First, let’s replace this smartphone in its range: the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G is the second “from the top”. Cheaper than the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus 5G we reviewed here, but more expensive than the Redmi Note 12 5G and Redmi Note 12. Still following? GOOD.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G is sold at launch at the suggested price of 399 euros, putting it ahead of high-end phones such as the Samsung Galaxy A34 5G, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite, the Oppo Reno 7 or its cousin Xiaomi Poco X5 Pro, to name just a few. Now that the introductions are complete, it’s time for test !
Data sheet for the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G
Showing strong technical characteristics, the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G has a Dimensity 1080 chip with 6 or 8 GB of RAM, but also a 120 Hz OLED screen and a 67 W charger in the box. On the photo side we note the presence of a macro module, the main purpose of which is to increase the number of camera modules on the back of the phone.
Source: 01net
Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G 8+128GB at the best price Base price: €399
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Our opinion on the design
If we don’t talk about taste and colors, we still share our opinion on the looks and build quality of this Redmi Note 12 Pro. First observation: we are dealing with a large smartphone that has a 6.6-inch screen with black borders all around, which is average of what can be expected at this price.
The glass display is protected by Gorilla Glass 5, which is not the case with the back, which is also made of glass. This marks fingerprints, especially on the black variant we tested. A real mirror that can be useful when something is stuck between the teeth. The camera block and modules stick out so much that the phone wobbles when used flat.
The frame is made of plastic. It’s slightly beveled to fit the back of the phone. The integration into the screen, on the other hand, is much less successful. The latter appears to have been literally discarded, making the slices too angular. This leads to back hand discomfort after holding the phone for a few minutes.
We like to find the fingerprint reader directly on the power button. It is both practical and very responsive. The presence of a 3.5 mm mini-jack is always pleasing, as is an infrared port for using the phone as a remote control.
The small flap offers space for up to two NanoSIM cards, but no microSD card. An option we would have liked to have found on a phone that comes with just 128GB of storage at its base. Samsung has made this effort with its Galaxy A34. Finally, the phone is IP53 rated, offering full dust protection but only splash water protection.
A very bright screen
© 01net / Gabriel Manceau
Like its predecessor and most of its rivals of the time, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G features a panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. A very noticeable point when scrolling through elements on the screen. Its Full HD+ resolution is more than sufficient on this 6.67 inch diagonal and its AMOLED screen offers deep blacks and infinite contrast.
Screen: The Xioami Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G against the competition
Refresh rate Color fidelity (Delta E 2000 average) Screen brightness
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
Not to spoil anything: the phone has one of the highest average brightnesses that we have tested on a smartphone under 400 euros in the last few months. With 910 cd/m2, the screen of the Redmi Note 12 Pro remains legible under all circumstances.
The color fidelity is not outstanding in the state of delivery, but decent. The default color scheme (Intense) has a slightly too high Delta E of 4.3. We recommend that you favor the “Standard” mode, which drops to 2.36, which is ideal if you want less flattering but more realistic colors.
performance test
This year, Xiaomi trusts MediaTek to equip its Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G with the Dimensity 1080 chip. Unsurprisingly, the latter is faster than the Snapdragon 695 found in the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G last year.
AnTuTu: The Xioami Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G against the competition
AnTuTu Benchmark 9 result AnTuTu Benchmark 9 CPU AnTuTu Benchmark 9 GPU AnTuTu Benchmark 9 MEM
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
Geekbench: The Xioami Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G compared to the competition
Geekbench 5 multi-core score Geekbench 5 single-core score
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
As you can see from the AnTuTu and Geekbench benchmark results, Xiaomi’s latest device is on average, above the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite but below a Galaxy A34 5G. Unfortunately, the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G suffers when compared to its cheaper cousin, the Poco X5 Pro 5G. The latter offers better raw performance thanks to its Snapdragon 778G.
When it comes to graphics performance, the results are similar. Demanding 3D games like Fortnite can be run on the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G, provided concessions are made. With low graphic details you can guarantee 30 fps even in the action phases.
GFXBench: the Xioami Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G compared to the competition
GFXBench 1440p Aztec Ruins Vulkan (High Tier) Offscreen GFXBench Car Chase GFXBench T-Rex
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
3DMark: The Xioami Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G compared to the competition
3DMark Wild Life Best Loop Score 3DMark Wild Life Stability
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G
In terms of temperature, the phone heats up a bit more than the average smartphone between 300 and 400 euros that we have tested over the last 18 months. This results in a thermal amplitude of approx. 16°C. The good news is that the phone maintains a consistent level of performance even under heavy loads, as evidenced by the 99.6% stability score on 3DMark.
Average autonomy and fast charge
© 01net / Gabriel Manceau
With 12 hours and 17 minutes of autonomy in video streaming and 14 hours and 51 minutes in versatile autonomy, the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G and its 5000 mAh battery are in the lower average of our comparison. Taking the average between these two tests, Xiaomi’s phone is in last place, also compared to its predecessor.
Being less good than the others doesn’t mean it’s bad. With intensive use, you can easily last the whole day. If you are careful, a day and a half is quite possible.
Autonomy and charging: the Xioami Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G compared to the competition
Battery capacity Video streaming time Versatile battery life Charging time
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G 5000 mAh 1 hr 4 min Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G 5000 mAh 53 min Samsung Galaxy A34 5G 5000 mAh 1 hr 26 min Poco X5 Pro 5G 5000 mAh 45 min OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5000mAh 57min Oppo Reno 7 4500mAh 1 hour 14 minutes
With its 67W charger (included), the smartphone can regain 50% autonomy in 26 minutes and 100% in 1 hour and 04 minutes. That’s better than the Oppo Reno 7 and Samsung Galaxy A34 5G, but slower than some of its rivals like the Poco X5 Pro 5G, which fully charges in just 45 minutes with the same charging power.
Source: 01Lab
photo
© 01net / Gabriel Manceau
The phone is equipped with a camera block, which in turn consists of three modules:
- 50 MP wide angle, f/1.9 aperture
- 8 MP ultra wide angle, f/2.2 aperture
- 2 MP macro, f/2.4 aperture
We decided to compare it to the Poco X5 Pro 5G, which differs for its main sensor of 108 Mpx (f/1.9).
wide angle and ultra wide angle
The wide angle with high brightness: the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G on the left, the Poco X5 Pro 5G on the right.
In good lighting conditions, the wide-angle module of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G performs quite well with correct focus in the center but a rather blatant loss of detail in the corners. Colors lack precision, which is due to a poorly adjusted white balance, which tends a little too green.
The Poco X5 Pro 5G offers a high-contrast display with rich colors. The result might not be the most realistic, but at least it has the merit of emphasizing the different elements of the scene.
Ultra wide angle with high brightness: the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G on the left, the Poco X5 Pro 5G on the right.
In the ultra wide angle, always with a lot of light, the result is similar, less precise. The 8-megapixel resolution bug is a little tight to bring out the details.
At night
The wide angle in low light: the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G on the left, the Poco X5 Pro 5G on the right.
Phones under $400 are rarely comfortable when shooting at night. This also applies to the Redmi Note 12 Pro’s wide-angle sensor, which completely collapses as soon as the lights go out. The details are missing from subscribers, which is due to too much digital smoothing, which cannot compensate for the weakness of the sensor. In this duel, the Poco X5 Pro performs significantly better.
Ultra wide angle in low light: the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G on the left, the Poco X5 Pro 5G on the right.
On the other hand, the trend is reversed in the ultra wide angle at night, where the Redmi regains control of the Poco without achieving a convincing result. If night shots are important to you, we recommend checking out the Google Pixel 6a, which is noticeably more comfortable in this exercise.
portrait
The portrait mode of the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G.
Let’s finish with the portrait mode, which isn’t very good. The outline of the subject is more than approximate, with a jagged effect in the outlines and a few strands of hair that don’t really know how to position themselves between the foreground and background. The photo above speaks for itself, we’ve seen a lot better even at this price point.
A supercharged interface
Source: Xiaomi / Editing: 01net
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro features the MIUI 14 interface, here based on Android 12. We regret that there is no Android 13 while version 14 will be deployed by the end of the year. Regardless, MIUI is true to itself, being inspired by iOS but extremely customizable. You can select the navigation mode you prefer and return to the “old” panel if you find the new one confusing.
As always, MIUI comes with preinstalled apps. There are around twenty partner apps alongside the Google and Xiaomi apps, which is huge. Without counting the applications that are not installed but that you can find in the files in the form of suggestions. From Candy Crush to Royal Match, Opera, Netflix, Booking, Snapchat, AliExpress, Agora, TikTok to Audible, you definitely need to go through the uninstall box.
Source: 01Lab
The graph above summarizes the results of the study in red technical tests of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G Produced by our 01Lab. The gray area represents the average of the results from other smartphones between €300 and €400 that we have tested over the last 18 months.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G price and release date
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G is available on the brand’s official website in three colors: white, sky blue and black. Three configurations are available:
- 6 + 128GB for €399.90
- 8 + 128GB for €429.90
- 8 + 256GB for €459.90
These prices go down as soon as Xiaomi offers instant discounts or you see this at online retailers.
Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G 8+128GB at the best price Base price: €399
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