In the past, Xiaomi’s Redmi series has been made up of cheaper phones with a few unique features. The Chinese company that makes the Xiaomi Redmi 12 says that it has flexible cameras and isn’t very resistant to water. The Redmi 12 5G is the first smartphone in the world to use Qualcomm’s latest mid-range Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset. It was released in India. The new SoC is made with a cutting-edge 4nm process. Compared to its predecessor, Snapdragon 4 Gen 1, it has a faster clock speed and supports faster RAM and storage configurations.
Xiaomi Redmi 12: Description
The Xiaomi Redmi 12 is a smartphone that is easy on the wallet and has a good mix of features and speed. It runs on the MediaTek Helio G88 processor, which can easily handle most everyday tasks. The phone also has a 6.79-inch IPS LCD screen with a refresh rate of 90Hz, which makes using the phone smooth and easy. On the back of the Redmi 12, there are three cameras: a main sensor with 50MP, an ultrawide sensor with 8MP, and a macro sensor with 2MP.
The main sensor can take good photos when there is enough light, but it struggles when there is not enough. The ultrawide sensor is good for taking photos of landscapes, while the macro sensor is good for taking photos up close. The Redmi 12 also has an 8MP front-facing camera that takes good photos when there is enough light. The phone can record videos with a resolution of up to 1080p at 30 frames per second. A 5000mAh battery powers the Redmi 12, which gives it a long battery life. The phone can also be charged quickly with 18W.
Xiaomi Redmi 12: Pricing
The Xiaomi Redmi 12 starts at $132.42 for the version with 4GB RAM and 128GB of storage. The model with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage costs $150.48, and the model with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage costs $174.56. You can get the phone in Carbon Gray, Mint Green, or Quiet Pink. The Redmi 12 is a smartphone that is easy on the wallet and has a good mix of features and speed. It has a MediaTek Helio G88 processor and a 6.79-inch FHD+ screen with a refresh rate of 90Hz.
The phone also has a triple 50MP camera on the back and an 8MP camera on the front. It has a 5000mAh battery and can be charged quickly with 18W. The Redmi 12 is a good choice for people who want an affordable smartphone with a big screen, a powerful processor, and a battery that lasts a long time. It is also a good choice for people who want a good camera phone.
Specifications Table
The Xiaomi Redmi 12 is a good choice if you want a smartphone that doesn’t break the bank but has a good screen, long battery life, and reliable performance.
| Feature | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, plastic frame, glass back |
| Display | 6.79-inch IPS LCD, 1080 x 2460 pixels, 90Hz refresh rate |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio G39 |
| RAM | 4GB, 6GB or 8GB |
| Storage | 64GB, 128GB or 256GB |
| Rear cameras | 50MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro |
| Front camera | 8MP |
| Battery | 5000mAh |
| Charger | 18W wired |
| Charging Port | USB Type-C |
| Operating system | Android 13 |
| Dimensions | 168.6 x 76.3 x 8.2 mm |
| Weight | 198.5 Grams |
| Colors | Midnight Black, Sky Blue, Polar Silver, Moonstone Silver |
| Check Price |
Xiaomi Redmi 12: Design and Build
The Redmi 12 looks very different from the Redmi 10, and we think that’s a good thing. It’s much cleaner, and the plastic back panel has been replaced with a shiny glass one. Along with the bigger screen and bigger size, the weight has gone up quite a bit, but at least the Redmi 12 is still under 200g, if just barely. The extra weight might not be great for carrying the phone around in your pocket, but it makes the Redmi 12 feel much better to use. We also see that the whole thing is flat, even the plastic side frame.
As a whole, we like how clean the design of the back is. There is no longer a camera island. Instead, each lens sits in its own ring and sticks out just a little bit. It reminds us of how Samsung plans to make things look in 2023. Polar Silver, Midnight Black, and Sky Blue are the colors you can choose from. We have the Sky Blue one. The people who live in the side frames are pretty typical. The USB-C port and the speaker grille are both on the bottom. The SIM card tray is on the left side, near the top.
Unlike the Redmi 10, the Redmi 12 has a hybrid slot that lets you use two SIM cards or a microSD card and SIM card at the same time. The volume rocker and power button, which can also read your fingerprint, are on the right side. The second one is easy to reach and feels like it’s right under your right thumb. The 3.5mm audio jack is on the top. As with most cheap phones, the screen is flat and has normal-sized bezels. We like that the glass panel doesn’t stick out too much and doesn’t make an extra ridge where it meets the side frame. The chassis as a whole is pretty smooth and well put together.
Xiaomi Redmi 12: Display
- Screen size: 6.79 inches
- Screen resolution: 2460 x 1080 pixels
- Screen type: IPS LCD
- Screen refresh rate: 90Hz
- Screen protection: Gorilla Glass 3
The Xiaomi Redmi 12 has a 6.79-inch IPS LCD screen with 2460 x 1080 pixels of resolution. The screen is big and bright, so it’s great for watching videos, playing games, and looking at websites. It also has a refresh rate of 90Hz, which makes things look smoother and more fluid when you watch. The screen is clear and sharp, and it shows colors well.
But in direct sunlight, it can look a little washed out. Some other phones in this price range have better viewing angles. The display on the Xiaomi Redmi 12 works well as a whole. It’s big, bright, and the refresh rate is smooth. But it’s not the best display in its class, and in direct sunlight, it can look a little washed out.
Xiaomi Redmi 12: Cameras
On the back of the Xiaomi Redmi 12, there are three cameras: a 50MP main sensor, an 8MP ultrawide sensor, and a 2MP macro sensor. When there is enough light, the main sensor takes good photos with lots of detail and true colors. The ultrawide sensor is also good, but it makes photos that are less sharp and have less detail. The macro sensor is not very useful because it can only take close-up pictures of small things. The front-facing 8MP camera on the Redmi 12 is good for selfies and video calls. When there is enough light, the camera can take photos that are sharp and clear.
But when there is not enough light, the quality of the photos can get worse. The Redmi 12 can record videos with a resolution of up to 1080p at 30 frames per second. When there is enough light, the video quality is good, but it can be shaky. The ultrawide sensor doesn’t have any way to keep it steady. There are also a few camera features on the Redmi 12, like AI scene detection, HDR, and portrait mode. But it doesn’t have any advanced features like zoom or a night mode. All in all, the Xiaomi Redmi 12’s cameras are good for the price. They are not the best on the market, but they can take good photos in most lighting conditions.
Xiaomi Redmi 12: Software
In the past, Xiaomi was criticized for putting too much bloatware and ads on its phones. To its credit, the company did a good job of fixing this problem. In the 18 months I’ve been testing Xiaomi phones, I haven’t had this problem until now. The Redmi 12 5G comes with a lot of useless software already installed. Most of it can be removed, but it shouldn’t have been there to begin with. During the week I used the device, I didn’t get any ads from Xiaomi’s services.
Other than the bloatware, the interface is the same as on other Xiaomi phones that run MIUI 14 based on Android 13. The only difference is that Xiaomi uses the MIUI dialer instead of Google’s phone dialer. Since the phone is meant to be an upgrade for people who already have a Xiaomi phone, the company probably thought that the MIUI dialer would be more familiar, so they switched it out. Strangely, Xiaomi doesn’t have its own SMS client. Instead, Android Messages is used as the default SMS client.
Other than that, it’s business as usual. MIUI 14 has a lot of customization options and doesn’t use too many resources. The user interface could use some work, but it works well with the hardware. Xiaomi hasn’t been very good at putting out software updates, but the Redmi 12 5G is guaranteed to get two platform updates. Now, it’s hard to say when the phone will switch to Android 14. In the past, Xiaomi moved at a snail’s pace in this area, which is something it needs to change.
Xiaomi Redmi 12: Performance
The MediaTek Helio G88 processor runs the Xiaomi Redmi 12. It is a 12nm octa-core chip with two Cortex-A75 cores that run at 2.0GHz and six Cortex-A55 cores that run at 1.8GHz. The G88 is a good mid-range processor that can easily handle most everyday tasks. However, it may have trouble with more demanding tasks like gaming or editing videos. Geekbench 5 gave the Redmi 12 280 points for a single-core test and 1,225 points for a multi-core test. These scores are similar to those of other phones in the same price range, like the Realme 9i and the Poco M4 Pro.
When the Redmi 12 is used in the real world, it feels smooth and quick for most tasks. You can use light apps, surf the web, and check social media without any lag. But if you try to play more difficult games, you may notice that your computer slows down. The Redmi 12 also has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, which is enough for most people. But you can add more storage with a microSD card if you need to. Overall, the Xiaomi Redmi 12 does a good job for how much it costs. It can easily do most everyday tasks, but it may have trouble with more difficult ones. The Redmi 12 is a good choice if you want a cheap phone that can do basic tasks well.
Xiaomi Redmi 12: Battery Life
The Xiaomi Redmi 12 has a 5,000 mAh battery, which is bigger than most batteries in phones in this price range. In our tests, the Redmi 12 got a rating of 117 hours for battery life, which is good but not the best we have seen. The phone could be used to browse the web for 38 hours and 41 minutes, watch videos for 13 hours and 56 minutes, and talk for 17 hours and 12 minutes. Even with moderate to heavy use, the Redmi 12’s battery life is good enough to last a full day on a single charge.
But if you play games or watch videos a lot, you may need to charge your phone at night. The Redmi 12 can be charged quickly with 18W, but the charger is not in the box. You’ll have to buy it on its own. From 0% to 100%, the phone takes about two hours to charge. In general, the Xiaomi Redmi 12 has a good but not great battery life. It’s enough for a full day of use on a single charge, but it’s not the best battery life we’ve seen in this price range.
Xiaomi Redmi 12: Pros and Cons
The Xiaomi Redmi 12 is a good smartphone that is easy on the wallet and has a good mix of features and speed. It is a good choice for people who want a reliable phone that can handle everyday tasks without breaking the bank.
Pros
- Large 6.79-inch display with 90Hz refresh rate
- Powerful MediaTek Helio G88 processor
- 128GB of storage (expandable)
- 50MP triple-camera system
- Long-lasting 5000mAh battery
- IP53 dust and splash resistance
Cons
- Mediocre camera performance in low light
- No 5G support
- Slow charging speed
- No headphone jack
Final Words
Even though the Redmi 12 has most of the basics, it’s hard to sell in 2023 because its Helio G88 chipset is out of date. The device also doesn’t have the stereo loudspeakers that the Redmi 10 had, which was the only thing that made it different from other phones in the same price range. On a more positive note, the Redmi 12 has a great glass design, a long-lasting battery, and a reliable camera during the day, but it needs more to make you think twice before buying a similar-priced phone with a newer chipset.
