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Xiaomi’s new flagships are now available in Bangladesh as well. The high prices for the Xiaomi 12 (to the test) and Xiaomi 12 Pro (to the test) were hardly surprising. We have already tested both flagships. A big surprise, however, is the presentation of the Xiaomi 12X for our realms. The smartphone does without the current top processor and wireless charging but otherwise brings us high-end equipment in a compact housing. In the global version, we were able to put the handy Xiaomi 12X into operation 10 days before the launch event, and in this detailed test you will find out everything about the de facto successor to the Mi 9 SE.
Externally, the Xiaomi 12X is exactly the same as the normal Xiaomi 12. Cases and screen protectors also fit both devices accordingly. The Xiaomi 12X measures 153 x 70 x 8.6 millimeters and weighs 180 grams. This puts it in the category of small smartphones. However, it is not really easy. On the one hand, this is due to the properly dimensioned 4500 mAh battery and, on the other hand, to the metal frame. The frame is also painted accordingly depending on the color variant (black, purple, or blue). The back is matte and resistant to scratches, fingerprints, and grease streaks. Even if you can feel a light texture in your hand, the Xiaomi 12X is a slippery smartphone. On the display, Xiaomi mentions Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on the front but not on the back. In any case, the metal frame and the matte glass back ensure a high-quality feel, and the workmanship of the Xiaomi 12X is flawless. The cell phone appears very stable and all transitions are smooth. The rounded (curved) display is helpful when using swipe gestures, and the rounded back fits the hand accordingly.
As with most smartphones these days, the cameras of the Xiaomi 12X protrude from the back. Your device is very wobbly on flat surfaces. Unfortunately, the supplied protective cover doesn’t change that much either, because 3mm is quite a lot. In addition to a silicone protective cover, Xiaomi also includes a 67-watt charging adapter and a USB-A to USB-C cable in the scope of delivery. A SIM needle and three white scraps of paper are also included in the white box. The design on the front of the Xiaomi 12X shines with a tiny and centrally placed punch hole notch (3mm in diameter). The display edges of 1.5 mm left and right, 2.5 mm above, and 3.5 mm below, leave no doubt that you are holding a high-end smartphone in your hands.
The once clean back of the Xiaomi 12X will be changed a bit for the EU launch. A 5G symbol is added to the Xiaomi lettering. There is also the obligatory CE logo, the crossed-out dustbin, and the company name + model number. We already know the “sound by Harmon/Kardon” lettering along with the loudspeaker, second microphone, and infrared transmitter on the top from China. Together with the main speaker on the bottom, the Xiaomi 12X provides us with real and really good stereo sound. Harman / Kardon tuned the speakers, and you can select different sounds Dolby Atmos profiles are used. These settings really change the sound enormously. The USB-C (2.0) connection, the main microphone, and the dual SIM slot (2x Nano-SIM) are also located on the underside. The power button and volume rocker are on the outside right. Both buttons are made of metal, have a good pressure point, and sit in the frame without play.
You can use your face or your finger to quickly unlock the Xiaomi 12X. The fingerprint scanner is located under the display and unlocks the smartphone reliably (8/10 attempts) and quickly (less than a second) from standby. As always, you can choose between on-screen buttons (configurable) or the familiar swipe gestures. Both work excellently. The area on the rounded edges of the display that should not react when touched can be set individually in the options menu. There were no unwanted inputs in the test. In contrast to many mid-range smartphones from Xiaomi, the Mi 12X comes with a fully functional always-on display (AOD).
The Xiaomi 12X has a 6.28-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels. This is a so-called curved display, so the sides are clearly curved on the left and right. With 418 pixels per inch, all content on the display of the Xiaomi 12X appears perfectly sharp. The contrast is typically excellent for AMOLED and the colors are strong. As usual with Xiaomi’s high-end smartphones, you can fine-tune the color reproduction to your own preferences in the options menu. In addition, a terminable read (reduces the blue light) and dark mode (black and white reversal) are available. Sensitive users are also taken into account by means of DC dimming. The AOD can also be used to its full extent visually and functionally. Xiaomi leaves nothing to be desired with the display of the Xiaomi 12X.
In addition to Widevine L1, the Xiaomi 12X also supports HDR+ and Dolby Vision content. With a brightness of 1400 lux in automatic mode (850 lux in manual mode), you can easily enjoy your series outdoors, too. An HD resolution is of course possible with Disney+, Netflix, and Co. and Amazon Prime do not impose any additional restrictions here either. Readability outdoors is perfect and the rounded edges only produce slight reflections that are not really annoying.
The refresh rate of the Xiaomi 12X is a smooth 120Hz. You have the choice between an automatic mode, 60Hz or 120Hz. The Xiaomi 12X switches to 60Hz for certain apps (which do not offer any advantage at 120Hz) or for a still image (i.e. if you are not doing anything on your display). This switching happens both in automatic mode and with the 120Hz setting. I couldn’t tell a difference. 60Hz is correspondingly jerky and should only be used in emergencies when the battery is low. Unlike LTPO displays, the Xiaomi 12X can not down-regulate to a very low 1 or 10Hz.
I immediately removed the factory protective film. because the glass surface of the display feels excellent. Up to 10 touches are recognized simultaneously, and a 480Hz sampling rate ensures that all commands are implemented perfectly and without delay. Ultimately, the sample rate is only really relevant for hardcore gamers, because nowadays, all displays are simply responsive and accurate. The Xiaomi 12X is protected from scratches by the latest Corning Gorilla Glass Victus.
One could still philosophize about LTPO or a higher resolution here. Both somehow become marketing features whose effects on practice hardly anyone really feels. In any case, the Xiaomi 12X has a display that leaves nothing to be desired.
Speaking of wishes. Hardly anyone always needs the latest flagship processor on the market. Accordingly, the Xiaomi 12X relies on an extremely powerful and up-to-date Snapdragon 870 processor. The octa-core processor is a new edition of the Snapdragon 865 (the flagship processor of 2020) and is manufactured using the modern 7-nanometer process. In contrast to the SD865, the single-core performance has been slightly increased by a maximum clock rate of 3.2 GHz in the prime score. Our Xiaomi 12X is equipped with 8GB of DDR5 RAM and 256GB of internal UFS 3.1 storage. However, the speed of the storage is disappointing given DDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. The read/write rate is just 930/330 MB/s and the RAM delivers 13 GB/s. Both values are below the average for modern memory. However, you don’t notice this in practice, and the Xiaomi 12X navigates smoothly and without any noticeable delay through the system. The Adreno 650 GPU also ensures that even demanding gamers get their money’s worth. With the Xiaomi 12X, you don’t have to worry about speed and future security. Here are the benchmarks compared to other high-end smartphones:
As always, we subjected our test device to some stress tests. Genshin Impact ran like this for an hour, and then I could measure 41°C at the warmest point. The 12X remained stable for 15 runs in the 3DMark stress test but then dropped significantly. I measured 44°C at the warmest spot, and the graphics performance dropped by 30%. In contrast, the CPU was heavily loaded in the throttle test. There was also a drop in performance of 25% after 20 minutes, with the device only having 40°C at the warmest point. In practice, the Xiaomi 12X can be used without any restrictions, and there is nothing to fear even under heavy loads.
Anyone who has been in the Xiaomi universe for a long time will inevitably find that MIUI also differs in terms of functionality depending on the device. A mid-range smartphone like the Redmi Note 10 Pro offers fewer setting options, e.g. for the display. The always-on function of the Note 10 Pro does not have an “always-on” function, and the color display of the display cannot be configured so minutely. There are no other changes to 4GB RAM devices, such as the Redmi Note 11. For performance reasons, dual apps and the popular dual space have been removed. So what I’m getting at here is this: MIUI 13 is not the same as MIUI 13.
In any case, the Xiaomi 12X runs MIUI 13 with all its features. In addition, MIUI 13 features design changes, a new sidebar, and optimized floating windows. According to Xiaomi, MIUI 13 is also faster, smoother, and consumes less power. Where would we be if a manufacturer claimed otherwise? The Xiaomi 12X comes with many additional apps (bloatware), but you can easily uninstall 26 of them. If you want to clean up your system even further, you can do so with our instructions. But beware, some apps are relevant for the system! As with every Xiaomi smartphone, there is also discreet advertising here. We have instructions for this, and after 10 minutes you will no longer see ad banners. The advertising is only limited to system apps anyway.
According to Xiaomi, the Xiaomi 12X will ship with MIUI 13 on Android 12. However, our test device still runs on Android 11. Updated 05/21/2022: The Android 12 update has now been delivered with the latest security patch. The MIUI 13 system is surprisingly smooth and stable. This is partly due to the fact that the device has been on the market in China since the beginning of the year. And with the code name “Psyche,” we get the identical model in Europe, just with pre-installed Google Services. If you want, you can also use Xiaomi.EU ROM here.
Xiaomi completely redesigned the cameras of its flagships. It goes from the 108-megapixel Samsung sensor to the Sony IMX766 50MP sensor. The camera setup of the Xiaomi 12X is completely identical to the normal Xiaomi 12.
We have already made a direct comparison between the two “real” flagships. For a camera comparison between the Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12 Pro.
More comparisons with the Xiaomi 12X will follow in the next few days. Among others with the OnePlus Nord 2, Realme GT 2 Pro, and Poco X4 Pro.
The main camera of the Xiaomi 12X produces sharp images with lots of details in good lighting conditions. The automatic HDR mode intervenes at the right time, and the recordings generally have excellent dynamics. While I still had to talk about the colors being too strong with the Xiaomi 12, this issue has been resolved with the Xiaomi 12X. The software ensures a very accurate color representation. If you like crisp colors, you can simply switch on the AI model.
The OmniVision OV13B10 13MP sensor of the ultra-wide-angle camera is convincing again in the 12X. The colors of the photos are well-coordinated, they are sufficiently sharp at the edges and bring out enough details. You can definitely view the recordings, even on larger screens.
Finally, the Marko sensor. I actually don’t think much of these sensors, but you can definitely do something with the 5MP sensor with 2X zoom. Anyone who likes to take such macro shots will at least have added value with the Xiaomi 12X.
Processors are known to change image quality. With the Snapdragon 870, the Xiaomi 12X takes better pictures overall than the normal Xiaomi 12. However, the 12 could also be further optimized via software. As of now, some of the criticisms of the Xiaomi 12 have disappeared, although the night shots are not super realistic without yellow either. The Xiaomi 12X can ultimately score well with all cameras and does not fall behind the competition in terms of video function either. Only the selfie camera is not the yellow of the egg.
The Xiaomi 12X transmits reliably on all important frequencies and offers good 4G and 5G connectivity for worldwide use: Dual SIM (2 x Nano)
Holders of a 5G contract can, of course, also look forward to DSS 5G. As a user of a Telekom 5G contract, I almost only see the 5G symbol on the Xiaomi 12X. However, this is not real 5G and the speed is almost identical to 4G. The reception with the Xiaomi 12X was consistently stable and without any abnormalities. The SAR value is 0.59 W/kg (head) and 1 W/kg (body). You are well prepared for phone calls and the quality is excellent. The earcup can get very loud, and then the entire room can hear your conversation. However, this can be adjusted much better here than in the test of the Xiaomi 12. Xiaomi has definitely changed something there and with the Xiaomi 12X, you can now also make private calls. Features such as VoLTE (telephony over the LTE network) or VoWiFi (telephony over the WLAN) are available and work without restrictions. The proximity sensor also reliably darkens the display when making a call to the ear.
The latest standards, WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 are also onboard the Xiaomi 12X. If you need high-resolution Bluetooth codecs, you can get aptX and LHDC with the Xiaomi 12X. At least I can confirm these two, but LDAC, aptX adaptive, and aptX-HD should also be supported. Please leave a comment if you can confirm this. Otherwise,, I will add the information as soon as Xiaomi officially confirms the codecs. The WiFi connection on my WiFi 6 network was excellent. Even 10 meters and 2 walls away from the router, 400/50 Mbit still came from my gigabit line. Of course, NFC for Google Pay is also on board. The location determination works within a few seconds using dual standards and is accurate to within 3 meters. A Qualcomm processor does not allow more. In practice, there were no problems, either in the car or as a pedestrian.
In addition to acceleration, proximity, and brightness sensors, a gyroscope, compass, and infrared transmitter are also available as sensors. I have already discussed the stereo speakers in more detail above in the design and processing section. Otherwise, there is nothing to complain about in this category, and the Xiaomi 12X is fully equipped.
As smartphones got bigger, so did battery life. There are correspondingly few small smartphones with really good battery life. Xiaomi still manages to install a reasonable 4500 mAh here. The somewhat weaker chipset compared to the Mi 12 ensures a noticeably better runtime than the Mi 12X. The PCMark battery test also confirms this, because a runtime of 13 hours and 19 minutes is an excellent value for an “almost” flagship. In test mode, I managed a DOT (time with the display switched on) of 7 to 8 hours with many photos, benchmarks, and one or the other YouTube video. The standby consumption is also moderate, at 4–5% in 8 hours. The always-on display consumes 1% every 2 hours and can, of course, be limited in time.
The supplied 67-watt charging adapter takes almost 40 minutes from 1 to 99%. However, you have to do without the convenience feature of wireless Qi charging with the Xiaomi 12 X. Xiaomi still reserves this for the most expensive flagships.
