First impressions of Xiaomi’s 12 Lite: engineered for tech & fashion junkies

With recent developments such as the COVID-19 vaccines that have helped in restoring some sense of “normalcy” into our lives, opportunities to travel have opened up as bans were lifted and restrictions eased. I’m sure that for the majority of us, given the luxury to travel– be it locally or internationally –is an opportunity that has been gravely missed.

So when Xiaomi Philippines reached out and asked us to partake in the launch of the coveted Xiaomi 12 Lite in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, it was a blessing too good to pass up.

Along with the chance to witness the launch, Xiaomi further graced us with a travel kit consisting of a plethora of useful and practical items which, fortunately, can be used even outside of the trip, whether for travel or not. Health and hygiene essentials such as face masks, sanitizers and self test kits were provided, along with very useful devices such as the Xiaomi Smart Band 7, a universal socket adaptor and, of course, the Xiaomi 12 Lite, among others.

Dubbed as a masterpiece for tech and fashion advocates with the message of “Xiaomi 12 Lite: My Style, My Shot”, the smartphone boasts a large display, refined design, improved camera and a lightning-quick charge, to name a few.

So, here are my first impressions of Xiaomi’s 12 Lite upon its unboxing.

Design:

The 12 Lite takes on a classic, boxy look, while integrating glam and enchantment. Sporting a featherweight slim design, the smartphone weighs only 173g and 7.29mm thin, as its flat frame design provides refined body lines. 

Offered in 3 iterations of Lite Green, Lite Pink and Black, each have a unified color scheme and matte finish which allow not just for a premium look, but a premium feel as well.

Studio-level camera:

Equipped with an upgraded camera, the Xiaomi 12 Lite has an impressive 108MP Triple Camera set up that facilitates clearer action shots, finer details and a 120° ultra wide angle for more captivating photos.

Just as impressive is its 32MP front camera with many exciting features, such as its Autofocus, Selfie portrait mode, as well as Xiaomi Selfie Glow that utilizes superior front dual LEDs to maintain great lighting.

My first impressions of the camera was that it had quite crisp detail and vibrant colors. In addition to that, there are also various modes to choose from, which allow you to let your creative side out.

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.

Alongside great visuals come great audio as well, as Xiaomi further equipped the device with Dolby Atmos dual speakers. What I took note of when listening to a few tracks was that the smartphone has a relatively loud audio output, while its dual speakers definitely give you a more immersive entertainment experience. 

With 60Hz and 120Hz 2-staged AdaptiveSync, its screen smartly adapts to the current activity to save on battery, giving you the flexibility to switch refresh rates. Moreover, the 12 Lite has an impressive 240Hz touch sampling rate to truly facilitate a smoother and more refined user experience.

Its fingerprint sensor is also located at the bottom-center of the screen, allowing better accessibility when unlocking your phone.

Processor:

Powered by a very respectable Snapdragon 778 5G chipset, the 12 Lite can be expected to not only face a significant amount of load, but to handle it with ease and efficiency. 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 12 Lite’s main aspects is its large battery capacity, as well as its super-fast charging abilities. With a massive 4300mAh battery paired with a 67W turbo charge that can fully charge your device in a whopping 41 minutes only, you’ll have a lot more time enjoying the phone and less worrying about low levels of battery. For scale, that’s a total of 18 hours of video play, or 121 hours of music listening.

To further assist in energy saving, the 12 Lite has Xiaomi Adaptive Charge which learns behavioral patterns to protect the battery’s life long-term.

Stay tuned for the in-depth review coming this following week, and keep an eye out for official announcements on Xiaomi Philippines’ Facebook and Instagram pages.