Xiaomi 12T Pro Daniel Arsham Edition hands-on review

Last week brought us announcement Xiaomi 12T Pro Daniel Arsham Edition and we not get to check the limited edition smartphone in person. The unique design, developed in collaboration with the contemporary artist is manufactured in just 2,000 units and we were lucky to get one of those at the office.

The official launch is scheduled for December 16 and the limited edition will only be available in Europe.

For the Xiaomi 12T Pro, Daniel Arsham went with his signature “aging” technique to make the green phone look as if it was made from copper and aged in open air.

The retail box has a matching design and actually has a more traditional smartphone box in a golden color inside. The smartphone is truly unique and photos don't do full justice to its design.

The back panel has different textures for the exposed copper bits and the sculptural elements - it's not just a different color underneath. That certainly adds an extra layer of premium.

Looking beyond the phone, the retail box contents are in a similar shade of green - the 120W adapter, the charging cable, and even the box itself.

There is a simple plastic transparent protective case, which comes in sharp contrast with the premium feeling of the phone itself. However it allows you to see the design, so there's that at least.

The Xiaomi 12T Pro Daniel Arsham Edition comes with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, matching the top version of the mainstream phone. There aren’t any differences on the hardware side, where you still get the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset and 120Hz 6.67" AMOLED display. You should check out our full review to know all about its performance.

The UI comes with a unique green theme that matches the design of the back. You get a custom wallpaper and icon set.

The MIUI 13, based on Android 12, offers plenty of other themes and ways to customize the design, with some pre-installed and ready to be set.

This unique Xiaomi 12T Pro will sell for €899, which is €49 higher than a regular 12/256 GB version in any of the other three plain colors. Contemporary art is highly polarizing, so people will either find this an incredible deal or a blatant ripoff. However Xiaomi needs just 2,000 of its fans to fall in the first group and it will have no trouble finding them. Those should look for the Daniel Arsham Edition in Xiaomi’s store and at Highsnobiety.