Xiaomi is known for launching some of the best budget smartphones from it’s Redmi and POCO sub-brands which never fail to offer consumers a huge bang for their bucks. Now, the company is back to impress with the new Redmi Note 12 Pro+ that comes with a set of capable hardware along with an affordable launch price of just S$549 in the local market.
Having tested the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ for slightly more than a month, it’s safe to say that the latest model retains all the usual polish we normally expect from Xiaomi’s budget phones. However, is it actually the best model you can get under $600? Let’s check out in our review!
Design
The Redmi Note 12 Pro+ has a simple but yet attractive looking design that looks much more refined than last year’s Note 11 Pro+. It’s redesigned camera module features a camera layout which shares a close resemblance to that of the POCO X5 Pro 5G (Review).
The model I had for review comes in an elegantly-looking, Polar White colorway which is a sweet middle ground between the Sky Blue and Midnight Black that may seem overly striking or dull for some. Regardless of the color you pick, they all come with the same glossy finish which does makes them slightly more susceptible to fingerprints and smudges compared to those with Matte finishes.
One aspect which sets the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ apart from other budget phones lies in the adoption of a glass back which not only makes the phone looks more premium, but also improves the overall feel of the smartphone.
@playfuldroid Redmi Note 12 Pro+ unboxing ? #RedmiNote12ProPlus5G #RedmiNote12Series #Xiaomi #Smartphone ? Rise
To take things even further, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is also IP53 rated for dust and water resistance which ensures the phone is able to survive light splashes of water, so you can have peace of mind when it starts to drizzle while you jog.
Display
Over on the front side, we’ll be looking at a spacious 6.67” display with a centered punch-hole cutout which houses a 16 megapixels front-facing camera that handles selfie and video call on the device.
The display itself is based on a high-end AMOLED panel which can get really bright when using the phone in outdoor environment. It supports a FHD+ screen resolution along with a wide DCI-P3 wide color gamut which delivers a sharp and realistic viewing experience when streaming videos or playing games.
Those who love to play games on their phones would be glad to hear that the screen also supports up to 120Hz refresh rate which helps to further enhance gaming experience by providing a smoother gameplay (on supported game titles).
Rounding out the front package is none other than an additional layer of Gorilla Glass 5 that helps to protect the screen against any accidental drops or scratches. That’s definitely a much needed feature which people like me with butterfingers really appreciates.
Performance
Sitting at the heart of the phone is an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 1080 chipset which offers a slight improvement in performance over last year’s Dimensity 920 on the Note 11 Pro+.
Although it might not be a high-end chipset like the SD 8 Gen 2 chipset used on the Xiaomi 13 Pro (Review), but it’s certainly more than capable enough to handle every day’s task be it scrolling through social media or even mobile gaming.
To sweeten up the deal, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is also backed by an advanced Vapor Chamber cooling system to keep it’s thermal in check during prolonged gaming sessions, hence allowing the phone to churn out sustainable high performance over a longer period of time.
Memory-wise, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is available in a single 8GB+256GB configuration which is probably more than sufficient for most users even with the lack of microSD slot for storage expansion.
Cameras
On the imaging front, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ relies on a triple rear camera system lead by a whopping 200 megapixels main camera which features a bright f/1.65 aperture as well as OIS stabilization. This will be accompanied by a pair of 8 megapixels ultra-wide camera and a 2 megapixels macro camera for close-up photography.
In bright daylight, the main camera has the ability to capture professional-looking photos with excellent dynamic range and aplenty details thanks to the adoption of the new high-res imaging sensor which uses an advanced 16-in-1 pixel-binning solution to output 12MP photos that look clearer and sharper especially in night scenes.
Speaking of low-light photography, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ also has several other tricks up it’s sleeve to improve the camera’s low-light performance. For instance, the main camera has a large f/1.65 aperture that significantly improves light intake for the imaging sensor, while it’s dedicated night mode further enhances the details and exposure of the overall photo.
While it’s ultra-wide camera is admittedly a small step down from it’s main camera, it’s actually capable of clicking some pretty good-looking photos with amicable amount of details and dynamic range. However, the lack of autofocus naturally means we’ll not be able to use the ultra-wide unit for close-up photography.
That’s where the 2 megapixels macro camera comes into play. Although it might not be the best camera, but it may still come in handy at times. Otherwise, you can also rely on digital zooming (via it’s main camera) to capture close-up details of plants or insects.
Battery & Charging
To keep it’s lights on, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ features a respectable 5,000mAh battery which can easily last for more than a day on a single charge, and up to 1.5 days with the help of power saving features.
The main highlight however, lies in it’s 120W HyperCharge support (Xiaomi’s proprietary fast-charging solution) that’s capable of recharging a completely flat battery from 0 to 100% in merely 20 minutes. And yes, a 120W charging brick is included in the box as well so you wouldn’t need to spend extra to leverage it’s insanely fast charging speed.
Verdict
There are plenty to love about the new Redmi Note 12 Pro+ from it’s class-leading 200MP main camera that handles all your photography needs, to it’s super fast charging speed that gives you a day’s battery life in just 10 minutes. It’s definitely an amazing phone with everything necessary to provide you with an enjoyable smartphone experience.
In Singapore, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is priced at $569 and is available for purchase via Authorized Xiaomi Stores and other official retailers nationwide, as well as official e-commerce platforms such as Shopee and Lazada.
