Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G has all the super specs of a flagship smartphone without the high price tag

Xiaomi announces their Redmi Note 12 series of smartphones, with the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G ($469) and Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G ($569) available in Singapore from 13 May 2023.

We got our hands on a review set of the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G in Polar White, and had fun testing out its camera system. This smartphone has all the souped-up specs of a high-end flagship model, including a 200MP main camera, with ultra-wide and macro lenses, a 120Hz AMOLED display, fast charging with 120W HyperCharge, and Dolby Vision (for brighter and sharper videos) and Dolby Atmos (the first time on a Redmi Note) — all at an upper mid-range price of $569.

Above: the redmi note 12 pro+ 5g in polar white.

We do like the phone’s clean, minimalistic look, and it’s even sleeker in the Polar White variant that we have. Also, the camera lenses are housed in a metal module (the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G’s lenses are in a plastic module), which feels and looks premium.

The large 5000mAh battery gives and impressive 149 hours of music, 19 hours of video, 39 hours of calls and 9.6 hours of gaming.

Above: the 200mp main camera lens on the redmi note 12 pro+ 5g.

The Flow AMOLED display is not as bright as traditional AMOLED glass screens but the difference is not obvious to most users (about 100-200 nits), but the benefit is that the screen is more resistant to shocks and cracks, and won’t break as easily.

The camera system is where you’ll have the most fun — especially with the seven film camera filters. Here are some examples we took:

Above: out cycling, with the kp160 (kodak portra160) filter.

Above: backlane, with the kodachrome 64 filter.

Above: no bicycle sign, with THe h-400 (hitchcock 400) black & white filter.

Above: walking path, with the kg200 (kodak gold200) filter.

Above: reflections at night, with the c-50D (cinestill 50d) filter.

If you’re a photo enthusiast and want the performance of a high-end smartphone, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G will give you value for your money. It’s a flagship-level smartphone without the premium price, and has the sleek looks of a designer phone. If you can live with less impressive specs, check out the Redmi Note 12 ($269) or Redmi Note 12 5G ($369).