Xiaomi is further enriching its entry-level with the Redmi Note 12, 12 Pro, 12 Pro+ and 12 Discovery Edition. Four new affordable smartphones with truly impressive technical characteristics.
Xiaomi has built its reputation on the excellent value for money of its products and continues to enrich its catalog of smartphones at a steady pace, with new models throughout the year, to the point that it is sometimes difficult to meet there. In addition to the Xiaomi branded models, the Chinese manufacturer has two “sub-brands”, Poco and Redmi. And it is on the latter side that all eyes are on today since, a year after the Redmi Note 11 – which are still very successful, especially in France – Xiaomi has just presented no less than four phones: the Redmi Note 12, 12 Pro, 12 Pro+ and 12 Discovery Edition! And the least we can say is that the Chinese manufacturer has again set the bar very high by providing its new models with impressive technical characteristics, worthy of much more expensive mid-range smartphones, such as an Oled screen, a 200 megapixel photo sensor or even a 210 W fast charge. Something to seriously shake up the market and the competition! The Redmi Note 12 will be marketed in China on November 11: they should be in Europe in early 2023, but we can find them on online stores long before. Attention, the prices indicated correspond to the current Chinese prices: they will have to be revised upwards for France, taking into account the VAT.
Redmi Note 12: the latest technologies at a low price
If the Redmi Note 12 is the cheapest of the new family, it still manages 5G, Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6, which makes it a model perfectly in tune with the latest technology – and even a smartphone “future proof”, which should last several years without suffering from obsolescence. Especially since it is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 chip engraved in 6 nm technology with 4, 6 or 8 GB of RAM and 128 to 256 GB of storage depending on the version chosen: the set displays a very high score. respectable 389,000 points under Antutu which promises fluid day-to-day use. Even better, it has a beautiful 6.67-inch OLED Full HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) screen with a variable refresh rate, going up to 120 Hz, and a maximum brightness of 1,200 nits: characteristics worthy of a high-end smartphone, which should offer very good display quality, even outdoors.
For photo and video, Xiaomi opted for a 48-megapixel main module with a 2-megapixel depth sensor. Selfies are taken care of by an 8-megapixel front module housed in a punch-hole centered at the top of the screen. Appreciable little details: the Redmi Note 12 is equipped with a fingerprint reader on the side, but also with stereo speakers and even a 3.5 mm jack, a format that tends to disappear on more expensive smartphones, but which is still practical for connecting wired headphones! In addition, its removable drawer can accommodate two SIM cards or a SIM card and a microSD card to expand storage. Its case – entirely made of plastic, which makes sense at this price level – is available in three colors – black, white and blue – and it is IP53 certified, which makes it resistant to dust and light splashes of water. ‘water.
Finally, the Redmi Note 12 has a comfortable 5,000 mAh battery which suggests a very correct autonomy of several days on average; with a reasonable 33 W charger. In China, the Redmi Note 12 is displayed at 1,199 yuan (approximately 165 euros excluding VAT) for the version with 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage, 1,299 yuan (approximately 180 euros excluding VAT) for 6 and 128 GB, 1,399 yuan (approximately 193 euros excluding VAT) for 8 and 128 GB, and 1,599 yuan (approximately 220 euros excluding VAT) for 8 and 256 GB. Prices which therefore remain among the lowest on the market, especially in view of these beautiful characteristics.
Redmi Note 12 Pro: a high-performance smartphone
Also very affordable, the Redmi Note 12 Pro incorporates many features of the Redmi 12 for short. But with another SoC: it is indeed powered by the new MediaTek Dimensity 1080 chip – supposed to be as efficient as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 778G+, with a superb score of 538,000 points under Antutu – engraved in 6 nm by TSMC, 6, 8 or 12 GB of RAM and 128 to 256 GB of storage depending on the configuration chosen. For the rest, it also manages 5G, Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6, has a 6.67-inch OLED FHD + screen (2400 x 1080 pixels) with a refresh rate of 120 Hz, a brightness of 900 nits , and Dolby Vision and HDR10+ certification – not really convincing marketing arguments on a smartphone… –, and also has a 3.5mm jack, stereo speakers and a side fingerprint reader. Available in four colors – white, black, blue and pink – its plastic case is IP53 certified: the set weighs 187 g and measures 162.9 x 76 x 7.9 mm, which is still very reasonable.
On the photo and video side, it has a 50 megapixel main module, with an 8 megapixel sensor for ultra wide angle and another 2 megapixel for macro, this time with a 16 megapixel front module for selfies. A serious configuration that should be enough for many users. The battery is still 5000 mAh, but with a more powerful 67 W charger, for faster charging. The prices of the Redmi Note 12 Pro in China are 1,699 yuan (234 euros) for the version with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage, 1,799 yuan (248 euros) for 8 and 128 GB, 1,899 yuan (262 euros) for 8 and 256 GB, and 2,099 yuan (289 euros) for 12 and 256 GB.
Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and Discovery Edition: 200 Mpx sensor and ultra-fast charging
Available in five colors, the Redmi Note 12 Pro + imposes more, with a thickness of 8.98 mm and a weight of 208.4 g. It has the same characteristics as the 12 Pro, with the same panel and the same processor. It has 8 and 12 GB of RAM depending on the model, and 256 GB of storage. On the other hand, the photo side is more impressive with, as on the new Xiaomi 12T Pro, a 200 megapixel Samsung Isocell HPX photo module whose lens opens at f / 1.65. The rest of the photo configuration is more classic: 16 megapixels for the front module, 8 megapixels in ultra wide-angle and a dedicated 2 megapixel macro camera. The battery is again 5,000 mAh, but the fast charge increases to 120 W, promising a very fast recharge. The 8 GB RAM and 256 GB model is 2,099 yuan (289 euros), and the 12 GB RAM and 256 GB model is 2,399 yuan (317 euros).
The new Discovery Edition – hitherto referred to as the Explorer Edition – is making an appearance – as if there weren’t enough. Even if it is less compact than the 12 Pro+, with a weight of 187 g and a thickness of 7.9 mm, it has almost the same technical data sheet, with a main photo module of 200 megapixels, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. Where it differs is in its 4,350 mAh battery and its 210 W fast recharge. Unheard of on a smartphone! Xiaomi claims it is able to go from 0 to 100% in just 9 minutes. To avoid any risk of overheating with such a load, the device incorporates a 3000 mm² steam chamber. It will be available at a price of 2,399 yuan (330 euros).
