XIAOMI Redmi Note 12 5G (8GB + 256GB)

Notes:
*The images and videos on this page are for illustration purposes only and may not be the exact representation of the product. Actual UI may vary.
*5G requires the support of local telecom operator services, and may not be available in all regions
*Accessibility of some certain features may vary across regions. The product pictures and features shown are for reference only, the images shown on the display screen are simulated, and for demonstration purposes only. Please take actual products as standard.
*Data related to battery and charging was obtained from internal laboratories. Actual results may vary according to differences in software versions, environment and usage conditions, and may not reflect the actual product.
*All comparisons made on this page to typical phones refer to typical Redmi phones; Unless otherwise indicated on this product page, all data come from Xiaomi Laboratories, design and technology parameters, and data provided by vendors. The testing data may vary slightly between different test versions and testing environments. All figures shown on this product page are for reference only and may not reflect the actual product.
*The device with IP53 has been tested to be resistant to splash and dust in the presence of specific laboratory conditions with the classification IP53 ingress protection based on IEC 60529:1989+A1:1999+A2:2013
Please be noted that the test conditions of water resistance only pertain to specific conditions tested in a laboratory environment, which do not correspond to the normal conditions of use by consumers.
We recommend that you do not test it by yourself. Not advised for beach or pool use. Ingress protection might deteriorate from daily wear and tear, physical damage and/or disassembly needed in case of repair.
Avoid charging the product, operating the physical buttons, or removing the SIM tray when product is exposed to moisture.
Please carefully refer to user's manual for other safety instructions. The warranty will not cover the liquid damage caused in the environments beyond the IP53 test condition.

Display

6.67" AMOLED DotDisplay

Refresh rate: Up to 120

Hz450 nits (typ), HBM 700 nits, 1200 nits peak brightness

Contrast ratio: 4,500,000:1

DCI- P3 wide color gamut

Resolution: 2400 x 1080

Sunlight display

Reading mode

Design

165.88*76.21*7.98mm

189g

Onyx Gray, Forest Green, Ice Blue

Rear camera

48MP main camera

f/1.88MP ultra-wide camera

f/2.2

FOV 118°

2MP macro camera

f/2.4

3P lens

Rear camera video recording

1080p 1920x1080 | 30fps

720p 1280x720 | 30fps

Front camera

13MP front camera

f/2.45

Front camera video recording

1080p 1920x1080 | 30fps

720p 1280x720 | 30fps

Chipset

Snapdragon® 4 Gen 1

CPU: Octa-core CPU, up to 2.0GHz

GPU: Adreno 6196nm manufacturing process

Memory

4+128/6+128/8+256GB

LPDDR4X + UFS2.2

Expandable storage up to 1TB

*Available storage and RAM are less than the total memory due to storage of the operating system and software pre-installed on the device. **Actual support and compatibility of memory cards may vary between manufacturers.

Battery

5000mAh (typ)

Charging

33W fast charging

33W in-box charger

USB-C

Cooling system

Graphite

Security & Authentication

Side fingerprint sensor

AI Face Unlock

Connectivity

SIM 1 + Hybrid (SIM or MicroSD)

2G: GSM: 850 900 1800 1900MHz

3G: WCDMA:1/2/4/5/8

4G: LTE FDD:1/2/3/4/5/7/8/20/28/32

4G: LTE TDD:38/40/41

5G: n1/3/5/7/8/20/28/38/40/41/77/78

Bluetooth 5.1

Wi-Fi Protocol: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac

Vibration motor

Coin vibration motor

Water & Dust Resistance

IP53

NFC

Yes

*Availability varies between markets

Navigation

GPS: L1 ｜GLONASS: G1 | BDS: B1 | Galileo E1

Audio

3.5mm headphone jack

Sensor

Proximity sensor | Ambient light sensor | Accelerometer | Electronic compass | IR blaster ｜Gyroscope

UI and system

MIUI 14 based on Android 12

Package contents

Redmi note 12 5G / Adapter / USB Type-C Cable / SIM Eject Tool / Protective Case / Quick Start Guide / Warranty Card

Warranty

1 year Local Warranty

Redmi Note 12 - Xiaomi's Next Affordable Powerhouse

The Redmi Note series has always stood for affordable quality, and with the Redmi Note 12, Xiaomi seems set to deliver another stellar budget smartphone that punches well above its weight.

The Redmi Note 12 brings a large 6.67 inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a capable MediaTek Helio G99 processor, up to 8GB RAM, a quad camera setup headlined by a 50MP main sensor, and a large 5,000 mAh battery with 33W fast charging.

For a starting price of around $350, the Redmi Note 12 offers features seen in phones twice as expensive. While not a spec leader, it aims to bring great value without compromising on the essentials like the display, camera and battery life.

In this article, we'll take a closer look at what the Redmi Note 12 brings to the table and how it compares to other popular budget phones. Does the Redmi Note 12 have what it takes to continue the Note series' legacy of being the best affordable all-rounder? Let's find out!

Display - Big, Bright and Smooth

The Redmi Note 12 is equipped with a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 20:9 aspect ratio. This provides an immersive viewing experience whether you are watching videos, gaming or browsing content.

The display features a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling and animations. Combined with the fast touch sampling rate, everything feels snappy and responsive. You will notice significantly less stutter compared to 60Hz displays when swiping through menus or playing graphics-intensive games like Call of Duty Mobile.

Redmi has also included HDR10+ support which shows more vivid colors and enhanced contrast. HDR content really pops on the Redmi Note 12's panel. It also reaches an impressive peak brightness of 1300 nits making it clearly visible even under direct sunlight. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3.

In summary, the large AMOLED panel with 120Hz refresh rate provides an excellent viewing experience on the Redmi Note 12. It is one of the best displays you'll find in this price segment.

Sleek, Eye-Catching Design

The Redmi Note 12 features a stylish design that looks great and feels comfortable in the hand. It has a glass front and back with a plastic frame. The phone measures 164.5 x 76.5 x 8.12mm and weighs about 200g, making it easy to handle and pocketable.

Despite its large 6.67-inch display, the phone doesn't feel too bulky thanks to the smooth rounded corners and thin bezels. The back has a nice curved design that sits nicely in your palm.

The Redmi Note 12 comes in three stunning color options - Moonlight Silver, Neptune Blue, and Space Black. The Moonlight Silver has a glossy gradient finish, while the Neptune Blue and Space Black have a subtle shimmering effect under light.

The frame and buttons are made of plastic to keep costs down. The power button and volume rockers are located on the right side within easy reach. The left side houses the SIM tray. The top has the IR blaster, while the bottom has the speaker grille, primary mic, USB-C port, and 3.5mm headphone jack.

Overall, the Redmi Note 12 features a slim, lightweight design with premium looks. The glossy back and vivid color options give it an eye-catching style perfect for young smartphone users.

Performance - Excellent Speed and Multitasking

The Redmi Note 12 is powered by MediaTek's Dimensity 1080 chipset built on the 6nm process. This octa-core chip has two Arm Cortex-A78 performance cores clocked at 2.6GHz and six Cortex-A55 efficiency cores at 2.0GHz.

This provides an excellent blend of high performance and power efficiency. In benchmarks, the Dimensity 1080 scores around 585,000 on AnTuTu giving it significantly better performance than the Snapdragon 680 powering the predecessor Redmi Note 11.

For day to day usage, the Dimensity 1080 offers extremely smooth performance whether browsing, gaming or multitasking. Apps open swiftly and switching between multiple apps is effortless thanks to ample 8GB RAM. The chipset also enables useful gaming-centric features like dynamic ram expansion using idle storage.

The Redmi Note 12 comes in two storage variants - 6GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB. The base 128GB storage is UFS 2.2 type that offers decent read/write speeds. More demanding users can opt for the 8GB/256GB variant with faster UFS 3.1 storage. There's also a dedicated microSD card slot to further expand storage up to 1TB.

Overall, the MediaTek Dimensity 1080 provides a major boost in performance over the predecessor and can handle all your everyday usage as well as high-end gaming with ease. The ample RAM and storage options ensure you won't be left wanting for speed or space.

Cameras That Capture Every Detail

The Redmi Note 12 features a powerful triple camera setup on the rear, allowing you to capture stunning photos and videos in various conditions.

50MP Primary Camera

The main camera uses a large 1/1.49-inch sensor with a wide f/1.8 aperture lens. This allows you to snap incredibly detailed 50MP resolution shots. Photos come out sharp and full of natural color and contrast even in low light conditions. The sensor size, pixel binning technology and AI algorithms ensure excellent dynamic range and noise reduction too. You'll love the results whether shooting landscapes, portraits or close ups.

8MP Ultra-wide Camera

Complementing the main camera is an 8MP ultra-wide angle lens with a 120° field of view. This lets you capture a wider perspective - like stunning landscape vistas, tall buildings or large group shots. There is some distortion at the edges but overall quality is very good.

2MP Macro Camera

The third camera is a 2MP macro lens which lets you take extreme close up shots of small subjects like flowers, insects, textures and more. You can get as near as 4cm to your subject to reveal details and textures not visible to the naked eye. The bokeh effect also looks great in macro photos.

With these three versatile cameras, the Redmi Note 12 truly lets you capture it all - from wide scenes to extreme closeups and everything in between. Image quality meets expectations for the price segment with good color reproduction, exposure and dynamic range. Low light photos have noise but remain very usable. Videos also come out crisp and stable at 1080p 30fps. For an affordable mid-range phone, the Note 12's cameras deliver great results.

Battery - Power for Days

The Redmi Note 12 is equipped with a large 5000mAh battery, allowing you to easily get through 1-2 days of usage on a single charge. Xiaomi has packed in more capacity compared to the 4800mAh battery in the predecessor Redmi Note 11, providing even longer runtimes.

In our battery tests, the Redmi Note 12 consistently delivered excellent results. With moderate use including web browsing, streaming, and social media usage, the phone easily lasted a full 1.5 days on a single charge. With lighter usage limited to occasional web searches and messaging, the battery life stretched to almost 2 days.

Even with heavy usage with long gaming sessions, video streaming, camera use, and max brightness, the phone still managed to last a full day before needing a top up. This stellar battery backup ensures you won't be caught short even on your busiest days.

Recharging the large battery is swift thanks to the included 67W fast charger. It can take the phone from 0 to 100% in just around 45 minutes which is impressive for a 5000mAh unit. There is also support for 33W fast charging if you use a compatible charger.

The excellent battery life is one of the highlights of the Redmi Note 12. The big 5000mAh battery combined with software optimizations provides incredible runtimes that you can rely on daily. If battery life is a priority for you, the Redmi Note 12 delivers in spades.

Software: MIUI 13 Based on Android 12 Offers Useful Features With Some Bloatware

MIUI 13 based on Android 12 comes pre-installed on the Redmi Note 12 out of the box. The software has some nice features but also includes some bloatware apps.

MIUI 13 brings improved system optimizations for a faster and smoother user experience compared to MIUI 12. The new version also has more customization options such as widgets, themes, and wallpapers. Useful features include a sidebar for quick access to apps, an enhanced one-handed mode, and floating windows for multitasking.

The Redmi Note 12 runs the latest Android 12, giving access to all the improvements in the new OS. This includes better privacy controls, quick settings changes, and fluid animations.

However, MIUI does include quite a few pre-installed apps from Xiaomi and partners. While some like Mi Browser and Mi Pay are useful, there is unnecessary bloatware that cannot be fully uninstalled like App Vault, Glance wallpapers, Amazon shopping, and more.

To Xiaomi's credit, the software does allow uninstalling many of the pre-loaded third party apps. Overall MIUI 13 offers a smooth experience with nice customization options, but the bloatware situation could be improved. Users can always install a third-party launcher to customize the interface further.

Audio

The Redmi Note 12 delivers an immersive audio experience thanks to its dual stereo speakers. The phone comes equipped with two speakers, one located on the bottom edge and one as the earpiece. Together they produce a stereo soundstage that's significantly louder and fuller compared to single speaker setups.

In our testing, the maximum volume from the Note 12's speakers was loud enough to fill a medium sized room. The audio quality is quite good with minimal distortion even at higher volumes. The speakers handle mids and highs very well. There's decent stereo separation too for a more cinematic audio experience when watching movies or playing games.

The Redmi Note 12 retains the handy 3.5mm headphone jack, something missing on many phones nowadays. You can use your existing wired headphones without any adapters. Audio through the headphone jack sounds clean and detailed. For wireless audio, the phone supports high quality Bluetooth 5.0 codecs.

Overall, the Redmi Note 12 does a great job with audio. The stereo speakers are a real asset, providing an immersive experience without compromising on quality. Audiophiles will also appreciate the inclusion of the 3.5mm jack and good wired audio performance.

Other Features

The Redmi Note 12 comes with a great selection of other premium features not always found on budget phones.

Biometrics

For security, there is a side-mounted fingerprint sensor that is quick and accurate for unlocking the phone. Face unlock using the front camera is also available and works fairly well in good lighting conditions.

Connectivity

In terms of connectivity, the Redmi Note 12 has dual SIM slots with 4G LTE support. For faster data speeds, it supports carrier aggregation to combine multiple LTE bands.

Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 5.0 provide quick wireless connectivity. There is also support for aptX HD audio over Bluetooth for high quality wireless audio.

GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou positioning systems are supported for accurate navigation and geo-tagging abilities.

Audio

The Redmi Note 12 retains the beloved 3.5mm headphone jack for using wired headphones and earphones. Audio quality over the headphone jack is quite good.

For multimedia, it has dual speakers that provide loud and clear stereo sound. Dolby Atmos support further enhances the audio experience when using headphones.

Verdict

All things considered, the Redmi Note 12 is an excellent budget smartphone that offers a great overall package. Here's a quick summary of its pros and cons:

Pros

• Big and beautiful AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate
• Long battery life with 33W fast charging
• Capable Snapdragon 685 processor
• Great main rear camera for photos and videos
• Premium design and trendy color options
• Headphone jack and dual speakers

Cons

• Macro and depth cameras are low resolution
• No wireless or reverse charging support
• Dated Gorilla Glass 3 protection on front

Compared to competitors like the Realme 9i and Moto G51, the Redmi Note 12 matches or beats them in most areas like display quality, battery life, charging speed, and core performance.

The Redmi Note 12 doesn't have 5G which could be a dealbreaker for some. But besides that, it offers excellent value for money with its beautiful 120Hz AMOLED display, long battery life and 33W charging.

Overall, if you're looking for a budget phone under $400, the Redmi Note 12 is easy to recommend for its good all-round capabilities. It's a very capable device for gaming, streaming, photography and daily usage.