Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G Review

The Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G is the latest addition to one of the most popular midrange lines in the smartphone market today.

For a starting price of only Php16,999, the device sure has an impressive specs sheet. But how does it actually perform in real-world use? We find out in our Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G review.

Redmi Note 12 Pro Specs

Android 12, MIUI 13
Dual SIM, Dual standby
6.67-inch FHD+ OLED display, 2400 x 1080 pixel resolution, 395ppi
120Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision
2.6GHz MediaTek Dimensity 1080 octa-core processor
Mali-G68 MC4 GPU
8GB RAM
128GB UFS 2.2 internal storage, non-expandable
16-megapixel front camera
50-megapixel (f/1.9, PDAF, OIS) + 8-megapixel (ultra-wide) + 2-megapixel (macro) rear cameras, dual-tone LED flash
Stereo speakers
Headphone jack
IP53 water and dust resistant
Under-display fingerprint scanners
WiFi 6, dual-band
Bluetooth 5.2
GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS
NFC, IR blaster
USB Type-C
Dimensions: 162.9 x 76 x 7.9mm
Weight: 187g
Colors: White, Blue, Black, Purple
5,000mAh non-removable battery, 67W fast charging

Design and Build Quality

Right off the bat, it’s obvious that the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G is different from its predecessor thanks to its glass back panel, Gorilla Glass 5 on the front, and flat edges. The back panel sure looks premium, but the glossy finish makes it an insane fingerprint magnet.

If you want to keep it clean and want extra grip from an already grippy smartphone, you can install the free clear case included in the box. It barely adds bulk to the device and gives a layer of protection against drops and accidental bumps.

In addition, the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G has an IP53 rating for being resistant to dust and accidental water splashes.

Overall, the device feels solid enough. It is also comfortable to hold, thanks to the flat edges, thin design, and light build. While the glass black looks more premium compared to plastic, it also makes it more fragile. So, make sure to use a case whenever you can.

Taking a tour, we have the 6.67-inch FHD+ OLED display on the front, with noticeably thin bezels and a punch-hole for the selfie camera. There’s also a pre-installed screen protector that’s really thin you won’t even notice it.

The top is quite busy as it holds the 3.5mm headphone jack, the second speaker, the microphone, and the IR blaster.

At the bottom, we have the USB-C port, primary microphone, speakers, and a SIM tray. The device can only accommodate two nano SIM cards, no microSD card support for storage expansion.

The left side is clean, while on the right are the really tactile and clicky volume controls. There’s also the lock/power switch that also works as the fingerprint scanner. I appreciate how the fingerprint sensor is more protruded and easier to press compared to other phones with the same button.

Without a doubt, the Redmi Note series has come a long way in terms of design, and the new Note 12 Pro 5G shows that.

Display and Sound Quality

The Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G features a 6.67-inch Flow AMOLED screen with a 2400 x 1080 pixel resolution, 395ppi, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 10-bit color, 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling, and 1920Hz PWM dimming to keep your eyes safe in low-light.

Unsurprisingly, the display quality is great, especially for the price. It’s vibrant, smooth, contrasty, and really sharp. It also has Widevine L1 DRM support, which paired with HDR10 and Dolby Vision, makes video streaming really enjoyable.

For audio, we have stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos enabled by default. The speakers provide loud volume and decent balance but lack a bit of punch. It’s also great for shooter games as the audible stereo separation lets you hear where footsteps are coming from.

Hardware and Performance

Redmi put a 2.6Ghz MediaTek Dimensity 1080 octa-core processor on the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G, together with Mali-G68 MC4 GPU, 8GB RAM, and 128GB of UFS 2.2 of storage. For those who need more space, an 8GB/256GB model is also available.

Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G benchmark scores

Performance feels much faster and smoother than the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 6G chipset that we’ve tested on a lot of competing midrange phones today.

Everything on this device is just buttery smooth from the setup, installing apps, social media, video calls, taking pictures, and of course, playing games.

Mobile Legends and League of Legends: Wild Rift both ran smoothly under high settings. In addition, shooter games like Call of Duty: Mobile and PUBG Mobile also worked well without any issues. Overheating is not an issue either, even for an extended period of gaming.

Software and User Interface

Probably the biggest disappointing thing about the Redmi Note 12 Pro is its software. It still runs on the old Android 12 operating system, but it does come with the latest MIUI 14 user interface.

MIUI is not the cleanest interface we’ve seen but is enough to complement its hardware. With the new version, everything just looks bigger, more visible, and easy to reach.

There’s a built-in feature called GetApps, which is essentially an alternative Android app store that allowed us to get apps not available in the Play Store (like AnTuTu).

The home screen also shows app suggestions, which only made the UI look messy. We’re hoping that Redmi considers removing it in the next update, or at least give the option to turn them off.

Moreover, MIUI takes advantage of the OLED screen with its Always-On Display (AOD) settings. There’s the Notification Effect that lights up the edges of the screen when you get one. Plus, there are different AOD wallpapers that you can play with.

The Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G also has both fingerprint unlock and face unlock, which both worked well during our tests.

It also has pretty beefy Battery settings that let users choose between different modes: Save Battery, Balanced, and Performance. A detailed battery usage and stats page is also available, so users can see which apps suck up the most battery.

For better accessibility, you can enable the quick ball, one-handed mode, and gesture controls. Other features include a front camera assistant, beautification on video calls, floating windows, and second space.

It uses Google Keyboard which is comfortable to type on but feels a bit slow. The camera app looks just like every other standard app out there, so no complaints here.

All in all, we’re satisfied with the MIUI 14 on the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G. During our time with it, we didn’t experience the software bugs and issues that plagued their older smartphones, so that’s a good sign. We just wish it gets updated to the latest Android 13 very soon.

Cameras

The new Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G has a 50-megapixel IMX766 main camera with OIS and f/1.8 aperture. Next to it is the 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens and a 2-megapixel for macro shots. On the front, it has a 16-megapixel sensor for selfies.

In daylight, the image quality from the main 50-megapixel camera is great with a lot of detail, good contrast, and vibrant colors without being over-saturated. The dynamic range is also good.

Night shots are also good, even without enabling the Night Mode. Images look bright, with retained details and barely noticeable noise.

The ultra-wide shooter is great even with the basic sensor. It has a lot of detail with decent colors, acceptable contrast, dynamic range, and a wide field of view. Unsurprisingly, grains are quite noticeable in low-light shots, but it’s acceptable.

Finally, there’s the 2-megapixel macro camera, which offers decent color reproduction and nice details as long as you have enough light.

The front camera takes decent details with nice colors, albeit the contrast and exposure can be a bit much at times. Still, selfies look nice if you know how to set the right focus.

The cameras are undoubtedly the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G’s biggest strength and definitely one of the most capable in this price segment.

Connectivity

The new Redmi Note 12 Pro comes with 5G connectivity, dual-band WiFi 6, NFC, and Bluetooth 5.2 — all worked fine during our tests.

It also has an IR blaster. Paired with the Mi Remote, you can use it to control non-smart appliances, as long as they have an IR receiver.

Battery

The new Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G has a 5,000mAh battery with 67W Turbo charging. Battery life was really reliable, which was able to last us for an entire day of taking pictures, browsing the web, using Google Maps, and playing music.

In PCMark’s battery test, it was able to last for 12 hours and 36 minutes. That’s a loop of workload until the battery drops to 20% from 100%. We ran it with the WiFi and Bluetooth turned off, and the brightness and volume set at 50%.

A quick 15-minute charge using the 67W adapter managed to take us from 20% to 66%. Another 15 minutes and it was up to 92% already. To fully charge the phone, it usually takes around 40 to 45 minutes.

Verdict

There’s no question that Xiaomi has done it again. The Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G feels much faster than the competition in terms of CPU prowess and performance. It also has a premium design, splash-resistant build, great cameras, long battery life, and fast charging.

If we were to nitpick, we only wish it shipped with Android 13 instead of Android 12. And while we do love the glass back, it’s really prone to fingerprint marks and smudges.

Overall, the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G is without a doubt one of the best smartphones in its price category.

Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G price and availability in the Philippines

The Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G 8GB/128GB model that we just reviewed has a price tag of Php16,999. For those who need more storage, an 8GB/256GB variant is also available for Php17,999. Pre-orders will open from April 15 to April 21, 2023. Early adopters who will buy during that time period will get a free Redmi Buds 3 Lite.

Pros

Premium glass-on-glass design
Faster performance than the competition
Colorful and smooth display
Good cameras
Long battery life with fast charging

Cons

Still on Android 12
Fingerprint magnet