2022 marked a turning point for the Chinese tech giant, moving from mass accumulation to quality, with users waiting for new devices to get more than just new specification updates, but a fundamental change in how they build mobile devices. This year, the company bet on a partnership with Leica that dramatically changed the way mobile photography and image processing works.
Market analysts and insiders agreed that Xiaomi planned to release more than a hundred models covering all price segments. From budget "calls" to super-powered gaming monsters, the range was supposed to satisfy the needs of any audience, with special attention paid to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and MediaTek Dimensity processors, which became the basis for most flagship solutions.
You should pay attention to how sub-brand strategy has changed: Redmi and POCO have moved from being just replicas of the core lines to having unique features and their own series of processors, creating healthy competition within the ecosystem, allowing customers to choose a device based on their specific needs, whether it be autonomy or maximum performance in games.
⚠️ Note: Release dates of smartphones in the global version are often shifted to 2-4 Don’t panic if the expected model did not appear on sale in the originally announced date.
Xiaomi 12 flagship series and transition to Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
The highlight of the first half of the year was the announcement of the Xiaomi 12 series, the world’s first Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, which provided a huge boost in GPU performance, but the new chip proved to be quite hot, requiring the company’s engineers to develop sophisticated cooling systems.
The flagship’s main camera has undergone significant changes, instead of the usual 108MP sensor, the base model used the new Sony IMX766 50MP optically stabilized module, which significantly improved the quality of shooting in under-light, although zoom lenses remained more a tribute to fashion than a real working tool.
- 📱 Display: AMOLED, 120 Hz, adaptive refresh rate.
- 🔋 Battery: 4500mAh with 67W fast charging support.
- 📸 Camera: Triple module with optical stabilization.
It is worth noting that the Xiaomi 12 Pro version received a more advanced camera with three 50 MP sensors, including a telephoto lens with a portrait focal length. The screens of these devices also featured high resolution WQHD+, which was rare for smartphones with a diagonal of about 6.7 inches at the time.
Redmi Note 11: King of the Midsize
The Redmi Note 11 lineup has traditionally been the most exciting, as it is these smartphones that offer the best price-performance balance. In 2022, the series grew to incredible proportions, including the Note 11, Note 11S, Note 11 Pro and Note 11 Pro+ models. Each targeting a specific audience, from frugal users to those who want to get the functionality of the flagship at half price.
The key feature of the series was the mass introduction AMOLED-And even in the middle price range, if it was the luxury of the device, now contrast and rich colors are available to a wide range of consumers. In addition, most models received stereo speakers and headphone jack 3.5 mm, which in 2022 was already perceived as a pleasant bonus.
⚠️ Attention: Global versions of the Redmi Note 11 often differ from Chinese counterparts in camera set and charging speed.Always check the specifications for your region before buying.
The Pro and Pro+ models included support for 67W and 120W charging, respectively, allowing the device to be fully charged in less than 20 minutes, which dramatically changed the user experience. For those on the move, this speed was critical.
☑️ What to look for when choosing Redmi Note 11
Black Shark and Redmi K50 Gaming
The gaming smartphone segment experienced a renaissance in 2022. Black Shark 4 and Redmi K50 Gaming Edition (known globally as the POCO F4 GT) offered mechanical triggers built into the body, allowing for shooters and racing simulators to be played at a level not available to conventional touchscreens.
Cooling in these devices took it to the next level, using graphene layers, huge-area evaporation chambers and even external coolers in the kit became the norm, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor in these cases could run to the limit without trottling, providing stable FPS in heavy gaming.
The design of the devices has become more aggressive, with RGB-However, despite the game orientation, manufacturers have tried to make them suitable for everyday use by installing high-quality main cameras and other devices. NFC-modules.
Do you need a gaming smartphone?
Budget segment: Redmi 10, 11 and 12 series
Xiaomi continued to dominate the lower price segment, with the Redmi 10, 11 and 12 series, designed for those who need a reliable device for social media, navigation and video calls, often using plastic as the main material, but the build quality remained high.
The main trend has been to increase memory capacity: If previously 64 GB was considered the norm, in 2022 even public sector employees began to equip 128 GB of internal memory. RAM of 4-6 GB has become the standard for comfortable multitasking in the shell of MIUI.
| Model | Processor | Screen. | Battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redmi 10 | Helio G88 | IPS, 90 Hz. | 5,000 mAh |
| Redmi 11 5G | Snapdragon 480+ | IPS, 90 Hz. | 5,000 mAh |
| Redmi 12C | Helio G85 | IPS, 60 Hz. | 5,000 mAh |
It’s important to understand that budget-friendly processors often use old, but time-tested processors, which ensures stability and low power consumption, although high performance in games is not a question.
💡
When buying a budget smartphone, be sure to check for the NFC module. In some regions (for example, India or China) this is sacrificed for the price, and in Russia and Europe it is a critical feature for payment.
POCO: Productivity above all else
The POCO brand in 2022 clearly divided its lineups: the F series (like the POCO F4) focused on maximum performance, getting last year's flagship chips or powerful middlings. the X series (POCO X4 Pro) offered a balanced experience with good screens, and the M series closed the budget segment.
One of the most popular models was the POCO F4, which received an AMOLED 120Hz screen and a Snapdragon 870 processor, considered one of the most stable and cold chips of the time, making it a hit among those looking for a powerful phone to play games without overpaying for the brand.
The MIUI for POCO shell (now HyperOS in newer versions, but then MIUI) received unique themes and widgets different from Xiaomi’s core lineup, creating a sense of using a completely different product, which was greatly appreciated by the brand’s fans.
💡
The POCO F4 and F4 GT became the 2022 benchmark devices, proving that it is not necessary to buy the most expensive flagship on the market for high performance.
Foldable smartphones and experimentation with form factors
2022 was the time Xiaomi finally decided to launch its foldable devices globally. Mix Fold 2 (in China) and its global counterpart were the answer to the Samsung Galaxy Fold. The main feature was the incredibly thin design and lack of visible crease on the screen thanks to the use of ultra-thin glass UTG.
Using a waterfall hinge made the device virtually flat when decomposed, solving one of the main problems of foldable phones, which was the inconvenience of printing and viewing content due to bending in the middle.
Of course, the price of these devices remained high, and they were more of a brand name product, demonstrating the company’s technological leadership, but the mere fact of entering this market showed Xiaomi’s ambition to compete with Samsung and Huawei in the premium segment.
⚠️ Warning: Buying a foldable smartphone requires caution. The folding mechanism is sensitive to dust and impact, and repairing such devices costs significantly more than conventional monoblocks.