Xiaomi is finally globally launching the Xiaomi 12 series, its latest set of flagship phones. First launched in China in December, the phones are now coming to the rest of the world too.

The company promised to launch the “first” phones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, though unexpectedly Motorola beat Xiaomi to the punch with the Moto Edge X30. The Xiaomi 12 did come second though, joined by an even more powerful Xiaomi 12 Pro and a more affordable 12X.

Note that it’s the Xiaomi 12, not the Mi 12 – we’ll explain why – but this is still the successor to last year’s Mi 11. These are some of 2022’s best phones though, and that’s before we even get to the souped up Xiaomi 12 Ultra, expected later in 2022.

Here’s all we know about the Xiaomi 12 series, including the latest on the phones’ western release – or you can go straight to reading our Xiaomi 12X review, Xiaomi 12 review, or Xiaomi 12 Pro review to find out what we think of the phones.

Xiaomi unveiled the 12 series in China on 28 December, and the phones went on sale on 31 December. 

There was a longer wait for the rest of the world, but a global launch eventually came on 15 March. The phone is now on sale in most markets, including the UK and Europe.

In India, Xiaomi launched the 12 Pro on 27 April, but there’s no official word yet on either the 12 or 12X.

Remember that, for the moment, Xiaomi doesn’t officially launch its phones in the US, so this launch does not include North America.

So far Xiaomi has launched three phones: the Xiaomi 12, 12 Pro, and 12X. Those aren’t all the handsets we’re expecting in the series though – at the very least we’ll eventually see the expansive 12 Ultra, and various other leaks have pointed to a 12 Lite, 12 Mini, 12X Pro, and both 12S and 12S Pro.

We know the most about the 12 Ultra, which is currently predicted to launch in Q3 2022 – i.e. July, August, or September – but we also know officially that Xiaomi will launch its first phone with Leica camera branding in July. This may be the Ultra, though other rumours point to the two 12S phones coming first.

Even though the Xiaomi 12 series hasn’t launched in the US, the company has announced pricing in USD, which is a useful guide for how much the phone will cost worldwide – we’ve also include the phones’ prices in GBP, Euros, and Rupees (for the Pro) below:

We’re keeping an eye on the best Xiaomi 12 deals, so check that page out for the latest deals and offers on the phone.

While 2021’s flagship Xiaomi phone was the Mi 11, its follow-up is not called the Mi 12.

Xiaomi has retired the Mi branding – itself only used outside of China – to simplify its brand. As a result, the new flagship is simply the Xiaomi 12.

“Starting in 2021 Q3, Xiaomi’s product series ‘Mi’ will be renamed to ‘Xiaomi’,” the company said in a statement. “This change will unify our global brand presence and close the perception gap between the brand and its products. This change may take some time to take effect in all regions.”

Now that Xiaomi has announced a few of the phones in the series we have concrete specs for them – plus some leaks and rumours that point to 12 Ultra specs. We’ve broken it down by model:

The most notable thing about the Xiaomi 12 is that it’s smaller than any flagship in the series before, thanks to a move to a relatively petite 6.28in display, though the Pro is larger, if you prefer that sort of thing.

Thanks to the small size it weighs just 180g, and you can get it in black, blue, or pink – plus an extra green vegan leather option that’s exclusive to China.

The compact screen is still an AMOLED panel, with 120Hz refresh rate and support for an in-display fingerprint scanner, plus Gorilla Glass Victus on top to ward off scratches.

As expected, inside the phone you’ll find the brand-new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, paired in China with either 8 or 12GB of RAM, and 128 or 256GB storage. In the UK, both storage SKUs are only available with 8GB RAM.

The battery is 4500mAh despite the compact size of the phone, and it supports 67W wired fast charging, 50W wireless charging, and 10W reverse wireless.

Finally, the all-important camera. The main lens is a 50Mp Sony IMX766 – a 1/1.56in sensor with 2.0μm large pixels and OIS – lower resolution than last year’s main camera, though it may yet be capable of superior results. Alongside it, you’ll find a 13Mp ultrawide and a 50mm-equivalent 5Mp telemacro camera – both pretty similar to what we saw on the Mi 11.

As with all phones in the series, the Xiaomi 12 launches with Android 12 and MIUI 13 installed.

Here are the full Xiaomi 12 specs:

In previous years the Pro version of Xiaomi’s flagships hasn’t differed too much from the regular model, but this year that’s changed.

The big difference of course is the size. The 12 Pro uses a 6.73in display – much larger than the regular 12 – which also runs at a higher resolution and uses LTPO tech to provide a more dynamic refresh rate.

The design is fundamentally the same other than the size disparity, and the core specs are similar too.

There’s a slightly bigger battery (4600mAh) but charging is improved more, with 120W wired speeds. The wireless tech is the same though.

Other than the display, the biggest changes are in the camera. While the main camera is also 50Mp, it uses the larger and more advanced Sony IMX707 sensor, so should get better results. The other two lenses are even more improved: there’s an ultrawide and a 2x zoom telephoto, both of which also use 50Mp sensors.

Here are the full specs:

In the UK, the Xiaomi 12 Pro is confirmed to be arriving in a single SKU, sporting 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

The 12X is a new model in terms of name, though it’s mostly a replacement for the usual ‘Lite’ model. It’s the same size as the regular 12, and is very close in specs. 

The main difference is that it drops the 8 Gen 1 for the less powerful Snapdragon 870 – which is essentially a two-year-old chip. It also lacks wireless charging.

Curiously, leaker Chun has also claimed Xiaomi is working on a 12X Pro, to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, but we know nothing else about this model yet.

Here are the full specs:

We haven’t had too many solid leaks about the Xiaomi 12 Ultra, which is still expected to launch, but later than the other models – though expect it to at least match the 12 Pro on core specs.

Going by early leaks, the design could be wild. Let’s start with the first leaked images, which show a camera module that’s… unusual.

Shared on Weibo by leaker Digital Chat Station, these appear to be official renders produced either by Xiaomi or by a third-party case manufacturer. If the giant circular camera module seems hard to believe, then don’t worry – we have plenty of evidence it exists. It was first hinted at in this photo of an early case design:

Last year’s Mi 11 Ultra had a bizarre camera design – a huge rectangular module with space for a small display. This is totally different, with no evidence of a screen but instead cut-outs for eight different sensors.

Essentially the same design was then seen in an aluminium dummy unit. TenTechReview has more photos of the chunky unit, though doesn’t go into much detail as to where it’s come from. The large circular camera is here again though and shown to protrude extensively from the body.

LetsGoDigital tried to make sense of the design in renders, predicting four camera lenses along with a flash, microphone, and autofocus sensor. The final cut-out is less clear, but the site predicts that it might be a colour temperature sensor. 

Note the inclusion of a Leica logo –  at the time the renders were made this was only a prediction, but we now know that Xiaomi has formed a partnership with camera company Leica – the company which formerly worked with Huawei on its imaging systems. It’s essentially a given that the Leica logo will appear in some form, and that the company will have contributed to the phone’s photography.

What we don’t know is if the Leica name will simply appear next to the camera, or if the actual red logo will be used. The company is strict with its logo, which never actually appeared on any of the Huawei phones with Leica cameras, though was used on Leica’s own Leitz 1 phone. Digital Chat Station has speculated that it may appear on the 12 Ultra, but doesn’t sound certain.

As for what the phone will be made of, one report out of China predicts that the phone will come in glass, ceramic, and vegan leather editions. The ceramic models will supposedly be in black or white, while the glass version will have a range of colours, and the vegan leather’s hue remains unknown. Digital Chat Station says he’s seen the phone in black leather and white ceramic models, which matches that report.

The only thing we know basically for sure about the 12 Ultra is that it will use the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, with Xiaomi’s founder and CEO confirming on Twitter that its “next flagship phone” will use the recently announced chip.

That will mean we can expect not only improved CPU and GPU performance compared to the 12 and 12 Pro, but potentially also better battery life, thanks to Qualcomm’s promise of 15% power savings on the new chip.

As for the display, a 120Hz LTPO AMOLED is also likely, and Digital Chat Station reports that this will come in a 2K resolution.

Let’s dive deeper into those possible camera specs. Chinese tech site MyDrivers reports that the 12 Ultra could come with the world’s first 200Mp main camera, which would be a jump up from the 50Mp shooter in the Mi 11 Ultra. We’ve already seen similar rumours for the Samsung S22 Ultra, although in the end the Korean company decided not to use the sensor on its latest devices, sticking to 108Mp instead.

If that’s the case, then it leaves the door open for Xiaomi to steal in and claim the 200Mp crown – though it would almost certainly do so with Samsung hardware, ironically enough. Samsung’s ISOCELL HP1 is so far the only 200Mp sensor on the market, and since Xiaomi has a history of using high-end camera hardware from the Korean company this is almost certainly what we’ll see in the 12 Ultra.

Of course, larger amounts of pixels don’t necessarily equate to better images, but this sensor has a few tricks up its sleeve. It can shoot 200Mp images with 0.64μm pixels, or use quad-pixel binning to produce 50Mp images with 1.28μm pixels – which is also how it achieves 8K video. Most impressively, in low light it uses 16-in-1 pixel binning technology to shoot at 12.5Mp with large 2.56μm pixels, theoretically getting the same benefits as much larger sensors.

Other possible camera features from the sensor include a Smart ISO mode that combines low and high ISO shots into one, staggered HDR, multisampling, and ‘Double Super PD’ autofocus. You can find out more about all of those in this short intro video from Samsung:

Digital Chat Station has added more camera details on Chinese social media site Weibo. He repeated the 200Mp claim in regard to the 12 Ultra, but later added that Xiaomi is testing a 10x optical zoom periscope lens, presumably for that phone, but that it’s still considering a more “practical” 5x zoom option.

Not to dampen hopes, but rival leaker Ice Universe has cast some doubt on expectations of a 200Mp shooter. He tweeted that Motorola will be the first to release a 200Mp phone camera, with Xiaomi set to follow “in the second half of [2022].” That’s a bit later than we’d expect to see the 12 Ultra, so seems to rule out this phone using the tech.

Digital Chat Station also seems to have lost confidence in the 200Mp claim, having since reported that the 12 Ultra will use a 50Mp main camera – a big difference from 200Mp. He says it will be paired with 48Mp “ultra-wide-angle” and “super-telephoto periscope” lenses – essentially the same camera setup as the Mi 11 Ultra, though there may be subtler hardware tweaks below the surface. He’s since added that the phone will use an unknown Sony IMX8XX sensor, implying that this might be new Sony camera hardware making a debut here.

The Ultra is also set to impress on battery. MyDrivers claims it will be the first mass production phone to feature Xiaomi’s 200W wired HyperCharge tech, capable of fully charging a 4000mAh battery in just eight minutes – though we expect the Ultra’s cell to be larger than that.

Digital Chat Station disagrees though, instead reporting that we’ll see a 4860mAh battery with 120W wired charging and 50W wireless – so the same charging speeds as the 12 Pro, but with a slightly larger battery.

It’s worth noting that there was also some speculation that there would be a Xiaomi 12 Ultra Enhanced Edition, an even more extra version of the top-tier model. This was based on code name leaks suggesting that the Ultra is codenamed ‘loki’ with a separate device codenamed ‘thor’. These models have since been confirmed to be upcoming Xiaomi Mix series phones though, so the Ultra Enhanced is no longer expected.

Ahead of the announcement of the Xiaomi 12X, it had been tipped to be smaller than the regular 12, and serve as a mini model.

Curiously, in the wake of the announcement those rumours have continued, with speculation that there will be an actual Xiaomi 12 Mini some time soon. We even have a render of a possible design, shared on Twitter by Shadow_Leak:

On the other hand, the same leaker has previously shared a different design for the same alleged phone:

Spec rumours are thin, but point to a sub-6in AMOLED display and the same Snapdragon 870 chipset used in the 12X.

Given the two conflicting designs (neither of which are a close match to the rest of the 12 series) and the fact that there have been few concrete spec leaks, we’d take all this with a pinch of salt for now.

The 12 Lite is yet another variant in the series that leakers have pointed to.

This leak came first from XiaomiUI, along with a render of the phone’s possible design.

It’s actually supposed to be larger than the Xiaomi 12, with a 6.55in OLED panel, and a Snapdragon 7-series chipset – likely the Snapdragon 778G, going by a separate Geekbench listing for the phone, which also reveals 8GB of RAM. The triple camera is allegedly led by a 64Mp main lens using the Samsung ISOCELL GW3 sensor, with an ultrawide and macro too – none with OIS.

Leaked images of the phone appeared on Weibo – since deleted, but captured by GSMArena. They show a design that matches the render above, except with a flat display rather than curved, and with a plastic frame to the phone. Interestingly, the rear camera here is 108Mp, in contrast to the 64Mp sensor reported in the other leaks.

Leaker Yogesh Brar has echoed many of these specs, adding in a few more key details, including a 4500mAh battery with 67W charging.

Xiaomi 12 Lite 5G (rumoured) •6.55″ FHD+ AMOLED, 120Hz •Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G •6/8GB RAM •128/256GB storage •Rear Cam- 64MP (OIS) + 8MP (UW) + 5MP (macro) •Front Cam- 16MP •4,500mAh battery, 67W charging •Android 12, MIUI 13 •In-display Fingerprint, Hi-Res Audio

Yes, there are somehow yet more Xiaomi 12 phones allegedly on the way. The 12S models were first rumoured in the wake of the announcement of Xiaomi’s partnership with camera company Leica, and some leakers believe these two phones will be the first to bear the Leica logo, potentially launching in July.

Little else is known about the two phones, but one image has leaked showing a design that’s similar to the rest of the Xiaomi 12 series, but with Leica branding across the camera. 

It’s also reported that these may be the phones that debut the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, ahead of the later launch of the 12 Ultra. One 12S phone has also received 3C certification, but this didn’t reveal any other specs.

Check back regularly as we’ll be updating this feature when more details become available. In the meantime, try reading our guide to the best Xiaomi phones and best new phones coming soon to see what else could be tugging at your credit card.

Tech Advisor's Deputy Editor, Dom covers everything that runs on electricity, from phones and laptops to wearables, audio, gaming, smart home, and streaming - plus he's a regular fixture on the Tech Advisor YouTube channel.