Xiaomi 12 Lite

Fancy styling, selfie lights and fast charging meet pared-back power in Xiaomi's latest diet flagship

We're facing an affordable smartphone epidemic at the moment. With so many more good-but-not-great Android phones out right now, when everything's good enough, nothing really stands out. So what has Xiaomi done to help its 12 Lite edge ahead? First of all, it offers a safe but stylish design; the 12 Lite looks like a slender slice with its curvy corners and flat sides, front and back. Lots of phones share similar styling but the Xiaomi 12 Lite's frosted finish adds richness to the touch.

With AMOLED screen technology matched with credentials that we wouldn't always expect at the price - HDR10+ and Dolby Vision - the phone shows off content with pizazz. Its tall 20:9 aspect ratio means it's great for watching wide-screen content on. We fired up Ms Marvel on Disney Plus, and it filled up the screen beautifully. That said, 16:9 shows sport a fair bit more letterboxing.