Xiaomi 12S Ultra vs ZTE Axon 40

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra (2022) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, while the ZTE Axon 40 (2022) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870. By overall MobileRank rating, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra leads — 71/100 vs 58/100 (a 13-point difference). Key differences: the ZTE Axon 40 has the bigger battery (5000 mAh vs 4800); the main camera is 3 MP vs 64 MP; the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is faster in AnTuTu (1,627,862 vs 1,010,069); the ZTE Axon 40 is noticeably lighter (200g vs 225g).

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is noticeably better than the ZTE Axon 40 — the overall rating gap is 13 points.
Profile comparison
Category scores
Xiaomi 12S Ultra
Performance 73
Display 90
Camera 70
Battery 64
Portability 32
Value for money
ZTE Axon 40
Performance 61
Display 73
Camera 51
Battery 52
Portability 53
Value for money
What makes Xiaomi 12S Ultra better?
  • Higher AnTuTu: 1627862 vs 1010069
  • Better Geekbench Single: 1761 vs 1298
  • Better Geekbench Multi: 4688 vs 3520

  • Higher performance (73/100 vs 61/100)
  • Better camera (70/100 vs 51/100)
  • Longer battery life (64/100 vs 52/100)
  • Better display (90/100 vs 73/100)
What makes ZTE Axon 40 better?
  • Bigger battery: 5000 vs 4800 mAh
  • Better main camera: 64MP vs 3MP
  • Lighter: 200g vs 225g

  • Better portability (53/100 vs 32/100)
Comparison verdict

Comparing the Xiaomi 12S Ultra vs the ZTE Axon 40, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra scores 13 points higher (71/100 vs 58/100). In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra leads (73/100 vs 61/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra leads (70/100 vs 51/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra leads (64/100 vs 52/100). In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is a bit better (73/100 vs 61/100). In the "display" category, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra notably outperforms the ZTE Axon 40 (90/100 vs 73/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra notably outperforms the ZTE Axon 40 (70/100 vs 51/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is a bit better (64/100 vs 52/100). In the "portability" category, the ZTE Axon 40 notably outperforms the Xiaomi 12S Ultra (53/100 vs 32/100).

Xiaomi 12S Ultra: The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is a better fit for active users.
ZTE Axon 40: The ZTE Axon 40 is a better fit for active users.
Specs comparison
Specification Xiaomi 12S Ultra ZTE Axon 40
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Qualcomm Snapdragon 870
AnTuTu 1627862 1010069
Geekbench Single 1761 1298
Geekbench Multi 4688 3520
Display 6.7" LTPO2 AMOLED 6.7"
Resolution 1440x3200 1080x2400
Refresh rate 120 Hz 120 Hz
Battery 4800 mAh 5000 mAh
Charging 67W
Wireless charging 50W 0W
DXOMark (camera) 136
Main camera 3 MP 64 MP
Ultrawide 48 MP 8 MP
Telephoto 48 MP 0 MP
Front camera 32 MP 44 MP
RAM 8GB / 12GB
Storage 256GB / 512GB 128GB
OS Android 12, MIUI 13 Android 12 Snow Cone
Brightness (peak) 1500 nits
NFC yes yes
Protection IP68
Dimensions 163.2×75.0×9.1 mm 163.4×75.9×8.6 mm
Weight 225 g 200 g
Price
Camera comparison
Xiaomi 12S Ultra
  • Main: 3MP f/f/1.9
  • Ultrawide: 48MP
  • Telephoto: 48MP
  • Front: 32MP
70
camera
ZTE Axon 40
  • Main: 64MP
  • Ultrawide: 8MP
  • Front: 44MP
51
camera
Display comparison
Xiaomi 12S Ultra
  • 6.7" LTPO2 AMOLED
  • Resolution: 1440x3200
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
90
display
ZTE Axon 40
  • 6.7"
  • Resolution: 1080x2400
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
73
display
Battery and charging
Xiaomi 12S Ultra
  • 4800 mAh
  • Wired: 67W
  • Wireless: 50W
64
battery
ZTE Axon 40
  • 5000 mAh
  • No wireless charging
52
battery
Overall performance score

We compared Xiaomi 12S Ultra and ZTE Axon 40, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.

Xiaomi 12S Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
71/100
1627862 AnTuTu
ZTE Axon 40 Qualcomm Snapdragon 870
58/100 -61.2%
1010069 AnTuTu

Xiaomi 12S Ultra leads ZTE Axon 40 by 61.2% in our overall performance rating.

Benchmarks
Detailed category analysis
performance

In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is a bit better (73/100 vs 61/100).

display

In the "display" category, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra notably outperforms the ZTE Axon 40 (90/100 vs 73/100).

camera

In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra notably outperforms the ZTE Axon 40 (70/100 vs 51/100).

battery

In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra is a bit better (64/100 vs 52/100).

portability

In the "portability" category, the ZTE Axon 40 notably outperforms the Xiaomi 12S Ultra (53/100 vs 32/100).

Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Xiaomi 12S Ultra or the ZTE Axon 40?

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is noticeably better than the ZTE Axon 40 — the overall rating gap is 13 points.

What is the rating of the Xiaomi 12S Ultra and the ZTE Axon 40?

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra has a MobileRank rating of 71/100, the ZTE Axon 40 — 58/100.

Which has the better camera: the Xiaomi 12S Ultra or the ZTE Axon 40?

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra leads on camera score (70/100 vs 51/100).

Which is more powerful: the Xiaomi 12S Ultra or the ZTE Axon 40?

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra leads on performance (73/100 vs 61/100).

Should you choose the Xiaomi 12S Ultra over the ZTE Axon 40?

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra is a better fit for active users. The ZTE Axon 40 is a better fit for active users.