Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Explorer Smartphone Review – The Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Explorer smartphone is a new upgrade in the Redmi Note 12 series. It comes with tons of new interesting perks that make this phone an exceptional choice that will handle your daily activities in a pretty hassle-free manner. On top of that, the phone is released around November 2022. Besides this, the company also launched Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro and Xiaomi Redmi Note Pro Plus, we have done a review so to check that as well.
Unlike other smartphones, the phone comes with amazing features, while at the same time, it provides immersive software and hardware configuration that tempt every user who is looking for a smartphone in the mid-range segment. As for the first impression, the phone appears to be premium, while it got the fastest charging speed in the android ecosystem. It’s just the tip of the iceberg, there are tons of other things to unleash. So without any further ado, let’s head toward the Redmi Note 12 Explorer edition review.
Table of Contents
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Explorer Smartphone Review
Highlights
- The phone arrives with a 6.67-inches OLED panel that grants an impressive 120Hz refresh rate with vibrant color.
- In terms of the software department, you are getting Android 12 based on the MIUI 13.
- The hardware section brings the Dimensity 1080 chipset that handles everything precisely.
- As for the camera, a 200MP triple camera module with a 16MP selfie lens for decent photography and videography.
- Under the hood, a Li-Po 4300 mAh battery configuration with a blazing fast 210W charging speed.
Design and Display
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Explorer smartphone go the same build quality as the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12, except, you will notice a triple camera setup instead of a dual camera. Usually, the Xiaomi Redmi Note series design layout looks premium, and this time, the company used a glass back panel that gives a superb appearance. Though, there’s one thing that this phone lacks in terms of design.
You won’t attain diverse color variants, but still, there’s no denying that the classic black colors grant the phone a professional appearance. The Aluminium side panel houses a 3.5 mm jack, stereo speakers, volume rockers, and a power button. Furthermore, the company also provides an IP53 rating to reduce dust and splash damage on the phone, while the phone roughly weighs 207.5 grams.
Even though the phone got a heavy body, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Explorer editions feel heavy when held for the first time. The 6.67-inches OLED panel grants 10-bit colors with Dolby Vision support for a better viewing experience. At the same time, the screen got an advanced 120Hz refresh rate, good brightness support, and HDR 10+ content support.
Memory and Internal
The hardware section is offering the 6nm MediaTek Dimensity 1080 chipset whose processing speed can go up to 2×2.6GHz cloaking speed, which is more than sufficient for regular tasks such as web surfing and casual gaming. Furthermore, the phone also equips the Mali-G68 MC4 GPU chip that further enhances the gameplay sessions to some extent.
A big thanks should also be given to the 120Hz refresh rate as it brings better touch response for gaming. Besides this, the Redmi Note 12 Explorer edition comes with the latest Android 12 skin based on the MIUI 13 custom features. Although, it would be a great decision if the company release this phone with the new Android 13.
But anyway, you are not getting outdated features, and this phone will be one of the few phones to get the upcoming MIUI 14 update. In terms of storage options, you will obtain a single 256GB internal space without any secondary storage support. Hopefully, you will receive UFS 2.2 space and the phone is powered by 8GB RAM support, which boosts performance aspect in the long run.
Camera
The camera quality does improve a bit with the new 200MP primary camera lens. With this, you will notice more lively colors, subtle exposure, and precise contrast in each of the shots. Though the raw media file size would increase, you won’t see any drop in the details after normal pixel peeping. Though, the standard mode doesn’t produce decent lowlight photos.
But once you have enabled the night mode, you will gradually notice less noise with proper details. The colors and contrast are also top-notch. Aside from the main lens, you can also utilize the 8MP ultra-wide lens to enhance the dynamic range to some extent with immersive details. At least, the triple camera island is complete with a 2MP macro lens.
With that, you can capture clear photos even close-up shots. The portrait mode photos are great, while the 16MP selfie does manage the skin tone properly. Aside from this, the native camera supports decent slow video recording, while you can also record up to 4K video with the main camera setup. As for the selfie camera, you can shoot 1080p videos.
Battery and Others
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Explorer edition comes with the most uncommon battery and fast charging configuration. First of all, the phone renders a Li-Po 4300 mAh battery that optimizes the screen time precisely to provide long sessions of video streaming, gaming, and social usage. Plus, the phone only requires 10 minutes to refuel the battery from flat to 100% using the 210W fast charger.
Yes, you have heard right, just plug the phone in for a few minutes and get more than 50% battery. Besides this, you can also use the slow charging option if you want. On the other hand, the sound experience with this phone is robust and clear. Finally, let’s discuss the price. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Explorer edition cost roughly $327 (Rs. 26,990 in India) approx, which is an exponential deal in the mid-range.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Explorer Pros and Cons
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Explorer Specifications Detail
Down below you can see the full specifications of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Explorer smartphone.
| Specifications | Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Explorer |
| Network | 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G |
| Announced | October 2022 |
| SIM | Dual SIM |
| Dimensions | 6.41 x 2.99 x 0.35 inches |
| Weight | 207.5 g |
| Size | 6.67 inches |
| Display | OLED 1B colors 120Hz Dolby Vision HDR10+ 500-900 nits HBM brightness 20:9 ratio ~395 PPI density |
| Protection/Others | IP53, dust and splash resistant |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
| OS | Android 12, MIUI 13 |
| Chipset | 6nm – MediaTek Dimensity 1080 |
| CPU | Octa-core 2×2.6 GHz Cortex-A78 6×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55 |
| GPU | Mali-G68 MC4 |
| Card slot | No |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Internal | 256GB UFS 2.2 |
| Camera | 200 MP (wide), PDAF, OIS 8 MP (119Ëšultrawide) 2 MP (macro) Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama Max – 4K@30fps |
| Selfie | 16 MP (wide) HDR Max – 1080p@60fps |
| Loudspeaker | Yes (stereo speakers) |
| 3.5mm jack | Yes 24-bit/192kHz audio |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| GPS | GPS (L1), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c), GALILEO (E1), QZSS (L1) |
| NFC | Yes |
| Infrared port | Yes |
| Radio | Unspecified |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, USB On-The-Go |
| Sensors | Under-display fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | Li-Po 4300 mAh Fast charging 210W USB Power Delivery 3.0 |
| Colors | Black |
| Expected Price | $327 (Rs 26,990 in India) approx |
Conclusion
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Explorer smartphone can be considered a great smartphone that offers a mind-blowing experience with powerful specs and better specifications. Though you might not be getting the latest Android UI, still, you will obtain elegant perks under the hood. On top of that, it has brilliant 200MP lens support, ample battery life, and impressive performance. All of these combines and brings an excellent deal for the users.
Although the phone is exclusive to China. But like most Redmi phones, it will appear in other countries in the upcoming months. It’s worth recommending a deal in the mid-range, and if you are getting some discount, you should go with this phone. Aside from this, you can check out the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus since it got similar specs and is also available in different markets.
