Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro Review: Grand Design

Xiaomi’s Redmi Observe 12 sequence features a whole of 4 telephones in Europe, plus a number of others in China. 

The 12 Professional+ and its 200Mp digital camera get many of the consideration, but it surely’s necessary to not ignore the cheaper fashions. At £339/€399, the common Observe 12 Professional is noticeably extra reasonably priced, with digital camera and charging velocity the obvious compromises. 

However from testing the cellphone, it’s outstanding how rapidly these downgrades fade into the background. It makes the 12 Professional an actual mid-range contender, with the energy of the competitors the principle impediment to purchasing one. Right here’s our full evaluate. 

Design & construct

• Glass back and front
• IP53 score
• 3.5mm headphone jack

The Redmi Observe 12 Professional has a near-identical design to the 12 Professional+, the most costly mannequin within the sequence. That displays very properly on the previous: the 12 Professional appears to be like and feels similar to a flagship cellphone. 

Maybe the one compromise in comparison with high-end telephones is that the glass again isn’t the strengthened Gorilla Glass customary. The Observe 12 Professional is extra vulnerable to break in consequence, however I’d really feel assured in it surviving most drops. 

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You additionally get spectacular ingress safety for the worth. An IP53 score means it may possibly deal with mud properly, together with splashes of water, although it gained’t survive a full dunk in a tub.

Choosing plastic slightly than aluminium on the edges provides grip to what would in any other case be a slippery cellphone. It means you may get away with out utilizing a case, though it’s rather more comfy to carry with the silicone case included within the field utilized. 

There are three color choices to select from, however the ‘Midnight Black’ model you see in pictures is probably the most reflective by far. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the again of the cellphone might double as a mirror.

Except you placed on a case, you’ll additionally should deal with plenty of fingerprint smudges and different dust. The 12 Professional rapidly accumulates each, so be ready to scrub the again of the cellphone simply as a lot because the entrance. 

Happily, each these considerations may be addressed by choosing a ‘Polar White’ or ‘Sky Blue’ end as a substitute. These shimmer within the gentle slightly than displaying a mirrored image of your setting. Xiaomi might work on making the CE data and Redmi branding extra discreet, however each are simple to disregard.   

However whichever color you select, the digital camera module is the defining characteristic right here. It’s not significantly enticing, however impressively sits nearly flush with the again of the cellphone. In the event you do use a case, there’s no wobble in any respect when utilizing it face up on a desk – that’s one thing I can actually recognize.  

At 187g, the Observe 12 Professional is considerably lighter than most telephones with such massive shows. It feels barely much less premium in consequence, however I actually don’t miss the additional bulk that comes with it. 

However with no in-display fingerprint sensor, you’ll be counting on the bodily one constructed into the ability button as a substitute. It’s not fairly as handy, however simple to arrange and really extra dependable. This doesn’t really feel like a compromise in any respect.

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As anticipated, there’s a USB-C port for charging. Nevertheless it’s a pleasing shock to see the three.5mm audio jack retained. When you have nice wired headphones that depend on it, not needing an adapter is nice. 

Elsewhere, the vibration motors on the Observe 12 Professional are about pretty much as good as you may get on a cellphone. Their delicate haptic suggestions makes locking your cellphone, multitasking and deciding on apps really feel that bit extra immersive.

Display screen & audio system

• Wonderful 6.67in OLED display screen
• 120Hz refresh fee
• Respectable stereo audio system

Impressively, the Observe 12 Professional has a show that wouldn’t look misplaced on nearly any high-end handset.

It’s a 6.67in, 1080×2400 OLED panel. You can find increased decision screens, however they’re not a necessity for most individuals – particularly at this value level.  

Nevertheless, a key distinction in comparison with many rivals is the flat show. Most telephones go for a curved model, which makes for a barely extra immersive viewing expertise as content material stretches proper to the sides. 

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However I personally favor the Observe 12 Professional’s method, which nonetheless appears to be like nice but additionally maintains a beautiful symmetry. Equally sized slim bezels all the best way spherical the sting of the display screen simply look higher for my part. 

In nearly any scenario you may consider, the show appears to be like very good. Wealthy and vivid colors assist video games, movies and social media come to life, but it retains loads of element and a few spectacular viewing angles. 

It’s interrupted solely by a small hole-punch digital camera, but it surely’s put to good use. In addition to taking selfies, it can be used for face unlock. 

Choosing OLED means distinction and vibrancy are each high notch, though you may dial down the latter by selecting a unique color scheme in Settings. 

One thing else you’ll discover there’s a 120Hz refresh fee, which may be manually enabled or set to routinely change between 60- and 120Hz relying on what you’re doing. The auto mode helps preserve battery life whereas retaining the additional slickness and fluidity you get from a excessive refresh fee display screen. 

Xiaomi claims you may rise up to 900 nits of peak brightness, and you’ll comfortably use the cellphone exterior in nearly all lighting circumstances, particularly with a devoted ‘daylight mode’ whenever you flip off auto brightness. 

Just like the 12 Professional+, the common 12 Professional has twin stereo audio system, with the same old downward-firing grille joined by a second on the highest of the cellphone. It is a superior choice to counting on the earpice, and it helps the cellphone ship some spectacular audio. 

Don’t anticipate room-filling sound, however crystal-clear vocals and detailed music are very a lot potential. There’s even a good hit of bass, making the cellphone nice for informal movies or shopping social media. In the event you want higher high quality, you may at all times use Bluetooth or the three.5mm audio jack. 

Specs & efficiency

• MediaTek Dimensity 1080 5G chip
• Spectacular efficiency, together with some gaming
• Solely 128GB of non-expandable storage

The Observe 12 Professional is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 1080, a 2022 chip that’s particularly designed for mid-range telephones. 

The Dimensity 1080 is loads succesful sufficient for on a regular basis duties, comparable to messaging, emails, social media and watching movies, plus multitasking and rapidly switching between apps. 

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Mixed with the 120Hz refresh fee, you may anticipate a silky-smooth navigation expertise that feels rather more premium than the 12 Professional’s value suggests…more often than not.  

I say ‘most’ as a result of there have been some occasional hesitations and a few bugs throughout my testing time, however they appear associated to the software program slightly an absence of pure efficiency.

On the subject of gaming, the cellphone can simply deal with most informal titles.  You’ll encounter some slowdown throughout a few of the most demanding video games on the Play Retailer, with the dropped framerates in Asphalt 9 significantly noticeable. However the likes of Name of Responsibility: Cell and PUBG Cell are comparatively {smooth} and really playable.

Nonetheless, you may get extra energy elsewhere, as mirrored within the benchmarks beneath, the place the 12 Professional lags behind some equally priced telephones: 

The shortage of inner storage could possibly be a sticking level, albeit solely on the worldwide model. The one mannequin accessible within the UK and Europe has simply 128GB, with no choice to broaden by way of microSD.  

With round 28GB of that taken by system information you may’t take away, it doesn’t depart you with a lot spare capability. Be ready to depend on cloud storage for many of your stuff. 

The official identify of this cellphone is the Redmi Observe 12 Professional 5G, with the Dimensity 1080 having 5G inbuilt. As standard, it nonetheless helps 4G and earlier requirements, alongside Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.  

Digital camera & video

• Spectacular 50Mp macro
• Disappointing 8Mp ultrawide
• Nice 16Mp selfie digital camera

A 200Mp foremost digital camera is the headline characteristic of the Redmi Observe 12 sequence, but it surely’s solely accessible on the Professional+. 

You’ll should make do with a 50Mp snapper on the common Professional, though the opposite two rear sensors – 8Mp ultrawide and 2Mp macro – are unchanged. 

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However you’ll wish to use the principle lens as a lot as potential. The 50Mp digital camera isn’t persistently nice, however you may get some really very good outcomes. 

That’s significantly obvious when taking panorama pictures, the place you’ll get a powerful stage of element and wonderful dynamic vary. Put up-processing can oversaturate colors at occasions, however pictures are principally true to life. Most of my testing befell on a sunny day, but it surely’s arguably higher suited to cloudy environments. 

Publicity is a typical subject on reasonably priced cellphone cameras, however the 12 Professional handles it very properly. Typically, it manages to maintain a foreground topic well-exposed with out blowing out the background. Consequently, I used to be ready seize some excellent pictures of vivid skylines with comparatively little effort. 

Avenue images and structure pictures can look extra washed out, so getting a great end result relies upon extra on the lighting and your willingness to experiment with angles and framing. 

And not using a devoted depth sensor, you’ll even be counting on the principle digital camera (and software program) for portrait-style pictures. It’s enjoyable to make use of and you may get some good outcomes, however there are main edge detection points nearly each time. For topics that usually transfer round (comparable to pets or youngsters), be ready for loads of unintentional blur. 

Night time mode additionally makes use of software program to brighten low-light pictures, however its delicate utility right here prevents them from trying synthetic. With most key particulars preserved, it’s undoubtedly price utilizing. 

Sadly, the identical can’t be mentioned for the 8Mp ultrawide lens. A 120˚ subject of view is beneficial, however color accuracy, publicity and dynamic vary are all considerably worse than the principle lens.

I believed the 2Mp macro would undergo the identical destiny, however close-up pictures from the Observe 12 Professional are a stunning energy. It captures some wonderful particulars that merely aren’t potential on many cellphone cameras. 

The 16Mp front-facing digital camera may churn out some actually strong selfies. Element and publicity are excellent, whereas even the portrait mode is extra profitable right here. For the perfect outcomes, ensure you flip the wonder mode off. 

Take a look at a variety of digital camera samples within the gallery beneath:

It’s additionally price mentioning video, particularly with optical picture stabilisation (OIS) on the principle lens. Footage (as much as 1080p at 60fps) with plenty of motion is smoother in consequence, but nonetheless extra juddery than many different telephones – even when strolling slowly. 

Battery & charging

• 5000mAh battery
• All-day battery life for most individuals
• 67W wired charging

Xiaomi has geared up the Observe 12 Professional with a 5000mAh battery, which lasts for a full day of reasonable utilization, though it may possibly stretch to 2 when you solely use your cellphone sometimes. Equally, a number of hours of excessive brightness, GPS and taking plenty of pictures means you’ll most likely want to succeed in for the charger by early night. 

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However the 12 Professional’s unremarkable battery life isn’t a trigger for concern. It could possibly’t rival the perfect battery life telephones, however you gained’t should consistently fear about it working out both. 

The 67W quick charging can be fairly nippy. It reached 43% in quarter-hour, then 79% by the half-hour mark, with a full cost taking just below 50 minutes.

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

You’ll additionally should make do with out wi-fi charging, however that’s to be anticipated on such an reasonably priced cellphone.

Software program & updates

• MIUI 14 pores and skin over Android 13
• Cluttered and annoying consumer expertise
• Will get 4 years of updates

Redmi is a Xiaomi sub-brand, so all its telephones additionally run the corporate’s MIUI pores and skin. On the Observe 12 Professional, it’s MIUI 14 on the time of writing, which relies on Android 13. 

All of the core components of Google’s working system are right here, together with the Uncover feed to the left of the house display screen and all-important Play Retailer, however loads of different issues have modified.

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

The very first thing you’ll discover is the wealth of additional pre-installed software program. Lots of Google’s inventory apps have been changed with Xiaomi’s model, from notes and picture gallery to internet browser and file supervisor. It feels completely pointless, however I can reside with it. 

However Xiaomi has then added dozens of third-party apps that it appears to suppose you wish to use. The choice seems to be fully random, with family names comparable to Fb and Spotify joined by little-known informal video games.  

Inside these folders, there are even ‘Selection’ for extra apps you most likely gained’t wish to obtain. All of it feels very cluttered and complicated, but it surely’s price spending a couple of minutes uninstalling or hiding most of those out of sight. 

One thing you’ll have to get used to, although, is the cut up fast settings and notification shade. Most Android telephones mix them into one display screen, however which you see right here relies on the place you swipe down from the highest of the display screen, very like on an iPhone. It’s tremendous when you get used to it, however doesn’t actually add something. 

That’s a theme for the software program expertise extra typically. MIUI makes quite a lot of adjustments to ‘inventory’ Android, however only a few have a optimistic impact on the consumer expertise.  

When it comes to updates, Xiaomi commits to 3 years of Android model updates and 4 years of safety. You need to due to this fact anticipate updates to Android 14 by to 16, plus safety patches till 2027. 

Value & availability

Whereas China has three totally different configurations of the Redmi Observe 12 Professional to select from, you solely get one on the worldwide model. 

It’s the entry-level mannequin, providing 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, however prices simply £339/€399. The cellphone is out there SIM-free direct from Xiaomi within the UK (or Very) and Europe, however no networks are providing it on contract.  

As standard, it’s not accessible in North America. 

When you think about every part you’re getting right here, that’s a superb value.  

The issue comes whenever you realise simply what number of nice mid-range telephones value an analogous quantity. Google’s Pixel 6a, the OnePlus Nord 2T and Nothing’s Cellphone (1) are solely barely costlier at full value, but provide a extra well-rounded expertise for most individuals. 

Verdict

The Observe 12 Professional lacks the wow issue of the Professional+, but it surely’s arguably even higher worth for cash. In the event you can reside and not using a 200Mp digital camera and 120W charging, that is the Redmi Observe 12 cellphone to get.  

It retains the beautiful 120Hz OLED display screen, succesful MediaTek Dimensity 1080 chipset, and strong 5000mAh battery, plus a superb selfie digital camera.  

Dropping all the way down to a 50Mp foremost digital camera doesn’t really feel like a lot of a compromise, and the 67W charging remains to be quick in comparison with the competitors.

MIUI stays the one greatest cause to not purchase it, particularly when many rivals have a extra polished software program expertise. Inside storage can be restricted, so your cash could also be higher spent elsewhere. 

Specs

• Android 13 w/ MIUI 14   
• 6.67in OLED 120Hz curved show, 20:9, HDR10+, Dolby Imaginative and prescient   
• Aspect-mounted fingerprint sensor  
• Gorilla Glass 5 (entrance solely) 
• MediaTek Dimensity 1080 
• 6GB RAM  
• 128GB UFS 2.2 non-expandable storage  
• 50Mp, f/1.9 foremost digital camera with OIS   
• 8Mp, f/2.2 120˚  ultrawide digital camera   
• 2Mp, f/2.4 macro digital camera  
• 16Mp, f/2.5 front-facing digital camera   
• Twin stereo audio system  
• Twin-SIM   
• 5G   
• Wi-Fi 6  
• Bluetooth 5.2  
• IP53  
• USB-C   
• 5000mAh battery   
• 67W wired charging   
• 163 x 76 x 8mm   
• 187g 
• Black, White or Blue color choices