Good looks? Check. Slick performance? Check. The realme 12 series ticks the right boxes, but if you’ve been wanting to get all these features at a more affordable price, the new realme 12 5G is the one to check out.
Created as the cut-rate counterpart of the realme 12+ and Pro variants, the realme 12 likewise sports an elegant design with a polished sunburst dial and 3D jubilee bracelet inspired by luxury watches. And similar to its premium siblings, the realme 12 offers competitive features in the mid-level price range, including a 108MP main camera and MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ chipset that supports 5G connectivity.
If you’re wondering how these features fare in daily life, scroll down below and read our experience of the realme 12 when we did a test run of the device for a week.
Design & construction
With just one look at the realme 12, you’d know that the smartphone is made to captivate. It’s a delight to look at when we unboxed it last week (more on that here) and each time after.
Its exterior features take off from the 12+ and 12 Pro+’s cover created by luxury watch designer Ollivier Savéo. The focal point is the circular rear camera module that has a polished sunburst dial and PVD edges. There’s also a 3D jubilee bracelet that runs across the glittery matte cover.
Complementing these luxurious features are the classy color options realme chose for the device. Our test unit comes in Woodland Green, which is a more sophisticated take on the realme 12’s vibrant yet also snazzy Twilight Purple variant.
The phone is easy to hold, with its flat edges and thickness of just 7.69mm. It is also lightweight at 188g, making the device a pleasure to use even for prolonged periods.
Just like the realme 12+ 5G we reviewed last March, the realme 12’s physical buttons are pretty straightforward. At the bottom is a 3.5mm headphone jack, mic, USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer, as well as a speaker grille. At the top edge is the slot for micro and nano SIM cards, plus a secondary audio output.
The left side is free of buttons, while the right has the volume rocker and power switch, which doubles as a responsive fingerprint scanner.
Display & multimedia
realme 12 is equipped with a 6.72-inch flat LCD screen with a 2400×1080 FHD+ resolution. It has vibrant colors and deep blacks and offers a pleasurable viewing experience. The case remains the same when using the phone under direct sunlight, thanks to the feature called Sunlight Mode, which utilizes the phone’s 950nits peak brightness.
Binge-watching shows is likewise seamless because of the display’s 91.4% screen-to-body ratio and 120Hz refresh rate. In fact, our viewing experience was not only enjoyable but also energy-efficient because of the realme 12’s 6-level Dynamic Refresh Rate feature that automatically adjusts the display’s refresh rate to save on power.
Scrolling through social media and switching between apps are also quick and easy because of the realme 12’s high 240Hz touch sampling rate. The device’s display is also certified with IP54 dust and water resistance for added protection.
As for the audio, the realme 12 5G is built with dual speakers—one at the bottom and another on top—to integrate stereo sound. Audio turns out balanced and loud, but quite muffled when coming from the speakers. The same goes when using the realme 12’s Ultra Volume Mode, which pushes the speakers’ volume to 200%.
To better enjoy listening to music or streaming movies, we recommend using your earphones instead.
Camera
In addition to its stunning design, the realme 12 takes pride in its camera system headlined by a 108MP Samsung HM6 sensor which, the brand says, has pixel-binning technology that enables it to capture details no matter the light condition. In addition, the massive shooter is built with 3x in-sensor zoom built to produce clear and “almost true-to-life” photos.
Completing the realme 12’s rear dual-camera setup is a 2MP black & white sensor. As promised, the entire system captures photos in detail and instantly brightens them whether they’re taken in the daytime or in the dark. It likewise produces bright photos in both Photo Mode and Night Mode, which is boosted with a NightEye Engine that helps with balancing shadows and highlights in the dark.
While realme 12’s camera system can brighten photos to a great extent, it also sometimes have a tendency to wash out some colors. We noticed this when taking a snap of a neon pink signage in a well-lighted room. In the photo, the LED sign ended up looking like it was not lit at all.
Another instance was when we took photos of food. Although the colors are bright and the details crisp, the overall outcome still appears flat or dull.
The rear camera system is paired with an 8MP sensor at the front, which, like the device’s main shooter, produces selfies that are vivid and almost blemish-free. They can appear filtered, but not as much compared to previous selfies we’ve taken in other midranger phones.
Speaking of, the realme 12 has a feature called Group Portrait Mode that maximizes the use of the 108MP camera to improve group shots. Based on our test, groufies indeed turn out vivid, with each person’s face captured clearly.
If you want to add cinematic effects to your photos, realme 12 also has Master Portrait Filters the brand created in partnership with Oscar Award winner and photography master Claudio Miranda. These filters, which include Journey, Memory, and Maverick, added drama to our shots without making them look too edited.
Take a look at the photos we took using realme 12’s camera:
When it comes to video, the realme 12 can record up to 1080p @30fps. The device also has a Movie Mode that allows you to shoot pro-level videos by adjusting the parameters of the camera.
Our test showed us that Movie Mode delivers as promised. The standard video mode, meanwhile, captures scenes with clarity but with lackluster audio. It has low volume, with dialogues having some static noise.
Performance & battery
The realme 12 is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ chipset along with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. The eight-core lower mid-range SoC supports 5G connectivity and dual SIM support.
Based on our test, the processor enables the realme 12 to deliver a reliable performance, from scrolling through Facebook posts to binge-watching on Disney+ and playing graphics-intensive games like Asphalt 9. We did experience a few lags, but they are pretty much tolerable.
Because the chipset has 5G connectivity, downloading apps and staying online using mobile data is a breeze.
Another notable feature is the Mini Capsule 2.0, which is a capsule-shaped animation on the front camera notch that displays information including charging and battery status, data usage, and event reminders. It also provides music playback control, which worked well when we listened to music via Bluetooth on car stereo.
The realme 12 is also equipped with Riding Mode, which provides a safer and more convenient riding experience by prioritizing apps like Google Maps, Music, and Google Dialer.
Adding to the comfortable user experience is realme 12’s operating system, which is realme UI 5.0 based on Android 14. It offers a clean and intuitive user interface along with features for enhanced security, personalization, and performance.
These features include Split View for when you are multitasking and need to use two apps at the same time, as well as Smart Sidebar, which gives you quick access to apps or functions with just a tap on the upper right corner of the home screen.
Boosting the realme 12’s performance is its 5000mAh battery. The massive power unit kept our phone running for two days with continuous use of Messenger, one-and-a-half hour streaming of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour film, casual browsing on Google Chrome and Facebook, as well as occasional use of gaming apps and camera.
The smartphone’s 45W SUPERVOOC charger proved to be fast after increasing our device’s status from a mere 3% to 68% in 38 minutes, and a full 100% in an hour.
Speed says
If you’ve been wanting to get the realme 12+ or Pro variants but are strapped for cash, then the recently launched realme 12 5G is the device worth checking out.
Just like its premium siblings, the midrange smartphone has a captivating design inspired by luxury watches and a 6.72-inch display that provides users with a pleasurable viewing experience. Not only that, its MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ chipset allows the device to perform with minimal lags.
While its camera and battery may not be as remarkable as its pricier siblings, the device is still a decent all-rounder, especially for its price of just P14,999. The realme 12 5G available in realme stores and online via Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.
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