While most phone companies launch their numeric flagship series phones together, Xiaomi has always been different in this game. Last year, the Mi 11 Ultra was launched on 2nd April, some 3 months after the release of the flagship Mi 11 series. Going by that trend, the Xiaomi Mi 12 Ultra launch seems to be right around the corner this year with rumors putting the date in early May. The Ultra variant has always been the highest of the high end from Xiaomi. So, what’s known about the device thus far? And most importantly, will it be challenging the likes of Pixel 6 Pro and Samsung S 22 Ultra? Let’s find out.
Leaks and Rumors about Xiaomi 12 Ultra
Design and Build Quality
The Ultra series from Xiaomi has always been about innovation and pushing the limits of what’s possible. As a result, each year brought a complete overhaul of the design and build. The Mi 12 Ultra is expected to bring the same innovative elements.
Not much is known about the design itself except for a few renders based on leaks and rumors. However, the display leaks suggest that this will be yet another phablet like the phone fitting of the Ultra tag.
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The phone itself is slated to sport Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and a ceramic back held together by an aluminum frame. The materials themselves sound premium and given it’s the same ones used on the Mi 11 Ultra, users can rest assured about the build quality.
The most notable design change will be on the back, especially with the camera housing. Leaks and rumors suggest that the 12 Ultra will come with either a Quad or Penta camera setup.
The usual volume rocker, power button, Type-C port and stereo speakers along with a hybrid sim slot will be all retained at the same position found on the 11 Ultra.
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On paper, the design and the build quality do justice to the eye-watering price tag of the device.
The Display
The display is the primary interaction point with a device. Naturally, people paying a premium price expect a premium viewing experience. Xiaomi has always gone all out on the display of their flagship devices.
This year, the Mi 12 Ultra display is also expected to be stacked with features like last year’s 11 Ultra. As of right now, the panel will be a 6.6-inch AMOLED 120 Hz panel with 2K resolution. This is just the basic overview of the obvious features. More intrinsic features like Dolby vision, 1700 nits peak brightness, and HDR 10+ content support are expected to trickle down from the 11 Ultra. For the time being, this is all that’s known and it certainly sounds promising.
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The Camera
The camera of the Mi 12 Ultra is perhaps the most rumored aspect of the device. There has been buzz about the Leica partnership back in December 2021. Then there was a rumor about Samsung's GN5 or HP1 sensors. However, the latest leak from Digital Chat Station suggests a 50 MP main sensor from Sony. And it's not just any existing sensor. In a global first, Sony might introduce their Exmor IMX series of sensors through the 12 Ultra.
This is a completely new lens configuration that is yet to be tested in the real world. However, the quad setup looks promising with no lens being less than 48 MP. The front is expected to retain the 20 MP sensor from the 11 Ultra. Users will get all the quirky features like 120x zoom on photos and up to 8K videography. Until there is any hands-on experience, it can only be speculated whether the device will give the S 22 Ultra or Pixel 6 Pro’s computational photography a run for its money.
Processor and Performance
The Ultra series from Xiaomi has always sported the latest and greatest chipset from Snapdragon. Even though it will be tentatively released some 3 months after the release of the Mi 12 Pro, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset remains the benchmark from the company. So, the 12 Ultra is slated to sport the same.
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Speaking of the performance of 8 Gen 1, it has 1 3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 and 3 2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 with 4 1.80 GHz Cortex-A510. The spaced-out octa cores help to handle intensive as well as simple tasks in an efficient manner. The 4 Nm design is also an added feature for efficiency. The performance of the device will be lighting quick, to say the least, just like its predecessors. However, it will still take some time before the performance numbers are in.
On the OS end, the 12 Ultra will come with MIUI 13 based on Android 12. MIUI has slowly been revamped from its bloatware bogged days to a more functional and unified OS. It is still not going to give a stock Android experience, but it's certainly a utility-focused, easy-to-navigate OS.
Battery and Charging Time
There has been a lot of speculation about the battery size of the Mi 12 Ultra. Some claimed it will be over 5000 mAh while some put it in the 12 Pro range. The latest news is that it will sport a 4900 mAh battery. Now it might feel a bit small considering the size of the device but the efficient processor should make up for it. Also, the charge time on the device will be insane as 12 Ultra is supposed to support 120 W wired fast charging.
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Price of Xiaomi Mi 12 5G in Bangladesh
There isn’t a concrete global launch price for the device as it is still in the pipeline. However, the Indian launch price is expected to be 72,399 Rs which roughly translates to 82,810 BDT (1 INR = 1.13 BDT). The official price tag of Mi 12 Ultra may be different in Bangladesh considering several factors like supply, tax, and company policy.
Verdict
So the all-important question is, will the Xiaomi Mi 12 Ultra be worth it? In a word, yes. This will be a through and through flagship phone with a top-of-the-line processor, battery, and performance. The camera is expected to be a massive jump which might even offset the current industry leaders. Users will be getting what they are paying for, even if certain aspects of the device might be overkill. However, beyond the camera system, there isn’t anything breakthrough coming with the Mi 12 Ultra. And that might be a deal-breaker for some.