Primary

Xiaomi Editor's Choice 2022

Xiaomi 12S Ultra

Q: How much does Xiaomi 12S Ultra — 1" Sony IMX989 Sensor, Leica Optics & Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Review cost?

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra — 1" Sony IMX989 Sensor, Leica Optics & Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Review is priced at $280 – $480.

Xiaomi 12S Ultra — 1" Sony IMX989 Sensor, Leica Optics & Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Review

Display 1440 × 3200 pixels (~522 ppi den...

Performance Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4...

Size 6.73 inches

Type LTPO2 AMOLED 1B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR1...

Expert Score

4.7

94% Confidence

Community Score

4.0

0% Confidence

AI Score

4.7

93% Confidence

Final Score

4.5

93% Confidence

Storage

RAM

Color

Regional

-68% In Stock

$320 – $480 $999

Lowest $280 Save $679 Best: Amazon

Compare Track History Buy

Read Reviews

Category Scores

Overall hardware score: 92/100 — groundbreaking 1-inch Sony sensor with Leica optics, gorgeous 120Hz LTPO2 QHD+ display, highly efficient Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 performance, and distinctive eco-leather build.

Performance Excellent

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm) processor del...

Display Excellent

6.73-inch LTPO2 AMOLED curved screen featuring Q...

Camera Excellent

Monumental triple camera suite featuring a massi...

Battery Great

4860 mAh battery delivers solid daily endurance...

Gaming Excellent

Adreno 730 graphics handle demanding mobile game...

AI Excellent

Leica Authentic and Vibrant color pipeline proce...

Security Excellent

Fast optical under-display fingerprint scanner a...

Value for Money Excellent

Exceptional secondhand flagship value for mobile...

Design Excellent

Distinctive professional camera aesthetic featur...

Repairability Good

Complex flagship assembly requiring professional...

Software Support Great

Shipped with Android 12 (MIUI 13) with multi-yea...

Connectivity Excellent

5G network support, Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC...

Audio Excellent

Rich stereo loudspeaker configuration tuned in c...

Durability Excellent

Corning Gorilla Glass Victus front armor on an e...

Charging Excellent

67W fast wired charging and 50W rapid wireless c...

Specifications

Display 4

Size 6.73 inches

Type LTPO2 AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1500 nits peak

Resolution 1440 × 3200 pixels (~522 ppi density)

Protection Corning Gorilla Glass Victus

Processor 3

Chipset Key Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm)

CPU Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)

GPU Key Adreno 730

Memory 2

RAM Key 8GB / 12GB

Type LPDDR5

Storage 3

Internal 256GB / 512GB

Expandable No

Standard UFS 3.1

Battery 2

Capacity 4860 mAh non-removable

Endurance All-day usage

Charging 2

Wired 67W fast charging, 100% in 41 min, Quick Charge 4+

Wireless 50W fast wireless charging, 100% in 52 min, 10W reverse wireless

Camera 3

Main 50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm, wide, 1.0"-type, 1.6µm, dual pixel PDAF, Laser AF, OIS (Sony IMX989)

Periscope Telephoto 48 MP, f/4.1, 120mm, periscope telephoto, 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom

Ultra Wide 48 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 128˚, 1/2.0", 0.8µm, dual pixel PDAF

Front Camera 1

Sensor 32 MP, f/2.4, 25mm wide, 0.7µm

Connectivity 5

Network 5G SA/NSA, dual Nano-SIM

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band

Bluetooth 5.2

NFC Yes

IR Blaster Yes

Sensors 4

Fingerprint Under display, optical

Accelerometer Yes

Gyroscope Yes

Proximity Yes

Dimensions 3

Height 163.2 mm

Width 75.0 mm

Depth 9.1 mm

Weight 1

Weight 225 g

Operating System 1

OS Android 12, MIUI 13

Expert Review

By Dickens, Charles

Design

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra features a professional camera-inspired design featuring a textured eco-leather back finish and a prominent circular camera module, measuring 9.1mm thick and weighing 225g.

Display

The 6.73-inch curved LTPO2 AMOLED screen delivers stunning QHD+ resolution, fluid 120Hz adaptive smoothness, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and up to 1500 nits peak brightness.

Performance

Powered by the 4nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip and up to 12GB of RAM, heavy multitasking, fast app switching, and intensive workflows execute smoothly.

Gaming

Handles intensive 3D mobile games brilliantly via Adreno 730 graphics, offering great stability and sustained thermal control.

Camera

The breakthrough Leica-tuned camera suite features a massive 1-inch 50MP Sony IMX989 main sensor with OIS, a 48MP periscope zoom lens with 5x optical zoom, and a 48MP ultrawide lens.

Battery

The 4860 mAh battery comfortably powers through everyday routines, refuelling quickly via 67W wired and 50W wireless charging.

Software

Runs MIUI based on Android, offering specialized Leica Authentic and Vibrant photographic profiles along with extensive system tools.

Ai

Leverages advanced computational photography algorithms for multi-frame HDR blending, Leica color science simulation, and LTPO refresh rate scheduling.

Connectivity

Supports 5G sub-6GHz networks, Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and an infrared remote control blaster.

Pros

Groundbreaking 1-inch type 50MP Sony primary sensor delivering natural optical depth and Leica color science
Gorgeous 6.73-inch QHD+ curved LTPO2 AMOLED display with adaptive 120Hz refresh rate and Dolby Vision
Highly efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor providing elite execution speed and thermal stability
Versatile triple camera setup including a 48MP periscope telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom
Distinctive and durable textured eco-leather back styling with IP68 water resistance

Cons

China-exclusive official market distribution makes global purchasing and regional ROM setup complex
Prominent circular camera module adds weight to the top half of the device
No microSD card slot for internal storage expansion

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra marked the historic beginning of Xiaomi's partnership with Leica, featuring a massive 1-inch type 50MP primary camera sensor that revolutionized mobile photography depth and clarity. Powered by the 4nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, it features a 6.73-inch QHD+ 120Hz LTPO2 AMOLED curved display, a triple camera array with Leica Summicron optics and a 48MP periscope telephoto lens, IP68 dust and water resistance, stereo speakers, and a 4860 mAh battery supporting 67W wired and 50W wireless charging.

Verdict

A landmark camera phone that defines mobile photography with its giant 1-inch Sony sensor, authentic Leica optics, and efficient Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 performance.

Final: 4.5/10 Best for: Value seekers Segment: Mid-range

Product Intelligence

Massive 1-inch type 50MP Sony IMX989 main sensor co-engineered with Leica optics for stunning natural depth-of-field 48MP periscope telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom and 48MP ultrawide shooter with autofocus 6.73-inch QHD+ curved LTPO2 AMOLED display with adaptive 120Hz refresh rate and Dolby Vision Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 4nm processor delivering high performance with improved thermal efficiency Textured eco-leather back construction paired with IP68 dust and water resistance

Who Should Buy

Mobile photography purists, enthusiasts wanting natural optical bokeh from a 1-inch sensor, and performance seekers looking for an efficient Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 flagship.

Who Should Avoid

Users looking for global official retail distribution (was exclusive to China), or those who want expandable microSD storage.

Key Takeaways

The milestone device that kicked off Xiaomi's legendary Leica partnership and popularized 1-inch sensors in mainstream smartphones
Offers incredible second-hand photography value, though it shipped primarily as a China-exclusive model requiring imported ROM management