Xiaomi Redmi 12 5G review: specs, battery & used prices

Summary

The Xiaomi Redmi 12 5G is a 2023 entry-level phone on the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2, with a 6.79-inch 90 Hz IPS LCD rated at 550 nits, a 5000 mAh battery with 18 W charging, and an IP53 body at 199 grams. Our catalog scores it 38 on everyday use and 81 on compactness, with the 4/128 GB trim tracked near $190 new. A single 50-megapixel main camera without stabilization covers photography. The Xiaomi Redmi 12 is the Helio-powered sibling, while the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12R shares this platform in the Note body.

Display and design

The 6.79-inch IPS LCD refreshes at 90 Hz with a 550-nit rating, scoring 29 on our screen axis: large and smooth for the class, basic in brightness. IP53 sealing resists splashes, and the 199-gram body with an 81 compactness score keeps the plain workhorse shape.

Performance

The Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 posts an everyday axis of 38 and a gaming axis of 7: visibly ahead of the Helio sibling in daily fluency, with light 5G-era headroom. Tracked trims carry 4 to 8 GB of RAM, and our records show the two-year software window already closed — the long-term caveat of the deal.

Camera

The camera axis of 10 rests on a single 50-megapixel main sensor without stabilization, with no ultrawide, telephoto or video specification in our records. Daylight snapshots are the entire scope of the camera.

Battery and charging

The 5000 mAh battery scores 40 on our battery axis, a dependable full day behind the efficient platform, while 18 W charging earns a charging axis of 0 — the slowest refill tier we track, making overnight charging standard.

Verdict

Near $190 new for 4/128 GB, the Redmi 12 5G was the affordable 5G door of its generation: a large 90 Hz screen and honest daily fluency at entry pricing, paid for with a single camera, slow charging and a closed update window. As a secondary or light-use phone it still computes; as a long-term primary it does not.