Smartphones & Tablets | November 11, 2023
| Xiaomi Redmi 12 4G | Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G | |
| Screen | 6.79 inches of IPS LCD technology, 20.4:9 format, FullHD+ resolution of 2,460 x 1,080 pixels, 90 Hz adaptive refresh rate (36/48/60/90 Hz), 240 Hz touch sampling rate, maximum brightness 550 nits and resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | 6.67 inches of AMOLED technology, 20:9 format, FullHD+ resolution of 2,400 x 1,080 pixels, 120 Hz refresh rate, 240 Hz touch sampling rate, 1,100 nits maximum brightness, Dolby Vision and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Main camera | – 50 megapixel main sensor with f/1.8 focal aperture with FullHD 1080p video recording capacity at 30 frames per second – Secondary sensor with 8 megapixel wide-angle lens with f/2.2 focal aperture and field of view of 120° – Tertiary sensor with 2 megapixel macro lens with f/2.4 focal aperture | – 108 megapixel main sensor with f/1.9 focal aperture with video recording capacity in 4K resolution at 30 frames per second – Secondary sensor with 8 megapixel wide-angle lens with f/2.2 focal aperture and field of view 120° – Tertiary sensor with 2 megapixel macro lens with f/2.4 focal aperture – Quaternary sensor with 2 megapixel bokeh lens with f/2.4 focal aperture |
| Selfie camera | 8 megapixel main sensor with f/2.1 focal aperture with video recording capacity in FullHD 1080p resolution at 30 frames per second | 16 megapixel main sensor with f/2.4 focal aperture with video recording capacity in FullHD 1080p resolution at 30 frames per second |
| Internal memory | 128 or 256 GB eMMC 5.1 | 128 or 256 GB UFS 2.2 |
| Extension | Available via microSD card up to 1TB | Available via microSD card up to 1TB |
| Processor and RAM memory | – Mediatek Helio G88 12 nanometers and eight cores at 2.0 GHz max. – 4 or 8 GB of LPDDR4 type RAM | – Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G 8 nanometers and eight cores at 2.2 GHz max. – 6 or 8 GB of LPDDR4 type RAM |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh with support for 18W fast wired charging (charger included in the box) | 5,000 mAh with support for 67W fast wired charging (charger included in the box) |
| OS | Android 13 under MIUI 14 | Android 13 under MIUI 14 |
| Connections | 4G LTE, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS, NFC for contactless payments, FM radio, 3.5 mm jack for headphones and USB type C input | 4G LTE, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS, NFC for contactless payments, FM radio, 3.5 mm headphone jack and USB type C input |
| SIM | Dual nano SIM | Dual nano SIM |
| Design | Colors: Black, Light Blue and Silver | Colors: star blue, glacier blue, black and white |
| Dimensions and weight | 168.6 x 76.3 x 8.2 millimeters and 198.5 grams | 164.2 x 76.1 x 8.1 millimeters and 202 grams |
| Featured Features | Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, facial recognition, infrared sensor for controlling external devices and IP53 water and dust resistance (splash-proof) | Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, facial recognition for unlocking, stereo speakers compatible with Dolby Atmos and infrared sensor for controlling external devices, and IP53 water and dust resistance (splash-proof) |
| Release date | Available | Available |
| Price | From 130 euros | From 220 euros |
The Xiaomi Redmi 12 is one of the budget smartphones with the best value for money at the moment. The same can be said for the Redmi Note 12 Pro, a mobile device with several technical specifications in common but with a different design. Since both of them are quite noteworthy in the budget segment, we will now compare them to determine which one is better and why. We’ll go over their features and differences in terms of performance and prices in this comparison of Xiaomi Redmi 12 vs Redmi Note 12 Pro. Here, we will focus on the 4G versions of both devices.
Please note that the prices mentioned in this article may vary over time. Thus, we are discussing the differences as of the publication date.
The design of the Xiaomi Redmi 12 is significantly different from that of the Redmi Note 12 Pro. The Redmi 12 features a camera module with three sensors on its back, while the Redmi Note 12 Pro has a rectangular camera module with four sensors. Both devices, however, come with a hole-punch design for the selfie camera.
Both devices have straight plastic frames, and their backs are made of glass. Nevertheless, the finish on the Redmi 12 is reflective, whereas the Redmi Note 12 Pro has a matte finish that resists fingerprint smudges when held. In terms of dimensions, the Redmi 12 is taller, wider, and thicker, but it is also slightly lighter than the Redmi Note 12 Pro.
When it comes to displays, there are more differences between the Redmi 12 vs Redmi Note 12 Pro. The first difference is the screen size, with the Redmi 12 4G sporting a 6.79-inch display, while the Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G features a slightly smaller 6.67-inch display. Furthermore, the Redmi 12 has an IPS LCD screen, while the Redmi Note 12 Pro has an AMOLED panel. Both displays offer Full HD+ resolution, with the Redmi 12’s screen at 2,460 x 1,080 pixels and the Redmi Note 12 Pro’s screen at 2,400 x 1,080 pixels. Another notable difference is that the Xiaomi Redmi 12’s display has an adaptive refresh rate of 90 Hz, which can decrease to as low as 36 Hz based on usage. In contrast, the Redmi Note 12 Pro has a fixed 120 Hz refresh rate, which is not adaptive. Both displays feature a touch sampling rate of 240 Hz.
Moreover, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro’s display is considerably brighter, with a maximum brightness of 1,100 nits, whereas the Redmi 12’s display reaches 550 nits, half as bright. Additionally, only the Redmi Note 12 Pro’s display supports Dolby Atmos, and it is protected by the more durable Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The Redmi 12’s display is protected by Gorilla Glass 3.
The Redmi Note 12 Pro has a more powerful processor than the Redmi 12, which allows it to deliver better overall performance, even in games. The Redmi Note 12 Pro is equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 732G chipset, an 8nm SoC with eight cores that can reach a maximum clock speed of 2.3 GHz. The Redmi 12, on the other hand, features MediaTek’s Helio G88 chipset, a 12nm chipset that is less energy-efficient and offers eight cores clocked at up to 2.0 GHz.
As for memory options, both devices are available with 128GB or 256GB of storage. However, the type of internal storage in the Redmi 12 4G is eMMC 5.1, whereas the Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G uses UFS 2.2, which offers faster read and write speeds. The Redmi 12 comes with 4GB or 8GB of LPDDR4 RAM, while the Redmi Note 12 Pro offers 6GB or 8GB of LPDDR4 RAM.
In this segment, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro outperforms the Redmi 12. The Redmi Note 12 Pro boasts a quad-camera system led by a 108-megapixel primary sensor with an f/1.9 aperture and 4K video recording at 30 frames per second. This lens is complemented by an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera with an f/2.2 aperture and two 2-megapixel sensors for macro and bokeh, each with an f/2.4 aperture.
On the other hand, the Xiaomi Redmi 12 features a triple-camera module with a 50-megapixel primary camera with an f/1.8 aperture and 1080p Full HD video recording at 30 frames per second. It also has the same 8-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 2-megapixel macro lens with an f/2.4 aperture as the Redmi Note 12 Pro, but it lacks a dedicated bokeh (portrait mode) lens, relying solely on AI (Artificial Intelligence) for this effect.
For selfies, the Redmi 12 comes with an 8-megapixel front camera with an f/2.1 aperture, while the Redmi Note 12 Pro has a 16-megapixel front camera with an f/2.4 aperture. Both front cameras can record Full HD 1080p video at 30 frames per second.
In this comparison of the Redmi Note 12 Pro vs Redmi 12, we must also consider battery performance. Here, both devices offer very similar battery life, thanks to their shared 5,000 mAh battery capacity. However, the Redmi Note 12 Pro supports 67W fast charging, allowing it to achieve a full charge in less than 50 minutes. In contrast, the Redmi 12 supports 18W fast charging, which takes just over 1 hour and 30 minutes for a complete charge. Fortunately, both phones come with chargers included in the box.
In terms of connectivity, the Redmi 12 has a slight edge over the Redmi Note 12 Pro due to its more advanced Bluetooth version, which is Bluetooth 5.3. The Redmi Note 12 Pro features Bluetooth 5.0. Apart from that, both devices support 4G LTE (these versions lack 5G), dual-band Wi-Fi 5, GPS with A-GPS and Glonass, FM radio, a USB Type-C port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. They both feature an infrared sensor that turns them into remote controls.
Additionally, both devices have IP53 resistance, making them splash-proof. For biometric unlocking, they both feature a side-mounted fingerprint sensor and facial recognition. Only the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G comes with stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support.
In terms of software, the Redmi 12 comes with Android 13 under MIUI 14. The Redmi Note 12 Pro was launched with Android 11 under MIUI 13 but now runs Android 13 under MIUI 14. Both devices were released with a two-year guarantee of system software updates. This means that the Redmi 12 will receive the Android 15 update in the future. However, it’s unclear whether the Redmi Note 12 Pro will receive Android 15 or even Android 14 since it was introduced with Android 11, as mentioned earlier.
Having analyzed all the differences between the Redmi 12 vs Redmi Note 12, let’s now take a look at their prices to determine the winner of this comparison.
The Xiaomi Redmi 12 currently starts at around 130 euros. The Redmi Note 12 Pro is considerably more expensive, starting at 220 euros in 2023. This means there is a price difference of about 90 euros, making the Redmi 12 a more attractive choice for those with a limited budget, as it is the more budget-friendly option.
However, as expected, the winner of this comparison of Redmi Note 12 Pro vs Redmi 12 is the Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G, and here’s why…
While its screen is smaller, it has a higher refresh rate, making it smoother. It is significantly brighter, offers Dolby Atmos support, and is protected by more robust glass. Additionally, its processor is more powerful, delivering better performance in games and applications, thanks to faster internal storage.
Moreover, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro boasts superior cameras, with a higher-resolution primary sensor capable of 4K video recording at 30 frames per second and a front camera with higher resolution. It also features much faster charging, which means it takes less time to reach a full charge. Only the Redmi Note 12 Pro comes with stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos. In terms of design, it is also more compact, making it more comfortable to hold.
However, the Redmi 12 has a more appealing design, a more advanced Bluetooth version, and it is likely to receive more significant Android updates. Not to mention, its lower price, which provides better value for money.
