Xiaomi Redmi 12 review

MIUI 14 based on Android 13

The Redmi 12 runs on the latest available MIUI 14 based on Android 13. Unlike the Redmi 10, which is stuck on Android 11 with MIUI 12.5, the OEM promises two major updates for the Redmi 12, meaning you can expect Android 14 and Android 15 when they arrive. Additionally, Xiaomi will deliver security updates up until June 2027.

Of course, since this is a low-end smartphone with limited hardware capabilities, some core MIUI functionalities are absent. However, most of them are available, even the multi-tasking functionalities such as the Floating windows feature.

We strongly recommend checking out our MIUI 14 + Android 13 overview to get a good grasp of MIUI's current state. You will find pretty much everything you need to know about Xiaomi's proprietary mobile software.

In terms of performance, the Redmi 12 doesn't impress. The dated Helio G88 chipset is sweating hard to keep up with the software's demand, so all operations are somewhat sluggish and animations rarely run at 90fps to saturate the 90Hz display. ItThis is pretty much the norm, though - it's going to be extremely hard for you to find a snappy sub-€200 smartphone.

Performance

The MediaТek Helio G88 is a refresh of the Helio G85, but it's still a rather old SoC released back in Q3 2021. Even back then it wasn't cutting edge, though, based on a 12nm manufacturing process, which doesn't look good in 2023. We get that the Redmi 12 is an ultra-budget handset, but an upgrade to more efficient silicon would have been much appreciated even if it meant adding 10 or 20 bucks to the price.

The Helio G88 can support 90Hz at 1080p+ and can work with 64MP main cameras instead of 48MP. This wasn't possible without OEM customizations. The rest of the specs are identical to the G85, though - octa-core CPU with 2x Cortex-A75 cores ticking at 2.0 GHz and 6x Cortex-A55 clocked at 1.8 GHz. The GPU is Mali G52 MC2 working at 1 GHz.

The Redmi 12 has various memory configurations - 4GB/128GB, 8GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB. The storage is expandable via a dedicated microSD card, while the internal storage uses eMMC 5.1 chips, not of the speedy UFS memory.

As you can see, the Redmi 12 utilizes the Helio G88 to its fullest but that's still very limited potential. For about the same price, you can get a Dimensity 700-powered smartphone or a Snapdragon 685 device, both of which offer more power and lower battery consumption.