Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro+ review

Xiaomi makes a number of the finest price range and flagship telephones round, however you shouldn’t ignore what the corporate is doing within the mid-range market. 

Its Redmi sub-brand has existed there for some time, though the Observe 12 Professional+ takes issues to the following degree. For simply £449/€499, you get premium options equivalent to a 200Mp digicam, 120Hz OLED show and 120W charging. 

Fortuitously, all three are genuinely spectacular, whereas the remainder of the cellphone is nice sufficient to compete with many flagships. Compromises are inevitable at this worth level, however they shouldn’t be dealbreakers for most individuals. 

Design & construct

• Glass back and front
• Aspect-mounted fingerprint sensor
• 3.5mm headphone jack

The Observe 12 Professional+ has a glossy, premium design which may simply go for a tool costing twice the value. 

It begins with Xiaomi’s selection of supplies: plastic on the edges, however glass on each the back and front. The latter is a nice shock, because it’s not at all a normal characteristic on mid-range handsets. A matte coating limits the build-up of fingerprint smudges, permitting the cellphone to shimmer attractively as mild hits it. 

That’s notably obvious on the ‘Iceberg Blue’ mannequin you see in images, however the impact on ‘Arctic White’ and ‘Obsidian Black’ variations is analogous. Whereas there’s no Gorilla Glass safety right here, the again of the 12 Professional+ feels impressively sturdy and grippy. A transparent silicone case is included within the field, however you won’t want it.

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Nevertheless, the IP53 ranking is a little bit of a disappointment. It protects in opposition to mud however solely splashes of water, slightly than the submersion afforded by IP68 on flagships. 

Redmi branding and CE data are each seen on the again of the cellphone, however it’s the digicam module that dominates. It homes three lenses and a flash, so the slight bump is straightforward to excuse. However whereas I wouldn’t name the digicam module ugly, it’s removed from the prettiest. 

You’ll discover one of many cellphone’s massive compromises on one facet, however it’s not the plastic used. Moderately than an in-display fingerprint sensor, the 12 Professional+ has one constructed into the facility button as an alternative. It has a smaller goal space, but stays very dependable and tends to unlock the cellphone faster. 

This doesn’t really feel like a downgrade in any respect, and I’d suggest utilizing it over the much less safe face unlock. 

There’s even nonetheless a 3.5mm headphone jack, an actual standout characteristic in 2023. In case you nonetheless have nice wired headphones, there’s no have to put up with a USB-C adapter right here. 

An in depth evaluation of the show is included within the subsequent part, however it’s value mentioning the haptics right here. A sophisticated vibration motor means the delicate haptic suggestions you get right here is great, whether or not it’s unlocking the cellphone, multitasking or reorganising apps. It actually provides to the navigation expertise. 

Display screen & audio system

• Wonderful 6.67in OLED show
• Dynamic 120Hz refresh charge
• First rate stereo audio system

Let’s speak about that display screen, then. It’s a big 6.67in OLED panel at 1080×2400. A better decision would’ve been good, however solely fanatics will be capable of inform the distinction between this and a 1440p panel. 

In most situations, the 12 Professional+’s show is a pleasure to make use of. It delivers deep blacks and wealthy, vibrant colors that actually pop. It’s accentuated by the really helpful ‘Vivid’ color scheme, however you possibly can change this to ‘Saturated’ or ‘Customary’, and even create your individual.

However for most individuals, that default mode is the one to go for. It means the cellphone excels at content material consumption, whether or not it’s by way of social media or in motion pictures and TV reveals. For watching movies in your cellphone, the 12 Professional+ is likely one of the finest within the enterprise.

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Navigating the cellphone is simply as spectacular, too, because of a 120Hz refresh charge. Scrolling and transitions are satisfyingly fluid, even on the default dynamic mode. This routinely switches between 60Hz and 120Hz, relying on what you’re doing (to assist save battery life), however you possibly can manually set it to both in the event you’d want. 

Xiaomi claims as much as 900 nits of peak brightness, though you’ll wrestle to duplicate that at house. However even on the 515 nits I recorded, the display screen stays clearly seen in vibrant outside environments. 

The show is curved on the edges, making it extra comfy to carry than many telephones of this measurement. Slim bezels imply virtually 87% of the entrance panel is display screen, with a small gap punch selfie digicam maintaining disruption to a minimal. 

Working in tandem with the show are stereo audio system, as the same old downward-firing grille combines with a second on the highest of the cellphone. Not counting on the earpiece advantages sound high quality, with a depth and element to the audio that you just don’t typically get on telephones.  

The audio system get impressively loud, however excessive volumes are the place you’ll discover the actual lack of bass and treble. Distortion is averted for essentially the most half, although. 

Specs & efficiency

• MediaTek Dimensity 1080 chip
• Excellent all-round efficiency
• Restricted to 256GB of storage

Moderately than the Qualcomm chips we see in its flagships, Xiaomi continues to go for MediaTek on many Redmi handsets. The Observe 12 Professional+ is powered by the Dimensity 1080, a 5G chip that’s particularly designed for mid-range telephones.

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

That implies efficiency is nothing to put in writing house about, however it seems to be one of many cellphone’s key strengths. Even with simply 8GB of RAM (the choice for 12GB is unique to China), it excels throughout all on a regular basis duties. 

My typical day consists of loads of internet looking, messages, taking images and watching the occasional video. I additionally typically rapidly swap between them, making multitasking essential. 

In all these situations and lots of extra, the cellphone was simply capable of sustain. It’s no shock the Dimensity 1080 is used on dearer handsets (such because the Xiaomi 12T Professional) – it’s a really succesful chip. Alongside that 120Hz refresh charge, the 12 Professional+ delivers a number of the finest efficiency of any mid-range cellphone. 

Solely essentially the most demanding workloads will push it to the restrict. In case you’re severe about cell gaming or use different intensive apps frequently, think about one thing extra highly effective. However for the overwhelming majority of individuals, the 12 Professional+ has every little thing you want. 

Having stated that, it’s not good. There have been some stutters and hesitations throughout my testing time, plus the occasional app crash. However these usually tend to be associated to software program slightly than {hardware}. 

The benchmarks don’t present a real reflection of the efficiency obtainable right here, though they present that the 12 Professional+ is much from the one highly effective mid-range cellphone you should buy: 

Relating to inner storage, 256GB is your solely possibility. With no help for microSD enlargement and round 25GB of that taken up with system recordsdata, energy customers could run near capability. However for most individuals, this gained’t be a difficulty. 

Alongside 5G, you additionally get Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. Regardless of not being absolutely the newest variations, they’re wonderful for nearly each phone-related job you possibly can consider. 

Digital camera & video

• Spectacular 200Mp most important lens
• Disappointing 8Mp ultrawide and 2Mp macro
• Nice 16Mp selfie digicam

In case you’re studying this overview, the digicam might be the part you most wish to find out about. The Observe 12 Professional+ is one in all solely a handful of telephones to characteristic a 200Mp most important lens, and it’s spectacular to see this flagship characteristic make it to the mid-range. 

So, how does it carry out? The brief reply could be very properly, albeit not considerably higher than telephones with a a lot decrease megapixel rely. Particulars and dynamic vary are each wonderful, whereas it handles distinction and shadows impressively. 

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Regardless of most of my testing happening on overcast days, publicity was additionally a nice shock. Overcast skies add to the environment of many photographs, with out ending up trying blown out and unrealistic. The primary digicam is a good level and shoot lens in quite a lot of situations.

In contrast to the Xiaomi 13 and 13 Professional, there’s no possibility to change between ‘Vibrant’ and ‘Genuine’ modes inside the digicam app. By default, the 200Mp lens positively leans in the direction of the latter, producing impressively true to life photographs with little proof of post-processing. In case you really need one thing extra saturated, turning on AI will often do the trick.  

I’m additionally very impressed with the best way it handles low mild. Throughout sundown or on streets with plenty of synthetic lighting, you gained’t even want to show night time mode on to get an awesome shot. However with it activated, there’s a pleasant enhance to brightness and element in darker environments.

Nevertheless, it’s value remembering that the 12 Professional+ doesn’t really shoot in 200Mp by default. As a substitute, it makes use of a course of referred to as pixel binning to primarily mix 16 pictures into one greater high quality 12.5Mp picture. That is primarily to keep away from large recordsdata clogging up your cellphone, but in addition as a result of there’s little or no distinction in uncooked 200Mp stills – the enhancements are minimal and insignificant.

Landscapes and avenue pictures are an actual power of the primary lens, so it’s disappointing to see such a drop-off whenever you transfer to the 8Mp ultrawide. It has a helpful 120˚ area of view, however element, publicity and color accuracy are all compromised to the extent that I used to be reluctant to make use of it. 

It’s an analogous story for the 2Mp macro lens, though you may get some enticing close-up photographs at instances. 

With no depth sensor, the cellphone depends on software program for its portrait mode. Nevertheless, the all-too-common concern of edge detection makes it irritating to make use of, even in the event you can regulate the quantity of background blur earlier than or after you are taking the shot. 

Portrait selfies utilizing the 16Mp front-facing digicam are rather more spectacular, whereas even common photographs do a great job with pores and skin tones and publicity. Simply be sure you flip off the pre-activated magnificence mode for the very best outcomes.

The 12 Professional+ can seize video at as much as 4K 30fps, however the default 1080p at 30fps affords loads of element for informal house movies or social media. Optical picture stabilisation (OIS) on the primary lens means it might probably address plenty of motion, too. 

Battery & charging

• 5000mAh battery
• Comfortably lasts a full day
• Tremendous-fast 120W charging

The Redmi Observe 12 Professional+ has a 5,000mAh battery. That’s a reasonably commonplace capability for a contemporary smartphone, and it means battery life is strong, however nothing spectacular.

With the brightness set to 200 nits, I recorded precisely 11 hours on PCMark’s battery take a look at. That goals to mirror real-world utilization by simulating widespread duties, though you’ll wrestle to get something shut by way of precise display screen on time.

Even so, the 12 Professional+ can often final a full day with cost to spare. Even on these days the place you’re utilizing GPS, taking plenty of images and maintaining brightness excessive, you shouldn’t want to connect with the facility till later within the day. 

Gaming is probably the one exception to this rule, the place a number of hours working a demanding sport will deplete the battery rather more rapidly. 

However with a number of the quickest charging round, working low on battery is way much less of a priority. The 120W adapter included within the field doesn’t fairly hit Xiaomi’s claims of a full battery in 19 minutes, however you possibly can hit 58% in quarter-hour and 100% earlier than half an hour has handed. Most individuals will be capable of plug of their cellphone once they get up and have it totally charged lengthy earlier than needing to depart house.

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There’s no wi-fi charging, however I’d a lot slightly have the quick wired model. 

Software program & updates

• MIUI 14 over Android 13
• Underwhelming however usable software program
• Will get three Android model updates

As a Xiaomi-owned model, the Redmi Observe 12 Professional+ makes use of the MIUI software program pores and skin. It’s model 14 right here, which relies on Android 13 however completely different in a number of important methods. 

Undoubtedly, essentially the most annoying of those is bloatware. Xiaomi has added its personal apps for the likes of internet looking, managing recordsdata, taking notes, viewing images and lots extra – none of which could be uninstalled. It feels very jarring when the Google model is already sitting there. 

Nevertheless, that’s solely the tip of the iceberg with regards to pre-installed software program. Dozens of different instruments, common apps and video games have been downloaded for you. The method of eradicating them is tedious, however at the least it’s attainable. 

Most of those apps have vibrant, vibrant icons, making it simple to establish them. However alongside some vibrant wallpapers and crowd pleasing widgets, the house screens can rapidly turn out to be cluttered and distracting in the event you’re not cautious. 

Separating notifications and fast settings (relying on the place you swipe down from the highest of the display screen) is ok, however Android 13 already does a great job of together with each on the identical display screen. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Typically, MIUI’s tweaks to the acquainted Android consumer expertise make it extra irritating and fewer intuitive. It’s nonetheless very usable, and shouldn’t be a dealbreaker at this worth level, however I want Xiaomi had extra of a lightweight contact strategy to software program. So-called ‘inventory’ Android would work very properly on such premium {hardware}. 

Like all Xiaomi telephones, you possibly can count on three years of Android model updates and 4 years of safety patches on the 12 Professional+. The MIUI equal of Android 14, 15 and 16 and updates till 2027 ought to all be on the best way.

Value & availability

Just one mannequin of the Redmi Observe 12 Professional+ is accessible exterior of China and India.  

It will get you 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and prices £449/€499. You should purchase one now from the Xiaomi web site within the UK and Europe, though there are not any various retailers or networks providing the gadget on contract. 

As we’ve come to count on from Xiaomi telephones, it gained’t be bought in North America. 

It places the 12 Professional+ firmly in mid-range cellphone territory, with the Google Pixel 6a, OnePlus Nord 2T and Nothing Telephone (1) all priced equally. 

The 200Mp digicam helps the cellphone stand out from the competitors, though loads of flagship options elsewhere imply it represents wonderful worth for cash. Folks could want a number of the mid-range alternate options, however it’s exhausting to argue with the 12 Professional+ on pure specs. 

Verdict

The Observe 12 Professional+ elevates Xiaomi’s Redmi model from aggressive mid-ranger to potential flagship killer. 

Its headlining 200Mp digicam is a bona fide premium characteristic, whereas efficiency and show are among the many finest you’ll discover at this worth level. Battery life is strong too, whereas the 120W quick charging is great. 

Because of this, the 12 Professional+ is straightforward to suggest. The polarising MIUI software program and poor supporting rear cameras would possibly make you look elsewhere, however you definitely shouldn’t rule out this cellphone.

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)
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2  
• 8GB RAM 
• 256GB UFS 2.2 non-expandable storage 
• 200Mp, f/1.7 most important digicam with OIS  
• 8Mp, f/2.2 120˚  ultrawide digicam  
• 2Mp, f/2.4 macro digicam 
• 16Mp, f/2.5 front-facing digicam  
• Twin stereo audio system 
• Twin-SIM  
• 5G  
• Wi-Fi 6 
• Bluetooth 5.2 
• IP53 
• USB-C  
• 5000mAh battery  
• 120W wired charging  
• 162.9 x 76 x 8.9mm  
• 210.5g  
• Black, white or blue color choices