Xiaomi Redmi 12C Smartphone review - Fast, but outdated in some respects

Name: Xiaomi Redmi 12C
Brand: Xiaomi

Questionable Update. The Xiaomi Redmi 10C was able to convince with fast storage and NFC for a cheap price. Now we have the successor, the Redmi 12C, in review. You can find out why it cannot keep up with its predecessor in our test.

Florian Schmitt, 👁 Florian Schmitt, ✓ Anton Avdyushkin (translated by DeepL / Ninh Duy), Published 04/18/2023 🇩🇪 🇸🇪 ...

Android ARM Smartphone

Test device courtesy of cyberport.de

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Xiaomi Redmi 12C (Redmi Series)

Processor

Mediatek Helio G85 8 x 1.8 - 2 GHz, Cortex-A75 / A55

Graphics adapter

ARM Mali-G52 MP2

Memory

4 GB

Display

6.71 inch 20.6:9, 1650 x 720 pixel 268 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, IPS, glossy: yes, 60 Hz

Storage

128 GB eMMC Flash, 128 GB

, 115 GB free

Connections

1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5mm, Card Reader: microSD up to 1 TB, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: accelerometer

Networking

802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.1, 2G (850/900/1800/1900), 3G (B1/B5/B8), 4G (B1/B3/B5/B7/B8/B20/B28/B38/B40/B41), Dual SIM, LTE, GPS

Size

height x width x depth (in mm): 8.8 x 168.8 x 76.4 ( = 0.35 x 6.65 x 3.01 in)

Battery

5000 mAh Lithium-Polymer

Operating System

Android 12

Camera

Primary Camera: 50 MPix f/1.8, phase comparison-AF, LED-flash, Videos @1080p/30fps (Camera 1); 0.1MP (Camera 2)
Secondary Camera: 5 MPix f/2.2, Videos @1080p/30fps

Additional features

Speakers: mono speaker, charger, microUSB cable, SIM tool, 24 Months Warranty, SAR: 0.979W/kg Head, 0.994W/kg Body, UKW radio, fanless

Weight

192 g ( = 6.77 oz / 0.42 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)

Price

200 Euro

Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

see all specifications

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Possible competitors in comparison

Rating	Date	Model	Weight	Drive	Size	Resolution
76.6 %	04/2023	Xiaomi Redmi 12C Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2	192 g	128 GB eMMC Flash	6.71"	1650x720
77.3 %	11/2022	Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2	195 g	64 GB eMMC Flash	6.60"	2408x1080
78.9 %	11/2022	Xiaomi Poco M5 Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2	201 g	128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash	6.58"	2408x1080
76.6 %	07/2022	Xiaomi Redmi 10C SD 680, Adreno 610	190 g	64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash	6.71"	1650x720
79 %	04/2023	Motorola Moto G13 Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2	183.5 g	128 GB eMMC Flash	6.50"	1600x720

Case and equipment - Outdated USB port

Xiaomi's Redmi 12C is an inexpensive smartphone that can be purchased for well under 200 Euros (~$200), depending on the storage configuration.

Xiaomi offers four color options: dark gray, purple, mint green, and blue. The back is made of plastic and has a palpable stripe pattern, like the predecessor Redmi 10C. The camera module is still very bulky, but it has now been partially adapted to the back in terms of color to look more discreet.

The casing's stability is okay, but quiet creaking noises can be heard when twisting. The screen's edges are also a bit sharp.

Three different storage configurations can be found on Xiaomi's website:

3 GB RAM / 32 GB mass storage: 150 Euro
3 GB RAM / 64 GB mass storage: 170 Euro (~$570)
4 GB RAM / 128 GB mass storage: 200 Euro

Thanks to promotional coupons, however, you can get the smartphone cheaper, and the Redmi 12C is also sold with a significant discount on the rest of the Internet.

We do not understand how Xiaomi can install a microUSB port in the Redmi 12C in 2023. We thought that the time of the confusing variety of ports would finally be over, especially since even the Redmi 10C already had a USB-C port.

The microSD card reader can be used in addition to 2 nano-SIMs, though it is not the fastest in the tests with our reference card Angelbird V60.

Size comparison

Xiaomi Redmi 10C Xiaomi Redmi 12C Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F Xiaomi Poco M5 Motorola Moto G13 DIN A6 ❌

SD Card Reader - average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Xiaomi Redmi 10C (Angelbird V60)	34.9 MB/s ∼100% +85%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F (Angelbird V60)	30.6 MB/s ∼88% +62%
Average of class Smartphone (10.9 - 77, n=125, last 2 years)	26.6 MB/s ∼76% +41%
Motorola Moto G13 (Angelbird V60)	25.1 MB/s ∼72% +33%
Xiaomi Poco M5 (Angelbird V60)	24.6 MB/s ∼70% +30%
Xiaomi Redmi 12C (Angelbird V60)	18.9 MB/s ∼54%

Cross Platform Disk Test (CPDT)

Xiaomi Redmi 12C Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø36.5 (23-48)

Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø36.1 (18.4-50)

Xiaomi Poco M5 Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø37.7 (21.8-45.3)

Xiaomi Redmi 10C Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø38.2 (26.4-46.1)

Motorola Moto G13 Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB: Ø37.2 (28.2-49.3)

Xiaomi Redmi 12C Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø70.3 (36.9-77.5)

Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G80, 64 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø72.7 (46.8-80.1)

Xiaomi Poco M5 Mali-G57 MP2, Helio G99, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø76 (40-79.1)

Xiaomi Redmi 10C Adreno 610, SD 680, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø78.7 (28.6-82.6)

Motorola Moto G13 Mali-G52 MP2, Helio G85, 128 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB: Ø76 (18.5-78.8)

Communication, software and operation - Update promise for the software

The WiFi 5 module in the Redmi 12C does a slightly better job than in the predecessor, but it cannot quite keep up with other devices in the price range in terms of receiving speed. This is mainly due to a short drop in the transfer rate, which we can observe again and again at different points even when repeating the test.

The Xiaomi Phone can use 4G as the fastest mobile network and comes with the necessary frequencies for Central Europe. For further trips, you should check in advance which LTE bands you need in the host country and whether the Redmi 12C supports them. The reception quality in the mobile network is decent but cannot keep up with high-end phones.

The software is called MiUI 13, but it is still based on Android 12. The good update promise of 2 Android versions that Xiaomi makes for this phone therefore only extends to Android 14. At least the security patches are renewed quite regularly: every 3 months; they were from March 2023 on our device, which is fairly up-to-date at the time of testing.

The fingerprint sensor is integrated into the camera module on the back. It unlocks the smartphone quite reliably after a short wait. Face recognition is also possible, but it is software-based and thus not as secure.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
Xiaomi Poco M5 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac	370 (332^min - 381^max) MBit/s ∼100% +1%
Motorola Moto G13 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac	370 (349^min - 383^max) MBit/s ∼100% +1%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac	369 (321^min - 376^max) MBit/s ∼100% +1%
Xiaomi Redmi 12C 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac	367 (345^min - 385^max) MBit/s ∼99%
Xiaomi Redmi 10C 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac	315 (269^min - 336^max) MBit/s ∼85% -14%
iperf3 receive AXE11000
Xiaomi Poco M5 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac	356 (333^min - 363^max) MBit/s ∼100% +27%
Motorola Moto G13 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac	340 (311^min - 351^max) MBit/s ∼96% +21%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac	305 (282^min - 324^max) MBit/s ∼86% +9%
Xiaomi Redmi 12C 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac	280 (174^min - 304^max) MBit/s ∼79%
Xiaomi Redmi 10C 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac	222 (194^min - 242^max) MBit/s ∼62% -21%

Xiaomi Redmi 12C; iperf3 receive AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø280 (174-304)

Xiaomi Redmi 12C; iperf3 transmit AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø368 (345-385)

Cameras - The standard sensor of the price range

Like numerous other inexpensive phones, the Redmi 12C uses Samsung's Isocell JN1 as the main camera's image sensor. The additional camera now only has a 0.1-megapixel lens, but it cannot be used to create photos anyway and only provides additional data for portrait mode.

Main camera takes partly blurry pictures, and the brightness also leaves a lot to be desired. This is not only noticed in daylight but also dark lighting conditions and strong contrasts. Bright areas are over-brightened, while dark ones hardly show any pattern in the photo. The camera is also a bit blurry in full studio lighting in the lab, but the contrasts are acceptable here.

The selfie camera is located in a waterdrop notch at the top of the screen. It has a resolution of 5 megapixels. The resulting photos look quite bright at first glance, but they do not show any drawing, especially in dark areas, and the details are rather poor when enlarged.

Overall, the cameras of the Redmi 12C are on par with the competition.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Main camera Main camera LowLight

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Display - More brightness and pixels would have been nice

Xiaomi would have had a chance to stand out with the screen: Full HD screens are definitely possible in this price range, like the Galaxy A13 4G or the Poco M5, or very bright screens like in the Moto G13.

However, the manufacturer does without that and installs a 720p screen with a brightness that is even below 400 cd/m² on average in our tests. Thus it is often difficult to see anything on the screen outdoors or in bright rooms.

We did not notice PWM, but a visible color cast into purple in the grayscale. Overall, the screen's color accuracy is okay.


410 cd/m²	394 cd/m²	409 cd/m²
375 cd/m²	417 cd/m²	402 cd/m²
356 cd/m²	420 cd/m²	391 cd/m²

Distribution of brightness

X-Rite i1Pro 2

Maximum: 420 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 397.1 cd/m² Minimum: 1.9 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 417 cd/m²
Contrast: 1191:1 (Black: 0.35 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.81 | 0.55-29.43 Ø5.2
ΔE Greyscale 5.2 | 0.57-98 Ø5.4
96.1% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.531

	Xiaomi Redmi 12C IPS, 1650x720, 6.71	Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F PLS, 2408x1080, 6.60	Xiaomi Poco M5 IPS, 2408x1080, 6.58	Xiaomi Redmi 10C IPS, 1650x720, 6.71	Motorola Moto G13 IPS, 1600x720, 6.50
Response Times		-19%	19%	17%	-30%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *	49.5 ?(29.5, 20)	39 ?(13, 16) 21%	33 ?(18, 15) 33%	33 ?(17, 16) 33%	48.5 ?(27.1, 21.4) 2%
Response Time Black / White *	20.9 ?(11.2, 9.7)	33 ?(15, 18) -58%	20 ?(11, 9) 4%	21 ?(9, 12) -0%	33.8 ?(15.4, 18.4) -62%
PWM Frequency
Screen		7%	33%	24%	11%
Brightness middle	417	492 18%	400 -4%	511 23%	555 33%
Brightness	397	453 14%	396 0%	478 20%	553 39%
Brightness Distribution	85	87 2%	96 13%	84 -1%	93 9%
Black Level *	0.35	0.37 -6%	0.27 23%	0.42 -20%	0.29 17%
Contrast	1191	1330 12%	1481 24%	1217 2%	1914 61%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *	3.81	4.34 -14%	1.26 67%	1.51 60%	5.17 -36%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *	7.2	5.94 17%	2.45 66%	2.53 65%	10.61 -47%
Greyscale dE 2000 *	5.2	4.7 10%	1.5 71%	2.9 44%	4.5 13%
Gamma	2.531 ^87%	2.398 ^92%	2.298 ^96%	2.266 ^97%	2.131 ^103%
CCT	7842 ^83%	7668 ^85%	6658 ^98%	6443 ^101%	7380 ^88%
Total Average (Program / Settings)		-6% / 2%	26% / 30%	21% / 23%	-10% / 3%

* ... smaller is better

Display Response Times

ℹ

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.

↔ Response Time Black to White
20.9 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined	↗ 11.2 ms rise
20.9 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined	↘ 9.7 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 37 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (22.3 ms).
↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
49.5 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined	↗ 29.5 ms rise
49.5 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined	↘ 20 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.25 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 83 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (35.1 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

ℹ

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.

Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18925 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Performance, emissions and battery life - Good performance, good stamina

With the Helio G85 from MediaTek, a former mid-range SoC now also arrives in phones of the lower price regions. Thus, the Redmi 12C actually proves to be much stronger than the Redmi 10C. The Xiaomi phone also offers a lot of power in direct comparison with other inexpensive phones.

It runs quite smoothly in most apps in everyday use. You only experience performance problems when you want to run several programs simultaneously or install very complex apps. However, you have to make do with the slow eMMC flash, which makes loading times and data transfers a bit longer.

The phone heats up to 44.7 °C at room temperature with the heavy load. This means temperature could increase even more on hot days and become unpleasant. However, strong heat development does not affect the performance: the phone hardly shows any losses in the 3DMark stress test.

Small speaker on the lower edge does a pretty good job: it does not distort even at maximum volume, reproduces voices well, and only sounds slightly muffled. Of course, you should not expect a hi-fi sound. External speakers or headphones, which can be connected via a 3.5 mm jack or Bluetooth, are needed for better quality. The phone supports many Bluetooth codecs, including up-to-date ones like aptX TWS+ or LHDC v3/v4.

The 5,000 mAh battery has remained, but Xiaomi has shortened the charging power to 10 watts, while on the Redmi 10C, 18 watts were still possible. The runtimes have improved slightly and are now 15:33 hours in our Wi-Fi test. The smartphone cannot keep up with the Moto G13, but it still delivers very good runtimes for its price range.

Geekbench 6 | PCMark for Android | 3DMark | GFXBench | Octane V2

Geekbench 6
Single-Core
Average of class Smartphone (188 - 2531, n=40, last 2 years)	1260 Points ∼100% +198%
Motorola Moto G13 Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	429 Points ∼34% +1%
Xiaomi Redmi 12C Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	423 Points ∼34%
Average Mediatek Helio G85 (408 - 429, n=3)	420 Points ∼33% -1%
Multi-Core
Average of class Smartphone (512 - 6460, n=40, last 2 years)	3374 Points ∼100% +157%
Motorola Moto G13 Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	1442 Points ∼43% +10%
Average Mediatek Helio G85 (1315 - 1442, n=3)	1375 Points ∼41% +5%
Xiaomi Redmi 12C Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	1315 Points ∼39%

PCMark for Android - Work 3.0
Average of class Smartphone (4780 - 28378, n=228, last 2 years)	10651 Points ∼100% +26%
Xiaomi Poco M5 Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096	9587 Points ∼90% +13%
Xiaomi Redmi 12C Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	8450 Points ∼79%
Motorola Moto G13 Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	8214 Points ∼77% -3%
Average Mediatek Helio G85 (6596 - 8672, n=9)	7714 Points ∼72% -9%
Xiaomi Redmi 10C Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096	5884 Points ∼55% -30%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	5589 Points ∼52% -34%

3DMark
Wild Life Score
Average of class Smartphone (370 - 10062, n=179, last 2 years)	3036 Points ∼100% +314%
Xiaomi Poco M5 Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096	1205 Points ∼40% +64%
Motorola Moto G13 Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	744 Points ∼25% +2%
Xiaomi Redmi 12C Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	733 Points ∼24%
Average Mediatek Helio G85 (706 - 761, n=11)	731 Points ∼24% 0%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	682 Points ∼22% -7%
Xiaomi Redmi 10C Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096	450 Points ∼15% -39%
Wild Life Unlimited Score
Average of class Smartphone (366 - 14566, n=216, last 2 years)	4677 Points ∼100% +536%
Xiaomi Poco M5 Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096	1155 Points ∼25% +57%
Motorola Moto G13 Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	748 Points ∼16% +2%
Xiaomi Redmi 12C Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	735 Points ∼16%
Average Mediatek Helio G85 (698 - 757, n=11)	729 Points ∼16% -1%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	682 Points ∼15% -7%
Xiaomi Redmi 10C Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096	438 Points ∼9% -40%
Wild Life Extreme
Average of class Smartphone (22 - 3877, n=219, last 2 years)	1258 Points ∼100% +569%
Xiaomi Poco M5 Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096	342 Points ∼27% +82%
Motorola Moto G13 Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	190 Points ∼15% +1%
Xiaomi Redmi 12C Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	188 Points ∼15%
Average Mediatek Helio G85 (181 - 193, n=10)	185.8 Points ∼15% -1%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	171 Points ∼14% -9%
Xiaomi Redmi 10C Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096	122 Points ∼10% -35%
Wild Life Extreme Unlimited
Average of class Smartphone (101 - 3792, n=212, last 2 years)	1252 Points ∼100% +573%
Xiaomi Poco M5 Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096	323 Points ∼26% +74%
Motorola Moto G13 Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	187 Points ∼15% +1%
Xiaomi Redmi 12C Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	186 Points ∼15%
Average Mediatek Helio G85 (178 - 191, n=10)	183.8 Points ∼15% -1%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	171 Points ∼14% -8%
Xiaomi Redmi 10C Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096	122 Points ∼10% -34%

GFXBench
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen
Average of class Smartphone (3.6 - 123, n=240, last 2 years)	37.5 fps ∼100% +121%
Xiaomi Redmi 10C Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096	17 fps ∼45% 0%
Xiaomi Redmi 12C Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	17 fps ∼45%
Xiaomi Poco M5 Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096	14 fps ∼37% -18%
Motorola Moto G13 Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	12 fps ∼32% -29%
Average Mediatek Helio G85 (7.5 - 22, n=12)	11.9 fps ∼32% -30%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	8.1 fps ∼22% -52%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen
Average of class Smartphone (1.9 - 175, n=241, last 2 years)	48.8 fps ∼100% +414%
Xiaomi Poco M5 Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096	16 fps ∼33% +68%
Xiaomi Redmi 10C Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096	9.5 fps ∼19% 0%
Xiaomi Redmi 12C Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	9.5 fps ∼19%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	9.2 fps ∼19% -3%
Average Mediatek Helio G85 (8 - 9.7, n=12)	9.15 fps ∼19% -4%
Motorola Moto G13 Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	8.8 fps ∼18% -7%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen
Average of class Smartphone (2.8 - 100, n=241, last 2 years)	26.8 fps ∼100% +188%
Xiaomi Redmi 10C Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096	10 fps ∼37% +8%
Xiaomi Redmi 12C Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	9.3 fps ∼35%
Xiaomi Poco M5 Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096	8.8 fps ∼33% -5%
Average Mediatek Helio G85 (5 - 13, n=12)	7.82 fps ∼29% -16%
Motorola Moto G13 Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	7.7 fps ∼29% -17%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	5.1 fps ∼19% -45%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
Average of class Smartphone (0.85 - 68, n=241, last 2 years)	18.9 fps ∼100% +440%
Xiaomi Poco M5 Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096	5.8 fps ∼31% +66%
Xiaomi Redmi 12C Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	3.5 fps ∼19%
Average Mediatek Helio G85 (3.1 - 3.5, n=12)	3.38 fps ∼18% -3%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	3.3 fps ∼17% -6%
Motorola Moto G13 Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	3.3 fps ∼17% -6%
Xiaomi Redmi 10C Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096	3.2 fps ∼17% -9%
3840x2160 4K Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen
Average of class Smartphone (0.38 - 31, n=122, last 2 years)	10.5 fps ∼100% +600%
Xiaomi Poco M5 Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096	2.5 fps ∼24% +67%
Xiaomi Redmi 12C Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	1.5 fps ∼14%
Motorola Moto G13 Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	1.5 fps ∼14% 0%
Average Mediatek Helio G85 (1.4 - 1.5, n=5)	1.48 fps ∼14% -1%
Xiaomi Redmi 10C Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Adreno 610, 4096	1.4 fps ∼13% -7%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	1.4 fps ∼13% -7%

Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 74261, n=193, last 2 years)	29582 Points ∼100% +159%
Xiaomi Poco M5 Mediatek Helio G99, Mali-G57 MP2, 4096	17228 Points ∼58% +51%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F Mediatek Helio G80, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	12253 Points ∼41% +7%
Motorola Moto G13 Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	12107 Points ∼41% +6%
Average Mediatek Helio G85 (10299 - 13252, n=9)	12028 Points ∼41% +5%
Xiaomi Redmi 12C Mediatek Helio G85, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096	11406 Points ∼39%

	Xiaomi Redmi 12C	Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F	Xiaomi Poco M5	Xiaomi Redmi 10C	Motorola Moto G13	Average 128 GB eMMC Flash	Average of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5		-15%	188%	103%	-7%	-25%	174%
Sequential Read 256KB	290.6	300.6 3%	976.4 236%	927.7 219%	281.1 -3%	289 ?(106.7 - 511, n=59) -1%	1183 ?(215 - 4512, n=234, last 2 years) 307%
Sequential Write 256KB	225.1	230.3 2%	870.7 287%	510.2 127%	244.7 9%	193.5 ?(90 - 314, n=59) -14%	743 ?(13.6 - 3062, n=234, last 2 years) 230%
Random Read 4KB	112.9	94.5 -16%	247.6 119%	120.2 6%	99.4 -12%	82.7 ?(10.1 - 247, n=59) -27%	208 ?(22.2 - 543, n=234, last 2 years) 84%
Random Write 4KB	123.7	61.5 -50%	257.8 108%	195.2 58%	94.9 -23%	53 ?(5.3 - 159.9, n=59) -57%	217 ?(13 - 572, n=235, last 2 years) 75%

Temperature

Max. Load

Idle


44.7 °C 112 F	36.9 °C 98 F	34.7 °C 94 F
43.6 °C 110 F	37.2 °C 99 F	35.5 °C 96 F
42.1 °C 108 F	36.4 °C 98 F	34.4 °C 94 F

Maximum: 44.7 °C = 112 F
Average: 38.4 °C = 101 F


33.2 °C 92 F	38.1 °C 101 F	43.3 °C 110 F
33.8 °C 93 F	38.6 °C 101 F	43 °C 109 F
34.7 °C 94 F	39.1 °C 102 F	44.5 °C 112 F

Maximum: 44.5 °C = 112 F
Average: 38.7 °C = 102 F

Power Supply (max.) 41.3 °C = 106 F | Room Temperature 22 °C = 72 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated), Voltcraft IR-260

(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 38.4 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 32.6 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 44.7 °C / 112 F, compared to the average of 34.9 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 52.9 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 44.5 °C / 112 F, compared to the average of 33.7 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 25.7 °C / 78 F, compared to the device average of 32.6 °C / 91 F.

3DMark
Wild Life Extreme Stress Test
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F	98.2 (1.037^min - 1.056^max) % ∼100%
Xiaomi Poco M5	97.8 (2.02^min - 2.07^max) % ∼100%
Wild Life Stress Test Stability
Xiaomi Redmi 12C	98.8 (4.4^min - 4.46^max) % ∼100%
Xiaomi Poco M5	98.7 (7.37^min - 7.47^max) % ∼100% 0%
Motorola Moto G13	98.6 (4.46^min - 4.52^max) % ∼100% 0%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F	97.9 (4.05^min - 4.14^max) % ∼99% -1%

Legend

Xiaomi Redmi 12C Mediatek Helio G85, ARM Mali-G52 MP2, 128 GB eMMC Flash

Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F Mediatek Helio G80, ARM Mali-G52 MP2, 64 GB eMMC Flash

Xiaomi Poco M5 Mediatek Helio G99, ARM Mali-G57 MP2, 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash

Xiaomi Redmi 10C Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G, Qualcomm Adreno 610, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash

Motorola Moto G13 Mediatek Helio G85, ARM Mali-G52 MP2, 128 GB eMMC Flash

Speaker

Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)

Xiaomi Redmi 12C audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (79.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 31% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.3% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.8% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (22.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 50% of all tested devices in this class were better, 11% similar, 38% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 23%, worst was 65%
Compared to all devices tested
» 70% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 24% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%

Motorola Moto G13 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 27.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.5% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.1% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 33% of all tested devices in this class were better, 12% similar, 56% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 23%, worst was 65%
Compared to all devices tested
» 57% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 35% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%

Battery life

Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Motorola Moto G13 5000 mAh	1115 min ∼42% +20%
Xiaomi Redmi 12C 5000 mAh	933 min ∼35%
Xiaomi Poco M5 5000 mAh	916 min ∼35% -2%
Xiaomi Redmi 10C 5000 mAh	908 min ∼34% -3%
Samsung Galaxy A13 4G A137F 5000 mAh	896 min ∼34% -4%
Average of class Smartphone (424 - 1252, n=241, last 2 years)	887 min ∼34% -5%

Battery Runtime


WiFi Websurfing		15h 33min

Pros

+ update promise for the OS

+ long runtimes

+ decent speaker

+ many Bluetooth codecs

+ lots of memory on demand

+ reliable fingerprint sensor

+ no PWM

+ NFC available

Cons

- dark screen

- strong heating under load

- outdated micro-USB port

- comparatively slow memory

Verdict - Xiaomi takes a step backwards

In review: Xiaomi Redmi 12C. Test device provided by:

Xiaomi renews its budget phone with the Redmi 12C, but cuts some corners: with slower storage, longer charging times, and a microUSB port (!), the Redmi 12C falls behind its predecessor, but also other smartphones in its price range.

Why Xiaomi made this decision is a good question. Perhaps it is based on the fact that customers who buy a smartphone in this price range are not very interested in technical details and hardly compare the device with other phones. However, it is a shame because the Redmi 10C was a step in the right direction, whereas the Redmi 12C looks like a clear step backwards.

Apart from that, the screen could be brighter and strong heating under high load has to be expected as well. However, the performance rates are appropriate for a device in this price range, and the battery runtimes of over 15 hours in our Wi-Fi test are also convincing. The smartphone also comes with a lot of storage on request.

The Redmi 12C offers decent performance rates, good runtimes, and NFC at a relatively low price, but there are strong alternatives.

The predecessor Redmi 10C is now available with a generous 128 GB of storage for little money, for example, for just under 150 Euros at notebooksbilliger.de. We also liked the Motorola Moto G13, although the update supply is unclear.

Price and availability

The Redmi 12C costs between 150 and 200 Euros at the time of testing directly from the manufacturer depending on the memory configuration. Discounts are also available here from time to time.

However, the Redmi 12C is available for much less at other online retailers: for example, the 32 GB version is available at amazon.de for just under 125 Euros. The 64 GB version costs only 5 Euros more at amazon.de.

The 128 GB version is already available for 137 Euros at amazon.de, while our lender cyberport.de charges just under 160 Euros.

Xiaomi Redmi 12C - 2023-04-15 04/15/2023 v7
Florian Schmitt

Chassis

81%

Keyboard

65 / 75 → 87%

Pointing Device

86%

Connectivity

44 / 70 → 62%

Weight

89%

Battery

91%

Display

85%

Games Performance

15 / 64 → 24%

Application Performance

66 / 86 → 77%

Temperature

88%

Noise

100%

Audio

66 / 90 → 73%

Camera

51%

Average

71%

77%

Smartphone - Weighted Average

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Editor of the original article: Florian Schmitt - Managing Editor Mobile - 1029 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2009

I initially wrote about gaming laptops when I joined Notebookcheck in 2009. I was then involved with the setup of the comparison portal Notebookinfo and worked with social media concepts for large companies like BMW and Adidas, while also returning to work for Notebookcheck in 2012. Nowadays, I focus on smartphones, tablets, and future technologies. Since 2018 I have been Managing Editor for mobile device reviews, working alongside my colleague Daniel Schmidt.

contact me via: @FloSchmi26, LinkedIn, Xing

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> Notebook / Laptop Reviews and News > Reviews > Xiaomi Redmi 12C Smartphone review - Fast, but outdated in some respects

Florian Schmitt, 2023-04-18 (Update: 2023-04-18)

Xiaomi Redmi 12C Smartphone review - Fast, but outdated in some respects

Possible competitors in comparison

Case and equipment - Outdated USB port

Size comparison

Cross Platform Disk Test (CPDT)

Communication, software and operation - Update promise for the software

Cameras - The standard sensor of the price range

Display - More brightness and pixels would have been nice

Display Response Times

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

Performance, emissions and battery life - Good performance, good stamina

Temperature

Speaker

Xiaomi Redmi 12C audio analysis

Motorola Moto G13 audio analysis

Battery life

Pros

Cons

Verdict - Xiaomi takes a step backwards

Price and availability

More articles related to this device

Transparency

Pricecompare