Redmi is known for its super budget-friendly phones packed with many exceptional features. The latest addition to the lineup is Redmi Note 12, the budget smartphone that has an AMOLED display, excellent battery life, a 50MP camera, and a good CPU to make it a great performer.
The entry-level phone looks great and promises to deliver performance of the highest calibre. So, how good the phone actually is?
Let’s Inspect!
Summary
Pros
- Great Price
- Nice and Big AMOLED Screen
- Satisfactory Camera performance
- Capable and Cool Processor
- Massive Battery with Fast Charging
Cons
- Mono Speaker
- Some Out-dated hardware parts
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Redmi Note 12 – Price
The price is an unbelievable aspect of the Redmi Note 12. I have the basic variant that does not have 5G, and it only cost 199$. The exceptional price makes this mobile so interesting.
Redmi Note 12 – Unboxing
The unboxing is the same as with every Xiaomi and Redmi phone. A standard box with paperwork, a 33W charger, a silicon case, and a mobile phone. I think it’s excellent the Redmi still provides us with a handy silicon case.
Technical Specifications
- Body: Plastic Frame and back with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 Screen
- Weight: 184 grams
- Screen: 6.67inch AMOLED Screen, 1080×2400 resolution, 1200nits brightness 120Hz Refresh Rate
- Processor: Snapdragon 685 Octa Core CPU
- Memory: 4+128, 6+128, 8+128 GB
- OS: Android 13 with MIUI 14 Skin
- Rear Cameras: Main Camera 50MP with f/1.8, Ultra-wide 8MP with f/2.2, Macro 2MP with f/2.4
- Front Camera: 13MP Camera with f/2.45
- Battery: 5000mAh battery with 33W Fast Charging
- Speakers: Mono Speaker
- Sensors: Side Mounted Fingerprint Sensor, Accelerometer, Gyro, Proximity Sensor
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC (Specific Regions), 4G, USB Type-C 2.0
Design and Construction
Redmi Note 12 is not the best when it comes to build quality. It has no glass back, but you can rest assured that the back plastic will not shatter on accidental falls. The Pro version of Note 12 has a glass back. Apart from the plastic body, almost everything is on the brighter side. The screen looks great, the bezels are very thin, and the camera dot is also quite small.
The buttons and fingerprint sensor are on the right, while the left side has the sim tray. Redmi Note 12 does not have a hybrid tray that can either hold two sims or one sim and an SD card. It has a bigger tray that can easily hold two sims and an SD card, which is excellent as the phone lacks eSim support. On top, we have the good old 3.5mm headphone jack and IR blaster. And on the bottom, you will see the Type-C port and speaker. One bad thing about the phone is that it only has one speaker on the bottom. So, you will feel some performance degradation.
Lastly, I will recommend having a sheet or cover on the back. The back of the phone is not glass, but it is as slippery as glass.
Redmi Note 12 – Display
The screen on Redmi Note 12 is pretty good. It is a nice big 6.67-inch full HD AMOLED display with a 120HZ refresh rate. The numbers are not of a high-end smartphone. It feels snappier, and the colors and animations feel great. Moreover, the gaming experience is also outstanding.
Redmi Note 12 – Camera
There are four cameras, but we will only test 3 because the macro lens is just a marketing gimmick. The 50MP primary camera is better than the macro at taking close-up shots.
So, firstly we have the 50MP primary camera. It is a small Samsung-made image sensor, but the photos with ample light look stunning. During the night, there is a lot of software intervention. But MIUI is pretty good at preserving a lot of details and giving us rich and close-to-reality pictures. Looking closely, you will notice some imperfections because of hardware limitations. Similarly, if you look at portraits, you will see some soft spots because of the weak AI capabilities of the chipset.
The camera can only shoot full-HD videos and uses electronic image stabilization, so during the night, you will surely see a lot of artifacts.
The Ultra-wide Camera is only suitable for daytime images. The low-light shots are simply not worth it. It is kind of sad that it does not have a telephoto lens; instead, Redmi has gone with a useless Macro lens.
The front camera is also good; it is a capable 13MP camera that can take satisfactory selfies and videos.
Watch Our YouTube video for more video and image samples.
Performance and User Experience
Redmi Note 12 has Snapdragon 685 chipset. It is a capable mid-range processor and can handle power-intensive tasks easily. I have played demanding gaming titles like Real Racing and Call of Duty, which run smoothly on high settings.
With mid-range devices, the threat of thermal throttling is always lurking. But Redmi Note 12 masterfully handles all that. During 15 minutes of maximum load, the phone’s temperature does not rise to dangerous levels, which is a positive thing for this mid-range smartphone.
Now moving to software, Redmi Noe 12 is running Android 13 with MIUI 14 skin. Android 13 is the latest version and differs from the stock Android feel. Like grouping of the control center, the way menus are grouped, animations, and much more. But overall, it feels good, snappy, and interactive.
The connectivity performance is also great. The Wi-Fi connects like a breeze, and the phone calls are always loud and clear, no matter wherever you are.
Redmi Note 12 – Battery
The battery is one of the main features of Redmi Note 12. It has a solid 5000mAh battery with 33W fast charging. Which I think is excellent, considering the performance of the optimized software, processor, and screen. Moreover, the 33W fast charging is the cherry on top. It adds so much value to the device. You don’t get that fast charging with most budget or mid-range mobile phones. So, having that is great.
Drawbacks
- Out-Dated USB 2.0
- Mediocre Camera Setup
- No e-Sim Support
- NFC is limited to some regions
- Mono Speaker
Conclusion
In the end, Redmi Note 12 is a nice phone that continues to deliver all the basics very well. It has a good battery, satisfactory camera performance, fast charging, a nice screen, and a capable processor. You are getting crazy good value for the price. So, it is a well-worthy mobile phone for all sorts of users looking for a mid-range smartphone.
