vivo X90 Pro Plus vs Xiaomi 12S Ultra: The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is one of the best camera phones in 2022 and that’s mostly because it features a 1-inch camera sensor from Sony. Now, the new vivo X90 Pro+ also features that same camera sensor and is paired with a newer ISP. So, is the X90 Pro+ better than the 12S Ultra with its new ISP and new chipset?
To know which is better between these two phones, we’ve put together this vivo X90 Pro Plus vs Xiaomi 12S Ultra specs comparison to highlight the differences and similarities. And also to explain which is better between these two phones.
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vivo X90 Pro Plus vs Xiaomi 12S Ultra
| Specs | vivo X90 Pro Plus | Xiaomi 12S Ultra |
| Display | 6.78-inches, 120Hz | 6.73-inches, 120Hz |
| Display Features | LTPO, HDR10+, AMOLED | LTPO, AMOLED, HDR10+ |
| RAM | 12GB | up to 12GB |
| Storage | up to 512GB | up to 512GB |
| Back Camera | 50.3MP + 64MP + 50MP + 48MP | 50.3MP + 48MP + 48MP |
| Front Camera | 32MP | 32MP |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 |
| Software | Android 13 | Android 12 |
| Battery | 4,700mAh (80W) | 4,860mAh (67W) |
| Waterproof | IP68 | IP68 |
vivo X90 Pro Plus vs Xiaomi 12S Ultra: Display, Design, and Durability
The vivo X90 Pro+ and Xiaomi 12S Ultra have similar display features but different designs. Both phones have similar display sizes and the same curved screen. The display panel of both phones is LTPO AMOLED that can auto refresh between 1Hz and 120Hz and the display on both phones also supports HDR10+. The quality of color and brightness of the display on both smartphones are practically the same.
The design of both phones on the rear is different but both phones have the same curved screen and punch hole on the top center of the screen. On the rear, both phones have circular camera modules Xiaomi 12S Ultra has a bigger circular camera module.
Both phones are certified to have water and dustproof and are made of durable materials (Glass front, Glass back, and Aluminum frame). The Xiaomi 12S Ultra and vivo X90 Pro+ have really nice designs and the power buttons, volume rockers, and charging port are located in the same location on both phones.
See Also: iQOO 10 Pro vs Xiaomi 12S Ultra: Which is better
vivo X90 Pro Plus vs Xiaomi 12S Ultra: Camera
| Camera | vivo X90 Pro+ | Xiaomi 12S Ultra |
| Primary | 50.3MP | 50.3MP |
| Ultra-wide | 48MP | 48MP |
| Periscope | 64MP | 48MP |
| Telephoto | 50MP | N/A |
| Front | 32MP | 32MP |
The vivo X90 Pro+ and Xiaomi 12S Ultra have the same 50.3MP main camera. This camera is Sony’s 1-inch sensor and it has Laser AutoFocus and OIS stabilization features.
The X90 Pro+ has two telephoto lenses while the Xiaomi 12S Ultra has just one telephoto lens. The 48MP telephoto lens of the Xiaomi 12S Ultra does a great job at taking photos from a far object but the 64MP periscope and 50MP telephoto lenses of the X90 Pro+ are better at taking photos of distant objects.
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Both phones have 48MP ultra-wide and 32MP front cameras. The advantage that the X90 Pro+ has over the 12S Ultra is that its chipset has a new ISP that has the potential to process better images. But, both phones take incredible photos as Xiaomi partnered with Leica to fine-tone its photos while vivo partnered with Zeiss to improve its photos.
The 32MP front cameras on both phones can record videos in 4K resolution and the rear cameras on both phones can record videos in 8K resolution. Comparing the night photos from both phones shows that the X90 Pro+ captures more details and is sharper. Going by the photo samples we’ve got so far, it’s safe to say that the vivo X90 Pro+ is a better camera phone than the Xiaomi 12S Ultra.
See Also: vivo X90 Pro Plus vs Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Which is better
vivo X90 Pro Plus vs Xiaomi 12S Ultra: Chipset, RAM & Storage
The performance of both phones is different because both phones have different chipsets. The vivo X90 Pro+ features the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 5G chipset while the Xiaomi 12S Ultra features the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 5G chipset.
| Specs | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (vivo X90 Pro+) | Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (Xiaomi 12S Ultra) |
| Process | 4nm | 4nm |
| Performance | 1x 3.2GHz–Cortex-X3 | 1x 3.19GHz-Cortex-X2 |
| Prime Cores | 2x 2.8GHz–Cortex-A715 2x 2.8GHz–Cortex-A710 | 3x 2.75GHz-Cortex-A710 |
| Efficiency Cores | 3x 2.0GHz–Cortex-A510 | 4x 1.80GHz-Cortex-A510 |
| GPU | Adreno 740 | Adreno 730 |
The chipset inside the vivo X90 Pro+ has newer and faster CPU cores than the one inside the Xiaomi 12S Ultra. The GPU that is paired with the CPU of the X90 Pro+ is also more powerful than the one of the S22 Ultra. So when it comes to performance, the X90 Pro+ is better because it has a better chipset.
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra has 8GB or 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage while the vivo X90 Pro+ has 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. None of these phones have space for a microSD card slot. The base model of the Xiaomi 12S Ultra has 8GB + 256GB of storage while that of the vivo X90 Pro+ has 12GB + 256GB of storage.
See Also: OPPO Reno 9 Pro vs Realme 10 Pro Plus: Which is Better?
vivo X90 Pro Plus vs Xiaomi 12S Ultra: Software
The vivo X90 Pro+ boots Origin OS 3 based on Android 13 out of the box and will get up to five years of software updates while the Xiaomi 12S Ultra boots MIUI 13 based on Android 12 out of the box and will get up to five years of software updates. The user interface, app icons, and navigation settings of both smartphones are different.
vivo X90 Pro Plus vs Xiaomi 12S Ultra: Battery & Other Features
The vivo X90 Pro+ is powered by a 4,700mAh while the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is powered by a 4,860mAh battery. Both smartphones support 50W wireless charging but the X90 Pro+ supports faster 80W wired wireless charging. It’ll take you less time to charge the battery of vivo X90 Pro+ even though you’ll get more than 8 hours of intensive use on both phones.
Other features available in both smartphones include Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), NFC, GPS, USB Type-C 2.0, USB On-The-Go, Virtual proximity sensing, Ultra Wideband (UWB) support, color spectrum, 32-bit/192kHz audio, Tuned by Harman Kardon, eSIM, etc.
See Also: OPPO Reno 9 Pro vs Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus: Which is Better?
vivo X90 Pro Plus vs Xiaomi 12S Ultra: Price
The starting price of the vivo X90 Pro+ (12 + 256GB) is $1199 which has the same price tag as the 8GB + 256GB model of the Xiaomi 12S Ultra that sells for $1199. The base model of the vivo X90 Pro+ has more RAM which makes it a better choice but the Xiaomi 12S Ultra has a discount because it’s been around for a while. Details of how to buy these phones are available in the table below.
| vivo X90 Pro+ | Price |
| Buy on Giztop | $1199.00 |
| Xiaomi 12S Ultra | Price |
| Buy on Giztop | $939 |
vivo X90 Pro Plus vs Xiaomi 12S Ultra: Conclusion
The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is the pioneer of the 50.3MP Sony’s IMX989 1-inch camera sensor. No doubt that the 12S Ultra will still be one of the best phones even in 2023. However, the vivo X90 Pro+ has more juice and is equipped with more features to beat the 12S Ultra.
The CPU cores, GPU, and ISP, of the vivo X90 Pro+, are better than those of the Xiaomi 12S Ultra. The X90 Pro+ also features a bigger battery, faster charging, and more RAM, and depending on where you buy, is cheaper or the same price as the 12S Ultra. The vivo X90 Pro+ is better than the Xiaomi 12S Ultra and if you have the money, you should buy the X90 Pro+ but for the current price discount, the 12S Ultra offers good value for the money right now.
