Xiaomi has unveiled the latest model to join its 12-series phones. Curiously, this announcement comes after the 12S launch, in which many of the 12-series models were superseded (at least in China). 

Still, the Xiaomi 12 Lite brings with it the usual traits of the 'Lite' model. This primarily means we're getting a slim and light phone, packed with some high-end tech in a device which costs considerably less than its flagship models. 

The design is a key focus for this phone and - just like the 11 Lite - it features a really slim body: just 7.29mm thin, and it weighs 173g. That means, roughly the same weight as an iPhone 13, in a body that's a few millimetres thinner than Apple's popular device. 

Just like the previous generation, it also ships in some attractive pastel colours: Lite Green and Lite Pink, as well as the usual black model for those who want something a bit more "sensible". 

As for specs, it's got some impressive features for a phone in this price range. On the front, there's a 6.55-inch AMOLED display that's certified for both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, features up to 120Hz refresh rates and 240Hz touch sampling. 

This impressive-sounding panel is joined by a pair of stereo speakers, equipped with Dolby Atmos spatial audio support. 

Inside you get the Snapdragon 778G platform, which enables 5G support as well as near-flagship performance and is joined by a 4300mAh battery. This may seem a little low, but with 67W fast-charging, we can't imagine battery anxiety being a serious concern. 

As for the triple camera system on the back, that's made up of the 108-megapixel Samsung HM2 sensor in the primary, an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera and a low resolution 2-megapixel camera. 

There will be three variants of the Xiaomi 12 Lite: 6GB/128GB, 8GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB, and you can pre-order it from now with a recommended retail price starting at $399 in US Dollars.