Redmi Note 12 Pro+ brings 200MP to the masses with European launch
Big batteries and MediaTek power for Xiaomi's price-conscious sub brand
Smartphone camera pixel counts have recently gone from single digits to stratospheric figures, with flagship models grabbing most of the headlines – but now Xiaomi sub-brand Redmi is about to give the mid-range some love. The Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is packing a 200MP main camera, yet lands at a price that won’t break the bank. It also brings rapid charging and premium styling, plus a baby brother that’s even more affordable.
The Redmi Note 12 Pro and Note 12 Pro+ actually launched in China back in October ’22, and hit India (one of the firm’s biggest overseas sales successes) in January. This is the first time the rest of the world has had a chance to try them out, which is great seeing how previous Redmi Note models were no strangers to our best mid-range smartphone list. The pair are surprisingly similar, only really differing on the three Cs: Cameras, Charging speed and storage Capacity.
While the Pro+ gets the headline-grabbing 200MP snapper, the Pro makes do with a 50MP unit, although each has phase-detect autofocus and optical image stabilisation. Both have an 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro as backup (the latter signalling their mid-tier status) and a 16MP selfie cam up front.
Performance comes via a MediaTek Dimensity 1080 octa-core CPU, with the Pro starting with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage to the Pro+’s 8GB and 256GB. Both have 12GB/256GB options if you’re feeling flush, though. They’re running Android 12 out of the box, with Xiaomi’s MIUI 14 interface on top.
Each has a 5000mAh battery, with the Pro managing 67W wired top-ups but the Pro+ nearly doubling it with 120W. Wireless charging is off the table, which isn’t too shocking given the price.
They have very similar designs, with glossy, slightly curved rear glass set into a plastic frame and a flat screen up front. Each has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, stereo speakers and even a 3.5mm headphone port. IP53 dust and water resistance isn’t to be sniffed at in a mid-range phone, either. Colour choice is identical, with Polar White, Sky Blue and Midnight Black all on offer.
Both phones have 6.67in OLED screens with 2400×1080 resolutions, 120Hz refresh rates and Dolby Vision HDR support. A peak brightness of 900 nits is promised, which is a good showing for any modern mid-ranger, and both are protected by Gorilla Glass 5.
The Redmi Note 12 Pro and Note 12 Pro+ go on sale this month, directly from the Mi web store. Expect to pay £339 for the Pro with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and £449 for the 8GB/256GB Pro+.
Anyone looking to spend a little less should check out the Redmi Note 12 5G and Redmi Note 12 instead. They swap Dimensity power for a Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 685 respectively, but keep the 5000mAh batteries and 120Hz AMOLED panels. Charging is limited to 33W, and the selfie camera gets swapped to a 13MP sensor.
Both are on sale from the 24th of March, from Amazon, Very, Argos and the Xiaomi store. The Redmi Note 12 5G starts at £279 for a 6GB/128GB model, while the 4GB/128GB Redmi Note 12 lands for £219.
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor