Redmi Note series has always been a value for money but that changed with Redmi Note 11 Series and the same remains with the newly launched Redmi Note 12 series.
Now we have already reviewed the Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus 5G and even Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G. So now, let’s find out in this Redmi Note 12 5G review whether it’s worth the Rs 17,999 price tag or not.
Redmi Note 12 5G Price in India
The Redmi Note 12 5G price in India starts from Rs 17,999 for 4GB of Ram and 128GB storage while the 6GB of Ram and 128GB storage variant is priced at Rs 19,999. The device comes in Mystique Black, Matte Black, and Frosted Green color options and it will go for sale on 11th January 2023 at noon via Amazon.
Contents
Redmi Note 12 5G Review
Yes, the Redmi Note 12 5G is worth buying however it does have some drawbacks like a weak processor and average cameras while the rest of the smartphone is good.
I strongly feel Redmi Note 12 5G should have been priced below Rs 15000 because that’s what this series of phones were.
Redmi has added a bit of everything whether it’s a 120Hz AMOLED panel, stereo speakers, base 128GB storage option, and decent cameras with an ultra-wide lens. So yes, the Redmi Note 12 5G is not an overpriced smartphone, it’s just that, Redmi chooses the other features over the processor.
Now, what does that mean,
So if you’re looking for a balanced smartphone and you don’t play lots of games then do consider the Redmi Note 12 5G otherwise, skip it. Also, do take look at POCO X4 Pro 5G because it’s a better option than the Redmi Note 12 5G.
Related: 5 Best Smartphones Under Rs 20,000
One More thing, 4GB ram on a Redmi phone is not a good choice because the device runs on MIUI which is heavy Android Skin, so consider at least a 6GB variant.
Redmi Note 12 5G Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Smooth 120Hz AMOLED Panel | Plastic Unibody |
| Super Bright 1200nits Display | The 4GB base Variant is not the Ideal Choice |
| Decent Performance | Still Runs on Android 12 |
| 7 5G Bands Support | Charging Speed Could Have Been Fast |
| Clear Stereo Speakers | Cameras Suffer a lot under Low Light |
| Longer and Stable Battery Life | Video comes out Unstable |
| Hybrid Slot | No in-display Fingerprint Sensor |
| Takes Useable Images Under Daylight | Not the best Options for Gamers |
Display
The Redmi Note 12 5G comes with a 120Hz 6.67-inches AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels and pick a brightness of 1200nits. It also has a 240Hz Touch Sampling Rate and Wide Vine L1 Support.
So there is no doubt about the display, it’s the best you will get for under Rs 20000. By the way, this is the same display size and quality as the Redmi Note 10 Pro.
On top of that, Redmi has also added a whopping 1200nits pick brightness which is rare to get under Rs 20000. So you don’t have to worry about sunlight, and you will able to see everything from text to even using social media without any problem.
One more thing, the phone has a huge bottom chin which doesn’t look good, especially in 2023.
Related: Best Smartphones Under Rs 25,000
The problem is, even though the phone has an AMOLED panel, Redmi skipped the in-display fingerprint sensor which is not good at all.
It does have a side-mounted fingerprint sensor that works fine but the in-display fingerprint should have been better as it is an 18k smartphone.
By the way, the phone is made from plastic, it only has glass on the front other than that, the frames and rear are made from plastic.
Overall, Redmi Note 12 5G has a good display, now the bezels could have been a bit smaller.
Performance
As I have said, the Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 has a 15% faster CPU and 10% better GPU compared to Snapdragon 480+. It’s also made on 6nm architecture which means, this is a power-efficient processor.
You will be able to play games like Apex Legends, COD Mobile, and PUBG New State at 40-50fps. I didn’t notice a frame drop during the gameplay but of course, if you play for a long time then you will notice frame drops here and there.
Even while using a smartphone in day-to-day life, the MIUI was working fine, I didn’t face any kind of problems while watching movies or even scrolling through apps like Instagram or YouTube.
All though, it has ads in the UI and is filled with Bloatware.
The biggest fraud of the year is,
The device runs on Android 12 and Android 13 and it has been out for months. Now, what Redmi did is, delayed the Android 13 update, so they don’t have to update the device up to Android 15.
Related: 5 Best Smartphones Under Rs 30000
Redmi has also said that MIUI 14 based on Android 13 is ready and it should be out within a month, so you see what Redmi did…
By the way, Redmi Note 12 5G comes with hall lot of Bloatware which you can uninstall but you will have to manually uninstall all the third-party apps which is not a good experience even after paying the Rs 17,999.
The phone has ads in the UI which you can disable from the settings but the problem is every single user won’t know about this, so they will continue using the device as it is.
It also has 7 5G bands which are sufficient enough to use 5G connectivity all over India. The supported 5G bands are SA: n1, n3, n5, n8, n28, n78, n40 and NSA: n1, n3, n40, n78.
Again, Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 is a power-efficient processor, there is nothing to worry about the performance. Pro-tip, don’t buy this phone for gaming.
Cameras
The Redmi Note 12 5G comes with 48MP primary sensor, 8MP ultra-wide lens, and 2MP macro sensor while there is a 13MP selfie shooter on the front. The rear cameras can shoot videos at 1080p@30/60fps while the front can shoot at only 1080p@30fps.
Again, the phone doesn’t have OIS, it heavily relies on EIS which doesn’t work well.
Let’s say, you’re shooting a video while walking and even if you walk slowly still, the video won’t come out the stable.
While the clarity of the videos is not good when we compare it with Rs 17,999 price tag.
Still, I feel, if you shoot videos under good lights or even sunlight then you will be able to shoot good videos but when it comes to low light, the sensors will suffer a lot, like, a lot.
All in all, the Redmi Note 12 5G doesn’t shoot good videos.
Coming back to the 48MP primary sensor, (photography)
It’s also the same as Videos, under daylight, the sensor provides useable images but the same doesn’t reflect well under low light. The sensor adds a bit of extra softness and noise because of that, it loses out on authenticity.
Sometimes it feels like, the images are edited to post on Instagram with a white filter.
The 8MP primary sensor is just another sensor added for a showcase. It takes average images under daylight but when it comes to low light, it’s not useable, what I’m saying is, you won’t feel like sharing photos on social media or even on WhatsApp with your Friends.
Related: 5 Best Smartphones Under Rs 15,000
By the way, you can also skip the 2MP sensor, just like how I’m about to do.
The 13MP front camera is a good sensor that has a built-in filter for social media, you don’t need to whiten your images, just take a selfie from Redmi Note 12 and post it on Instagram.
Overall, the Redmi Note 12 5G has only two problems which are they added tons of features and forget about the important things which are the processor and the right pricing.
As you can see, I didn’t add any camera samples of Redmi Note 12 5G, so what you can do is, go to this and you will find all the camera samples of this device along with videos too (Fyi, it’s Google Drive Link).
Audio
You guessed it, the Redmi Note 12 5G comes with a stereo speaker along with a 3.5mm Audio jack and even carrier aggression.
The speakers are loud and clear, so there is nothing to worry about, you will get the best sounding experience for under Rs 20,000.
The microphones are good too while the carrier aggression also helps when the phone is not getting good singles.
Battery
The Redmi Note Plus 5G has a 5,000mAh battery with 33W wired fast charging support and yes, the 33W adapter is supplied in the box. The device will take about 46 minutes to charge from 0% to 100%.
The battery will last for the day because of the processor but in the end, it depends on you, and how you use your smartphone every day.
For example, if you’re a heavy user who uses everything from social media, watches movies, YouTube Videos, and even games you will have to charge the Redmi Note 12 5G twice a day.
For normal users, expect the battery life to last for a day without any problem.
Verdict
Redmi Note 12 5G
Summary
The Redmi Note 12 5G is not a bad smartphone, it’s just that, Redmi chooses the 120Hz AMOLED display over the powerful processor and didn’t launch 6GB Ram as the base variant. Still, it’s a good device considering it has 5G support and that’s it.
Still, if you have any kind of questions then feel free to drop them in the comment box, I would love to answer them, see you there…
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Redmi Note 12 5G Full Specifications
| Launch Date | 5th January 2022 |
| First Sale | 11th January 2022 via Amazon at noon |
| Price | 4GB Ram + 128GB storage: Rs 17,999 6GB Ram + 128GB storage: Rs 19,999 |
| Display | 6.67-inches FHD+ AMOLED 120Hz Screen Refresh Rate 395ppi density 1200nits pick brightness Supports Wide Vine L1 240Hz Touch Sampling Rate 85% screen-to-body ratio |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels resolution |
| Dimensions | 165.88mm x 76.21mm x 7.98mm |
| Build | Glass front Plastic Frame Plastic back |
| OS | Android 12 – MIUI 13 2 Years of OS Updates 4 Years of Security Updates |
| Chipset | Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 (6 nm) GPU: Adreno 619 CPU: Octa-core (2×2.0 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6×1.8 GHz Cortex-A55) Cooling: Dual graphite sheet |
| Storage Options | 4GB Ram + 128GB Storage 8GB Ram + 128GB Storage – LPDDR4x Ram – UFS 2.2 Storage |
| SD-Card Slot | Hybrid Slot |
| Rear Cameras | 48MP Primary Sensor 8MP Ultra-Wide (f/2.4) 2 MP Macro (f/2.4) Video 1080p@30/60fps Camera Samples |
| Front Camera | 8MP Selfie Shooter Video 1080p@30fps |
| 3.5mm Jack | Yes |
| Stereo Speakers | Yes |
| Carrier Aggregation | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| 5G Support | Yes, 7 5G Bands. |
| 5G Bands | SA: n1, n3, n5, n8, n28, n78 and n40 NSA: n1, n3, n40, and n78 |
| IR Blaster | Yes |
| Sensors | Ambient Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor, E Compass, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Fingerprint (Side-Mounted) |
| Fingerprint Sensor | Side-Mounted |
| Battery | 5,000mAh (non-removable) 33W Wired Fast Charging 0% to 100% in 46 Minutes |
| Colors | Mystique Black, Matte Black, and Frosted Green. |
| Weight | 188 Gram |
| In the box | Redmi Note 12 5G, 33W Charger, USB Type-C Cable, SIM Eject Tool, Protective Case, Quick Start Guide, Warranty Card |
| Available at | Amazon |
*Images Credit: AndroWide/yt
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