After a lot of teasing, leaks and rumors, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is finally official, and one thing this phone does not hide is its camera ambitions. Just look at that gigantic camera module on the back!
It not only looks large, but there is a solid reason behind this extra-large camera setup. The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is the first phone to feature the new Sony IMX989 image sensor, which happens to be the largest camera sensor built specifically for smartphones. It's expected to land in many other phones in the future, but this here Xiaomi device is the first one to get it. In the camera section below, you will see its exact size and how it dwarves what was recently considered a big sensor like the one in the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
So, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra clearly aims to change the world of smartphone photography, but it is also a proper powerhouse of a flagship. It's equipped with the top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 chip, the fastest RAM memory and storage, and of course, it also has a big and beautiful 6.7-inch OLED screen.
But first things first, let's start with a look at the...
Xiaomi 12S Ultra Camera
Triple camera system with a massive 1-inch sensor used for the main shooter
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra camera system is a giant circle on the back of the phone, which houses the three rear cameras. In the center is the new main shooter and you can see that it looks much larger than the rest. To the left is an ultra-wide camera, and below the main snapper is a 5X zoom periscope cam.
The secret ingredient to the camera magic sauce that Xiaomi has cooked up is the Sony IMX989 1" sensor.
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra uses the IMX989 sensor
Such a large sensor means bigger individual pixel sizes that reach 1.6μm, and after pixel binning, this goes up to 3.2μm, a big increase compared to the competition. This helps you get photos with less noise, extending dynamic range, and more light captured.
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On top of the sensor sits a new 8P aspheric lens that further helps with common photography issues like flare, ghosting, and chromatic aberration. In fact, the whole camera module of the Xiaomi 12S Ultra has anti-glare lens coating, lens edge ink coating, cyclic olefin copolymer material, and infrared light filter with spin coating technology... okay, half of these words don't mean much to us either but the gist is you get clearer overall picture across the lens.
Leica partnership:
Leica Summicron lenses
Leica imaging profiles
Xiaomi 12S Ultra clear lens effectively gets rid of flare
Images are not just specs of course, and to help get beautiful colors out of these impressive new sensors, Xiaomi has partnered with Leica in two key areas: the lenses and the imaging.
The lens has undergone stringent optical quality testing standards, while colors have been tweaked to closely adhere to Leica's signature look and feel, and you get two different styles to pick from.
Two color profiles to pick from
- "Leica Authentic Look" delivers a natural imagery for which Leica is known. It retains light and shadow contrast.
- "Leica Vibrant Look" is a combination of Xiaomi computation magic and Leica image know-how.
Raw Photo support
The entire Xiaomi 12S series also has 10-bit RAW support with color correction metadata embedded in the files. This means that once you import the RAW files in Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Camera RAW will automatically optimize the photos and give you a great starting point for your edits.
Video
First Android device to support Dolby Vision HDR
The 12S Ultra is also the first Android device to bring Dolby Vision HDR videos for both video recording and playback. This high dynamic range standard is a joy to look at.
A key element of great video is solid stabilization and you get the new HyperOIS taking care of that too. This new technology uses the gap between two frames to drive the OIS motor to its original position, for a full range of stabilization and steadier shots.
Display and Size
6.7" screen size and a beautiful leather-like finish
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra comes with a 6.73” AMOLED color display. Peak brightness reaches the impressive 1500 nits, while resolution is sharp at 1440p and you get a variable 1-120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling.
The phone is on the bigger side of course, with a slight curve to the screen, but it's the material on the back that is particularly interesting as it reminds a leather in look and feel.
You also get IP68 dust and water resistance, just as you'd expect from a modern flagship.
Performance
Latest Snapdragon chip inside
Under the hood, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is powered by the latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 process.
Xiaomi claims that compared to the 8 Gen 1 (used on Galaxy S22 family for once), the plus version is 21% smaller, and both CPU and GPU get a 10% performance boost, and a 30% energy efficiency improvement.
The company has also developed a new heat dissipation system, similar to the veins of a leaf that better absorbs the heat. A 3D cooling pump uses a series of channels like a capillary network bring hot air opposite of warm areas, greatly improving efficiency.
You also get two new proprietary Xiaomi Surge chips, Xiaomi Surge P1 fast-charging chipset and Xiaomi Surge G1 battery management chipset, offering big improvements in battery management and overall user experience.
Battery and Charging
New battery management chips ensure your battery will remain in its best shape for years
Speaking of battery, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra has a 4,860mAh single-cell silicon-oxygen anode battery.
The Surge G1 battery management chip monitors the discharge load and accurately predicts the available battery life of the device, while adaptive charging prevents the battery from overcharging and thus increases the number of total charge cycles by 25%.
Charging speeds are not the fastest Xiaomi has, but still better than your Galaxies and iPhones: you get 67W wired fast charging, 50W wireless fast charging and 10W reverse wireless charging.
This translates into a full 0 to 100% charge in just 41 minutes via cable, and 52 minutes wirelessly (with a compatible charger). Impressive!
Specs Overview
And here is a quick specs overview of the Xiaomi 12S Ultra:
Specs
Xiaomi 12S Ultra
Size and Weight
163.17 x 74.92 x 9.06mm, 225g
Display
6.73" OLED, 1440p, 1-120Hz refresh rate 1500 nits max brightness
Victor, a seasoned mobile technology expert, has spent over a decade at PhoneArena, exploring the depths of mobile photography and reviewing hundreds of smartphones across Android and iOS ecosystems. His passion for technology, coupled with his extensive knowledge of smartphone cameras and battery life, has positioned him as a leading voice in the mobile tech industry.
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