Xiaomi has just unveiled the latest addition to its Redmi lineup of phones – the Redmi 12. Redmi is Xiaomi's sub-brand (one of many sub-brands) that recycles previous innovations from Xiaomi's flagship devices into more affordable models.
And affordable is the key word here, with the Redmi 12 costing just $149, which is quite frankly silly when you look at its specs sheet, which while won't blow you away, are impressive for a whole that costs less than twenty percent of an iPhone. There is a lot of competition for the best budget camera phone, and the Redmi 12 is staking its claim.
The Redmi 12 design follows other models in the range with a glass back and measures just 8.17mm thick. Somehow Xiaomi has still managed to fit three cameras into this cost-effective model, offering a large 50-megapixel main camera, as well as an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 2-megapixel macro camera, the latter of which is an interesting choice over a telephoto lens, which we assume is a cost-based decision.
The phone also has a few more premium design features including an IP53 rating to resist dust and splashes. The screen is also the largest on a Redmi phone, with a 6.79” FHD+ DotDisplay screen with a 2460x1080 resolution and a fast 90Hz Adaptive Sync refresh rate. The phone also has a 5000mAh battery, backed up with 18W fast charging, which Xioami claims can provide 23 days of standby, or 16 hours of watching videos.
Finally, the phone runs on a MediaTek Helio G88 processor, which isn't the fastest chip around, but should run day-to-day tasks smoothly. The phone can be purchased in Midnight Black, Sky Blue, and Polar Silver colorways, with either 4GB or 8GB of RAM, and 128GB or 256GB of storage space, although this can be expanded with the microSD card slot.
The Redmi 12 should be launching worldwide, and for once, this does actually include North America. The phone will be available for purchase starting on July 9 and will cost $149, which is roughly £120 or AU$220, although official pricing was not available at the time of writing.
Find out more about the best budget camera phones, or the best burner phones in our guides. Or if you are curious about what else is out there in the world of Android, check out your guide to the best Android phones.
