The Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 series is official and comes in three flavours- the Redmi Note 12, Redmi Note 12 Pro, and Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus. While the Note 12 Pro and 12 Pro Plus serve a different audience, the regular Note 12 is more affordable.
It has a 6.67-inch, 120Hz Super AMOLED display with a peak brightness of 1200 nits, the highest compared to its siblings. It uses a Snapdragon 685, built on a 6nm node, and comes in various configurations.
It also has a 5,000 mAh battery, a 50-megapixel primary shooter, and a 13-megapixel selfie shooter. The spec sheet sounds like it’s packed to put a few mid-rangers from other brands to shame, and this phone is definitely going to be making an appearance in our guide for best phones under AED 1,000 where you already have the Xiaomi Poco X5 sitting.
Pricing and availability
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 is the most affordable Note 12 variant and is available in multiple configurations. In the UAE, Xiaomi has released the phone with 6GB and 8GB RAM configurations; in India, you only get the 6GB model.
| Redmi Note 12 | UAE | India | Europe | USA | UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64 GB (6GB RAM) | N/A | ₹14,999 | €199 | – | |
| 128GB (6GB RAM) | AED 769 | ₹16,999 | €249 | $199 | £219 |
| 128GB (8GB RAM) | AED 849 | N/A | – | ||
| 256GB (8GB RAM) | AED 1,297 | N/A |
Weight: 188g | Thickness: 8mm | Screen: 6.67” 1080 x 2400 pixels, AMOLED, 120Hz | Processor: Octa-core Snapdragon 685 | RAM: up to 8GB | Storage: up to 256GB | Cellular: LTE, Dual SIM | Rear camera: 50MP Triple Camera | Front camera: 16MP | Battery: 5000mAh, 33W Wired charging
The base variant with a storage capacity of 64GB costs ₹14,999 in India, but that model is not available in the UAE. The top-end variant in India has a storage capacity of 128GB and costs ₹16,999. That same model costs AED 819 in the UAE. You get an additional 256GB storage model in the UAE for AED 1,297.
Coming to promos and discounts, you can pick up the phone in the UAE at about AED 100 below the MSRP on Amazon. In India, there is a flat discount of ₹1,000 if you buy the Redmi Note 12 with ICICI Credit Cards & EMI. You can also get an additional ₹500-₹1000 off by exchanging your old Redmi smartphone or a smartphone from another brand. There are many such offers from Redmi that you can check out on their website before buying.
Redmi Note 12 Specifications
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Design:
Size: 165.9 x 76.2 x 8 mm
Weight: 188 g Colours: Ice Blue, Sunrise Gold, Lunar Black |
Design:
Size: 159.9 x 73.9 x 8.1 mm
Weight: 179 g Colours: Graphite Gray, Twilight Blue, Star Blue |
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Screen:
6.67-inch Super AMOLED display
120Hz refresh rate 1080 x 2400 screen resolution Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
Screen:
6.43-inch Super AMOLED display
90Hz refresh rate 1080 x 2400 screen resolution Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
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Performance:
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 685 (6 nm)
RAM: 6GB/8GB Storage: 128GB/256GB Cellular: 4G, Dual SIM |
Performance:
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 (6 nm)
RAM: 4GB/6GB Storage: 64GB/128GB Cellular: 4G, Dual SIM |
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Camera:
Rear Camera: 50MP f/1.8
Ultrawide: 8MP f/2.2 Macro: 2MP f/2.4 Selfie: 13MP f/2.5 Video: 1080p @ 30fps |
Camera:
Rear Camera: 50MP f/1.8
Ultrawide: 8MP f/2.2 Macro: 2MP f/2.4 Depth: 2MP f/2.4 Selfie: 13MP f/2.4 Video: 1080 @ 30fps |
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Battery:
Li-Po 5000 mAh
Fast charging: 33W wired No wireless charging |
Battery:
Li-Po 5000 mAh
Fast charging: 33W wired No wireless charging |
Weight: 188 g
Colours: Ice Blue, Sunrise Gold, Lunar Black
120Hz refresh rate
1080 x 2400 screen resolution
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
RAM: 6GB/8GB
Storage: 128GB/256GB
Cellular: 4G, Dual SIM
Ultrawide: 8MP f/2.2
Macro: 2MP f/2.4
Selfie: 13MP f/2.5
Video: 1080p @ 30fps
Fast charging: 33W wired
No wireless charging
Weight: 179 g
Colours: Graphite Gray, Twilight Blue, Star Blue
90Hz refresh rate
1080 x 2400 screen resolution
Corning Gorilla Glass 3
RAM: 4GB/6GB
Storage: 64GB/128GB
Cellular: 4G, Dual SIM
Ultrawide: 8MP f/2.2
Macro: 2MP f/2.4
Depth: 2MP f/2.4
Selfie: 13MP f/2.4
Video: 1080 @ 30fps
Fast charging: 33W wired
No wireless charging
Design and display
The Note 12 looks similar to its predecessor, the Note 11, in terms of design, but since there’s one less camera module on the Note 11, Xiamoi changed the camera housing design on the Note 12.
The device is entirely made of plastic, which is not bad as it keeps the costs down and is more durable than a glass back. It’s available in three colours: Ice Blue, Sunrise Gold, and Lunar Black – all of which have a fingerprint-resistant finish.
On the front, the Redmi Note 12 sports a premium 6.67-inch Super AMOLED display that supports a 120Hz refresh rate and has a peak brightness of 1200+ nits. It has a pixel-per-inch density (PPI) of 394 and supports 100% DCI P3 colours, and the contrast ratio is 4500000:1.
This means Redmi Note 12 will make your video-watching experience cinematic whenever you watch a video. And since it supports a 120Hz refresh rate, scrolling in apps will be much smoother.
To protect the beautiful display from getting scratched or breaking, the Redmi Note 12 uses Corning Gorilla Glass 3, and the smartphone is also rated as IP53 dust and splash resistant. It’s incredible how much Xiaomi has packed for this price.
Features and performance
Redmi Note 12 uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 685 octa-core processor. Four of its cores (A73) are clocked at 2.8 GHz, and four of A53’s cores are clocked at 1.9 GHz. For the GPU, it uses an Adreno 610 that’s clocked at 1.26 GHz.
To handle such power, the Redmi Note 12 has 6GB or 8GB LPDDR4X RAM and uses 64GB/128GB UFS 2.2 storage, so your phone doesn’t hang on you.
The phone ships with Android 13 and MIUI 14 skin on top. Xiaomi has promised that the Redmi Note 12 will receive Android updates for the next two years and four years of security updates.
There’s also an IR blaster, which will help you change a channel on your TV or control your speaker system without searching for the remote. The phone also comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Cameras
The Redmi Note 12 has three cameras on the back: a 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 2MP macro camera. On the front, it has a 13-megapixel selfie shooter.
The Redmi Note 12 supports multiple photography features such as Portrait mode, Pro mode, Night mode, Time Burst, HDR, AI beauty mode, and more.
On the video side, it supports maximum video recording at a resolution of 1080p at 30FPS on both the front and the back, which is disappointing.
Battery & Charging
Redmi Note 12 has a 5,000mAh Li-Po battery and a 33W fast charger. The battery can be charged from 0% to 50% in 22 minutes, which isn’t bad. Its siblings offer the same battery capacity, but they offer a faster charger; a 33-watt charger should be sufficient for most.
Redmi Note 12 Reviews
Tech4All thinks that the Redmi Note 12 offers impressive specs, including a 120hz AMOLED display and 50MP camera, at an affordable price but has some limitations, such as no telephoto lens and limited video resolution and stabilization. Overall, the Redmi Note 12 offers good value for its price, despite drawbacks such as a lack of stereo speakers, 5G support, NFC, and average camera quality.
GSMArena thinks the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 4G has a decent 120hz AMOLED display, good battery life, and an IP-rated design. However, the camera quality is unimpressive, and stereo speakers have been cut, making it worth considering alternatives like the Poco M5 or Samsung’s Galaxy A14 5G.
Izzi Boye thinks that the Redmi Note 12 offers impressive value with its AMOLED display, Snapdragon 685, and 120hz refresh rate but has minor issues with the fingerprint scanner and software. So manage your expectations and consider other options like the Spark 10 Pro or Galaxy A14.
Frequently asked questions
Does Redmi Note 12 support 5G?
No. For 5G support, you should buy the Redmi Note 12 5G instead or Redmi Note 12 Pro.
Does Redmi Note 12 support wireless charging?
No, the Redmi Note 12 doesn’t support wireless charging, nor do any of its siblings.
Is this Redmi Note worth buying?
The Redmi Note 12 is a great device to buy as your primary or secondary smartphone.
Abdul Moiz
Abdul Moiz loves technology, fashion, photography, and business. His first love is technology, and he loves talking about it. How does he chill when he’s not writing? You are most likely to catch him eating out, traveling, working out, or watching tech videos.
