If you’ve been using the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra and you’re expecting a redesigned design, think again. The 12s Ultra has been overhauled. It does away with the tiny second screen on the back of the 11 Ultra and pushes the line from gimmicky to gravitas with a new, eye-catching circular camera frame.
The 12s Ultra is a thick phone. Xiaomi says it’s around 9.1 mm, but only takes into account the frame. In the body, the phone is actually about 1.3cm thick when you include the camera bump. At 225g, the Xiaomi 12s Ultra is also heavy – weighing somewhere between the iPhone 13 Pro (204g) and the Pro Max (240g). Its matte metal frame tapers elegantly at the sides, where the power button sits below the volume rocker on the right.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| OS | Android 12 |
| Resolution | 3200*1440 pixels (521ppi) |
| Display | Amoled 6.7 inches |
| Brightness | 1500 |
| CPU | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| Processor | Octa-core, 1x 3.19GHz Cortex-X2 + 3x 2.75GHz Cortex-A710 + 4x 1.80GHz Cortex-A510 |
| GPU | Adreno 730 |
| Memory | 256 GB ROM 8 GB RAM |
| Main Camera | 50.3 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1.0″-type, multi-directional PDAF, Laser AF, OIS + 48 MP, f/4.1, 120mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.0″, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom + 48 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, (ultrawide), 1/2.0″, Dual-Pixel PDAF + TOF 3D, (depth), Dual LED Flash |
| Front Camera | 32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide)Â |
| USB | USB type C 2.0 |
| NFC | Yes |
| Infrared | Yes |
| Battery | Li-po Non-removable 4860 mah |
| Charging | Fast charging 67W |
Cameras
There are three cameras on the back of the Xiaomi 12s Ultra and one on the front. Only one of these cameras impresses at first glance, the primary 50MP Sony IMX989 sensor with a size that beats the competition.
Larger camera sensors usually translate into better images because they can better capture light – the foundation for any image. More light means a better photo. There’s a lot more to it—camera software, photo processing, and more—but as a general rule, it holds water. So with the biggest sensor of all, the 12s Ultra should be the camera champion.
In addition to a great sensor, the 12s Ultra’s main camera features optical image stabilization (OIS), an f/1.9 aperture, an eight-element lens, and phase detection autofocus (PDAF).
As for the other cameras on Xiaomi’s flagship camera, both have two 48MP 1/2-inch sensors, with the ultra-wide camera having a focal length of 13mm and the telephoto lens has a focal length of 120mm. This equates to a telephoto experience with around 5x zoom.
The sensor quality of the main camera of the Xiaomi 12s Ultra, which surpasses its predecessor in terms of depth of field and dynamic range, is excellent. Subjects closer than one meter attract focus, while natural-looking background-foreground separation helps them pop. Smartphones usually don’t do this without portrait mode enabled, but this one does.
Verdict
Combining a fantastic camera system with a great design and a bright, bold screen, it packs plenty of power.Â
