These are the best Xiaomi phones you can buy

Xiaomi devices have a reputation for offering an excellent bang for your buck with impressive specs at lower price points than many other significant players. In recent years, the company expanded beyond its home country of China, making a massive splash in India and steadily growing its market share in Europe and other markets. So what better time to look at the best Xiaomi phones than now?

Keep in mind that this list includes POCO, Black Shark, and Redmi phones since they’re Xiaomi brands. It also includes phones at different price points, so everyone should find something that fits their budget.

The pros and cons of Xiaomi phones

There are many valid reasons why you should opt for a Xiaomi phone. First, the company makes and sells devices under a few different brands, targeting various consumers. There’s the flagship Xiaomi lineup, the more affordable Redmi phones, the gaming-centric Black Shark series, and the ultra-budget POCO brand. Whichever you choose, you can expect to pay less for it than for an equivalent phone from a brand like Samsung. At least in most cases.

Xiaomi also has devices in different price ranges, meaning you’ll find something for yourself regardless of whether you want to spend $100 or $1,000. You can expect an excellent phone for your money, both from build quality and design perspectives.

However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Xiaomi’s MIUI software is not to everyone’s liking, since it significantly changes Android’s look and feel. There’s also lots of bloatware on Xiaomi phones. The company’s lineup can also get confusing since Xiaomi likes to sell the same devices under different names in different regions. Not to mention Xiaomi comes from China, and the security-conscious among you may worry about privacy.

Despite these drawbacks, Xiaomi phones are definitely worth considering if you’re looking for a new handset. Now, let’s take a look at the best ones available.

The best Xiaomi phones

Editor’s note: We will update this list as more Xiaomi phones hit the market. Remember that the list includes POCO and Redmi phones since Xiaomi owns both.

Xiaomi 13 series

Xiaomi’s latest and greatest flagship devices are out. The Xiaomi 13 series includes the absolute best Xiaomi phones around, and they should come to more markets soon enough.

The series initially consisted of two impressive devices: The Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro. They’re powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, 8-12GB of RAM, as much as 512GB of storage, and excellent 120Hz AMOLED displays. Other highlights include an IP68 rating, 50W wireless charging, and Wi-Fi 6E support.

We had very little to complain about during our Xiaomi 13 Pro review. Mainly, we’re not fans of MIUI and there’s no 4K @ 60fps video recording. Aside from that, we loved the build quality. It’s made with premium materials like aluminum, ceramic, and Gorilla Glass Victus. We were also huge fans of the large 6.73-inch display, as it has a sharp QHD definition with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Of course, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and 8-12GB of RAM keep performance powerful. We were very happy with the battery life, as we usually managed to get over a day and a half on a full charge.

The Xiaomi 13 is also a great device. It gets a 6.39-inch FHD+ flat OLED screen (2,400 x 1,080, 120Hz), 4,500mAh battery, and 67W wired charging.

These phones aren’t exactly cheap, but they’re priced similarly to other high-end devices. The Xiaomi 13 Pro has a £1,099 MSRP, while the Xiaomi 13 starts at £759.

Xiaomi more recently launched the Xiaomi 13 Ultra. It’s actually very similar on paper, but the look of the back has dramatically changed, with a circular camera housing that comes with a whole four 50MP cameras, all very capable. The camera is also slightly bigger at 5,000mAh. It also gets a max 16GB of RAM.

Xiaomi 13 specs

Xiaomi 13 Pro specs

Xiaomi 12 and 12S Ultra series

Of course, we can’t forget about the Xiaomi 12 series, which includes the Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12 Pro. Both devices come with premium specs, such as a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, up to 12GB of RAM, and as much as 256GB of storage.

There are some differences between both devices across the board. The base version has a 6.28-inch Full HD+ screen with an OLED panel and a 120Hz refresh rate. Additionally, you’ll get a 4,500mAh battery. Around the back, you’ll find a 50MP primary camera, a 13MP ultrawide, and a 5MP telephoto macro shooter.

On the other hand, the Xiaomi 12 Pro takes things up a notch with a 6.73-inch QHD+ display with the same 120Hz refresh rate and an LTPO AMOLED panel. You’ll also get a slightly larger 4,600mAh battery. The cameras are also upgraded to 50MP shooters across the board (main, ultrawide, and telephoto lenses).

Then there is the Xiaomi 12S series, which is exclusive to China, so we didn’t give it its own section. This series comprises the Xiaomi 12S, 12S Pro, and 12S Ultra. All phones offer impressive specs, and great cameras, but the show’s star is definitely the Xiaomi 12S Ultra. It has a 1-inch sensor, and images are optimized with Leica’s image profile. Summicron lenses also reduce glare and improve light transmittance. If you’re willing to import a phone, it should be this one.

Xiaomi 12 specs

Xiaomi 12 Pro specs

Xiaomi 12S Ultra specs

Xiaomi 12T series

Xiaomi added yet another iteration of its 12 series later in 2022. The Xiaomi 12T series includes the Xiaomi 12T and Xiaomi 12T Pro. The base 12T drops the Qualcomm chipset and replaces it with a MediaTek Dimensity 8100 Ultra. The Xiaomi 12T Pro keeps the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. Both are available in 8GB versions, and the Pro version also comes in a 12GB iteration.

Both devices actually have the same 6.67-inch AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 1,220 x 2,712 resolution. These also come with an equally large 5,000mAh battery. The main difference is in the primary camera. The 108MP camera in the 12T is greatly improved, but the 12T Pro takes things to the next level with a 200MP sensor. The sensor is also larger at 1/1.22 inches.

Xiaomi 12T specs

Xiaomi 12T Pro specs

Xiaomi 11T and 11T Pro

Xiaomi’s 11T series consists of the 11T and the 11T Pro. They are the Mi 10T series successors, but Xiaomi decided to ditch the “Mi” branding with the latest generation.

Xiaomi tapped a triple rear camera setup on the 11T to lead the charge with primary, ultrawide, and telemacro sensors. The phone also offers a healthy 5,000mAh battery that supports unreal 120W fast charging, has a big 6.67-inch display, and relies on an in-display fingerprint reader. It’s powered by the speedy Snapdragon 888 processor and comes with as much as 12GB of RAM.

Over on the more affordable Xiaomi 11T, you’ll find MediaTek’s Dimensity 1200U processor keeping the lights on. It doesn’t offer a 12GB of RAM version, but you get the same powerful camera array. Xiaomi kept its hefty 5,000mAh battery cell, though it cut the charging to a still-blistering 67W.

Xiaomi 11T specs

Xiaomi 11T Pro specs

POCO F4 and F4 GT

Poco, which Xiaomi owns, is known for its phones offering fantastic price value. The POCO F4 series follows this recipe, offering high-end build quality, powerful specs, and a price point that undercuts the competition significantly.

There are two versions. The base POCO F4 comes with a Snapdragon 870 chipset, a 6.67-inch AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, up to 12GB of RAM, and a 4,500mAh battery. You can also pay a bit more for the POCO F4 GT, which brings forth more modern internals like a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, a slightly larger 4,700mAh battery, improved audio, and a more exciting design.

POCO F4 specs

POCO F4 GT specs

Redmi Note 12 series

The Redmi Note 12 series is a well-rounded and affordable 5G offering from Xiaomi. It includes four unique models: the Redmi Note 12, Note 12 Pro, Note 12 Pro Plus, and Note 12 Explorer.

These are all quite different, but what they have in common is that they’re all incredibly affordable for the specs you get. The base Redmi Note 12 has a more basic Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 chipset and 4-8GB of RAM. The rest have a MediaTek Dimensity 1080, with RAM ranging between 6-12GB. The three higher-end versions also come with an OLED panel.

Additionally, all the devices have 5,000mAh batteries, except for the Redmi Note 12 Explorer, which is downgraded to 4,300mAh. The Note 12 Pro Plus has the best camera system, featuring a 200MP primary sensor.

Redmi Note 12 specs

Redmi Note 12 Pro specs

Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus specs

Redmi Note 12 Explorer specs

Black Shark 5 series

You might not always think of the best Xiaomi phones as gaming options, but that’s exactly where the Black Shark lineup thrives. The recent Black Shark 5 series got a refresh in the form of the 5 and 5 Pro. While the vanilla 5 packs a Snapdragon 870 under the hood, the Pro model offers more punch with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.

The duo offers nearly-identical 6.67-inch displays, but the pro model has an OLED panel, while the base iteration comes with an AMOLED display. They also both come with a 4,650mAh battery. Other specs are more contrasting, though. The base Black Shark 5 tops off at 8GB of RAM, and comes with 64MP, 13MP, and 2Mp cameras. Otherwise, the Black Shark 5 Pro can have 16GB of RAM, and 108MP, 13MP, and 5MP shooters.

Black Shark 5 specs

Black Shark 5 Pro specs

POCO X5 series

The last Xiaomi phone series on our list is another nod to the budget-friendly stylings of POCO. The POCO X5 and X5 Pro offer a well-rounded experience, mid-end specs, and pretty good value prices. We were impressed by the design, primary camera, long battery life, and high-quality screens. The chips used aren’t top-tier, but they will do just fine, considering the price points.

Both devices come with 6.67-inch AMOLED screens and 120Hz refresh rates. The base X5 sports a Snapdragon 695 processor, while the X5 Pro gets upgraded to a Snapdragon 778G. They also get 6-8GB of RAM, and large 5,000mAh batteries.

That said, nothing is perfect. The devices still come with plenty of bloatware, and the secondary cameras are nothing to write home about. Not to mention MIUI still needs some polishing.

POCO X5 specs

POCO X5 Pro specs

Are you looking to improve your smartphone experience? Here’s a guide to the best phone accessories you can find today.