Xiaomi launches its Redmi Note 12 series in South Africa, starting at R5,500

Earlier tonight, Xiaomi unveiled three of its Redmi Note 12 devices launching in South Africa – the Redmi Note 12, Redmi Note 12 Pro, and Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G. While they are priced differently – we’ll get to that later – the three share many of the same specs. But they also differ in a few key areas.

Xiaomi brings 200 megapixels to the masses

The highlight of the three new devices – and the feature Xiaomi chose to focus on – is the 200MP main camera sensor in the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G. It might not be the first smartphone to feature a 200MP sensor, nor is it the first to reach South Africa. That award belongs to the Xiaomi 12T Pro, launched last year.

Yet, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and its 200MP sensor are still ‘Note’-worthy for one simple reason – it costs significantly less than any other 200MP-sporting smartphone in South Africa. Staying with cameras, in the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ you also get an 8MP ultrawide sensor and a 2MP macro shooter.

The middle child, the Redmi Note 12 Pro, sports a respectable 108MP main sensor along with an 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro lens. Xiaomi has also thrown a 2MP depth sensor in with that lot.

It might lack any extra descriptors on the end of its name but the base model Redmi Note 12 still offers a 50MP main camera, with an 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro sensor for support.

For video calling and selfie-snapping, there’s a 16MP sensor in the Note 12 Pro and Pro+ and a 13MP sensor in the base Note 12.

Return of a midrange champ?

Flipping all three over, you’re met with three slightly different, yet eerily similar 6.67in displays. All three share the same 1,080 x 2,400 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. Those specs might be expected in the Note 12 Pro+’s price bracket, but are less common in devices similarly priced to the Note 12. Other manufacturers should take note.

The Redmi Note 12 Pro+’s display also features Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support. The Note 12 Pro keeps Dolby Vision but drops HDR10+ and the Note 12 ditches both HDR formats.

Inside, the Note 12 Pro+ is packing a Dimensity 1080 5G chipset from MediaTek. The model shipping to South Africa will pair that with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of non-expandable storage. The Note 12 Pro swaps out the MediaTek chipset for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 732G. Here, you’re getting 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage which can be expanded via the shared SIM slot. In the base Redmi Note 12, there is a Snapdragon 685 chipset with 4GB of RAM and another 128GB of storage along with a dedicated microSDXC slot.

On the connectivity front, the Note 12 and 12 Pro use the older WiFi 5 standard and lack any 5G support. If 5G is a necessity for you, you’ll want the 12 Pro+. Along with 5G, you’ll also get the faster WiFi 6 standard.

There is a sizeable 5,000mAh battery in all three devices, although each support different charging speeds. The Note 12 Pro+ gets Xiaomi’s insanely fast 120W HyperCharge technology. The company was even kind enough to include the proper charger in the box. This will supposedly result in a full charge in just 19 minutes.

The Note 12 Pro can’t charge quite as fast as that, but 67W is still faster than most of the competition. The same can’t really be said for the base Note 12 and its 33W charging.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, are the local prices which might vary slightly depending on where you get yours. The Redmi Note 12 should set you back R5,500, the Redmi Note 12 Pro should cost R7,500, and the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ should set you back R12,000. If cash deals aren’t your thing, MTN and Vodacom will also offer the trio in prepaid contracts.

Right at the end, Xiaomi couldn’t help but mention a few of their other products, in case you forgot they exist.