Xiaomi 12 Lite review: the camera you would not have expected

In the packaging of this smartphone we find a USB / USB-C cable, a 67W power supply and an appreciated silicone cover.

Xiaomi 12 Lite it has a fairly familiar and perhaps even a bit common design, but in the blue version we tested it is still a pleasant product. The frosted glass on the back is extremely pleasant both to the eye and to the touch. Even the profile, quite square, is pleasant to the touch, even if in this case it is made “only” of plastic. However, this allows it to remain light (only 173 grams) and also thin (7.3 mm).

Inside this Xiaomi 12 Lite we find a great classic: the processor Snapdragon 778G octa core from 6 nanometers. It is a well-tried and highly appreciated CPU for its performance and excellent energy balance. We then have 8 GB of RAM and 128 or 256 GB of internal memory, sufficient for almost all uses, although not expandable via microSD. We have an Adreno 642L GPU and great connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC and even infrared emitter. The fingerprint reader inside the display is also very good: fast and precise, even if positioned a little lower (as in many other smartphones). On the other hand, the audio jack is missing and the proximity sensor is once again virtual. We didn’t have too many problems during use but it is not impossible that the screen does not lock properly during a phone conversation. The audio is stereo and although not very powerful, adequate for the category.

Xiaomi 12 Lite is equipped with a main camera from 108 megapixels ƒ / 1.9, an 8-megapixel ƒ / 2.2 wide-angle lens and a small 2-megapixel macro. This photo kit is a great solution when it comes to shots with the main sensor which are of excellent quality, at least for the price range. The images are sharp, with excellent focus, good color and light balance. Even at night the photos amaze, despite the absence of optical stabilization. Good performance and also the balance of the lights does not lose particular hits. The wide angle is also discreet, despite its limited resolution. The videos in 4K I’m only at 30fpsbut they are stable and well balanced under every front, showing the same merits in the case of taking photos.

The photos with the front camera from 32 megapixel ƒ / 2.5while those from the 2 megapixel macro camera are insufficient.

The Xiaomi 12 Lite screen is a 6.55 inches of Full HD + diagonal (1080 x 2400 pixels) in AMOLED technology. It is a panel that supports the refresh rate a 120 Hz, even if the variability is only between this value and 60 Hz and not also between the intermediate values. Better than nothing. We then have 240 Hz touch sampling and HDR10 + support. The peak brightness is 950 nits, which is a good value for a product in this price range. This can also be seen in outdoor use, which is definitely more than satisfactory. The flat screen of this smartphone is certainly one of the strong points. Too bad only for the always-on display, which is activated only for 10 seconds upon receipt of a notification. In fact it is not always.

Xiaomi 12 Lite it is obviously equipped with the customization of Xiaomi for its software, or the MIUI 13.0.7, obviously based on Android 12, updated with the August 2022 security patches at the time of writing. A fluid and very responsive software, with no bugs to report and with the classic MIUI features in their place, such as themes, the ability to open apps in the window, the second space to separate the work content space from the private ones and also the nice feature to use the fingerprint reader as a fingerprint reader.

The battery of this smartphone is from 4,300 mAh and guarantees the smartphone an autonomy of over a day with average use. In case of intense use, however, it is difficult not to make it to the end of the day. Quite a surprising result for a smartphone with a battery of this capacity. In addition, we still have a fast charge at 67W.

Xiaomi 12 Lite has an introductory price of € 499 for the 128 GB version. Not a few, but now it is already online at much lower prices, such as i € 444 for the 256 GB version. A decidedly more aggressive price.