Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro review

Xiaomi’s Redmi Word 12 collection 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, nevertheless it’s necessary to not ignore the cheaper fashions. At £339/€399, the common Word 12 Professional is noticeably extra reasonably priced, with digital camera and charging velocity the obvious compromises. 

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

Design & construct

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

The Redmi Word 12 Professional has a near-identical design to the 12 Professional+, the costliest mannequin within the collection. That displays very nicely on the previous: the 12 Professional seems to be and feels similar to a flagship telephone. 

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

You additionally get spectacular ingress safety for the worth. An IP53 score means it could actually deal with mud nicely, together with splashes of water, although it received’t survive a full dunk in a bath.

Choosing plastic quite than aluminium on the perimeters provides grip to what would in any other case be a slippery telephone. It means you will get away with out utilizing a case, though it’s far more snug 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 telephone might double as a mirror.

Until you placed on a case, you’ll additionally should cope with a number of fingerprint smudges and different filth. The 12 Professional shortly accumulates each, so be ready to scrub the again of the telephone simply as a lot because the entrance. 

Fortuitously, each these considerations might be addressed by choosing a ‘Polar White’ or ‘Sky Blue’ end as an alternative. These shimmer within the gentle quite than displaying a mirrored image of your setting. Xiaomi might work on making the CE info 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 notably engaging, however impressively sits nearly flush with the again of the telephone. When 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 respect.  

At 187g, the Word 12 Professional is considerably lighter than most telephones with such massive shows. It feels barely much less premium in consequence, however I definitely 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 facility button as an alternative. It’s not fairly as handy, however simple to arrange and truly extra dependable. This doesn’t really feel like a compromise in any respect.

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

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

Elsewhere, the vibration motors on the Word 12 Professional are about nearly as good as you will get on a telephone. Their refined haptic suggestions makes locking your telephone, multitasking and choosing apps really feel that bit extra immersive.

Display screen & audio system

• Glorious 6.67in OLED display screen
• 120Hz refresh charge
• Respectable stereo audio system

Impressively, the Word 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 see larger decision screens, however they’re not a necessity for most individuals – particularly at this worth level.  

Nonetheless, 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 perimeters. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

However I personally favor the Word 12 Professional’s strategy, which nonetheless seems to be nice but in addition maintains a pretty symmetry. Equally sized slim bezels all the best way spherical the sting of the display screen simply look higher in my view. 

In nearly any scenario you may consider, the show seems to be 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, nevertheless it’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 special color scheme in Settings. 

One thing else you’ll discover there’s a 120Hz refresh charge, which might 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 charge display screen. 

Xiaomi claims you may rise up to 900 nits of peak brightness, and you may comfortably use the telephone outdoors in nearly all lighting situations, particularly with a devoted ‘daylight mode’ if 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 telephone. This can be a superior choice to counting on the earpice, and it helps the telephone ship some spectacular audio. 

Don’t count on room-filling sound, however crystal-clear vocals and detailed music are very a lot potential. There’s even an honest hit of bass, making the telephone nice for informal movies or searching social media. When 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 Word 12 Professional is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 1080, a 2022 chip that’s particularly designed for mid-range telephones. 

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

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Mixed with the 120Hz refresh charge, you may count on a silky-smooth navigation expertise that feels far more premium than the 12 Professional’s worth 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 quite an absence of pure efficiency.

With regards to gaming, the telephone can simply deal with most informal titles.  You’ll encounter some slowdown throughout among the most demanding video games on the Play Retailer, with the dropped framerates in Asphalt 9 notably noticeable. However the likes of Name of Responsibility: Cell and PUBG Cell are comparatively {smooth} and really playable.

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

The dearth of inside storage may very well be a sticking level, albeit solely on the worldwide model. The one mannequin obtainable 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 recordsdata you may’t take away, it doesn’t go away you with a lot spare capability. Be ready to depend on cloud storage for many of your stuff. 

The official identify of this telephone is the Redmi Word 12 Professional 5G, with the Dimensity 1080 having 5G in-built. 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 predominant digital camera is the headline characteristic of the Redmi Word 12 collection, nevertheless it’s solely obtainable 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. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

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

That’s notably obvious when taking panorama pictures, the place you’ll get a formidable stage of element and glorious dynamic vary. Put up-processing can oversaturate colors at instances, however pictures are largely true to life. Most of my testing passed off on a sunny day, nevertheless it’s arguably higher suited to cloudy environments. 

Publicity is a standard difficulty on reasonably priced telephone cameras, however the 12 Professional handles it very nicely. Usually, it manages to maintain a foreground topic well-exposed with out blowing out the background. In consequence, I used to be ready seize some superb pictures of vivid skylines with comparatively little effort. 

Road pictures and structure pictures can look extra washed out, so getting outcome relies upon extra on the lighting and your willingness to experiment with angles and framing. 

With no devoted depth sensor, you’ll even be counting on the primary digital camera (and software program) for portrait-style pictures. It’s enjoyable to make use of and you will get some good outcomes, however there are main edge detection points nearly each time. For topics that always transfer round (akin to pets or youngsters), be ready for loads of unintentional blur. 

Evening mode additionally makes use of software program to brighten low-light pictures, however its refined software right here prevents them from wanting synthetic. With most key particulars preserved, it’s positively value utilizing. 

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

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

The 16Mp front-facing digital camera may also churn out some actually strong selfies. Element and publicity are superb, whereas even the portrait mode is extra profitable right here. For one of the best outcomes, be sure to flip the sweetness mode off. 

Try a variety of digital camera samples within the gallery under:

It’s additionally value mentioning video, particularly with optical picture stabilisation (OIS) on the primary lens. Footage (as much as 1080p at 60fps) with a number 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 outfitted the Word 12 Professional with a 5000mAh battery, which lasts for a full day of reasonable utilization, though it could actually stretch to 2 should you solely use your telephone sometimes. Equally, a number of hours of excessive brightness, GPS and taking a number of pictures means you’ll in all probability want to achieve for the charger by early night. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

However the 12 Professional’s unremarkable battery life isn’t a trigger for concern. It might’t rival one of the best battery life telephones, however you received’t should always fear about it operating out both. 

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

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

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

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 Word 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 net browser and file supervisor. It feels completely pointless, however I can stay with it. 

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

Inside these folders, there are even ‘Suggestions’ for extra apps you in all probability received’t need to obtain. All of it feels very cluttered and complicated, nevertheless it’s value 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 break up fast settings and notification shade. Most Android telephones mix them into one display screen, however which you see right here will depend on the place you swipe down from the highest of the display screen, very like on an iPhone. It’s high quality when you get used to it, however doesn’t actually add something. 

That’s a theme for the software program expertise extra usually. MIUI makes plenty 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 must due to this fact count on updates to Android 14 by means of to 16, plus safety patches till 2027. 

Worth & availability

Whereas China has three totally different configurations of the Redmi Word 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 telephone is obtainable 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 obtainable in North America. 

When you think about every little thing you’re getting right here, that’s a superb worth.  

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

Verdict

The Word 12 Professional lacks the wow issue of the Professional+, nevertheless it’s arguably even higher worth for cash. When you can stay and not using a 200Mp digital camera and 120W charging, that is the Redmi Word 12 telephone 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 predominant digital camera doesn’t really feel like a lot of a compromise, and the 67W charging continues to be quick in comparison with the competitors.

MIUI stays the one greatest purpose to not purchase it, particularly when many rivals have a extra polished software program expertise. Inner storage can also 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   
• Facet-mounted fingerprint sensor  
• Gorilla Glass 5 (entrance solely) 
• MediaTek Dimensity 1080 
• 6GB RAM  
• 128GB UFS 2.2 non-expandable storage  
• 50Mp, f/1.9 predominant 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