Last time, we shared our first impressions of the newest addition to the realme number series, the realme 12+ 5G. Now, we are thrilled to present our full review. Is this phone a worthy addition to the realme number series? Let’s delve into this review to find out.
Table of Contents
realme 12+ 5G Specifications
| OS: | Android 14, realme UI 5.0 |
|---|---|
| Processor: | MediaTek Dimensity 7050 |
| Display: | 6.67″ 120Hz AMOLED |
| Wireless Connections: | 5G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS |
| Memory: | 8GB+256GB 12GB+256GB |
| Connectors: | USB Type-C 2.0 , OTG |
| Cameras: | Rear Camera: (main) 50 MP, f/1.9 (ultrawide) 8 MP, f/2.4 (macro) 2 MP, f/2.4 Front Camera: 16 MP, f/2.5 |
| SIM Card Slots: | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by), Shared microSD card slot |
| Battery: | 5000mAh 67W wired |
| Price: | 8GB+256GB: Php 17,999 12GB+256GB: Php 19,999 |
The Design
The realme 12+ 5G that we received features the Navigator Beige design, reminiscent of the realme 11 Pro+ we reviewed last year. Another variant available is Pioneer Green. In comparison to the Pro or Pro+ models in the realme number series, this new model boasts a flat-screen design.
The back panel sports vegan leather with a white gold-colored line running through the middle. The rear camera setup has transitioned to a quad arrangement, though only three cameras are present. The camera bump’s design adds elegance to the back panel with its lines and vignette effect.
The frame is made of glossy plastic that is a fingerprint magnet and which is slightly thicker due to housing a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top and the SIM card slot at the bottom. The phone can accommodate two nano-SIM cards or one nano-SIM card and one microSD card. It’s surprising to see, that within this price range, realme still manages to include a microSD card slot, even if it’s shared, along with an audio jack port.
The Display and Speaker
The realme 12+ 5G boasts a 6.67” 120Hz AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. You don’t need to worry about visibility even under bright sunlight, as it offers a peak brightness of 2000 nits.
The display quality is superb, with deep blacks and vibrant colors characteristic of AMOLED displays. Moreover, it comes with HDR 10+ certification for an enhanced viewing experience and TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light certification to protect your eyes.
Impressively, it features a stereo speaker setup that delivers crisp, clear, and loud sound, making it an excellent smartphone for enjoying your favorite music. Additionally, realme has included an audio enhancement technology that allows you to choose from different profiles to improve audio performance in various scenarios. These profiles include Smart, which optimizes sound according to your scenario, as well as modes for movies, gaming, and music.
The Performance
Another surprising aspect of the realme 12+ 5G is the chipset it utilizes. It boasts a MediaTek Dimensity 7050, a chipset typically found in higher-priced smartphones. That now came with this smartphone priced under 20k pesos. Paired with it is a 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage for our unit. In line with this, there is also a cheaper option with only 8GB RAM while still offering 256GB internal storage. Both variants feature RAM expansion, which can be expanded by 4GB up to 12GB, provided there is enough availability.
Here are the benchmark scores of the realme 12+ 5G:
Out of the box, it comes with realme UI 5.0 based on Android 14. As always with realme, it also comes with tons of pre-installed bloatware. However, despite this, it remains similar to previous versions of realme UI but now includes better features to enhance user experience.
Performance-wise, it is decent for its price point, but if you are seeking a performance-intensive smartphone, there are other options available. When playing games, you can enjoy casual games with no issues or high graphics-intensive games like Genshin Impact on low settings without problems. However, bumping up the graphics setting to high may result in frequent stuttering, though still playable, and can cause the device to heat up faster.
Regarding thermal performance, we conducted the 3DMark Wild Life Stress Test to assess its stability score after running the benchmark 20 times, we got a score of 99.5%. When we played Genshin Impact on high graphics settings for 5 minutes, you could feel warmth emanating from the back panel, but it remained manageable to handle.
In terms of security, the fingerprint sensor is located under the screen and performs adequately, as does its face unlock feature.
The Camera
The main selling point of the realme 12+ 5G is its camera, with the rear camera featuring a Sony LYT-600 OIS Camera with 2x in-sensor zoom, boasting 50 megapixels. Other cameras paired with the rear camera include an 8-megapixel wide-angle camera and a 2-megapixel macro camera. On the front side, there is a 16-megapixel camera housed in a punch-hole.
The main camera shots are pixel-binned to 14 megapixels, resulting in great detail and vibrant colors, especially in bright scenarios. Even when zoomed to 2x, the results are similar to those at 1x zoom. In low-light conditions, it still manages to deliver good pictures rich in detail with vibrant colors.
The 8-megapixel wide-angle camera provides acceptable shots, particularly in bright environments, though there is a noticeable downgrade in quality compared to the main camera. Lastly, the 2-megapixel macro sensor comes in handy for close-up shots, though the quality is average at best.
The 16-megapixel selfie camera captures natural skin tones and delivers better-detailed images in any lighting condition.
The realme 12+ 5G can record videos up to 4k at 30 fps. The OIS significantly enhances video quality by reducing shakiness, while details and colors remain good, resulting in high-quality video recordings.
The Battery
The realme 12+ 5G boasts a 5000mAh battery capacity, enabling prolonged usage. In the PCMark battery test, we achieved a result of 13 hours and 41 minutes at 50% brightness, starting with 80% battery life remaining. Expect a full day of use with some spare capacity left in the tank.
Charging the realme 12+ 5G with its included 67W fast charger allows you to charge from 0% to 100% in under an hour.
realme 12+ 5G Verdict
The realme 12+ 5G, priced at Php 17,999 for the 8GB+256GB model and Php 19,999 for the 12GB+256GB model, solidifies its position as an all-rounded smartphone with surprising features rarely seen in this price range, such as the audio jack port and microSD card slot. These features are still sought after by many in the Philippines, and their availability is limited, usually found only in entry-level smartphones. Finally, they are reintroduced in the mid-range level of smartphones.
Additionally, the MediaTek Dimensity 7050 chipset, combined with a reliable camera capable of capturing great shots in any situation, makes the realme 12+ a compelling option for under 20k pesos.
Starting today, March 7 until March 15, 2024, you can purchase the realme 12+ 5G 8GB+256GB model for 14,999 pesos on Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok Shop. The 12GB+256GB model is priced at Php 16,599, exclusively on Shopee.
For those who purchase it from partnered stores, freebies such as the TechLife 4L Digital Rice Cooker or TechLife Hair Dryer, worth up to Php 2,399, are included.
