Expectations rise as Xiaomi’s cheaper phones leak with high-end specs
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Xiaomi traditionally follows on from its annual flagship phone refresh with a couple of more modest mid-range variants with a T attached to their name – and so with theXiaomi 12andXiaomi 12 Proout in the wild, we’re now waiting for the Xiaomi 12T and the Xiaomi 12T Pro to surface.
Courtesy of the usually accurate tipsters atWinFuture, we now have a lot more information about the two upcoming phones. The new leak covers some rumors we’ve heard before, some new details, and a few images of the T phones as well.
The Xiaomi 12T and the Xiaomi 12T Pro will apparently use plastic frames rather than the metal of the flagship versions, and both phones are going to come sporting a 6.67-inch AMOLED screen with a 2712 x 1220 pixel resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The battery capacity is the same on both models too: 5,000mAh.
Processors and cameras
There are going to be differences in the internals it seems. The 12T will be powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 8100 Ultra CPU, and have 8GB of RAM and a choice of either 128GB or 256GB of storage . There will be a triple-lens camera on the rear of the phone we’re told, led by a main 108MP sensor.
As for the 12T Pro, that gets a faster Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor. It’s going to come with 8GB or 12GB of RAM depending on the region, and 256GB of storage. This phone will also have a triple-lens rear camera, the rumor is, although this module will feature a 200MP main camera.
That’s something we’veheard before, and it would be the first 200MP camera sensor to make it into a Xiaomi phone. We should know whether or not these leaks are accurate very soon – the phones are rumored to be launching officially next week.
Analysis: a spread of options
It’s getting more and more difficult to keep track of all the different handsets coming out from all the different phone manufacturers each year – and Xiaomi is definitely not alone in staggering its device launches across several months.
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Apple,Google,Samsung, OnePlus and others follow the same strategy of having both flagship and mid-range phone options on offer, although the approach from each company isn’t identical. For example, Apple keeps older handsets on sale to bridge the price gap between its flagships and theiPhone SE, rather than launching a mid-ranger.
And it’s those price points that are crucial – these phone makers want to make sure that whatever your budget, there’s something to interest you in their current range. It’s more money for them and it’s more choice for us, because not everyone wants to splash a huge chunk of cash on something like theiPhone 14 Pro Max.
All of which brings us back to the Xiaomi 12T and the Xiaomi 12T Pro. Xiaomi phones usually impress when it comes to combining powerful specs with value for money, and given what we saw with theXiaomi 11T Prolast year, our expectations are high.
Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you’ll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.
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