The Redmi 12C, an outstanding addition to Xiaomi’s renowned Redmi series, combines affordability with remarkable features. Discover if this budget-friendly smartphone is the ideal choice for you in this review.
Design and Build
The Redmi 12C embraces Xiaomi’s signature design philosophy, featuring a robust plastic build that mimics metal. While it may lack the premium feel of flagship devices, it boasts reliable construction and ergonomic comfort.
A tour of the sides – the volume and power/lock keys are at the right side, the dual SIM and microSD card slot is at the left, and the 3.5mm audio jack is up atop.
The back offers a carbon fiber finish but is mostly polycarbonate and a protruding area at the upper left area has the two cameras, the flash, and a fingerprint scanner.
The front, on the other hand, has the selfie camera and the 6.7-inch display that has a teardrop notch at the top to make way for the camera.
Display
Equipped with a 6.5-inch IPS LCD display sporting a Full HD+ resolution, the Redmi 12C delivers vibrant visuals and reasonably accurate color reproduction. Its size is well-suited for both media consumption and everyday use.
Camera
Featuring a capable dual setup on the rear, comprising a 50MP primary sensor and a VGA camera for depth, the Redmi 12C delivers commendable performance in well-lit conditions with accurate colors. In low-light settings, it exhibits some noise and reduced detail. The 8MP front-facing camera delivers satisfactory selfies. Here are some sample photos and videos taken with the device:
Performance
Powered by the MediaTek Helio G85 processor and complemented by ample RAM and storage options (our unit features 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage), the Redmi 12C ensures smooth performance in routine tasks like web browsing, social media, and casual gaming.
MIUI 13 is also nice here, but it’s still not my cup of tea due to bloatware on the device. A huge kudos, though, for using Google’s own native apps as defaults such as the phone, messages, and Google Chrome at the primary dock.
While it may encounter occasional slowdowns during intensive multitasking or demanding games, it generally meets daily usage demands effectively. With our unit, you have a good amount of space for important apps and a few games, and multitasking oftentimes heats up the upper back of the device. Here are some benchmarks:
- AnTuTu – 250,793
- GeekBench – 410 (Single Core), 1,213 (Multi-core)
- GFXMark – 2,657 (Manhattan), 3,039 (Trex)
The Redmi 12C supports 4G connectivity and includes a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor for efficient biometric authentication. The fingerprint works fast and responds well to unlocking moments when you need it most.
Battery Life
Impressively, the Redmi 12C houses a 5,000mAh battery, a rarity in budget devices. This generous capacity easily sustains a full day of moderate to heavy usage, augmented by efficient power management for dependable battery life. A PCMark Battery test gave the Redmi 12C a 12 hours and 3 minutes score, which should already testify to how good the phone is at giving you juice to last up to a day on a single charge.
Charging is a bit tedious, though, with a micro USB cable and a 10W charging speed. It will take around two hours and 30 minutes to charge this device to full 100%.
