Xiaomi launched the Redmi 12 5G last week alongside the Redmi 12 4G and Redmi Watch 3 Active affordable offerings. The brand is claiming to have sold a whopping 300,000 units of the device on the first day of sale last week. There’s certainly a market demand for something this feature packed at an affordable starting price tag of just Rs 11,999. So, will the Redmi 12 5G be the right choice for you? We help you figure it out basis our review.
4 reasons to buy the Redmi 12 5G
Powerful processor for gaming, reliable 5G connectivity
Redmi 12 5G is the first phone in India to house Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 processor. It is the best-performing chipset in the price range and is also very efficient thanks to the 4nm manufacturing process. In our testing, the Redmi 12 5G performed smoothly even during BGMI gaming sessions at max settings. The newer generation modem also delivers impressive 5G connectivity and speeds which not a lot of phones will provide at this price tag.
Clean design with a glass back
A lot of people care about how their smartphones look. Xiaomi certainly took this into consideration and provides a glass back with the Redmi 12 5G. The sides are flat and the camera bump is clean which complements the design. The phone is available in three colour options, Jade Black, Pastel Blue and Moonstone Silver, so you have plenty of choices to choose from. The front on the other hand is protected by Gorilla Glass 3 and the phone features an IP53 rating.
Good primary camera for the price
The device comes with a 50MP primary camera at the back. There is no ultra-wide sensor present as Xiaomi has opted for a cheaper, pretty much pointless, 2MP depth sensor to replace it. However, in our review, we saw that the 50MP sensor provides vivid colours, decent dynamic range, and good details. The front 8MP camera on the other hand is satisfactory for daytime photography.
Easy all-day battery life
The Redmi 12 5G houses a 5,000mAh battery pack. While the figure may not seem as impressive and is what a lot of devices offer, thanks to its battery-efficient processor and MIUI’s optimisation, the phone provides an all-day battery life easily even with heavy usage. Whether you’re watching content or doing a lot of gaming, you won’t have to worry about your battery depleting before you’re done with the day with this device.
3 reasons to not buy the Redmi 12 5G
Too big and bulky
The device comes with Redmi’s biggest display to date and measures 6.79 inches. While this might be good for those who want a bigger display for better content consumption, it could prove to be troublesome for others in terms of handling. The glass back, even though it is premium, adds weight to the device, making it go up to a figure of 199g. The flat slides provide a good grip but also might feel a little sharp in your palm.
MIUI software is not everyone’s cup of tea
While MIUI is easy to use and feature-rich, some may prefer stock Android OS from the likes of Lava and Motorola. Not to mention, the phone comes with pre-installed bloatware. MIUI is also known to send out spammy notifications to its users. Even though it’s possible to disable the intrusiveness, it might be troublesome to those who don’t know their way around it.
Slow charging
It would be wise to note that not a lot of phones in this price range offer fast charging. However, you might still want to consider upping your budget if you want more than the 18W fast charging that the Redmi 12 5G offers. Even its older sibling, the Redmi Note 12 5G comes with 33W charging support. The brand does include a 22.5W charger in-box with the Redmi 12 5G, but do not let that fool you, the device is limited to 18W speed.
