Earlier it was reported that Xiaomi is not getting its latest flagship, Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra, evaluated by the DxOMark. However, the company decided otherwise, and the results are here. To everyone’s surprise, the results are not what we expected.
According to the smartphone camera rankings on DxOMark, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra performs worse than its predecessor, the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra. Shocking right? Let’s dive deeper and see what could be the reason behind the lower DxOMark score of Xiaomi’s Mi 12S Ultra.
Why is Xiaomi 12S Ultra DxOMark score less?
Although it is among the top 5 contenders on the chart, it couldn’t beat last year’s Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, which is at the 3rd position on the list. The Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra scored 138, beating the likes of the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max. However, the hardware-heavy Mi 11 ultra scores a whopping 143, ranking 3rd on the list.
Despite the Leica branding and heavier image processing, the Xiaomi Mi12 lies below its predecessor. According to DxOMark, the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra has excellent overall image quality in most cases, good color, exposure, and details. It even has phenomenal night-time photography capabilities with excellent dynamic range.
However, the camera lacks a bit of image consistency. This means the output varies depending on the scenario compared to an iPhone 13 Pro. And at the end, consistency is what an end consumer is looking for. Don’t get us wrong, as the Xiaomi Mi 12S Ultra has an excellent pair of cameras for everyday use; it’s just that it lacks in some areas when compared to the big leagues.
Should you only consider the DxOMark to assess a camera’s performance?
DxOMark scores do not portray the full picture as the general trend is to prefer a device with a higher number of hardware components. This could be one of the reasons for the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra to rank higher on the list. And to be completely honest, take these rankings with a pinch of salt as professional photographers themselves do not show much faith in them.
The irrelevancy of the DxOMark regarding smartphone cameras has increased over the years as mobile cameras heavily rely on computational photography. Our advice to better assess the camera performance of a smartphone would be to look for unbiased camera comparisons. And an even better option would be to get your hands on the device at the nearest store around you.
Lastly, we’d advise you not to blindly believe the outdated testing parameters of DxOMark and do your own due diligence. Do you think the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra has a better camera performance than the Mi 12S Ultra? Comment down below.
