With the much-anticipated launch of Xiaomi’s 12 Lite, users can now enjoy the wonders of this exhilarating device. Boasting a featherweight slim design, studio-level 108MP triple camera, Smart 67W turbo charging and a 120Hz AMOLED display, the enhanced 12 Lite is more capable than ever. With the slogan of “My Style, My Shot”, Xiaomi has retooled the device to be “a masterpiece for both our tech and fashion advocates”, empowering users to express themselves and to never stop inspiring.
Not only has Xiaomi Philippines blessed me with the opportunity to test out its coveted device, but to witness its launch in person at Kuala Lumpur. In about a 2-week span of using the 12 Lite, I was able to utilize it for my day-to-day activities and during my short but sweet trip to KL to truly test out all of its capabilities.
Design:
The 12 Lite takes on a classic, boxy look, while integrating glam and enchantment. My initial thoughts on its design was that it sported a very sleek and refined style, which can be attributed to its lightweight, ultralight design.
Of the three iterations– Lite Green, Lite Pink and Black –I was fortunate to get an opportunity to test out the first kind. Aside from it being my favorite color, I really liked how its design gave a certain aura and vibrance, which can be a reflection of the 12 Lite’s capabilities.
With its fashionable color palettes that have a unified color scheme and matte finish, not only does the 12 Lite have a premium look, but a premium feel as well.
Located at its right side are the volume and power buttons, while its fingerprint scanner, which is fairly quick and responsive, is embedded on the lower half of the screen.
Display:
Another of the 12 Lite’s main assets is its large, 6.55” FHD+ AMOLED display with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision for better overall picture quality. This is evident when capturing photos and watching videos, as details have become more crisp and colors more vivid.
To further enhance the entertainment department, Xiaomi has paired its great visuals with Dolby Atmos dual speakers for better audio quality and louder output, ultimately giving its users an immersive entertainment experience.
Xiaomi also has multiple features to better your display; 2-staged AdaptiveSync gives you the flexibility to switch between refresh rates, while Sunlight mode 3.0, Reading mode 3.0 and True Display are all meant for eye protection.
With an impressive touch sampling rate of 240Hz, scrolling through your news feed, multitasking between several apps, reading articles and many other activities is a smooth and refined experience.
Studio-level camera:
One of Xiaomi’s points of emphasis for the 12 Lite is its refined, studio-level camera, which houses an impressive 108MP triple camera that facilitates more vibrant photos, clearer action shots and finer details. Accompanying the main camera is a 120° 8MP ultra wide angle camera, as well as a 2MP macro camera.
Not to be outdone by those aforementioned, its 32MP front camera isn’t only very clear, but has a multitude of exciting features at your disposal, such as Autofocus, Selfie portrait mode, Xiaomi Selfie Glow and GD2 sensor.
Using the 12 Lite’s camera was quite the treat, to say the least, as aside from producing crisp and detailed photographs, there are a plethora of features to play around with, ultimately allowing you to utilize the camera in various situations. Especially here in Kuala Lumpur, you can go from taking snapshots of architecture and landscapes, to food and the night life.
Whether taking photos of the greenery on the fairway, selfies to send to friends, snaps of your “OOTD” to post online or capturing vast sceneries, to name a few, Xiaomi has definitely equipped this device with a camera that will not disappoint.
Though I must admit, I would occasionally find the result of some pictures to be a tad bit too vibrant, especially when taking photos of landscapes where a single element is dominant, such as the blueness of the sky or the greenness of a field.
Additional features that will be of extreme help to content creators would be its magic cutout professional editor and vlog mode which includes 19 different templates to play around with.
Performance:
Xiaomi breaks ground with the 12 Lite’s flagship-level Snapdragon 778 5G chipset, which can be expected to not only face a significant amount of load, but to handle it with ease and efficiency.
Responsive and snappy, the 12 Lite’s processor made overall usage a breeze with little to no noticeable lag. Especially when traveling and swiftly shifting through different apps, the 12 Lite was more than able to keep up, which only shows a portion of what it’s potential is.
Moreover, to help in keeping your device cool, Xiaomi utilizes high-performance graphite in order to increase heat dissipation and allow you to make use of your phone without a bother.
Battery:
One of the most impressive aspects of the 12 Lite would be its battery; with a massive 4300mAh capacity and a ridiculously-quick 67W turbo charging, Xiaomi allows you to play more and worry less.
During the trip, the 12 Lite would be my primary phone and hence, it would go through a lot of usage– be it navigating, messaging/calling, taking pictures and videos, as well as providing hotspot for my other devices when needed. Although the battery is expectedly consumed during times of heavy usage, it isn’t necessarily drained at an alarming rate.
What’s great about the 12 Lite is that even with low levels of battery, I didn’t fret at all as its 67W turbo charging really replenishes its battery in seemingly a blink of an eye.
Verdict:
There’s a whole lot to like with the 12 Lite, as its many enticing facets– such as its studio-level camera, lively display, long-lasting camera and striking design –enable us to express ourselves in a variety of ways. Especially with a starting price of just P20,999, fully expect Xiaomi to make waves in the market with the 12 Lite.
