Redmi Note 12 review: Good smartphone but buy it on sale – India Today

By Abhik Sengupta: Xiaomi’s plan to produce affordable 5G phones in India continues with the latest Redmi Note 12 series. The new series includes two Pro models and a vanilla Redmi Note 12, also available in China but in a slightly different avatar. On the other hand, the India-specific unit focuses on cameras and has three cameras on the rear instead of two.

Of course, an additional camera sensor on the back increases the price of the Redmi Note 12 in India. Pricing starts at Rs 17,999 for the base variant with 4GB RAM and 128GB. If you look at the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant I’m using, it adds Rs 4,500 to the price. In contrast, the price of the China-specific variant starts at 1,199 CNY (about 13,600 rupees) for the base version of 4GB RAM + 128GB storage.

At Rs 17,999, the new Redmi Note 12 doesn’t seem like a typical Note series smartphone as Xiaomi’s Note series is known for its aggressive pricing. However, like every year, the latest iteration offers some notable improvements. For example, this year’s base Redmi Note 12 features a larger 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The Redmi Note 11 sports a 6.4-inch 90Hz AMOLED display.

At its core, the Redmi Note 12 packs a Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 SoC instead of a Snapdragon 680 chipset. The former unlocks 5G connectivity, which makes sense given that 5G is rolling out in India. In this case, is Redmi Note 12 a good option at this price? Here’s the full review.

Design and display of the Redmi Note 12

For almost two years, Xiaomi’s Note series featured the EVOL (love spelled backwards) design, which many people found aesthetically pleasing, but it might not be for everyone. This design featured rear cameras stacked in a pyramid shape and had a black finish, giving it a modern look but not matching the tone of the body.

In contrast, the Redmi Note 12 looks much more minimalist with a monochrome finish. The rear camera module adopts the same color as the smartphone body, a change that I really like. I’m also glad Xioami went for a blue device as I’m generally not a fan of black gadgets.

The module also features two equally sized cutouts for the primary and ultra-wide camera sensors, giving it a neat appearance. The rest of the Note 12 has regular buttons and slots. The bottom features a USB Type-C port for charging, a single speaker output, and a microphone channel. The upper spine has a 3.5mm audio jack (a nice addition) alongside the IR channel detector and a secondary microphone channel. On the sides are volume rockers, a dual SIM card slot, and a power button that doubles as a fingerprint sensor.

Xiaomi has used plastic material for the Redmi Note 12 and luckily for the company it doesn’t feel inferior. Durability might be an issue, but the phone has an IP53 rating for dust and water resistance, and the package includes a clear silicone case for that extra layer of protection.

When it comes to the front panel, it’s hit-and-miss. First, I like a larger display with a 120Hz refresh rate and relatively more brightness. The size of the screen (6.67 inches with 2400 x 1080 pixels) in combination with the overall weight (188 g) of the phone makes it easy to read messages and watch videos on the Note 12 for a long time. The AMOLED display also offers better colors and contrast, making viewing much more enjoyable. The panel isn’t the brightest compared to its more expensive siblings, but most users won’t be dissatisfied with the viewing experience.

However, the faceplate has a sizeable chin, which I think should be obsolete in 2023. When I keep it alongside its more expensive brother, the Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus, the differences in the bezels are pretty stark.

Redmi Note 12 performance

Xiaomi has added 5G support to the Redmi Note 12 by including a Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 SoC. The phone also packs 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which should be enough for handling daily tasks like calls, web browsing, and light gaming. While the phone offered fast performance in my tests with the 120Hz refresh rate enabled, switching between apps wasn’t the smoothest. But it shouldn’t cause any frustration until the smartphone gets the next few system updates.

I’ve used a number of apps like Netflix, YouTube, Outlook and Chrome and they worked without any abrupt crashes. I’m not a big gamer, although I’ve played popular titles like Asphalt 9, 8 Ball Pool, and Subway Surfers. All of these games ran with no visible stutters or signs of overheating, which is good. But when it comes to Instagram, the app isn’t fully optimized, but that’s a common problem in both affordable and expensive Android smartphones.

Many customers also prioritize speakers when purchasing smartphones, and the Redmi Note 12 will not disappoint in this department. My biggest complaint is that the company has opted for a channel with a speaker that doesn’t offer a 360-degree listening experience. Luckily, the audio output is loud and clear, which doesn’t detract from the movie experience.

Beyond the hardware, Xiaomi has promised two years of Android OS updates, which is a very good promise. The clever part is that the smartphone ships with Android 12-based MIUI 13 while the Android 13 update is already available. This means that the Redmi Note 12 will receive an Android 13 update in a few weeks, but Android 14 may be a long time coming when it’s ready. It also means that the Redmi Note 12 will receive a major Android update practically until the end of 2024. But the smartphone is full of bloatware apps that make the user interface very cluttered.

For number-oriented fans and readers, the Redmi Note 12 scored 566 and 1751 points on Geekbench’s single-core and multi-core tests. The smartphone hardly shows any signs of overheating in the CPU Throttle test.

Redmi Note 12 cameras

Phone cameras are a big focus in the Indian smartphone market, which is why Xiaomi introduced three cameras on the India-specific Redmi Note 12. The China model, launched late last year, has two rear cameras and a single selfie shooter.

Starting with the native app, the Redmi Note 12 takes stills instantly and the preview is pretty fast too. The app remains somewhat convoluted thanks to an already confusing MIUI interface. Some camera tools are a bit complicated to find or understand, which can cause problems for older customers. However, users should get used to the native camera app after a few weeks with the smartphone.

The rear camera system includes a 48-megapixel primary camera, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera and a 2-megapixel macro camera. As always, the 2MP tertiary camera serves no purpose and the macro photos are just plain bad.

The primary camera sensor takes decent pictures in most lighting conditions, but with considerable grain. In perfect lighting conditions, the images look great and I could hardly see any difference between images of Redmi Note 12 and the Rs 78,900 iPhone 14. However, in most scenarios the Redmi Note 12 could not detect the correct shades of red and I had an orange tint. In some cases the images were overexposed, in others they were underexposed but rarely true to color.

The ultra-wide-angle camera offered a similar performance, but this time with relatively more grain in the image. Thankfully, video proved surprisingly stable, although color accuracy remained a major issue.

Speaking of the 13-megapixel selfie camera, I think most customers will have mixed feelings. Even with the blush level set to zero, the front camera couldn’t see any detail on the face and lightened the skin tone, which I don’t like. However, some customers prefer this type of processing as it “beautifies” their face. If this beautified photo doesn’t bother you, the front camera of the Redmi Note 12 will not disappoint.

Redmi Note 12 battery

Xiaomi has kept the battery capacity and charging speeds the same as the Redmi Note 11. That means the Note 12 still packs a 5000mAh battery with 33W fast charging (charger included). In my test, the phone takes just over an hour to charge using the included charger, which compares to the competition. I’m sure that Xiaomi can and will improve the loading speed regardless of the price. At the moment, 33W charging will satisfy many customers.

In my two weeks of use, the Redmi Note 12 easily lasted a full day with the maximum settings enabled. This includes 120Hz refresh, on-screen notifications, calls, watching videos on YouTube, and light gaming. I couldn’t test 5G because my Jio SIM card doesn’t support the connectivity option yet. However, I’m sure that the move to 5G will drop battery life by a few notches.

Redmi Note 12 verdict

The Redmi Note 12 has modest upgrades compared to its predecessor, but its price has increased significantly. The base variant of the Redmi Note 11 was launched last February at a price of Rs 13,499, but the base variant of the Redmi Note 12 has been increased by Rs 4,500 (introductory offers excluded). With an introductory offer, the base variant of the Redmi Note 12 costs Rs 16,499. Although this price may seem expensive, the Redmi Note 12 offers a 120Hz AMOLED display, 5G connectivity and 33W fast charging, which are not available on most phones in this segment.

In this case, the Redmi Note 12 is a good choice if you get the smartphone with an introductory offer. Still a good device for the new price, but definitely overpriced. My suggestion would be that you wait for the company to launch a cheaper Redmi Note 12 SE or 12 Lite, which shouldn’t be far away. In the coming weeks, Motorola and iQOO may also launch some notable smartphones in the Rs 20,000 range.

If you’re dying to upgrade, the Redmi Note 12 won’t disappoint. If you still think it’s overpriced, the Moto G82 5G is a good choice as the smartphone offers a clean Android experience.

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