Yesterday, at the Xiaomi Next event in India, the company finally announced the Xiaomi 12 Pro for the country. It is currently the most-premium slab smartphone offered by the firm. The device made its initial debut in China at the end of December, followed by a European launch in March.
The Xiaomi 12 Pro is priced at ₹62,999 and ₹66,999 in India for the 8GB + 128GB and the 12GB + 256GB memory configurations respectively. But for a limited time, the phone will be sold at ₹58,999 and ₹62,999 (₹4,000 off).
On top of the introductory price, customers can get an additional ₹6,000 discount on ICICI Bank credit card and EMI transactions. So the effective price of the Xiaomi 12 Pro comes down to ₹52,999 (8GB + 128GB) and ₹56,999 (12GB + 256GB).
The handset offers premium features like a 6.73-inch 2K LTPO 2.0 curved AMOLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, LPDDR5 RAM, UFS 3.1 storage, and 120W fast charging support. It arrives with 50MP triple cameras with wide, ultra-wide, and zoom lenses. It is the only smartphone in the price segment housing quad speakers tuned by Harman Kardon.
But not everyone would like to purchase it due to various reasons. For those people, we have compiled a list of alternatives they can look for. These competitors of Xiaomi 12 Pro come from 4 different brands, namely iQOO, Oneplus, Samsung, and Apple.
Let’s take a look at these models one by one. But before, here are the entire specifications of Xiaomi 12 Pro.
| BUILD | Aluminum Frame + Glass Back |
| DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT | 163.6 x 74.6 x 8.16mm 205g |
| DISPLAY | 6.73-inch curved AMOLED Panel, 3200 x 1440 (QHD+) Resolution, 10-bit Color Depth, 1Hz-120Hz Refresh Rate (LTPO 2.0), 1500 Nits Peak Brightness, Dolby Vision, Centered Punch Hole |
| CHIPSET | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC |
| RAM & STORAGE | 8GB/12GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 Storage |
| SOFTWARE | MIUI 13 based on Android 12 |
| REAR CAMERA | 50MP Main Camera with OIS, 50MP 115° Ultra-wide Camera, 50MP 2x Telephoto Camera |
| FRONT CAMERA | 32MP Front-facing Camera |
| CONNECTIVITY | Dual-SIM, 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G, WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, GNSS, NFC |
| PORTS | USB 2.0 (Type-C) |
| OTHER FEATURES | In-display Optical Fingerprint Sensor, Quad Stereo Speakers by Harman Kardon, IR Blaster |
| BATTERY & CHARGING | 4,600mAh Battery, 120W Fast Wired Charging, 50W Fast Wireless Charging, Reverse Wireless Charging |
Best Xiaomi 12 Pro Alternatives in India
1. iQOO 9 Pro
The iQOO 9 Pro is the biggest competitor of Xiaomi 12 Pro in India. It is priced at ₹64,990 (8GB + 128GB) and ₹69,990 (12GB + 256GB) in the region. Depending on the variant you choose, it costs roughly ₹2,000 or ₹3,000 more than the Xiaomi 12 Pro.
For extra cash, the iQOO-branded phone offers better camera hardware, at least on paper. It comes with gimbal OIS for the primary camera and a wider (150˚) ultra-wide camera capable of clicking macro shots.
It arrives in two options, one with a glass back and another with an aramid fiber back. The former version flaunts an exclusive BMW M Motorsport colorway.
Though it has been two months since its release in India, the brand is still offering a ₹6,000 discount on transactions via all debit/credit cards and EMI. Hence, its effective price drops to ₹ and ₹58,990 and ₹63,990.
| BUILD | Aluminum Frame + Glass/Aramid Fiber Back |
| DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT | 164.8 x 75.2 x 8.8mm 204g (Aramid Fiber)/210g (Glass) |
| DISPLAY | 6.78-inch curved AMOLED Panel, 3200 x 1440 (QHD+) Resolution, 10-bit Color Depth, 1Hz-120Hz Refresh Rate (LTPO 2.0), 1500 Nits Peak Brightness, Centered Punch Hole |
| CHIPSET | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC |
| RAM & STORAGE | 8GB/12GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 Storage |
| SOFTWARE | Funtouch OS 12 based on Android 12 |
| REAR CAMERA | 50MP Samsung ISOCELL GN5 Main Camera With Gimbal OIS, 50MP 150° Ultra-wide + Macro Camera, 16MP 2.5x Telephoto Camera with OIS |
| FRONT CAMERA | 16MP Front-facing Camera |
| CONNECTIVITY | Dual-SIM, 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, GNSS, NFC |
| PORTS | USB 2.0 (Type-C) |
| OTHER FEATURES | In-display Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensor, Dual Stereo Speakers |
| BATTERY & CHARGING | 4,700mAh Battery, 120W Fast Wired Charging, 50W Fast Wireless Charging, Reverse Wireless Charging |
2. Oneplus 10 Pro
The Oneplus 10 Pro is another strong competitor of the Xiaomi 12 Pro in India. For a very long time, Oneplus has been the preferred brand in the premium segment in the country. For the unaware, India is the only region where the company enjoys this position.
Because the brand has built a premium image among Indian consumers. Additionally, its products are relatively cheaper here than in other international markets.
Coming to the Oneplus 10 Pro, the device flaunts a unique design. It not only comes with the fan-favorite OxygenOS but also a 150˚ ultra-wide camera and a 3.3x telephoto camera. The camera system is also backed by Hasselblad’s software optimization.
Talking about price, the Oneplus 10 Pro is costlier than both Xiaomi 12 Pro and iQOO 9 Pro. It retails at ₹66,999 and ₹71,999 for 8GB + 128GB and 12GB + 256B memory variants respectively.
Buyers can get a ₹4,500 discount on SBI credit card and EMI transactions. Therefore, the effective price of the phone is ₹62,499 and ₹67,499.
| BUILD | Aluminum Frame + Glass Back |
| DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT | 163 x 73.9 x 8.6mm 201g |
| DISPLAY | 6.7-inch curved AMOLED Panel, 3216 x 1440 (QHD+) Resolution, 10-bit Color Depth, 1Hz-120Hz Refresh Rate (LTPO 2.0), 1300 Nits Peak Brightness, Punch Hole at Top Left Corner |
| CHIPSET | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC |
| RAM & STORAGE | 8GB/12GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 Storage |
| SOFTWARE | OxygenOS 12.1 based on Android 12 |
| REAR CAMERA | 48MP Sony IMX789 Main Camera with OIS, 50MP Samsung JN1 150° Ultra-wide Camera, 8MP 3.3x Telephoto Camera with OIS |
| FRONT CAMERA | 32MP Sony IMX615 Front-facing Camera |
| CONNECTIVITY | Dual-SIM, 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, GNSS, NFC |
| PORTS | USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-C) |
| OTHER FEATURES | In-display Optical Fingerprint Sensor, Dual Stereo Speakers, Alert Slider |
| BATTERY & CHARGING | 5,000mAh Battery, 80W Fast Wired Charging, 50W Fast Wireless Charging, Reverse Wireless Charging |
3. Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus
Though the Galaxy S22 Plus is out, it is way costlier than the Xiaomi 12 Pro in India. So the best option from Samsung is none other than the Galaxy S21 Plus. However, it is difficult to find one, especially online.
The handset was released in the country priced at ₹81,999 (8GB + 128GB) and ₹85,999 (8GB + 256GB). But now, it can be had for only ₹61,999 from retailers like Reliance Digital. You can also avail of additional bank discounts.
Despite being a year old, the Galaxy S21 Plus is still a good smartphone to consider. It not only has IP68 dust/water resistance but will receive three more Android updates. You also get useful features like Samsung Dex, Samsung Pay, USB 3.2 (Type-C) port, and more.
Having said that, if you happen to get a good deal on the latest Galaxy S22 Plus, then that’s a better option.
| BUILD | Aluminum Frame + Glass Back |
| DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT | 161.5 x 75.6 x 7.8mm 200g |
| DISPLAY | 6.7-inch Flat AMOLED Panel, 2400 x 1080 (FHD+) Resolution, 120Hz Refresh Rate, 1300 Nits Peak Brightness, Centered Punch Hole |
| CHIPSET | Exynos 2100 SoC |
| RAM & STORAGE | 8GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 Storage |
| SOFTWARE | One UI 3.1 based on Android 11, Upgradable to One UI 4.1 based on Android 12 |
| REAR CAMERA | 12MP Main Camera with OIS, 12MP Ultra-wide Camera, 64MP 3x Telephoto Camera |
| FRONT CAMERA | 10MP Front-facing Camera |
| CONNECTIVITY | Dual-SIM, 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, GNSS, NFC |
| PORTS | USB 3.2 (Type-C) |
| OTHER FEATURES | In-display Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensor, Dual Stereo Speakers, IP68 Dust/Water Resistance, Samsung DeX |
| BATTERY & CHARGING | 4,800mAh Battery, 25W Fast Wired Charging, 15W Fast Wireless Charging, Reverse Wireless Charging |
4. Apple iPhone 12
The last handset is our list is the Apple iPhone 12. The one and a half years old iPhone is still a good option but if you can find a great deal on iPhone 13, then it would be even better.
The iPhone 12 currently starts at ₹65,900 in India. However, most retailers are selling it at a cheaper price. For instance, as of writing this article, Amazon had listed the device at ₹54,900. You can make use of available bank discounts to further lower the price.
Anyway, as mentioned earlier, iPhone 13 is a better option if you could somehow find it around the same price as Xiaomi 12 Pro. Because the iPhone 12 is infamous for its battery performance. The iPhone 13 officially starts at ₹79,900 in the region.
| BUILD | Aluminum Frame + Glass Back |
| DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4mm 164g |
| DISPLAY | 6.1-inch Flat AMOLED Panel, 2532 x 1170 Resolution, 60Hz Refresh Rate, 1200 Nits Peak Brightness, Dolby Vision, Wide Notch |
| CHIPSET | Apple A14 Bionic SoC |
| RAM & STORAGE | 4GB RAM, 64GB/128GB/256GB Storage |
| SOFTWARE | iOS 14 , Upgradable to iOS 15 |
| REAR CAMERA | 12MP Main Camera with OIS, 12MP 120˚ Ultra-wide Camera |
| FRONT CAMERA | 12MP Front-facing Camera |
| CONNECTIVITY | Dual-SIM, 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, GNSS, NFC |
| PORTS | USB 2.0 (Lightning) |
| OTHER FEATURES | Face ID, Dual Stereo Speakers, IP68 Dust/Water Resistance |
| BATTERY & CHARGING | 2,815mAh Battery, 20W Wired Charging, 15W MagSafe Charging, 7.5W Wireless Charging |
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