Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro+ review: it competes on its own

In the packaging of Redmi Note 12 Pro+ we find a 120W power supply, a USB / USB-C cable and a semi-transparent silicone cover. Fortunately Xiaomi does not slow down in including what is needed in its devices.

Redmi Note 12 Pro+ It’s a very well built smartphone and feels great in the hand. However, this does not mean that the smartphone does not have compromises. The Xiaomi smartphone has a not exactly low weight, with its 208 grams of weight, in addition to the thickness of 8.9 mm. As we will see this is probably due to the battery and fast charging systems.

However, the rear coating is made of glass and this is certainly a significant advantage in this price range. In fact, this is what immediately conveys an excellent sensation to the touch and has made us appreciate the smartphone from the first minute. In addition, this Redmi Note 12 Pro + has certification IP53 against splashes of water, which is a real rarity in mid-range smartphones.

A compromise is definitely the side profile which is made of plastic instead of metal. It is also true that although aluminum would have been a more “noble” material, this would still have increased the weight of the smartphone.

Within this Redmi Note 12 Pro+ we find a decidedly interesting technical data sheet. Meanwhile, we have the new processor Dimensity 1080 of Mediatek, made with a 6-nanometer production process and with a maximum frequency of 2.6 GHz, among its eight cores. To this we find coupled a Mali G68 MC4 GPU and 8 GB of RAM. Xiaomi has opted for a single cut of RAM that goes hand in hand with the only 256 GB version of internal memory. This memory is of the UFS 2.2 type (quite fast, although not of the latest generation) and cannot be expanded.

The performance of this CPU was very good, although obviously on par with a top of the range.

Even with prolonged and intensive use, the smartphone never showed its side, guaranteeing (almost) maximum performance continuously.

Excellent connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 and of course connectivity 5G (which would also be present in the product name and which we have omitted). Among other things, there is also dual SIM support (standard, no virtual SIM), the infrared emitter and we also have the audio jack of the headphones, which fortunately Xiaomi has chosen to continue to include in this device allowing you to use wired headphones without occupying the USB-C port (equipped with audio output but not video).

One of the differences between this model and the “non Plus” variant is the presence of a 200 megapixel ƒ/1.7 optically stabilized. This sensor is a good novelty for the price range and we have found good results in the practical penthouse, even if we recognize that those who expected top-of-the-range results for high resolution could be disappointed.

For every almost perfect shot there will also be one in which the management of the lights or contrast will let its “mid-range” soul leak out. They are not shots to throw away, indeed, those are practically impossible to make, but the fact remains that in this price range there are starting to be more valid solutions as regards photography.

Disappointing wide-angle camera from 8 megapixel ƒ/2.2, too low resolution to be able to really return good results in daily use. Even more obvious is the result of the 2 megapixel camera for macro. Discreet but not “exciting” the front camera from 16 megapixel ƒ/2.5 which takes discreet shots, but not as sharp as we would have liked.

I video in 4K a 30fps they are decent in quality but unfortunately they don’t seem to enjoy any electronic image stabilization and this translates into not perfectly stable moving videos. If the shooting scene is particularly dynamic, the shaking becomes immediately evident.

With the wide angle and the front camera, videos are recorded only in Full HD (at 60fps from the front).

Xiaomi has included in this Redmi Note 12 Pro+ a 6.67-inch display in technology OLED con refresh rate fino a 120 Hz. The resolution is Full HD +, or 1080 x 2400 pixels and the maximum peak brightness is 900 nits, which is a good value for this price range, even if for some reason the “non-Pro” models of Redmi 12 have instead a peak brightness of 1,200 nits. The screen is then flat, to the delight of those who don’t appreciate curved screens and comes with a good quality pre-applied film. The protective glass is still a good Gorilla Glass 5.

Too bad for the absence of a true always-on display system, which causes notifications and other information to be shown on the locked screen display for only 10 seconds.

The Redmi-branded smartphone arrives on the market already updated with the MIUI 14. This customization does not bring particular novelties compared to the past and we had already reported this also in the review of the new Xiaomi 13 Pro. Unlike the top-of-the-range smartphone, however, here we have the Android version 12. Quite a contradiction, given that Redmi is only now being launched in Europe and that other manufacturers have already updated their devices already on the market to Android 13. It’s hard to say how much this would have benefited the smartphone, but it will certainly “burn” one of the 3 promised system updates. The patches are currently updated to February 2023.

For the rest, the smartphone is equipped with the usual snappy MIUI 14, with some functions such as the sidebar from which it is possible to quickly open the apps in the window. Or we have game turbo to improve game performance and one-handed mode.

Also present, as is fashionable now, is a mode that increases the RAM virtually up to an additional 5 GB, reserving them from the internal memory.

The battery of this smartphone is from well 5.000 mAh and is coupled to a 120W charging system, which allows you to charge your smartphone from 0 to 100 in less than 20 minutes. It is not a particularly common combination, given that smartphones with such fast charging usually equip smaller batteries. However, wireless charging is not present, which would certainly elevate this smartphone. Unfortunately, it is in good company with competitors.

Autonomy, net of super-fast charging, is still very good and we completed a day of stressful use without any problems.

Redmi Note 12 Pro+ arriva in Italia a 499€ (available on Amazon) and is the only smartphone not to enjoy a launch promotion from Xiaomi. It is not a particularly attractive price, although unfortunately in line with what the market is currently offering.

Undoubtedly, however, it is difficult to recommend it at the introductory price.