Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro review

Introduction

Xiaomi usually announces Redmi phones by the bucket, so we would totally understand if you've lost track which one is which. There are four Redmi Note 12 phones for the global markets - two standard and two Pro models. We've already reviewed the most premium of the quartet - the Pro+ with a 200MP camera and 120W charging, so today it is time to meet the regular Redmi Note 12 Pro.

The highlights of the mainstream Pro model include a Dolby Vision OLED, fast performance, a 50MP OIS primary camera, and fast 67W charging. This Redmi Note 12 Pro should be the cheapest smartphone to offer the complete Dolby package - Vision and Atmos.

Indeed, the Redmi Note 12 Pro employs a 6.67-inch Dolby Vision OLED with 1B colors and 120Hz refresh rate. It sits on top of the Dimensity 1080 5G chipset, which should provide enough oomph for smooth gaming on a budget. And, as we've mentioned, the phone also features Dolby Atmos stereo speakers.

There are three cameras on the back of the Redmi Note 12 Pro - a 50MP OIS primary, an 8MP ultrawide shooter, and a 2MP macro cam. And that's the first key difference from the Pro+ model, which boasts a 200MP main camera instead.

The second difference is the charging speed - the standard Redmi Note 12 Pro supports 67W fast charging, which is plenty enough, though it's slower compared to the jaw-dropping 120W power of the Pro+.

The third and last difference is the design - our Note 12 Pro is a flat dual-glass device, while the Pro+ has a curved glass back.

One last thing - if you are coming from the previous Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G, you will surely appreciate the improved display (1B colors vs. 16 million), performance (Dimensity 1080 vs. Snapdragon 695), and main camera (OIS vs. no stabilization, 4K vs. 1080p capturing), too.

Let's take a closer look at the Redmi Note 12 Pro specs sheet now.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro specs at a glance:

• Body: 163.0x76.0x8.0mm, 187g; glass front, glass back, plastic frame; IP53, dust and splash resistant.
• Display: 6.67" OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 500 nits (typ), 900 nits (HBM), 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 395ppi.
• Chipset: Mediatek MT6877V Dimensity 1080 (6 nm): Octa-core (2x2.6 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G68 MC4.
• Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM; UFS 2.2.
• OS/Software: Android 12, MIUI 13.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm, 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 1/4", 1.12µm; Macro: 2 MP, f/2.4.
• Front camera: 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@960fps; Front camera: 1080p@30/60fps.
• Battery: 5000mAh; 67W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 15 min, 100% in 46 min (advertised).
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); Infrared port; 3.5mm jack; stereo speakers.

The most obvious omission of the Note 12 Pro is the microSD expansion slot. While the base Note 12 models still have it, the microSD has been retired on the Pro versions.

Other than the storage expansion, there are no other surprises. So, without further ado, here is the Redmi Note 12 Pro unboxed.

Unboxing the Redmi Note 12 Pro

The Redmi Note 12 Pro ships inside the usual paper box, which contains the phone itself, a 67W power adapter, and a USB-A-to-C cable.

Quite expectedly, at least with a Xiaomi, you also get a transparent soft case and a thin protective film pre-applied on the Redmi's display. The latter is a huge smudge magnet, so we'd understand if you decide not to use it.