How to Choose a Xiaomi 2022 Smartphone: A Complete Guide with Expert Tips

Choosing a smartphone in 2022 is not an easy task, especially when it comes to the Xiaomi brand, which offers dozens of models in different price categories. From budget Redmi to flagship Mi and Black Shark, the range is so wide that it is easy to get confused. But don’t rush to buy the first model you get: in this article we will analyze what to look for when choosing, what new products in 2022 deserve attention, and how not to overpay for unnecessary features.

The main problem when buying a Xiaomi smartphone is the balance between price and capabilities. For example, the top-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or Dimensity 9000 chipsets guarantee high performance, but are expensive, while the budget models on the Snapdragon 480+ or Helio G96 They do their daily tasks for a third of the price, and there's some nuances about the firmware. MIUI, support 5G, Screen quality and autonomy – we’ll talk about it below.

If you’re looking for a smartphone for gaming, photography, long-term charging, or just a reliable device for every day, this article will provide the answer. We won’t list all Xiaomi 2022 models (over 30!), but will focus on the key selection criteria and the best options in different price segments.

1.Setting the budget: how much does a good Xiaomi smartphone cost in 2022?

The first thing to start with is budget.In 2022, Xiaomi is offering smartphones in the range of 10,000 to 100,000.+ And the price directly affects the filling. Let's look at the main price categories and what to expect from them:

• 💰 Budget up to 15 000 ₽: Redmi model 10/10A/10C, Poco M4 Pro. Here you will get a base chipset (e.g. Helio) G35 or Snapdragon 480), HD+-screen, 1–2 camera-storage 5000 Mach. Suitable for calls, social networks and easy games.
• 💵 15 000 – 30 000 ₽: Redmi Note 11/11 Pro, Poco X4 Pro, Xiaomi 11 Lite NE. Full already. HD+ frequency-screen 90–120 Hz, Snapdragon processors 695 or Dimensity 810, 3–4 Cameras and fast charging. The best choice for most.
• 💎 30 000 – 60 000 ₽: Xiaomi 11T/11T Pro, Redmi K50, Black Shark 5. Top Chipsets (Snapdragon) 870/8 Gen 1), AMOLED-screen, 108 MP cameras and charging 67–120 For games, shooting and multitasking.
• 👑 From 60 000 ₽: Xiaomi 12/12 Pro, Mix Fold 2. Flagships with the best screens (2K, 120 Hz, LTPO), Leica cameras, frameless design and premium materials.

Important: in 2022, Xiaomi is actively reducing prices on last year’s models (for example, Xiaomi). 11T Pro fell from 50,000 to 35,000 ₽), Therefore, before buying, check the shares on the official website or in partner stores.

Processor and performance: which chipset to choose?

The processor depends on how fast the smartphone will work, what games will pull and how long it will last without the brakes. 2022 Xiaomi uses chipsets from Qualcomm (Snapdragon), MediaTek (Dimensity/Helio) and their own designs (such as Surge) C1 Mix Fold 2). Let's see what's going on:

If you need a smartphone to play games, pay attention to models with Snapdragon 870/8 Gen 1 or Dimensity 9000. They support technologies like Elite Gaming (from Black Shark) or Game Turbo (from Redmi). K50), It's a game that optimizes performance. Snapdragon is enough for normal use. 695 — It's more energy efficient and cheaper.

⚠️ In 2022, Xiaomi began installing MediaTek Dimensity even in flagship models (for example, Redmi). K50 These processors are not inferior to Snapdragon in power, but may be less optimized for some games.

3. Screen: AMOLED vs IPS, refresh rate and other nuances

The screen is something you interact with every day, so its quality is critical. In 2022, Xiaomi offers two main types of displays:

• 📱 AMOLED: Deep black, high contrast, support HDR10+. There are flagships (Xiaomi 12 Pro) and some mid-budget models (Redmi Note 11 Pro)+). Minus – possible burn-in (burnout of pixels) with prolonged use.
• 🖥️ IPS LCD: It's more natural color reproduction, cheaper to produce, and it's used in budget models (Redmi 10), and the downsides are less contrast and higher power consumption.

Key screen parameters that you should pay attention to:

• 🔄 Update frequency: 60 Hz – minimum, 90-120 Hz – optimal for smoothness, 144 Hz – for gamers (Black Shark 5).
• 🎨 Resolution: Full HD+ (2400×1080) — mid-segment standard, 2K (3200×1440) — flagship.
• 🛡️ Protection: Gorilla Glass 5 or Victus (Xiaomi 12 Pro) protect against scratches.
• 🌞 Brightness: from 500 nits for comfortable use in the sun, 800+ nit.

Tip: If you watch videos or play often, take a model with a AMOLED and frequency 120 Hz. To save the battery, you can limit the frequency to 60 Hz in the settings (Settings) → Screen. → Frequency of update).

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Before buying, check the screen for availability. PWM-Shima (flickering at low brightness) Some users complain of eye fatigue in models with low brightness. AMOLED from Samsung (for example, Xiaomi) 11T Pro).

4. Battery and charging: how long will it last without an outlet?

Autonomy is a key parameter, especially if you travel a lot or forget to charge your phone. In 2022, Xiaomi offers smartphones with batteries from 4,000 mAh (compact models) to 5,000-5500 mAh (most devices), but capacity is not the only factor.

• ⚡ Fast charging: from 18 watts in budget models to 120 watts in the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ (charge 100% in 15 minutes!).
• 🔋 Wireless charging: only flagships (Xiaomi 12 Pro supports 50W).
• 📉 Power efficiency: 5–6 nm processors (Snapdragon 8 Gen 1) consume less than 12 nm (Helio) G96).
• 🌙 Software optimization: MIUI Ultra Battery Saver mode extends up to 24 hours at 5% charge.

If you need a smartphone that will work for 2 days without recharging, pay attention to:

• Redmi Note 11 Pro+ (5,000 mAh + 120 watts charging),
• Poco M4 Pro (5000 mAhh) + 33 Watts),
• Xiaomi 11T Pro (5000 mAhh) + 120 W).

⚠️ Warning: Extremely fast charging (120W) reduces battery life. If you plan to use your phone for longer than 2 years, you’d better choose a 30-67W charging model with a capacity of 5,000.+ mAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

5 Cameras: Megapixels vs real quality

Marketing claims about “108MP” or “professional photography” are often misleading.In 2022, Xiaomi uses different camera modules – from budget Samsung to the best camera. ISOCELL to Sony's flagship IMX707 (Xiaomi 12S Let's see what's really important:

• 📸 Main camera: 48-64 MP (Redmi Note 11 Pro) – enough for social networks; 108 MP (Xiaomi) 11T Pro – better for printing or cropping; 200 MP (Mix Fold 2) – marketing, real quality depends on the software.
• 🌃 Night shooting: Look for models with Night Mode 2.0 (Xiaomi 12 Pro) or Dual Native ISO (Redmi K50 Ultra).
• 🎥 Video: 4K@30fps There are almost all models, 8K — Only the flagships (Xiaomi) 12 Pro).
• 🔍 Ultra-shield/macro/telephoto: budget models are often useless (resolution 2-5 MP.

If the photo is critical to you, consider:

• Xiaomi 12S Ultra (co-development with Leica, 1-inch sensor);
• Redmi K50 Ultra (200 MP main camera) + optical stabilization);
• Xiaomi 11T Pro (good balance of price and quality).

📌 Check out the photo examples on DxOMark or GSMArena>

📌 Make sure there is optical stabilization (OIS)

📌 Evaluate the quality of night shots (look for reviews with examples)

📌 Check if the camera supports RAW (post-processing)

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6. Firmware and updates: MIUI 13 and its features

All Xiaomi smartphones work on the corporate shell MIUI, Version 13, which was released in early 2022, is based on Android 12 (and since the fall on Android 13) and has a number of features:

• ✅ Pros: Rich customization capabilities (themes, animations, always active display); Performance features (Game Turbo, Memory Extension); Support for Xiaomi HyperOS (new interface, announced at the end of 2022).
• ❌ Cons: Advertising in system applications (disabled in settings); Delays with updates (for example, Redmi Note 10 received a new update) MIUI 13 only 6 months after release; Some functions on unofficial firmware malfunction.

If you want to make long updates, choose from the following models:

• Xiaomi 12/12 Pro (3–4 year-end);
• Redmi K50 (2–3 years);
• Poco F4 GT (Updates are coming faster than Redmi).

To disable advertising in MIUI, Go to Settings. → Folder "Additional" → Advertising preferences and deactivate all sliders. ADB-command to remove ads completely (instructions are available on the forums) 4PDA).

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Xiaomi smartphones on Android One (for example, Mi) A3) Updates are getting faster, but in 2022 there are no such models – the company has completely switched to the new model. MIUI.

Additional functions: 5G, NFC, stereo speakers and other "chips"

In addition to the main features, the Xiaomi 2022 smartphones have a number of useful (and not so) features.

• 📶 5G: Supported in all models from 20,000 ₽ (Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G). In Russia, networks 5G It is still a test, but the module will be useful in the future.
• 💳 NFC: All models except the most budget (Redmi) 10A). Needed for contactless payment and work with Mi Band.
• 🔊 Stereo speakers: flagships (Xiaomi 12 Pro) with support for Dolby Atmos. Budget models are often monodynamics.
• 🧲 Magnetic charging: only Mix Fold 2 and Xiaomi 12S Ultra (compatible with MagSafe).
• 🌡️ Infrared port: there is in Redmi and Poco - controls equipment (air conditioners, TVs).
• 🔒 Fingerprint scanner: Side (in the power button) – in most models; Underscreen – only flagships (Xiaomi 12 Pro).

What can you not overpay?

• 🚫 Protection IP68: Only Xiaomi 12 Pro and Mix Fold 2 have it — IP53 (spray-proof).
• 🚫 Wireless charging: If you don’t use it daily, take a model with a wired 67-120 watts.
• 🚫 3.5 mm connector: in 2022, only Redmi 10 and Poco remained M4 Pro.

8.The best Xiaomi smartphones of 2022: our top by category

So, let's summarize and highlight the best models of Xiaomi 2022 in different categories, taking into account the ratio of price, characteristics and user reviews.

If you do not find a suitable model in the table, use the filter on the official Xiaomi website according to the following parameters:

• Choose a price range;
• Mark the desired characteristics (5G, NFC, screen-frequency);
• Sort by rating or novelty.

⚠️ In 2022, Xiaomi began selling some models (Redmi Note 11 Pro)+) in two versions: global (c) MIUI Global and Chinese (c) MIUI The second option is cheaper, but may not support Russian and Google services. Buy only global versions (marking begins with the first one). M22... 22...).

FAQ: Frequent questions when choosing a Xiaomi smartphone