresses with its system optimization and thermal management. The smartphone is designed to efficiently handle tasks without overheating, thanks to its advanced cooling system. This ensures sustained performance without any throttling, allowing users to enjoy extended gaming sessions or intensive tasks without interruptions.

Overall, the performance of the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is commendable, with its high-end chipset, efficient CPU, and powerful GPU. It excels in both synthetic benchmarks and real-world usage scenarios, offering smooth multitasking, lag-free gaming, and fast app loading speeds. Whether users are gaming enthusiasts or multitasking professionals, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra delivers a top-notch performance experience.

Software and User Interface

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra runs on the Android 12 operating system with MIUI 13 on top, offering a smooth and user-friendly interface. The combination of the latest Android version and Xiaomi's custom UI provides a seamless user experience with added customization options. The MIUI 13 brings a refreshed design and improved performance, enhancing the overall usability of the device.

One notable aspect of the software is the absence of bloatware. Xiaomi has made efforts to minimize pre-installed apps, ensuring that users have more control over their device's storage and experience. This approach is commendable as it allows users to personalize their device according to their preferences without unnecessary clutter.

The MIUI 13 also offers a range of useful features and optimizations. Users can expect features like gesture navigation, dark mode, and a comprehensive settings menu to customize their device to their liking. Additionally, the software provides a smooth multitasking experience, allowing users to switch between apps seamlessly.

Furthermore, Xiaomi has focused on optimizing the software to enhance the device's performance. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, coupled with the MIUI 13, ensures smooth performance and efficient resource management. This enables users to run demanding applications and multitask without any lag or slowdown.

Overall, the software on the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is a key highlight, offering a user-friendly interface, customization options, and a clean, bloatware-free experience. The combination of Android 12 and MIUI 13 provides a seamless and efficient operating system, enhancing the overall user experience.

Camera

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra boasts an impressive camera setup, with a triple camera system featuring high megapixel counts and advanced features. The main camera is equipped with a 50-megapixel sensor, f/1.9 aperture, and optical image stabilization (OIS) for sharp and stabilized images. It is accompanied by a 48-megapixel periscope telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, allowing for capturing distant subjects with great detail. Additionally, there is a 48-megapixel ultrawide lens with a 128˚ field of view, perfect for capturing wide landscapes or group shots. The camera system also includes a ToF 3D sensor for depth information, enhancing the quality of portrait shots.

In terms of image quality, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra excels in various photography scenarios. It delivers exceptional results in daylight photography, with natural colors, good sharpness, and a wide dynamic range. The camera's low-light performance is impressive, thanks to its large sensor size and advanced noise reduction capabilities. It performs well in night photography, especially with the dedicated night mode, which enhances low-light sensitivity and reduces noise for brighter and clearer images in challenging lighting conditions.

The camera also offers various features to enhance the photography experience. It includes HDR mode for capturing scenes with high contrast, panorama mode for capturing wide scenic views, and a pro mode for manual control over settings. The AI scene recognition feature intelligently detects different scenes and optimizes settings accordingly for the best results.

When it comes to video recording, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra supports 4K video recording with excellent detail and clarity. It also offers video stabilization for smooth footage, slow-motion video for capturing captivating moments in detail, and time-lapse for creating creative time-lapse videos. The phone supports various video formats, ensuring compatibility with different platforms and devices. Overall, the camera of the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is a standout feature, delivering impressive image and video quality in various shooting scenarios.

Battery Life

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra comes with a Li-Po 4860mAh non-removable battery that offers impressive battery life. It is equipped with fast charging capabilities, supporting 67W wired charging, which can charge the device to 100% in just 41 minutes. Additionally, it supports 50W wireless charging, allowing for a full charge in 52 minutes. The device also offers reverse wireless charging at 10W. With such fast charging options, users can quickly replenish their battery power when needed. The battery performance of the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is commendable, providing users with a long-lasting battery backup. The device also incorporates battery optimization features to enhance power efficiency and prolong battery endurance. Overall, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra's battery offers a reliable and efficient power source, ensuring that users can enjoy their device for extended periods without worrying about running out of battery.

Connectivity and Networking

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra offers a wide range of connectivity options to meet the demands of modern smartphone users. With support for 5G, users can experience lightning-fast data speeds and enjoy seamless browsing, streaming, and downloading experiences. The device also supports various network compatibility, including GSM, CDMA, HSPA, EVDO, LTE, and 5G, ensuring that users can stay connected no matter where they are.

In terms of wireless connectivity, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra supports Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, allowing users to connect to both traditional and advanced Wi-Fi networks. The device also supports Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA for convenient file sharing and media streaming. Bluetooth 5.2 is available on the device, offering faster and more stable connections for wireless audio streaming and device pairing.

For easy and secure data transfer, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra features a USB Type-C 2.0 port. This versatile port allows for fast charging and data transfer, making it convenient for users to connect their device to a computer or other compatible devices.

NFC is also supported on the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, enabling users to make contactless payments and easily connect with other NFC-enabled devices. GPS is available for accurate navigation, while the device also supports GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS, and NavIC for enhanced positioning capabilities.

Overall, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra provides a comprehensive range of connectivity options, ensuring that users can stay connected, transfer data quickly, and enjoy fast internet speeds wherever they go.

Additional Features

• Standout Features: The Xiaomi 12S Ultra comes with several standout features that make it a top-tier smartphone. It boasts a powerful camera system with Leica lenses, offering impressive photography capabilities. The device also supports 8K video recording and Dolby Vision HDR, allowing users to capture and enjoy high-quality content. Additionally, the phone features a large LTPO2 AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, delivering smooth and vibrant visuals.


• Water and Dust Resistance: The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is IP68 certified, making it resistant to water and dust. This means that it can withstand submersion in up to 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes without any damage. Users can confidently use the device in various environments, knowing that it is protected against water splashes, rain, and dust particles.


• Wireless Charging: The Xiaomi 12S Ultra supports wireless charging, allowing users to conveniently charge their device without the need for cables. It is compatible with Qi wireless charging technology, making it compatible with a wide range of wireless charging pads and accessories. With wireless charging, users can simply place their phone on a charging pad and have it replenish its battery power effortlessly.


• Advanced Sensors: In addition to its primary sensors, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is equipped with a range of advanced sensors. These include an accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, and color spectrum sensor, among others. These sensors enable various features and functionalities, such as motion tracking, augmented reality applications, and enhanced environmental sensing.

Comparison with Other Related Phones

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is a flagship smartphone that offers impressive features and specifications. When comparing it to other related devices in the market, such as the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra holds its own.

In terms of display, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra features a 6.73-inch LTPO2 AMOLED display with a high refresh rate of 120Hz. This puts it on par with the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, which also has a 120Hz refresh rate, and ahead of the iPhone 13 Pro Max, which has a 60Hz refresh rate.

In terms of camera capabilities, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra boasts a triple camera setup with Leica lenses, including a 50MP main camera, a 48MP periscope telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, and a 48MP ultrawide lens. This puts it in direct competition with the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, which also has a powerful camera setup. The iPhone 13 Pro Max, on the other hand, features a triple camera setup with 12MP sensors.

In terms of performance, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, which offers excellent performance and efficiency. It performs well in benchmark tests, scoring high on AnTuTu and GeekBench. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is powered by the Exynos 2100 or Snapdragon 888 chipset, depending on the region, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max is powered by Apple's A15 Bionic chip.

In terms of pricing, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is priced at $779, making it a more affordable option compared to the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and the iPhone 13 Pro Max, which are priced higher in the market.

Overall, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra offers a competitive package with its impressive display, powerful camera setup, and strong performance. It provides a compelling alternative to other flagship devices in the market, offering good value for money.

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is a powerhouse of a smartphone, offering impressive features and capabilities. Its large and vibrant LTPO2 AMOLED display, coupled with a powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, ensures smooth performance and stunning visuals. The Leica-powered triple camera setup delivers exceptional photography results, whether it's capturing detailed wide-angle shots or zooming in with its periscope telephoto lens. The device also boasts fast charging capabilities, both wired and wireless, ensuring you stay powered up throughout the day. While the absence of expandable storage may be a downside for some, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra offers ample internal storage options. Overall, for potential buyers seeking a top-tier smartphone with excellent camera capabilities and smooth performance, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is definitely worth considering.