Xiaomi Redmi 12 Smartphone Review – The Xiaomi Redmi 12 (4G and 5G) are two new smartphones that Xiaomi recently launched for the budget section. The Xiaomi Redmi 12 4G was released on June 2023 while the 5G model was released on August 2023. The 4G model is released globally but the 5G model is yet to launch globally. But knowing Xiaomi, the global launch of Redmi 12 5G will happen soon.
The Redmi 12 5G obviously has 5G connectivity, hence the name, but it is also costlier than the Redmi 12 4G Edition, which doesn’t have 5G. There is a price you have to pay for the 5G privilege, but other than that, almost the rest of the stuff is just the same. The design of both Redmi 12 4G and 5G closely resembles the Redmi Note 12 series, albeit with some slight changes. Today, we will review these two smartphones and see if you should consider them for your next smartphone purchase. Let’s begin with a detailed review of the Xiaomi Redmi 12 and Redmi 12 5G smartphones.
Table of Contents
Xiaomi Redmi 12 Smartphone Review
Highlights
- Both Xiaomi Redmi 12 4G and 5G feature a 6.79-inch IPS LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate.
- The Xiaomi Redmi 12 4G is powered by the MediatekHelio G88 SoCWhile the Xiaomi Redmi 12 5G is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset.
- Both smartphones come pre-loaded with the latest Android 13OS with MIUI 14 user interface for better customization support.
- Xiaomi Redmi 12 (4G and 5G) features a triple and dual 50MP rear camera system respectively along with an 8MP selfie camera.
- The smartphones have a Li-Po5000mAh long-lasting battery with 18W wired fast charging technology.
Design and Display
Both the Xiaomi Redmi 12 4G and 5G Smartphones feature the design language with a flat side frame and flat back panel. The flat design helps provide a stronger and more comfortable grip, so the new smartphones won’t slip out of your hand easily. The side frame is made out of plastic while the back panel is made of glass, so you may want to protect it with a cover. There is a slight difference between the two models though. One has three cameras on the back, while the other has two that is in terms of physical appearance.
Everything else looks identical. But from a design perspective, they look nice and feel solid in hand. The Xiaomi Redmi 12 4G is available for purchase in four colors, Midnight Black, Polar Silver, Moonstone Silver, and Sky Blue. The Xiaomi Redmi 12 5G is available for purchase in three colors, Jade Black, Pastel Blue, and Moonstone Silver. For the display, both Xiaomi Redmi 12 4G and 5G feature a 6.79-inch IPS LCD display with Full HD+ resolution and 90Hz refresh rate.
The display panels can get as bright as 550 nits of peak brightness under direct sunlight. Both models have IP53 dust and water resistance, but the Redmi 12 5G has Corning’s Gorilla Glass protection on the display. All in all, the display section is average and nothing extraordinary.
Memory and Internal
The internals are where the differences between the two models come in. The Redmi 12 5G has a 5G chipset, namely the 4nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset capable of reaching up to a 2×2.2GHz clocking speed. The Redmi 12 4G has a non-5G chipset, that is the 12nm MediatekHelio G88 chipset that can reach up to a 2×2.0GHz clocking speed.
But if we are talking about performance, then the 4nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 is the one that has more power. The GPUs of both chipsets can run games like PUBG, CODm, and even Genshin Impact, but with medium graphic settings. However, the Xiaomi Redmi 12 5G is slightly more powerful, so it will deliver better framerate and stability. The thermal management of both smartphones is also impressive and there’s no overheating upon normal usage.
The Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 is also far more efficient as it is manufactured on a 4nm process as opposed to a 12nm manufacturing process in the MediatekHelio G88. For RAM and storage, both smartphones can be purchased with 4GB to 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB to 256GB of internal storage. When it comes to the software side of things, the smartphones are running on the latest Android 13 OS with an MIUI 14 user interface, which features way more customization options. However, you may face some bloatware apps on your smartphone.
Camera
Camera is another department where there is a difference between the 4G and the 5G model. The Redmi 12 4G model has one extra camera that the 5G model doesn’t have and that’s the 8MP Ultra-wide sensor. The Xiaomi Redmi 12 4G smartphone sports a triple rear camera system with a 50MP sensor as the main camera, an 8MP sensor as the ultra-wide camera, and a 2MP macro sensor. The main camera sensor manages to take some really great pictures with a high dynamic range, good detail levels, and saturated colors.
The Xiaomi Redmi 12 5G smartphone, on the other hand, sports a dual rear camera system with a 50MP sensor as the main camera and a 2MP macro sensor. The performance of the main 50MP camera is the same as the 4G model, which is quite good But as we mentioned before, there’s no ultra-wide camera in the 5G model. Also, the night mode algorithm is so well optimized and the detail level of the night shots is really great.
Both smartphones feature the same 8MP selfie sensor and it can capture selfies with even skin tones and a decent level of detail. As for video recording, both smartphones can only shoot at a maximum of 1080Pvideos@30FPS from both side cameras.
Battery and Others
Both smartphones have the same Li-Po 5000mAh battery. This is a high-capacity battery that can last for 2 – 3 days with lighter usage. But if you are a heavy user or play too many games on the smartphone, the battery will last even less, maybe a day. However, with gaming, there is no telling how fast the battery depletes as games are very heavy on resources, so your battery mileage may vary. But the smartphones have support for 18W wired fast charging.
An 18W charging isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s still better than the standard 10W charger and the 18W charger will come bundled inside the box, which will recharge the battery quickly. Also, the smartphones are inadequately cooled, so you won’t experience any overheating. Apart from that, the phone has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, Infrared Sensor, GPS, and a USB Type-C port for charging. The Xiaomi Redmi 12 4G is available starting at $137 (Rs 9,499 in India) approx. While the Xiaomi Redmi 12 5G is available starting at $180 (Rs 16,999 in India) approx.
Xiaomi Redmi 12 Specifications Detail
Down below you can see the full specifications of the Xiaomi Redmi 12 smartphone.
| Specifications | Xiaomi Redmi 12 | Xiaomi Redmi 12 5G |
| Network | 2G, 3G, 4G | 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G |
| Announced | June 2023 | August 2023 |
| SIM | Hybrid Dual SIM | Same |
| Dimensions | 6.64 x 3.00 x 0.32 inches | Same |
| Weight | 198.5 g | 199 g |
| Size | 6.79 inches | Same |
| Display | IPS LCD 90Hz 550 nits brightness ~396 PPI density | Same |
| Protection/Others | IP53, dust and splash resistant | Corning Gorilla Glass IP53, dust and splash resistant |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2460 pixels | Same |
| OS | Android 13, MIUI 14 | Same |
| Chipset | 12nm – Mediatek MT6769H Helio G88 | 4nm – Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 |
| CPU | Octa-core 2×2.0 GHz Cortex-A75 6×1.8 GHz Cortex-A55 | Octa-core 2×2.2 GHz Cortex-A78 6x Cortex-A55 |
| GPU | Mali-G52 MC2 | Adreno 613 |
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | Same |
| RAM | 4GB, 6GB, 8GB | 4GB, 6GB, 8GB |
| Internal | 128GB, 256GB eMMC 5.1 | 128GB, 256GB UFS 2.2 |
| Camera | 50 MP (wide), PDAF 8 MP (120˚ultrawide) 2 MP (depth) LED flash, HDR Max – 1080p@30fps | 50 MP (wide), PDAF 2 MP (depth) LED flash, HDR, portrait Max – 1080p@30fps |
| Selfie | 8 MP (wide) Max – 1080p@30fps | 8 MP (wide) HDR Max – 1080p@30fps |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes 24-bit/192kHz audio |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band | Same |
| Bluetooth | 5.3, A2DP, LE | Same |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | Same |
| NFC | Yes (market/region dependent) | No |
| Infrared port | Yes | Same |
| Radio | Yes | No |
| USB | USB Type-C | Same |
| Sensors | Side-mounted fingerprint, accelerometer, compass | Side-mounted fingerprint, accelerometer, compass Virtual proximity sensing |
| Battery | Li-Po 5000 mAh 18W wired, PD | Same |
| Colors | Midnight Black, Sky Blue, Polar Silver, Moonstone Silver | Jade Black, Pastel Blue, Moonstone Silver |
| Expected Price | $137 (Rs 9,499 in India) approx | $180 (Rs 15,499 in India) approx |
Conclusion
Xiaomi makes great smartphones in the mid-range sector that seem to feature high-end specs and new smartphones. Speaking of both these devices, there are a lot of things worth appreciable such as the high capacity battery, slim design, latest Android version, and multiple color options. The smartphones arrive at a price tag that is friendly for users to invest in but still, there are some downsides on both the devices. The display section feels average especially when we talk about the 5G variant as per pricing. On the 4G variant, the performance feels quite underwhelming.
Since the device caters to budget segment users we can’t expect much from a smartphone in this range. However, it can’t be overlooked that alternatives with the same price tag arrive with a better set of specs and value-for-money proposals. The Redmi 12 4G and 5G variants are good for general usage but if you are looking for a value-for-money deal, then check out the Honor 90 Lite as an alternative option that comes with almost similar specifications and in the same price range. So choose accordingly as per your needs, however, the final decision is up to you.
