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Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G: An Enigmatic Xiaomi Model, with Camera Hardware Specs Slightly Dominating its Pricier 5G Counterpart.
Xiaomi recently unveiled a new variant within the Redmi Note 12 series. This new smartphone is dubbed Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G, a version that could be seen as a scaled-down iteration of the recently launched Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G back in April.
Considered somewhat of an intriguing smartphone by Xiaomi, it's equipped with features that may seem somewhat puzzling, such as the Snapdragon 732G chip and 2020's Android 11. Nevertheless, other specs of this device are rather appealing, notably the 120Hz AMOLED display, 108MP camera, and a 5000mAh battery paired with 67W fast charging.
Xiaomi officially markets the Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G in Vietnam with prices starting from 7.19 million VND for the 8GB/128GB variant. At Mytour, the Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G with the 8GB/256GB configuration is priced at 7.99 million VND, accompanied by numerous gifts during the launch phase.
Being a scaled-down version of the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G, the 4G variant shares quite a similar appearance with its 'big brother.' The device features a square plastic frame and a back panel finished with frosted glass. The version discussed in this article is the gray variant. Additionally, the device is available in additional color options such as dark blue, light blue, and white.
The device still comes with all accessories such as the 67W fast charger, USB-C charging cable, and transparent silicone case similar to other Xiaomi phones.
Xiaomi equips the Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G with a 6.67-inch display, using an AMOLED panel with FHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate. This display supports Dolby Vision, with a maximum brightness of 1100 nits. The display quality is quite similar to the 5G version, catering well to user needs, from entertainment, web browsing, to watching movies.
The display of the Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G is flat, adopting a 'hole-punch' design with a 16MP selfie camera placed in the middle of the top bezel. Unfortunately, although this display uses an AMOLED panel, it is not equipped with an in-display fingerprint sensor; instead, it has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button.
On the rear, the Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G stands out with its main camera system consisting of four lenses arranged in a rectangular module in the top left corner, including: a 108MP wide-angle camera using Samsung sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a duo of 2MP supporting cameras. The camera quality is sufficient, meeting daily usage needs such as taking check-in photos, recording video for social media stories.
Notably, the elder sibling, Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G, is even equipped with only a 50MP main camera. Xiaomi has been quite thoughtful in allowing users to choose between a device with powerful performance and the latest connectivity or a device with balanced specifications but better photography capabilities.
As mentioned, the frame of the Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G is finished with glossy plastic, housing physical buttons and ports. The device still retains the 3.5mm headphone jack and the infrared 'magic eye' used to control home appliances, a feature that hardly any smartphone on the market except Xiaomi's devices still keeps.
Regarding performance, as previously mentioned, the Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G is equipped with the Snapdragon 732G chip from 2020. This chip is now almost 3 years old. In 2021, it was a popular choice among gamers due to its performance-to-cost ratio. Xiaomi also had the POCO X3 NFC equipped with this chip, launched in 2020 and also well received by many users. In 2023, the Snapdragon 732G still performs reasonably well, with an AnTuTu score of over 350,000 points, placing it between the Snapdragon 685 and 695 5G.
Mytour will soon have a performance review of the Snapdragon 732G chip in 2023 to see if users can still smoothly play popular games with a 3-year-old chip.
The Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G uses the MIUI 13 user interface, built on a version of... Android 11. Despite not being updated to the latest Android versions, Xiaomi has provided quite a comprehensive set of features in MIUI 13. Users can expect this device to be upgraded to MIUI 14 with even more features in the future.
This device packs a 5000mAh battery, enough for comfortable usage throughout the day, and also supports 67W Turbo Charge for quickly replenishing the battery.
In Vietnam, the Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G is available in two memory configurations: 8GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB, priced at 7.19 million VND and 7.99 million VND respectively.
Read more: Hands-on with Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G: Premium design, high-quality camera, Dimensity 1080 chip, priced at 9.49 million VND
