Xiaomi Redmi Be aware 12 Professional 5G vs Be aware 12 Professional Plus 5G: What's the distinction?

Xiaomi has introduced the most recent replace to its budget-focused Redmi line, the Redmi Be aware 12 collection, comprised of the Redmi Be aware 12 5G, 12 Professional 5G and 12 Professional Plus 5G.

Whereas the Xiaomi Redmi Be aware 12 is a tempting budget-focused smartphone, what’s the distinction between the 2 extra barely premium variants? The 2 look near-identical with the identical normal design, similar color choices, similar show and even the identical processor, however there are key variations between the 2 that might push you in direction of one or the opposite.

Let’s break down the important thing variations between the Xiaomi Redmi Be aware 12 Professional and the Xiaomi Redmi Be aware 12 Professional Plus.

Worth   

The value is likely one of the greatest key variations between the 2 smartphones. The Xiaomi Redmi Be aware 12 Professional 5G is available in at £339/€399, whereas the Plus version is costlier at £449/€499

Design & display

You would possibly wrestle to discover a distinction not solely between the Xiaomi Redmi Be aware 12 Professional 5G and its Professional Plus variant however the telephones’ predecessors too. That’s to say that the telephones not solely look near-identical to one another, however final yr’s Be aware 11 Professional and Professional Plus handsets too.

Actually, one of many solely variations is the curvature. Whereas the Professional mannequin is totally flat on the rear, the Professional Plus has a slight curvature to the rear that helps it sit extra comfortably within the hand. 

That being stated, each the Redmi Be aware 12 Professional and Professional Plus each look pretty good, particularly on the funds finish of the market the place issues can start to feel and look actually low cost actually shortly. 

Each sport the identical mixture of a plastic body and a plastic rear, none of which is a shock on the value level. Some might scoff at using plastic, and whereas I do agree that it doesn’t really feel as premium as glass-backed alternate options, the trade-off in sturdiness is welcome. You may be assured within the information that the rear panel gained’t shatter if you drop it – it shouldn’t, anyway.

Each additionally supply the identical stage of safety, sporting Corning’s high-end (however not most up-to-date) Gorilla Glass 5 show safety and IP53 mud and splash resistance. They gained’t survive a dunk within the water, then, however you need to be advantageous utilizing them within the rain. 

The similarities don’t finish there both; each can be found in the identical Midnight Black, Polar White and Sky Blue color choices, and each sport the identical 6.67-inch AMOLED show too.

It’s good to see AMOLED at such an affordable value level, particularly a panel that may go as excessive as 120Hz. The excessive refresh price will little doubt make issues really feel smoother and extra responsive, a plus when paired with a distinctly mid-range chipset. Each additionally sport Dolby Imaginative and prescient and Dolby Atmos help, so you actually aren’t dropping out on a lot within the show division if you happen to go for the cheaper Professional mannequin. 

The one notable variations between the 2 are the load and dimensions. Regardless of the similarities on supply, the Be aware 12 Professional is each lighter and thinner than its Professional Plus variant, measuring in at 187g and seven.9mm in comparison with 211g and eight.9mm. 

Cameras

The 2 telephones could also be very related by way of design and display tech, however issues start to vary in the case of the digicam division. 

The Redmi Be aware 12 Professional 5G sports activities a 50MP broad digicam with pretty respectable specs together with OIS, a reasonably broad f/1.88 aperture and 2um pixel measurement when utilizing the built-in pixel binning tech. 

It could seem to be a downgrade on paper in comparison with final yr’s 108MP snapper within the Be aware 11 Professional, however the IMX766 sensor used within the newer mannequin is alleged to carry out higher. It was the digicam of selection amongst flagships just like the OnePlus 10T in 2022, so there’s definitely promise there.

That’s coupled with an 8MP ultra-wide and a 2MP macro digicam, the latter of which is able to seemingly be disappointing like with nearly each different 2MP fixed-focus macro lens on funds and mid-range choices. 

Whereas that’s adequate, the Redmi Be aware 12 Professional Plus kicks issues up a notch with the inclusion of an upgraded 200MP predominant sensor, full with OIS, a wider f/1.65 aperture and a pair of.24um pixel measurement when utilizing the built-in 16-in-1 pixel binning tech. It additionally makes use of ALD (atomic layer deposition) tech that Xiaomi says permits for higher picture efficiency in complicated lighting situations. 

Don’t count on the identical form of outcomes as you’ll get from the top-end Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely as there’s extra to digicam efficiency than a megapixel rely, however it does look pretty succesful – particularly at such an affordable value level. 

Just like the Professional mannequin, the Professional Plus is flanked by an 8MP ultra-wide and a 2MP macro lens, with each fashions sporting a 16MP front-facing digicam. 

Efficiency

Relating to efficiency, each smartphones ought to be pretty evenly matched with the inclusion of the identical MediaTek Dimensity 1080, although the Professional Plus mannequin may eke out barely higher benchmark scores with 8GB as customary, in comparison with the 6- or 8GB from the Be aware 12 relying on the storage variant you go for.

That stated, the 6nm chipset isn’t precisely the most recent and best, even by MediaTek’s requirements. The chipset first got here out in late 2022, and whereas efficiency is prone to be advantageous, it could wrestle in opposition to newer, extra environment friendly chips like Samsung’s 5nm Exynos 1380 discovered inside its £449 Samsung Galaxy A54. 

Actually, it’s the identical chipset present in Samsung’s barely lower-specced £349 Galaxy A34 – although contemplating a budget value of Xiaomi’s choices, that’s probably not a foul factor.

That’s paired with both 128GB or 256GB of storage from the Be aware 12, whereas the Plus mannequin comes with 256GB as customary. Each additionally profit from twin 5G, Wi-Fi 6, NFC, an IR blaster and even a 3.5mm headphone jack. 

Software program is a bit more disappointing, delivery with the older Android 12 in place on Android 13 discovered on many mid-rangers, and to make issues worse, it makes use of Xiaomi’s MIUI 14 pores and skin. It’s a pores and skin that’s extra marmite-like than most others, with some options which might be painfully iOS-like, together with the break up notification shade and fast controls.

Each fashions sport the identical 5,000mAh battery that ought to comfortably present all-day utilization, particularly when solely powering an FHD+ show, however cost instances differ between the 2 – and slightly dramatically, at that.

You see, whereas the 2 are usually equally specced, charging is one other key space the place the top-end Be aware 12 Professional Plus has the sting. 

The Redmi Be aware 12 Professional boasts spectacular 67W quick charging tech that Xiaomi claims can get sufficient juice for a full day’s utilization in simply quarter-hour, although that’s not a full cost. I’d think about it’d take nearer to an hour for a full cost, however I’ll should put that to the check within the coming days.

The Redmi Be aware 12 Professional Plus, alternatively, boasts the identical fast 120W HyperCharge tech because the flagship Xiaomi 13 Professional. Having used the Xiaomi 13 Professional lately, I can attest to the spectacular cost instances of that smartphone, and it ought to be no totally different right here. 

Xiaomi claims a full cost in simply 19 minutes, and that sounds about proper given my expertise, although I’ll confirm it with benchmarks within the coming days. 

Early ideas

Each the Xiaomi Redmi Be aware 12 Professional 5G and 12 Professional Plus 5G are tempting budget-focused telephones with loads of similarities, not solely by way of normal design however show, processor and battery life, with the Be aware 12 Professional Plus solely boasting a greater digicam and quicker charging than the Professional mannequin. 

That stated, if you happen to’re centered on cell images and love the thought of a full cost in 19 minutes, you could properly recognize the options of the Redmi Be aware 12 Professional Plus 5G. If, nonetheless, you simply desire a good all-rounder that’ll allow you to do the fundamentals like textual content, browse the online and play fundamental video games, it can save you your self a bit of money and go for the Redmi Be aware 12 Professional 5G.