Redmi 12 5G Review: Bringing 5G To Everyone
For all its focus on flagships like the Xiaomi 13 Ultra and foldables like the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2, Xiaomi's bottom line still relies on its Redmi lineup. These cheap, entry-level phones contribute more to Xiaomi's overall sales than the 13 Ultra, and are some of the hottest devices the brand releases every year.
More than anything else, the Redmi series embodies the democratization of technology. It has enabled hundreds of millions of people to switch to smartphones over the years. Redmi Note 3 is a turning point for the series. It's not the brand's first 4G phone, but it's the first to offer an attractive device at a great price, making it a solid choice. Want to upgrade to 4G?
Seven years later, the Redmi 12 5G aims to do the same, but with 5G. It hasn't been easy for Xiaomi lately as the brand lost its position as the leading handset maker in India and lost ground to Chinese competitors in the global market. Now the manufacturer wants to get back on track with Redmi 12 5G and focus on the price that makes it big.
This focus on value enabled Xiaomi to sell 300,000 units of the Redmi 12 5G on its launch day. So let's see what this phone has to offer and whether it can revive the spirit of Xiaomi's success over the years.
Redmi 12 5G phone. Price and availability
Xiaomi launched the Redmi 12 on August 1 in New Delhi and the phone is now available at leading online and offline stores in the country. Xiaomi will sell the device in 4G and 5G variants, with both models sharing the same design and dimensions with a few hardware changes. The standard 4G Redmi 12 is powered by the MediaTek Helio G88 and has an 8MP wide-angle camera, which you won't find on the Redmi 12 5G.
The Redmi 12 starts at ₹9,999 ($120) for the 4GB/128GB variant and goes up to ₹11,499 ($138) for the 6GB/128GB model. Meanwhile, the Redmi 12 5G is powered by Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 and is available domestically at ₹11,499 ($138) for the 4GB/128GB variant, ₹13,499 ($163) for the 6GB/128GB 15.4GB model and 18GB for the 15.4GB model. Model. / 256 GB model. My choice is the 8GB/256GB version as you get more memory and double the storage. This is what Xiaomi sent for review.
Redmi 12 5G phone. Design
The Redmi 12 5G doesn't look like an entry-level phone, and that's because of its rear design. The phone has a glass back and dual cameras and an LED flash unit wrapped in a chrome ring instead of the dedicated camera island has a nice simple aesthetic. Xiaomi deserves credit for the design. Better overall aesthetics compared to Redmi Note 12 Pro+.
Xiaomi is also good at the basics. On the Redmi 12 5G, you get a 3.5mm jack and a microSD slot, while the bezels like the IR blaster remain untouched. There's no stereo, but the speakers are pretty high-end, and I've had no problems in this area.
Adding to this premium look is the matte finish on the sides that matches the color of the phone, something you only get on mid-range and flagship phones. The matte texture makes the phone easy to hold and use, and while I'm not a fan of smooth edges, it wasn't much of an issue here.
The biggest problem is height. Xiaomi offers a large 6.79-inch screen on the Redmi 12 5G, and while it's impressive, it's larger than almost any other phone I've used because of the large bezels on the sides. For context, the Redmi 12 5G is 5.2mm longer than the Galaxy S23 Ultra, making the phone impossible to use with one hand.
Weight distribution is also an issue and the phone can feel heavy at times. However, the build quality itself is impeccable and the device is not heavy. Xiaomi uses a side-mounted fingerprint reader and it works flawlessly. I haven't noticed any issues with the sensor in everyday use.
Redmi 12 5G phone. The screen
Moving on to the display, the Redmi 12 5G sports a 6.79-inch FHD+ (2460 x 1080) IPS LCD panel with a 90Hz refresh rate and up to 550 nits of brightness. The screen isn't going to win any awards, but it's great considering the price of the phone, and you get the usual customization options, but there's nothing permanent here.
Like all Xiaomi phones, the Redmi 12 5G is set to a 60Hz refresh rate and you need to go to settings to change it to 90Hz. The colors are generally good and you don't see any issues while streaming videos or playing games. Xiaomi says that there is a layer of Gorilla Glass that covers the screen and this gives the device extra drop protection.
One problem with this device is the low sensitivity of the ambient light sensor. Brightness didn't automatically increase (or decrease) when you entered or left the room, and I had to manually adjust the slider.
Redmi 12 5G phone. Performance and battery life
The Redmi 12 5G is the first phone I've used that has a Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 4nm chip that uses Cortex X78 and A55 cores with Adreno 613, and the main feature is that it uses the X61 5G modem. With 5G global connectivity.
Like many Xiaomi phones, the brand does not use all the bands with the X61, but instead offers only seven for the Indian market: 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 40, 78. These bands should be more than enough. It offers 5G coverage across all local carriers and I don't see any problem using the phone on Airtel's 5G network in Hyderabad.
As for the hardware, it's adequate for day-to-day use, and while I noticed the occasional lag or stutter, it didn't detract from the overall experience. The Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 isn't built specifically for gaming, and while it claims to title at low settings, it simply can't run.
The Redmi 12 5G performs well in terms of CPU workloads and doesn't lag much behind the more expensive Redmi Note 12 Pro+, which uses the Dimensity 1080 in the same base configuration.
However, the biggest difference is when you try to run the game on the device. Adreno 613 2023 didn't cut it, and the Redmi 12 5G posted the slowest 3D mark of any phone I've tested to date. This is also true in real-world usage, as the Redmi 12 5G can't deliver consistent frame rates.
Other than that, there isn't much to talk about on the hardware front. The Vibrating engine is similar to what you'll find on other budget phones: 8GB of RAM means multitasking isn't a problem, and you can even expand storage without using a microSD card. 1 TB:
Shifting gears, the Redmi 12 5G has Wi-Fi ac and Bluetooth 5.3, and it's unfortunate that Xiaomi doesn't at least offer Wi-Fi 6 here. There's also no NFC, and you don't get high-quality audio codecs. If you're using one of the best wireless headphones, you're limited to SBC.
But the phone packs a large 5,000mAh battery and can easily last you more than a day without any issues. Although this is definitely a victory. Xiaomi budget phones always deliver good battery life, and the Redmi 12 5G only charges at 18W and that seems wrong. Xiaomi includes a 22W charger in the box, and the brand's budget phones currently show their productivity at 33W.
Limiting the Redmi 12 5G to 18W, it takes just over two hours to fully charge the device, which is a no-brainer if you need a quick charge during the day.
Redmi 12 5G phone. Camera
Not much to talk about on camera. This is definitely not a priority for Xiaomi, because the brand does not want to include a wide-angle lens on the back. What you get is a 50MP f/1.8 main camera paired with a 2MP portrait lens and you get a workhorse camera on the device for any purpose. There's no OIS, video recording is limited to 1080p, and you'll experience a noticeable shutter lag when taking photos.
The interface itself is similar to other Xiaomi phones. You will find all the modules listed in the bar below, and interesting activities will appear in many versions. There are toggles for HDR, flash and beauty effects, and the main 50MP camera can be zoomed up to 10x with digital zoom (but you don't need to use it).
The Redmi 12 5G does a great job in daylight, showing good dynamic range and detailed photos. Pictures sometimes tend to be overfilled, and this is sometimes used for them. Given the amount of hardware here, it's understandable that the phone struggles in low-light conditions. Photos taken in automatic mode lack detail and a lot of noise. This night mode can be hit, but even that is limited. You get good shots and that's it.
There's not much in the way of versatility, as there's no wide-angle or zoom lens. The 2MP portrait lens is only there for marketing reasons, as it doesn't do a good job of segmenting portraits. Overall, the camera on the Redmi 12 5G is pretty average and if you want to take a lot of photos and videos, you should look at other devices.
Redmi 12 5G phone. Programming
Xiaomi has been criticized in the past for using too much bloatware and ads on its phones, and the brand is commendable for doing a lot to address these issues. I've never had this problem with any Xiaomi phone I've tried in the last 18 months, until now. The Redmi 12 5G has a lot of bloatware installed out of the box, and while most of it can be removed, it shouldn't be in the first place.
Fortunately, I didn't get any notifications from Xiaomi services during the week I used the device, and bloatware aside, the interface is similar to other Xiaomi phones running MIUI 14 based on Android 13. One difference is that Xiaomi bundles it with MIUI. tweak. Instead of Google Dial as usual; The phone is positioned as an upgrade for those who already use Xiaomi phones, as the brand thinks the MIUI dialer will be more popular and will lock the Google phone number.
Interestingly, Xiaomi doesn't offer its own SMS client, instead opting to use Android Messages as the default client. Other than that, this is normal. MIUI 14 has plenty of customization options and isn't too resource intensive, and while the interface needs to be polished, it's optimized for the hardware.
Xiaomi has not done a good job when it comes to software updates, and the Redmi 12 5G is guaranteed to get updates for both platforms. Now it is not known when the phone will receive Android 14. Xiaomi has moved at a glacial pace in this area in the past, and this is worth looking into.
Redmi 12 5G phone. Competition
If you want a phone under $20,000, check out the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G. It also has an IPS LCD panel but with up to 120Hz I like the design better than the Redmi 12 5G and the phone is more powerful thanks to the Snapdragon 695. You also get 67W and clean charging software. Starting at $US19,999 ($241), you're paying more for this device, but you're getting a much better-featured phone.
The Z7 iQOO is a good contender as the device features MediaTek's Dimensity 920 and AMOLED panel clocked at 90Hz. On the back, you'll find a 64MP camera that takes better photos, and while the battery is small at 4,500mAh, it charges at 44W.
Redmi 12 5G phone. Should you buy it?
You should buy this if:
Looking for a 5G phone on a budget?
They want a big screen and a good device
You need a phone that lasts all day even with heavy use
You need a 3.5 mm jack and a microSD slot
You should not buy this from:
You want a program without swelling
Do you need a wide angle lens?
Do you need regular software updates?
Finally, the Redmi 12 5G is an overall good option if you want a 5G phone at a lower price. There are several caveats to this tool. The camera is pretty average, it lacks Wi-Fi 6 and fast charging options, and you have to deal with frustrating software.
However, he really understands the basics. You get a great design, a large screen with good color balance, a battery that easily lasts more than a day, and a set that's reliable for everyday use. I haven't seen 5G capabilities yet, but if you're using an older device and thinking about switching, the Redmi 12 5G has a lot going for it, and is now Xiaomi's best-in-class phone.
Redmi 12 5G phone
With the Redmi 12 5G, Xiaomi offers all the features you want in a budget phone at a fraction of the price of its closest competitor. If you're looking to upgrade to an entry-level 5G phone, this is the one to get.
