Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G: The Best Value-For-Money 5G Smartphone

By Sylvester Sy
10 Min Read
Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G The Best Value For Money 5G Smartphone
Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G 03
8.6 Affordable Mid-Range Smartphone
Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G Verdict
Buy at Lazada

The Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G is the latest mid-range level smartphone boasting the powerful IMX766 sensor for superior night photography while incorporating a range of flagship-level features.

We were lucky enough to get our hands on the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G in the Midnight Black color variant. After thoroughly testing the device for a few weeks, here is our full review.

Unboxing/Accessories

The Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G arrived with the familiar white box with the model name printed in rose gold. Inside the box, you will find the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G handset, 67-watt Mi Fast Charging charger, USB Type-A to USB Type-C data/charging cable, TPU Protective case for protection, paper documentation, and the SIM ejector tool.

What’s inside the box?

Build Quality/Design

The Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G is a sleek and stylish smartphone that will turn heads. Its slim profile and boxy design are complemented by high-quality materials, giving it a premium look and feel. The phone’s minimalist approach is both elegant and sophisticated, making it a visually appealing device that stands out from the crowd.

The Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor that is integrated into the power button. This makes it easy to unlock the phone and access other features with just a single press. The volume rocker is also located on the right side of the phone, making it easy to adjust the volume without having to fumble with the phone.

The volume rocker is placed on the right side and below it is the power button that also doubles as a fingerprint scanner.
The top part of the phone has a 3.5mm audio jack and a loudspeaker.

It has a 3.5mm audio jack and a loudspeaker on the top, while a dual-SIM card tray, microphone, USB-C port, and another loudspeaker are located on the bottom of the smartphone.

The bottom part of the phone has a speaker grille, USB Type-C port, microphone, and a dual-SIM card tray.

For audio, The Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G boasts dual speakers enhanced with Dolby Atmos technology, strategically positioned at both the device’s top and bottom. This configuration delivers an immersive audio output that significantly elevates the overall listening experience, particularly when enjoying content in landscape mode.

Camera

The Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G is equipped with a triple-camera setup on its rear: 50MP f/1.88, IMX766 1/1.56-inch sensor with OIS + 8MP f/2.2 119-degree ultra-wide-angle + 2MP f/2.4 macro + LED flash.

It also sports a flagship-level Sony IMX 766 1/1.56″ sensor with 1.0µm pixels and a Quad-Bayer filter. This sensor is coupled with a stabilized (OIS) 6-element 24mm lens, with an aperture of f/1.88. Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) helps to reduce blur caused by camera shake. This is especially beneficial when capturing photos in low-light conditions.

The Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G triple rear camera setup that features a 50MP f/1.88, IMX766 1/1.56-inch sensor with OIS + 8MP f/2.2 119-degree ultra-wide-angle + 2MP f/2.4 macro + LED flash

The Redmi Note 12 5G can record Full HD videos at 30fps using both its main and ultrawide cameras. Additionally, it can capture high-quality slow-motion videos at 120fps in HD. In summary, the camera features of the Redmi Note 12 5G are well-suited for sharing content on popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

The Redmi Note 12 5G’s performance takes a hit when used indoors or in low-light settings. Nevertheless, indoor shots turn out satisfactory when there’s ample light, as demonstrated in this sample photo taken indoors.

To enable the macro camera on your Redmi smartphone using MIUI, simply follow these steps: Open the Camera app, select the Photo mode, and tap the three horizontal lines icon to access the settings menu. Inside the menu, locate the macro option, which is symbolized by a flower icon, and tap on it.

Here are more sample photos using Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G

Performance

At the heart of the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G lies a powerful MediaTek Dimensity 1080 chipset, paired with 8GB of RAM, delivering exceptional performance. This advanced chipset ensures seamless multitasking, speedy app launches, and overall smoother operation. Moreover, you can expand the RAM by an additional 8GB using its memory extension feature.

Xiaomi’s MIUI 14 on top of Android 13 also has a nice look and feel to it. The Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G also comes with several bloatware out of the box, however, you can always uninstall these programs if you don’t need them.

According to our benchmark test results, the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G scores 482596 on AnTuTu benchmark, which is really good for a mid-range device.

As for gaming, the Redmi Note 12 5G comes equipped with the Game Turbo feature, offering users a range of convenient functions such as Clear memory, Free up storage, DND, Screenshot, Record, Cast, and more. We’ve tested various games on this device, including Call of Duty and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and thus far, we haven’t experienced any issues like frame drops or stuttering.

In fact, we had a great time playing our favorite game, Call of Duty, and even managed to secure a few wins using this device.

Battery

The Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G has a large 5000mAh battery that can easily last a full day with moderate to heavy usage, ensuring that users can stay connected throughout the day without constantly worrying about recharging. Based on our standard PCMark battery test, the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G’s robust 5000mAh battery demonstrated impressive endurance, lasting for a commendable 13 hours and 21 minutes.

We also did a test of uninterrupted video streaming and got 6 hours of battery life on a single charge. And, when the battery runs low, the device swiftly recharges using a 67-watt Mi Fast Charging adapter, taking it from 0% to 100% in approximately 55 minutes.

67-watt Mi Fast Charging adapter

Verdict

Overall, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro offers remarkable value for your money, given its impressive features and performance. It competes with high-end devices, delivering similar capabilities at a much lower cost. This includes an AMOLED panel featuring a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, the powerful MediaTek Dimensity 1080 SoC chipset, and support for Dolby Vision and 5G connectivity. Striking a perfect balance between affordability and premium features, the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G emerges as an appealing choice for budget-conscious consumers who refuse to compromise on quality.

Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G Specs

Display: 6.67-inch Gorilla Glass 5 protected Flow AMOLED screen w/ 120Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision, FHD+ 2400 x 1080 resolution at 395 ppi
CPU: 2.6GHz 6nm MediaTek Dimensity 1080 octa-core processor
GPU: Mali-G68
RAM: 8GB LPDDR4X
ROM: 128GB/256GB UFS 2.2
Back Camera: 50MP f/1.88, IMX766 1/1.56-inch sensor with OIS + 8MP f/2.2 119-degree ultra-wide-angle + 2MP f/2.4 macro + LED flash
Selfie Camera: 16MP f/2.45
Battery: 5,000mAh w/ 67W fast charging
OS: Android 13 w/ MIUI 13
Connectivity: WiFi 6 (2.4GHz/5GHz), 5G, 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.2, OTG, NFC2, GPS, GLONASS, IR blaster, dual SIM (nano)
Sensors: Accelerometer, light, orientation, proximity, gyroscope,
Others: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, 2x Dolby Atmos stereo speakers, USB-C,
Colors: Polar, Midnight Black, and Sky Blue
Dimensions: 162.9 x 76 x 7.9 mm
Weight: 187 g

Price and availability

The Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G is now available for only Php 16,999 exclusively in an 8+128GB configuration. You can buy this phone through Lazada, Shopee, TikTok shop, or offline Xiaomi retail stores nationwide.

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Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G 03
Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G Verdict
Affordable Mid-Range Smartphone 8.6
Design and Build 8
Display 8.5
Camera 8.3
Performance 8.5
Battery 8.5
Price 9.5

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