Xiaomi Redmi 12C Review: A Dependable Entry-Level Phone...But

The Xiaomi Redmi 12C is this year's iteration of the popular budget-friendly lineup from the company. It comes with the promise of delivering great hardware without breaking the bank. With the sea of entry level phones, what makes the Redmi 12C standout? Is it worth buying? Join us in this review of this interesting device.

Xiaomi Redmi 12C Review

Xiaomi Redmi 12C Review

Review Summary:

Pros

  • Large display
  • Capable main camera
  • Long battery life
  • Affordable price point

Cons

  • Slow charging
  • microUSB port

Design

The Xiaomi Redmi 12C is a fairly large device with its 6.71-inch display. It utilizes a waterdrop notch and is framed by slightly thicker bezels. The chin is also something we've seen on phones that were released before the pandemic - it's quite sizeable. But of course, we are already expecting several tradeoffs at this price; in this case, the phone's design is one of them.

Flipping the handset, I am greeted with the textured back panel defined by diagonally laid out lines. The finish is exactly how it looks - textured panel with a matte section on the camera module. Speaking of the camera module, we have a squarish section that envelopes the dual-camera setup, the Redmi branding, and the fingerprint sensor. Likewise, the curved backing makes this big phone easier to use.

Xiaomi Redmi 12C

The railing comes with similar texture as the camera module - a plastic matte finish. For the ports and buttons, the right side houses the volume rocker and the power button, and the left side has the SIM tray. The bottom side is a home for the primary microphone, speaker grille, and the microUSB port. Meanwhile, the top side has the 3.5-mm audio jack. 

This 192-gram device comes in Ocean Blue, Graphite Gray, Mint Green, and Lavender Purple hues. All in all, we have a functional and practical design here, nothing flashy and fancy as suggested by the Redmi 12C's price.

Display

I mentioned that the screen measures 6.71-inch earlier; this is quite on the big side when we talk about phones in general. The display is an IPS LCD with 720 x 1650p HD+ resolution. Those looking for bigger screen real estate will be delighted with this offering. Of course, this means that you can take advantage of the screen while watching your favorite shows in Netflix or Disney+. 

Xiaomi Redmi 12C Review: A Dependable Entry-Level Phone...But

On top of that, the display is quite capable on its own right. It has good contrast and just the right amount of saturation.

Xiaomi Redmi 12C Review

Using the phone outdoors is quite okay too; but I would not advise using it under direct sunlight. If you love reading eBooks and online web content, this phone is also a good tool for those mobile activities. Overall, this is quite a capable display considering the price.

Xiaomi Redmi 12C Review: Display

Performance

The Xiaomi Redmi 12C is powered by a MediaTek Helio G85 processor on top of 4GB of RAM. Our review unit has 4GB, but the base unit comes in 3GB. You can get up to 128GB of storage with the Redmi 12C. Casual gaming with the phone is such a fun experience. I have played Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and I found myself breezing through the upper ranks effortlessly without frame drops and heat build-up. The refresh rate defaults to high setting, and the graphics on medium setting.

Xiaomi Redmi 12C Review

Playing a more graphic-demanding game, Call of Duty Mobile, offers lower end graphic settings to allow you to play smoothly. The phone has mono speakers which shoot good audio quality, but it gets pitchy on extreme high levels. It's good news that this phone sports a headphone jack because I think you'll use it very often. And if that does not suit you, there's always a wireless option via Bluetooth technology.

The phone has a dual SIM support and can connect to 4G LTE for cellular coverage and data. The fingerprint is also zippy in sensing inputs to make unlocking the phone faster.

Camera

The Xiaomi Redmi 12C is an entry level smartphone, thus it's just fair to say that we could expect less from its camera sensors. But by the looks of it, the sensors perform well compared to its peers. The camera has the capability to intelligently configure shooting scenarios and give the right color treatment to a scene. The phone boasts a 50MP f/1.8 main sensor and a 0.8MP depth sensor. On the front, there's a 5MP selfie camera.

Xiaomi Redmi 12C Review: Camera

The camera takes capable photos in a well-lit environment. Photos offer good color saturation and accuracy. On top of that, there's enough details and contrast. The dynamic range is also okay, and the shutter speed is quite fast. However, the photos tend to be overexposed with too much light reflecting on subjects.

Just like any other entry-level smartphones, the quality drops in lowlight with colors being muted and noise becoming prevalent. On the other hand, the front-facing camera also snaps capable photos for social media use. Check out some of the sample shots we took with the Xiaomi Redmi 12C:

Xiaomi Redmi 12C Review: Sample Photos

Xiaomi Redmi 12C Review: Sample Photos

Xiaomi Redmi 12C Review: Sample Photos

Xiaomi Redmi 12C Review: Sample Photos
Low-light Shot

Xiaomi Redmi 12C Review: Sample Photos

Xiaomi Redmi 12C Review: Sample Photos

Xiaomi Redmi 12C Review: Sample Photos
Sample Selfies

Both cameras can record clips up to 1080p at 30fps.

Software and Battery

The Xiaomi Redmi 12C boots with EMUI 13 based on Android 12. The version of the skin is quite simple and straightforward to use. Apps and icons use flat design; you'll have a choice to use the classic app layout or the app drawer upon setup. I used the former for the purpose of simplicity.

Xiaomi Redmi 12C Review: User Interface

The notification center and control center also have functional layout in the notifications shade. You can edit the control toggles that you want to show in the control center. The overall performance of the interface is smooth and buttery. I never experienced considerable input lags and app crashes.

As for the battery, the Xiaomi Redmi 12C packs 5000 mAh battery. This capacity is becoming a standard for entry-level phones. The battery allows you to use your device for a whole day; the Helio G85 is known to be an efficient processor in the entry-level segment.

Verdict: Should You Buy The Xiaomi Redmi 12C?

The Xiaomi Redmi 12C is a dependable entry-level phone with its convincing feature set and affordable price point. What stood out the most is the large 6.71-inch HD+ screen, 5000 mAh battery, and the capable 50MP camera. My only gripe is the use of microUSB port instead of the now relevant USB-C; Xiaomi could've future-proofed the phone had it used the latter. Despite that, those looking for a value-for-money smartphone would be delighted to have the Xiaomi Redmi 12C on their options.

Buy the Xiaomi Redmi 12C Today

The Redmi 12C starts at Php 5499 for the 3GB + 32GB base model. If you need more RAM and storage, you can opt for the 4GB + 64GB variant (SRP Php 6499) and 4GB + 128GB (SRP Php 7499).

Buyers will get a free Mi Compact Bluetooth Speaker 2 worth Php 599 for every purchase of the Redmi 12C. You can also opt for the 6GB + 128GB at Php 8599 which comes with a free Redmi Buds 3 earbuds. Score great deals when you buy online at Xiaomi's Official Store in Shopee.

Key Specifications:

  • 6.71-inch HD+ IPS LCD display, 500 nits (typ)
  • Mediatek Helio G85 (12nm) SoC
  • 2.0GHz Octa-core processor
  • Mali-G52 MC2 GPU
  • 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM, 4/64GB, 4/128GB
  • Expandable storage
  • 50MP dual rear cameras
  • 5MP front camera
  • 4G LTE
  • Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS, NFC
  • microUSB 2.0
  • MIUI 13, based on Android 12
  • 168.8 x 76.4 x 8.8 mm. 192 grams
  • 5000mAh battery w/ 10W charging
  • Ocean Blue, Graphite Gray, Mint Green, and Lavender Purple
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