Samsung Galaxy A54 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro

introduction

The ever-competitive mid-range segment has a couple of new contenders from popular lineages. The Samsung Galaxy A54 puts the A5x series back on the right track after a very successful A52 was followed by a more meh A53. The Redmi Note 12 Pro, on the other hand, has good specs and an attractive price, as is to be expected of Xiaomi’s mid-range efforts. What is the best?

You can compare the full specsheets or check out our editor’s rating below.

Design and build quality

Both phones are fairly standard in size for their class and will take up quite a bit of space in your pocket. Even the blocky shapes don’t help make them feel more compact. That said, the Galaxy is a bit shorter: 5mm is not an insignificant difference. Furthermore, the Redmi is a bit lighter and offers a slightly larger display.

You can compare the dimensions of the two phones in the 3D view using the link below.

Some physical properties beyond mere size are worth mentioning here. While the Redmi is rated IP53 for being splash resistant, the Galaxy should be able to survive being submerged in water up to 1m deep for 30 minutes (IP67). On the other hand, the Redmi gives you a couple of connectivity options that the Galaxy doesn’t have: a 3.5mm headphone jack and an IR emitter. The Samsung counters with a microSD slot (shared, but still) – the Redmi has none.

An additional point to consider is the implementation of the fingerprint reader. We know of people deliberately reaching out for side-mounted ones like the one on the Redmi, while others complain about some specific usability issues with them. Then there’s the Galaxy’s unity: it’s the optical variety below the display, albeit positioned a little lower than ideal.

Screen

The most noticeable difference in displays has already been mentioned: the one on the Galaxy is smaller at 6.4 inches diagonal compared to the 6.67-inch panel on the Redmi. There is little to separate otherwise: both FullHD OLEDs with an approximately comparable maximum brightness and a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz both use to the fullest. Similarly, color reproduction is an issue with a competent sRGB bespoke mode on each and less accurate but more visually pleasing Vivid options. Redmi’s Dolby Vision certification gives it an edge if you’re obsessed with such things, while the Galaxy is HDR10+ capable.

Battery life

Both phones are powered by 5,000mAh batteries, but the Galaxy manages to get better endurance out of the same capacity. More importantly, the on-screen results are better: by 4 hours in the web browsing test and by 2 hours in video playback. An extra 4 hours on a voice call and improved standby efficiency mean the Galaxy lasts longer across the board, which is also reflected in the overall ratings. The Redmi isn’t bad, it just isn’t so well.

Charging speed

The situation changes when we look at reload speeds. The Redmi Note 12 Pro is rated for 67W charging, while the Galaxy spec reads 25W, and while the Redmi doesn’t charge anywhere near 3x faster, a 30-minute period from zero on the Note 12 Pro will get you there. will lead to 78%, while the Galaxy indicator will show 56%.

The other win for the Redmi here isn’t in the numbers, but in the packaging: It comes with a charger in the retail package, unlike the Galaxy.

speakers

The Galaxy and Redmi both have stereo speakers and recorded identical results for volume in our tests, which placed them in the “Good” category.

Side-by-side comparisons leave us preferring the A54’s output thanks to a bit more noticeable presence in the low frequencies for a more balanced overall sound, while the Note 12 Pro is more mid-forward.

Performance

Neither of these phones are powered by a Qualcomm chipset – mid-range budgets are better off with alternative SoC options. The Galaxy uses Samsung’s Exynos 1380 chip, while the Redmi Note 12 Pro has the Mediatek Dimensity 1080 inside. Both chips have 5G capabilities and are manufactured on modern manufacturing nodes (5nm vs 6nm).

The Exynos’ CPU has a 4+4 core configuration compared to the Dimensity’s 2+6 configuration, although the powerful 4xCortex-A78 cluster in the Galaxy is limited to 2.4GHz, while the Redmi’s 2xA78 can reach a bit higher. high at 2.6 GHz. The Galaxy outperforms the Redmi by about 15-20% in multi-core CPU tests, although the difference under single-core load is negligible.

The Galaxy’s Mali-G68 MP5 GPU has one more core than the Mali-G68 MC4 that the Redmi is equipped with. The A54 is therefore slightly better in graphics benchmarks as well and should be an ever-slightly better option for gaming, although neither phone is a powerhouse in this regard.

One advantage the Galaxy has on day one, and which will only get bigger down the line, is software support. The A54 comes with Android 13 and is expected to get 4 more OS versions in the future, so up to 17), while the Redmi starts from 12 and only promises 2 OS updates. The debate between One UI and MIUI is more of a personal preference, as both are highly functional and customizable.

Camera quality

Both phones have camera settings that are similar in principle: an ultrawide and a “macro” camera join the main one on the back. That said, the Galaxy-specific modules are a notch above the Redmi’s in everything but the 50MP main unit: 12MP vs. 8MP ultrawide, 5MP vs. 2MP macro, and even a 32MP vs. 16MP.

While the numbers don’t mean much by themselves, they do tell the story that the Galaxy is better suited to cameraphone use than the Redmi, and the images and videos we’ve obtained from both reinforce that notion. The differences aren’t huge by any means, but the Galaxy has small advantages across the board, even on the seemingly identical primary cameras.

Samsung Galaxy A54 camera samples: 0.6x • 1x • 1x • 2x

More samples and a detailed analysis can be found in our Galaxy A54 camera review.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro camera samples: 0.6x • 1x • 1x • 2x

More samples and a detailed analysis can be found in our Redmi Note 12 Pro camera review.

Neither will fool you into thinking it can capture flagship low-light images, but both do a decent job, particularly if you stick to the main cameras. However, we’d give a nod to the Galaxy in general.

Video quality is another close call between these two. Both support 4K, but neither can stabilize it, so if you want stabilization, you’ll need to go for 1080p30fps.

What is easier to please is the quality of the selfie camera. The Galaxy’s front-facing camera photos are great, noticeably better than the Redmi’s. The Galaxy can also record 4K selfie video (albeit without EIS), so that’s also in its favor.

Here’s a glimpse of how the Galaxy A54’s main camera compares in terms of image quality to that of the Redmi Note 12 Pro in our photo comparison tool.

And here’s how the Galaxy A54’s main camera compares in terms of video quality to that of the Redmi Note 12 Pro in our video comparison tool.

Verdict

In this battle of capable midrangers, there is a clear difference in price, and while exact numbers vary, the Galaxy A54 is priced higher than the Redmi Note 12 Pro. The extra cash gets you some clear, if not really, benefits. tangible, such as better dust and water resistance and longer software support. Some of its advantages you can experience more easily, such as memory card slot or beautiful selfies.

The Redmi has a couple of these advantages that you can enjoy every day, and if you need them, the Galaxy is simply not an option: the headphone jack and IR blaster.

It’s a good thing that there’s actually little to separate the two when it comes to many fundamentals, particularly when looking from Redmi’s point of view. Both phones have great displays, and while the Galaxy lasts longer on a single charge and the Redmi charges faster, neither is really decisive. Similarly, a slightly better overall camera experience on the A54 (arguably) isn’t enough incentive to sway you in its direction.

Yes, perhaps the Galaxy’s advantages add up to a more complete total package, but the Redmi’s price goes a long way towards making up for its shortcomings, plus it has its own unique strengths.