Xiomi 12s Ultra
Chinese smartphone brand Xiaomi offers an array of affordable Android smartphones and other devices with its own unique features. The latest flagship model to be launched by the company is the 10T 12S in China - it offers a high-end design with excellent specifications that are very different from those of other phones under the X series. In this article, we will check out all the details about the phone's unique feature set and highlight the key differences between this device and some of the other models in the same class.
Xiaomi 12S Ultra Specs:
The 6.81-inch full HD+ display boasts a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, meaning that it has a huge pixel density. This gives the whole screen a smooth look and helps improve the viewing experience at low brightness conditions. There is also something else happening at the back of the screen that makes it noticeable. At least on paper, there is no need to open up any ports or bring down the camera lens to take advantage of something called'mini HDMI'. Instead of using mini HDMI ports like many Android phones do, you can use regular Micro HDMI connections (up to 4K at 60 Hz) instead, which should make a massive difference when playing games on your laptop.
The main camera is equipped with four lenses, one wide, two telephoto, and a short-range zoom (up to 8mm). These lenses give outstanding image quality even with noise that occurs around objects. They were able to capture crisp images in bright environments, while giving detailed pictures at night. On top of that, when taking photos indoors, the cameras were properly exposed. That means they produce as clear an image as possible while avoiding overexposure.
The front part feels premium but still looks great despite being smaller than that found in most flagship phones from more expensive manufacturers. Besides having a small hole for the speaker at the bottom, though, the earpiece is protected against scratches. When looking into these aspects, it is worth noting that the overall build quality is comparable to other competing brands such as Samsung, Oppo and Vivo. In terms of hardware, it seems standard enough to rival many popular flagships. Speaking of design as well, the textured rear cover has a nice touch of color with just a slight tint, which is the only drawback. However, it appears to be quite thick so users in areas where frost may spoil your photo's colors won't notice right away.
The chipset is Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, which offers exceptional performance of 5G for gaming, multimedia, and web browsing. If you want to install apps from Google Play Store, you'll have to connect them via Wi-Fi instead of Bluetooth, although we think that could work fine with either case. We're not sure how efficient it would be to pair it with OxygenOS 11.0, but it is safe to assume that the OS will be more stable than before. Of course, if you prefer Android to Windows Phone OS, then we'd recommend checking out our comparison of iOS 11 vs Android 11. The battery life is quite average, lasting about 7 hours (on 2G), and that too while streaming video content. It is also rather large in size (10.1 mm in width) compared to the rest of the body. For now, however, we'd recommend sticking to watching videos instead of using it for everything else except a phone.
In terms of connectivity and setup, the Xiomi 12S runs on the fast and stable version of OxygenOS 11 based on MIUI 12. Although there was something unexpected in the firmware update, the app stores support switching between Wi-Fi and LTE networks without issues. Unfortunately, the wireless standards weren't improved – users have to turn off their internet connection and go into Settings > Wi-Fi > Network, choose "Bluetooth," select the option to "Link to Wireless Network" and choose "Select from All Devices." There, the settings will appear to match the actual ones which are mentioned in the manual. Once done, there is nothing else that needs to be changed and you are good to go! Connecting the SIM card is straightforward, after filling the microSD slot the necessary amount is added and connected via USB Type C port after opening up the corresponding panel. While connecting the headphone jack and charging is simple. After turning on GPS mode, the phone can automatically recognize the location and map out routes, and the user gets an alert if there is danger outside. What's interesting is that the phone works perfectly offline and doesn't need to be powered on. To help optimize power consumption, the manufacturer made use of 3D graphics technology to generate a mask map showing exactly where it is.
In contrast to competitors' flagship handsets, the 12S offers extremely limited physical buttons. You can tap or swipe once to launch the phone, but since it comes from Xiaomi, the button layout is slightly different. Unlike much other mainstream brands, none of the traditional home button, volume control, and power button are present. Additionally, there are barely any additional functions besides doing what it does. With regard to the software side, the boot process is fairly standard. Even installing applications isn't really difficult, except for the fact that you have to go to Apps > App & Games > Developer Options > More > Optimize > Select from All... After installing the selected application, it is possible to access its shortcuts via Shortcuts. One notable addition here is a new widget that allows tapping directly on a notification to see detailed information, similar to how things look in Notification Cards on Android phones. Now, there are six available widgets that each represent various services, including Music, Movie, Live Events, News, Weather, Sports, etc. To add another service, tap on the plus sign in that specific tile. A list of services can be enlarged, and there is a lot of variety on offer for every single day of the week.
The tablet mode is accessible thanks to split-screen functionality. This way you can easily switch between phones or tablets depending on the situation. This is, unfortunately, exclusive to the Pixel phone line which is currently sold. Aside from making the Xiomi 12S more convenient to carry around, splitting screens allows you to open multiple apps side by side, thus eliminating unnecessary background clutter. The 12S ships with three cameras on the back and can shoot professional-looking photographs and videos using the entire rear camera array, along with 720p HD video recording. As you might expect from a handset under the X series, X-Rite processing is offered, enabling smoother and brighter shots. The dual-camera system includes an f/1.8 main shooter and an ultra-wide angle lens. Both of them produce decent results, especially the ultrawide.
When it comes to selfies and selfies taken on the 13 camera module, things are rather interesting. First off, the main camera has been completely replaced by a periscope lens which takes better quality photos due to its ability to focus on details in real time. Secondly, the portrait shot is a bit noisy, which leads us to believe that Xiaomi didn't invest heavily in developing algorithms that enhance face recognition and facial expressions. Thirdly, the selfie camera does have the expected subject response time. And while the lighting is good, we're surprised why the sensor wasn't able to fully utilize ISO 4800 during nighttime photos. Apart from this, the phone's flash is rather modest, as far as illumination goes. Our conclusion? The 12S delivers some decent photos, but not as good as it would be if it had the proper setup. Overall you shouldn't get distracted by the lack of built-in speakers because they are noticeably absent here, as it's pretty easy to find alternatives on Xiaomi's website. The sound quality is also somewhat mediocre, with some distortion and tinny sounds.
CONCLUSION
Overall, the XIOMI 12S is a fantastic phone for people who want a powerful performer but don't necessarily require super strong cameras or impressive displays. It stands out in today's market with its price tag. But if you don't mind sacrificing some bells and whistles for reliability and long battery life, it's definitely worth considering.
0 Comments