It was only a matter of time. Following its launch in China late last year, Xiaomi has announced the company’s latest flagship Xiaomi 12 series for international markets.

(Update, April 6: Is this compact version the phone for you? Check out our Xiaomi 12 review to find out!)

(Update, March 31: Our Xiaomi 12 Pro review is up!)

(Update, March 23: The Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12 Pro have been launched in the Philippines, with a free TV for early buyers at that!)

(Update, March 20: We have the Xiaomi 12 series launch date for the Philippine market!)

As expected, we’re looking at three devices, namely the Xiaomi 12 Pro, Xiaomi 12, and Xiaomi 12X. Xiaomi says the three smartphones are designed to deliver cutting-edge videography and entertainment features, on top of advancements in AI algorithms and processing power.

The Xiaomi 12 Pro will have two memory options — 8GB/256GB and 12GB/256GB — and will be available from $999 (roughly P52,352 converted). The standard Xiaomi 12 comes in three variants — 8GB/128GB, 8GB/256GB, and 12GB/256GB — and starts at $749 (P39,251). Finally, the Xiaomi 12X offers 8GB RAM and up to 256GB storage. The base version has a suggested retail price of $649 (P34,011).

All three phones have Gray, Purple, and Blue color options. Regional pricing and availability for the Philippines have not yet been revealed as of this writing. You might recall that last year’s Xiaomi Mi 11 with 8GB RAM and 256GB of internal storage was priced at P36,990 ($706) at local retail when it launched.

Xiaomi’s press release

To recap, all three devices in the new lineup are equipped with 120Hz AMOLED displays with an A+ rating from DisplayMate. The screen on the Xiaomi 12 Pro stands out, not only because it’s the largest among the trio, but also because it packs more pixels and uses Samsung’s E5 AMOLED panel with second-generation LTPO technology. For the uninitiated, this means the screen offers variable refresh rates to dramatically improve battery life while allowing for a smoother and faster-looking experience.

On the inside, the standard and Pro models are powered by Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, whereas the 12X adopts a Snapdragon 870 5G chipset. The latter ships with MIUI 13 built around Android 11, instead of Android 12-based MIUI, which the 12 Pro and 12 boot out of the box.

For pictures, the Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12X share the same 50-megapixel main sensor with f/1.88 6P lens. The Xiaomi 12 Pro upgrades to three 50-megapixel sensors at the back, headlined by Sony’s flagship IMX 707 sensor. The top-end model also supports fast charging up to an impressive 120 watts using the included power brick and cable.

Xiaomi 12 Pro specs

• 6.73-inch E5 AMOLED display, QHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, 12 bit, HDR10+, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, DisplayMate A+ rating
• 4nm octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor with 5G
• Adreno 730 GPU
• 8GB/12GB LPDDR5 RAM
• 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 storage
• Triple 50-megapixel main (Sony IMX707), 50-megapixel ultra-wide, and 50-megapixel portrait rear cameras with CyberFocus tracking system
• 32-megapixel front camera
• Under-display fingerprint reader
• Harman Kardon-tuned quad speakers
• 4,600mAh battery with 120-watt fast wired charging, 50-watt fast wireless charging, and 10-watt reverse wireless charging
• MIUI 13 based on Android 12
• Color options: Black, blue, green, pink

Xiaomi 12 specs

• 6.28-inch OLED display, FHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, 12 bit, HDR10+, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, DisplayMate A+ rating
• 4nm octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor with 5G
• Adreno 730 GPU
• 8GB/12GB LPDDR5 RAM
• 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 storage
• Triple 50-megapixel main (Sony IMX766), 13-megapixel ultra-wide, and 5-megapixel rear cameras
• 32-megapixel front camera
• Under-display fingerprint reader
• Harman Kardon-tuned dual speakers
• 4,500mAh battery with 67-watt fast wired charging, 50-watt fast wireless charging, and 10-watt reverse wireless charging
• MIUI 13 based on Android 12
• Color options: Black, blue, green, pink

Xiaomi 12X specs

• 6.28-inch OLED display, FHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, 12 bit, HDR10+, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, DisplayMate A+ rating
• 7nm octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor with 5G
• Adreno 650 GPU
• 8GB/12GB LPDDR5 RAM
• 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 storage
• Triple 50-megapixel main (Sony IMX766), 13-megapixel ultra-wide, and 5-megapixel rear cameras
• 32-megapixel front camera
• Under-display fingerprint reader
• Dual speakers
• 4,500mAh battery with 67-watt fast wired charging
• MIUI 13 based on Android 12
• Color options: Black, blue, pink

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