Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G review: a midrange phone with big numbers for its personality

Note: This review was first published on 13 June 2023.

TLDR: A decent budget choice on its own, but its value proposition means stiff competition.

Big numbers in all the right places

With so many midrange phone options and older flagships with aggressive price cuts, where does Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G even stand among all the phones available in Singapore?

Well, the brand has a few tricks up its sleeve for its 2023 Android midrange handset. It boasts big numbers in several areas, namely a 120Hz refresh rate AMOLED panel, a 200MP main camera, and 5,000mAh battery paired with 120W fast-charging.

These big numbers are meant to scare midrange phone rivals like Google Pixel 7a and Samsung Galaxy A54 into submission. Redmi Note 12+ Pro 5G alternatives may only have some to their name, and yet they don’t have all the perks, nor do they have the 3.5mm audio jack or an IR blaster that comes with the Xiaomi budget headliner.

Can this S$569 phone (backed with a MediaTek Dimensity 1080 processor) live up to its old reputation as the de-facto value-for-money champion? Does the 200MP sensor offer comparable quality to its 200MP flagship rivals? Or are they just numbers? Let’s find out.

Surprisingly slim camera housing

Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G packs a build and style similar to its flagship Xiaomi 13 Pro. It’s the same design language where Xiaomi blended a 3D full arc curved back with angular sides: a signature for Chinese-branded Android mobile handsets. It’s meant to give off a premium appearance without paying a premium price tag, and it somewhat succeeds here.

Of particular note is the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G’s heft, which is at 210g (just ~10g shy of the Xiaomi 13 Pro) and 8.98mm thick. The hand feel is reminiscent of early 2010 Android phones that approach 9-11mm thickness, which is great if you like a mobile with a little more weight. 

Another benefit of its thick build is a rear camera housing that feels flatter than its flagship counterpart. While you can’t lay the device flat on the table while facing up, it can be easily mitigated with the correct phone case. 

Notable components include a 3.5mm audio jack at the top rung, seated next to one of its dual speakers and IR blaster. All its volume and power buttons are on the right. This arrangement is faultless, but Xiaomi put the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G’s fingerprint sensor within its power button, and this causes minor handling issues (more about that below).

At the bottom rung sits the other half of its dual speakers with a centred USB-C port and dual nano-SIM card tray. The included SIM card pin feels too flimsy for extracting the phone’s SIM tray, so it’s best to chuck your preferred SIM cards in correctly from the start.

Since the Redmi is a midrange handset, it will undoubtedly lack features most flagship phone users expect; it has no IP-rated water resistance (even if the SIM tray has a rubber ring to keep liquids out). However, the phone still offers NFC connectivity (and is payments-friendly), so it still has basic functions intact.

A panel that does all the basics nicely

Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G’s flat 6.67-inch Flow AMOLED panel feels big for its build, paired with Full HD+ (2,400 x 1,080 pixels resolution) fidelity that looks clear and sharp. Its 900-nit peak brightness is quite the overkill, and we mostly used less than half of its maximum brightness indoors.

The panel’s colours are primarily vibrant and accurate, nearly matching AMOLED or OLED panel qualities found on more expensive handsets. The phone’s display handles social media content quite well, and its 120Hz refresh feed exceeds most high-framerate videos if you enable that option. Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G also packs Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support, so you’re not missing out on HDR goodness with compatible content as well.

The audio from the Redmi’s dual speakers is unsurprisingly middling — audio quality is serviceable but also sounds bloated and muddy, so you’re better off pairing it with true wireless earbuds or any other personal audio device. Also, there’s no excuse to skip out on earpieces since the brand made an effort to retain a 3.5mm audio port for wired users.

MIUI 14 is mostly great and slightly inconsistent

MIUI 14 is mostly fine. It’s highly customisable and fluid, although it can be inconsistent if you go hunting for these flaws. You’re still getting old but popular MIUI features, like its app drawer and Always-on Display (AOD).

Fortunately, the flaws are negligible unless you have a keen eye for detail. One example is Xiaomi’s choice of text preview in the notifications centre. Notifications are paired with only one line of text for preview before you expand to see more (e.g. email with sender and limited text below). The only exception is Xiaomi’s system apps, which have the privilege of getting two lines. 

The other oddity is the inconsistent level of customisation available. You can set colour schemes for the whole device, but you can’t tap to wake the phone, or give its built-in battery saver one set of instructions for all apps.

As usual, Xiaomi’s font choices are never consistent, with different fonts for app names and notifications inside its system apps.

That said, MIUI 14 is still highly functional and fairly intuitive, even if it’s a colourful and juvenile-looking version of Android 12 (that’s right, it’s not Android 13!), with little bits and pieces that need tying up.

A sideways glance at fingerprint unlocking

The side-mounted fingerprint scanner on the power button is accurate and fast, if a little too finicky. Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G ensures that only registered prints can unlock the phone, and the entire process takes less than half a second. 

It is, however, very sensitive. Misplacing your finger on the power button for a split-second counts as one attempt, which can interrupt your flow during day-to-day use.

Being side-mounted makes it preferential to right-handed folks. It would be even more frustrating if you’re left-handed or ambidextrous, especially if you’re trying to fish it out of your pocket or bag.

One solution is registering a few more fingers, which poses another problem – you might trigger unwanted input before you’re ready to view the phone, creating a greater weakness in its security.

We guess it’s fair to say we’re not a fan of side-mounted fingerprint sensors, but its convenience beats manual PIN input or pattern drawings any day. 

Fortunately, Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G has the facial recognition unlock alternative, which was fairly secure in our trials. Selfies can’t fool it, nor can the phone be unlocked with eyes closed. In fact, your face can unlock the phone even at suboptimal angles as long as you’re looking at the device. 

That’s good enough as long as the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G isn’t vulnerable to impersonation, and that was enough for us to prefer the phone’s facial unlocking over its annoying fingerprint choice.

Midrange phone satisfying midrange needs

In day-to-day use, the phone occasionally seizes up at trivial moments as if it suffered from performance anxiety in an otherwise normal device. It struggles most at boot-up, with the occasional stutter-loading of apps before suddenly remembering why it was in the room. Otherwise, it was a smooth experience between texting, watching videos, gaming, and other daily activities.

The less-than-fluid handling wasn’t uncharacteristic given the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G’s asking price (S$569); it’s one-third the price (or less) compared to a premium flagship handset. But, there are other 2023 midrange handset options like Google Pixel 7a (S$749), Samsung Galaxy A54 (S$588), and Poco F5 Pro (S$659 with a 2022 flagship processor). To users who aren’t chasing after the latest and greatest, it would hurt Redmi if its rivals offered a smoother browsing and daily experience. 

Imaging performance

The Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G packs a triple rear camera configuration consisting of a 200MP main camera (1/1.4-inch sensor size, f/1.65 aperture, 7P lens, OIS), an 8MP ultra-wide camera (f2.2, 119° field-of-view), and 2MP macro camera (f/2.4). The company pushes its 200MP main camera as a key selling point in its marketing materials.

It’s one of the rare midrange phones with a 200MP camera, and that’s what the Redmi’s hook is — you don’t have to pay for a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or Xiaomi 12T Pro to get 200MP imaging sensors on your phones. With this Redmi in the mix, you can technically get a 200MP phone for around S$500, S$1,000 (the 12T Pro), and S$1,500+ (Galaxy S23 Ultra). That’s not a bad choice for Android users of all phone tiers.

Like the more expensive alternatives listed, the 200MP on Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G also uses 16-in-1 pixel-binning to milk most of its pixels. We’ve explained pixel-binning in depth several times over the last decade, so you can check the 12T Pro’s hands-on or Galaxy S23 Ultra review if you want a refresher. 

In essence, pixel-binning lets the Redmi “increase” its pixel size (16 small ones into one fat pixel) to capture even more light at the cost of its final megapixel count. More light means better-lit photos, and hopefully less blurry shots from unsteady hands with the help of the main camera’s OIS. That also means your standard photos shot using default settings are likely ~12.5MP after binning. As you can see in the samples below (while comparing them to the Xiaomi 12T Pro and Xiaomi 13 Pro), the megapixel count doesn’t matter as much as the sensor’s quality and software tuning. 

Redmi 12 Pro+ 5G produces serviceable images, and casual shooters will likely have little to no complaints about its imaging quality. Xiaomi has put in plenty of effort to keep subjects focused and retain details well. We can also see how the cameras prioritise proper indoor or low-light lighting. 

Suppose you’re a picky shooter or a professional. In that case, you may find the areas outside the focal point a little lacking — either because of lower detailing or stability (in our samples, look at the greenery or the tents outside the camera’s main focus). You may also find its prioritisation of low light inside high-contrast photos challenging since it blows out the areas with brighter light.

We are satisfied with the imaging quality offered by the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G, but that’s also because we know not to expect the same quality offered by Xiaomi’s flagship counterparts. Our experience with the Redmi also helps to showcase how megapixels rank rather low among the different imaging priorities a good imaging sensor should have. 

Benchmark Performance

Inside the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G is a MediaTek Dimensity 1080 processor powering all of its core functions and 5G network compatibility. Xiaomi also added a vapour chamber cooling system to keep temperatures manageable.

We rarely (if ever) review phones with entry-level chipsets, so it's unlikely that the Redmi's processor will outperform the many phone options we've come across in recent years.

JetStream 2.0

JetStream 2 is a combination of a variety of JavaScript and Web Assembly benchmarks, including benchmarks that came before like SunSpider and Octane. It primarily tests for a system’s and browser’s ability in delivering a good web experience. It runs a total of 64 subtests, each weighted equally, with multiple iterations, and takes the geometric mean to compute the overall score. The higher the score, the better.

Geekbench 6

Our Geekbench 5 benchmarking will soon be replaced with Geekbench 6, the updated version that tests single-core and multi-core CPU performance. Geekbench 6 scores are calibrated against a baseline score of 2500, which is the score of an Intel Core i7-12700. We’ll continue to populate this new benchmark with more scores from our review units before fully transitioning over. 

3DMark Wild Life (Unlimited)

3DMark Wild Life is a cross-platform benchmark for Windows, Android and Apple iOS for measuring GPU performance. Its graphics test consists of multiple scenes with variations in the amount of geometry, lights and post-processing effects, mirroring mobile games that are based on short bursts of intense activity. Wild Life uses the Vulkan graphics API on Windows PCs and Android devices. On iOS devices, it uses Metal.

In Unlimited mode, the benchmark runs offscreen using a fixed time step between frames. Unlimited mode renders exactly the same frames in every run on every device, regardless of resolution scaling. The higher the score, the better.

PCMark for Android - Work 3.0 and Storage 2.0

PCMark for Android is a benchmark for testing the performance of Android phones and tablets. The Work 3.0 test checks how the device handles common productivity tasks such as browsing the web, editing videos, working with documents and data, and editing photos. Storage 2.0 checks write-in and read-out performance for internal storage, external storage (if applicable), and SQLite database management. Together, the benchmarks can clue us in on how capable a phone is at handling everyday use. Work 3.0 scores are above, while Storage 2.0 scores are immediately below for each device - the higher the score, the better.

Since this is a newly introduced benchmark in our reviews, we’re building up our database of PCMark scores for Android phones.

Benchmark Performance remarks

We weren't expecting the Redmi to be as powerful as the phones we'd typically review, but it still holds up decent synthetic scores for a simulated day-to-day workload.

As mentioned, our real-world, day-to-day use saw minor pauses in-between apps and certain heavier loads. It’s not a massive downside to an otherwise smooth-sailing device, but it’s a stark reminder that it’s no premium-tier handset. Unless you’re specifically looking for battery savings offered by MediaTek chipsets or raw processing power seen in Qualcomm’s processors (that’s a huge generalisation and oversimplification of these rival chipmakers), you’re also not going to be too fussed about chipset choices when the main selling points are big features at a low price.



 

Battery Life

Our battery benchmark uses PCMark for Android’s Work 3.0 Battery Life test to determine a modern Android-based smartphone's battery uptime in minutes. This controlled benchmark simulates real-world usage with a combination of both web and social media browsing, video and photo editing, parsing data with various file formats, writing (on documents), and more. 

To enhance consistency in battery results, we start the test at: 

• 100% of the phone’s battery capacity until 20% left
• A fixed display brightness is calibrated at 200cd/m² (200-lux) with the help of a luminance meter 
• Max resolution
• Refresh rates unlocked
• 0% audio, or completely silenced where possible
• Full bars of Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth, and notifications enabled
• Only one other battery recording app opened in the background
• Scored in uptime minutes; the higher, the better

With its 120W fast-charging power brick included in the box, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G took about 25 minutes for 0-50% and almost an hour for a full charge. The charging speed is something that equals or exceeds premium flagship expectations. 

Folks who really value fast-charging or want a redeeming feature in their Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G has its 120W charging to look forward to. We think its fast charging capabilities have to do with Xiaomi’s built-in, dedicated Surge P1 chipset that’s specifically designed for this purpose.

Its fast-charging pairs well with its ~11-hour battery uptime on its 5,000mAh battery, making the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G an easy choice for people constantly on the go and needing a decent uptime in between opportunities to juice up again. 

The new benchmark will succeed our outgoing Battery Life benchmarking, which has the following parameters:

• Looping a 720p video with screen brightness and volume at 100%
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity turned on
• Constant data streaming through email

Conclusion

All in all, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G is a nice little package for S$569. The device’s fast charging, bright display, relatively long battery uptime, and decent imaging system are all great reasons to get one. Xiaomi shows how a decent phone doesn’t have to be obscenely expensive with this Redmi variant.

A special mention goes to Xiaomi’s effort to ensure that the camera housing stays relatively slim, and still retains the 3.5mm audio port on the handset. Both details potentially affect a small group of users who still need these comforts. 

However, the midrange handset category is highly competitive, probably more than the premium or flagship phone categories. Even if Xiaomi chose a more powerful processor for the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G, it would still see many competent rivals working hard to distract you from Xiaomi’s latest midrange efforts. 

At a glance, it’s not going to supersede the Google Pixel 7a (S$749) in terms of software and UI optimisation. Neither does the Redmi offer Samsung Galaxy A54 5G’s (S$588) budget-tier Nightography and on-board security. Those alternatives are also IP67-rated for water resistance, while the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G doesn’t even have a rating. Sure, Redmi has 120Hz refresh rates, but the rivals are just as competent for web-streamed videos, since those clips rarely exceed 60 FPS themselves.

These are just some examples of how Xiaomi rivals are stepping up their game to fill in the budget-friendly gap Xiaomi has left behind during its pursuit of upgrading itself to a premium handset brand (getting Leica on its mainline handsets, for example, is a big collaboration for a brand that started as a low-cost alternative to its rivals).

The midrange Android bracket must also contend with older flagship phones that get generous price cuts after one or two launch cycles. It’s not a problem unique to the Redmi lineup, but that’s just one of its many pressures in staying ahead of the already-heated competition. For instance, a Xiaomi 11T Pro can be found in local third-party retailers around the S$600-700 mark today.

That said, we’d still recommend the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G to users who aren’t fussy, isn’t brand-conscious, and don’t care for superfluous add-ons beyond having a phone that looks presentable, charges fast, and last long enough between top-offs. Being a generic midrange device has its perks, and Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G certainly satisfies a large group of users who see their phones as mere tool and not as a statement piece.

Conversely, these groups of non-fussy users have plenty of other options to choose from, so it’s up to Xiaomi to push the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G as a viable alternative in a competitive landscape. 

The Redmi Note 12 Pro series retail in the following configurations at these official prices:

• Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G (8GB RAM + 256GB storage): S$569 (Lazada, Shopee)
• Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G (8GB RAM + 256GB storage): S$469 (Lazada, Shopee)

Both variants have three colourways: Midnight Black, Polar White, and Sky Blue.

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