Practical review of the Xiaomi Redmi 12 5G

introduction

The Redmi 12 5G is Xiaomi’s latest offering in the company’s affordable Redmi series. Not to be confused with the Redmi 12, which despite the confusing name, is slightly different. The Redmi 12 5G takes it to the next level and comes with much more than just 5G.

For the most part, both Redmi 12 phones are similar. Both come with a 6.79-inch 90Hz display, which is the largest for a mainline Redmi phone. Both feature almost the same design with an updated glass back. Both phones also feature a large 5000mAh battery and a 50MP main camera.

The main difference between the two phones is the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chip on the Redmi 12 5G and the MediaTek Helio G88 on the Redmi 12 4G. The Snapdragon chip allows for 5G connectivity, hence the name obviously. Oddly, though, the standard Redmi 12 has an ultrawide camera in addition to the main 50MP camera, something the more expensive Redmi 12 5G lacks.

The specifications of the Xiaomi Redmi 12 5G in brief:

• Body: 168.6×76.3×8.2mm, 199g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass), plastic frame, glass back (Gorilla Glass); IP53, dustproof and splashproof.
• Screen: 6.79″ IPS LCD, 90 Hz, 550 nits, 1080×2460 px resolution, 20.5:9 aspect ratio, 396ppi.
• Chipsets: Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 (4 nm): Octa-core (2×2.2 GHz Cortex-A78 and 6x Cortex-A55); Adreno 613.
• Memory: 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM; UFS2.2; microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot).
• Operating system/software: Android 13, MIUI 14.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50MP, f/1.8, PDFAF; Depth: 2MP, f/2.4.
• Front camera: 8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1.12 µm.
• Video Capture: Rear camera: 1080p@30fps; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
• Drums: 5000mAh; Wired 18W, PD.
• Connectivity: 5G; Hybrid dual SIM; WiFi 5; BT 5.3; Infrared port; 3.5mm socket.
• Various: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); Virtual proximity detection.

With a starting price of $120 for the Redmi 12 and $145 for the Redmi 12 5G, both phones continue the tradition of being affordably priced. Today we’ll take a brief look at the more expensive Redmi 12 5G, so let’s see how it performs.

Unpacking

The Redmi 12 5G comes with a 22.5W charger and a charging cable with a USB-A connector on one end. A soft transparent silicone case is also included in the package.