Xiaomi 12T Pro is Xiaomi's new flagship device with a 200MP camera. But the selling price which starts at RM2699 may be beyond the means of some groups, especially in the current uncertain economic situation. Because of that, the Xiaomi 12T is also offered in the local market as a more affordable alternative at a price of RM1999 with a 108MP camera and Dimensity 8100-Ultra chip. Many say the higher price indicates many features were removed and shortcuts taken by manufacturers to reduce costs. Is this true in the case of the Xiaomi 12T?
Specifications And Design
Xiaomi 12T
Screen 6.67″ CrystalRes AMOLED DotDisplay FHD+ (1220 x 2712)
120Hz, HDR10+
Dimensity 8100-Ultra processor (5nm)
4x 2.85 GHz Cortex-A78 chips
4x 2.0 GHz Cortex-A55
Mali-G610 MC6 Graphics Chip
RAM 8 GB LPDDR5
Internal Storage 256 GB UFS 3.1
Primary Camera 108MP, f/1.67, OIS (Primary)
8MP, f/2.2 (Ultra-wide angle)
2MP, f/2.4 (Macro)
20MP Selfie Camera, f/2.24
5000 mAh battery
120W wired charging
SIM/Telephony Dual SIM nano
5G
NFC Available
Stereo Audio, Dolby Atmos
Waterproof None
Scan System Fingerprint scan under the screen
Sale Price RM 1,999 (8/256 GB)
The design of the Xiaomi 12T is not much different from the Pro, which is also similar to the Xiaomi 12 Pro. When compared side-by-side, the only noticeable difference is the flatter camera hump, making this device no problem laying flat on a table. The device also has a flatter screen and uses a sturdy build with a metal frame that is hard to bend even under high pressure. No need to worry about the device folding into a Z Flip if you accidentally sit on it.
The power button and audio controls are located on the right side. On the top there is also an infrared emitter along with an audio grille. Meanwhile at the bottom there is an audio grill, USB-C port and SIM tray. The tablet supports nano-sized dual-SIM but no support for micro SD card. A silicone frame is also provided to protect the device from scratches and fingerprints.
The device's screen is a 6.67″ CrystalRes AMOLED DotDisplay, which supports an AdaptiveSync refresh rate of 30-120Hz that can display HDR10+ content. There's no Dolby Vision here as it appears to only be available on the 12T Pro model.
With a flat screen design watching HDR videos on Netflix is satisfying because it doesn't overflow to the sides like a curved screen. The camera hole on the screen is also no longer annoying because I'm used to this kind of screen. The quality of the screen is also bright enough with clear and sharp colors and supports good brightness if used under the scorching sunlight. As with the Xiaomi 12T Pro, the screen on the device in my opinion is quite good in its class with a satisfactory user experience.
Xiaomi 12T is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 8100-Ultra chip which is said to be more powerful than the regular Dimensity 8100. The memory on this device is limited with only 8GB of RAM which is matched with 256GB of internal storage. The device's camera is the main 108MP, with two basic sensors of 8MP and 2MP for ultra-wide angle and macro.
12T on paper falls in the premium mid-range category so the absence of IP68 protection, wireless charging is not yet a norm. The battery of the device is 5000mAh, so the body of the device is a little thick. Even so it is still comfortable to operate with one hand and there is no problem if it is placed in a trouser pocket.
Use And Software
In the Xiaomi 12 series, MIUI 13 which is used based on Android 12 can be felt that there are many problems that have been fixed. Like Xiaomi 12 Lite and 12T Pro, 12T also no longer has notification problems. Xiaomi also maintains features to make the display better such as 2K Upscale, changing color tones, making movement smoother and more. Boost Charging Speed and Optimized Charging features are also included to control the 120W HyperCharge charging rate so that the device does not heat up and battery health is guaranteed.
Although this device is a mid-range device, many features from Xiaomi's flagship devices are included. The 12T supports an under-screen fingerprint scanner that can scan the pulse, can increase the amount of RAM up to 3GB with Memory Extension and a 3-year Android update guarantee and 4-year security patch.
This makes the experience of using this device better. Over the course of several weeks of use, I've only had two or three time lags when scrolling through the launcher. Open social media applications, use the camera, listen to music, or play games all as if using a flagship device. I don't feel any performance issues like competing devices in the same class.
In addition to the performance of the device, the first play with this device is also quite good. As always, I'll test Asphalt 9 first – which me
In addition to the performance of the device, the first play with this device is also quite good. As always, I'll test Asphalt 9 first – which provides quite an immersive gaming experience. It's pretty smooth, fast, no lag issues and I can be devoted to an hour of car racing. First ones with higher graphics like PUBG Mobile are also quite good, but they don't support maximum graphics settings. Best of all, the device doesn't experience overheating after more than an hour of play.
However, Xiaomi 12T still has a memory management problem where applications do not often run in the background and are easily refreshed when opening other applications. For example, I'm writing an article through the Edge web browser and open another web browser such as Chrome for news reference – Edge will refresh until the article that is 40% finished keeps disappearing without having time to save it in draft.
Bench mark
In the our lab there are already several devices generated with this Dimensity 8100 chip. But is Xiaomi's claim with Dimensity 8100-Ultra on the 12T better than the regular version? I compared it with Oppo Reno8 Pro and Realme GT Neo 3 devices. It turns out, Xiaomi's claims are accurate because the scores obtained are encouraging.
The Xiaomi 12T was able to receive a score of 778,636 on AnTuTu 3D and 925/3678 on Geekbench 5. This has not yet been tested with the cooling fan accessory, which I am sure will be able to reach around 800,000. I also did not use GPU Turbo to further increase the CPU and GPU capabilities of the device. Here is a comparison of scores;
AnTuTu 3D
Xiaomi 12T: 788,636
Oppo Reno8 Pro: 705,712
Realme GT Neo 3: 742,992
Geekbench 5
Xiaomi 12T: 925/3678
Oppo Reno8 Pro: 891/3543
Realme GT Neo 3: 963/4008
After all, benchmark scores are still just numbers. Real-world usage is more important. So far, the 12T has not let me down and still gives me the satisfaction of using a mid-range device.
Telephony And GPS
Although not yet on the DNB list, the Xiaomi 12T has no problem with 5G connectivity. I am using a YES SIM card and can receive this Internet connection. But the speed I received was only below 100Mbps and could not receive real 5G speed. The 4G connection is also still stable, with approximately the same speed. Phone calls are also clear and loud, without any interference. 12T comes with VoLTE and VoWiFi support, so it helps in making good phone calls.
The YES SIM card also supports RCS without any problems for messaging on Google Messages. The GPS is fine in my opinion, it can still lock the location quickly and accurately without any strange things happening when the map application gives detailed instructions.
Camera
108MP camera is common for Xiaomi devices. For years they have been using this sensor on various categories of devices. What really matters is the software and processing chip used, whether it is capable of handling this sensor or not.
Xiaomi 12T has quite good camera capabilities and does not disappoint. Quality close-up photos, night mode is clear and bright enough with details to be preserved, portrait mode photos are a little messy – but if just sharing on social media it's acceptable. The colors produced are sharp, deep enough, there are no focus problems and those who want to make this device a daily device for photography will not be disappointed.
Battery
Like MIUI 13 on the 12T Pro, the 12T also no longer displays the device's SOT. But within a few weeks of use, the device has pretty amazing battery life. For extreme use with a smartphone, being active on social media, the camera and streaming video and music – it can last up to 7 hours SOT over two days. While light use is no problem to reach around 9 hours in the same period.
120W charging is also very fast, with less than 20 minutes the device can be charged from 0% to 100%. The Xiaomi 12T also has no problem charging with a 65W GaN charger, providing charging power of less than an hour to full.
Audio
Xiaomi is very kind because regardless of entry-level or mid-range devices, most of their devices will have stereo speakers. Unlike Vivo which often uses mono speakers. On the 12T the speaker supports Dolby Atmos, which is not the best, but not bad either. Music can still be treated with respect, watching videos also provides balanced audio as well as playing first which provides an adequate listening experience, in line with what this device offers.
In the box
Here's what you get with every device purchase in Malaysia.
1x Xiaomi 12T
1x USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
1x 120W Charger.
1x Silicone frame
1x Manual.
1x SIM Pin
Conclusion
The Xiaomi 12T is a pretty good mid-range premium device. Although not a flagship chip, the overall user experience is more or less the same as the Xiaomi 12T Pro. Good screen, smooth performance, acceptable battery life with fast charging support and comes with a sturdy build. The device is also comfortable to handle, and still looks premium.
If photography and videography are not the most important thing, but still want a device with good camera capabilities – Xiaomi 12T is a good choice for those with a budget of RM2000. This device is sold at a price of RM1,999 which has many landmark features that will surely please the heart of the owner.
Pro
Pretty awesome screen, beautiful and fast.
Satisfactory and smooth performance.
The camera capabilities are quite convincing.
Long battery life with super fast charging.
MIUI 13 is getting better and there are no frequent problems.
Cons
Designs that are recycled many times.
Still unsatisfactory video recording.
Non-obtrusive memory management.
Unsatisfactory audio.