The realme 12 smartphone premiered in July, and we want to share with our readers how this device performs in everyday use. realme is a brand known for its dynamic growth and innovative solutions, gaining recognition for offering excellent value for money. The company focuses on creating devices accessible to a broad audience, and the realme 12 4G is no exception. But is everything as promising as it seems? Today, we’ll find out.
Positioning and price
This year, we’ve already seen the entire “number” series of realme 12: the nearly flagship 12 Pro and 12 Pro Plus, the 12 Plus 5G, the more affordable 12 5G, the budget-friendly 12x, and now, it’s time for the realme 12 without 5G. Yes, it can get confusing! Let’s compare the smartphones here. In short, the realme 12 5G features a more powerful 5G chipset and a slightly better 108 MP camera. The 4G version, however, comes with a 50 MP camera but offers OIS (optical image stabilization) and a much better AMOLED display, which is brighter and more colorful than an IPS panel. Additionally, it has an in-display fingerprint scanner and charges faster—67W compared to 45W.
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Realme 12 4G Specifications
- Display: AMOLED 6.67 inches, Full HD+, 120 Hz refresh rate, peak brightness up to 2000 nits
- Processor: octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 685
- Memory: 8/128, 8/256, 8/512 GB with the possibility of expanding the RAM up to 8 GB
SIM card slot: one SIM card - Cameras:
- Main unit: 50MP with Sony LYT-600 sensor and optical image stabilization (OIS) + 2MP macro camera
- Front camera: 16 megapixels
- Video recording: 720p at 30 fps, 720p at 60 fps, 1080 at 30 fps and 1080 at 60 fps
- Sound: stereo, 3.5 mm mini-jack
- Battery: 5000 mAh, 67W SuperVOOC wired charging
- Operating system: Android 14 + realme UI 5.0
- Wireless technologies: Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz), NFC, GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, QZSS, BDS
- Protection: IP54
- Dimensions and weight: 162.95 × 75.45 × 7.92 mm, 187 g
Package contents
The smartphone arrived in a yellow cardboard box. So, what do we find inside? First and foremost, there’s a transparent case, which can come in handy during the initial usage period until you purchase another one. It’s nice to see that the manufacturers are thinking about our convenience.
Also included in the package is a SIM tray removal tool and documentation. realme didn’t disappoint when it comes to screen protection either—the display comes with a pre-applied protective film right out of the box.
What won’t you find here? That’s right, a charger. Unfortunately, this year, realme decided not to include a power adapter with their smartphones, citing environmental protection and following recommendations from the European Union. The model supports 65W charging, so you’ll need to invest in a quality charger.
Read also: Realme 12 Pro Plus 5G Review: Created for Success
Design and ergonomics
The entire realme 12 lineup looks almost identical, especially when it comes to the back panel – rounded, raised camera islands, the distinctive dividing line, and the unique color palette. I don’t see this as any kind of plagiarism; on the contrary, when you look at these smartphones, you can immediately tell which family they belong to. Now, let’s take a closer look at the design of our realme 12.
On the front panel, the centered circular selfie camera is located. The “chin” bezels seemed a bit too wide to me.
On the right side, you’ll find the standard power and volume buttons. The top edge features a mini-jack port, while the bottom edge includes the speaker, a Type-C port, and a SIM card slot.
The body’s edges follow the latest trends—they’re flat and mimic metal, even though they’re entirely made of plastic. It’s worth mentioning that there’s a fingerprint scanner located in the display, specifically at the bottom, which we’ll discuss in more detail a bit later.
Let’s move on to the back panel—despite the phone being green, it looks different from various angles. First, the back is covered in glitter, which creates a “wow” effect. Second, the realme 12 is like a chameleon, shifting between green and gray-black depending on how the light or sunlight hits it.
To be honest, I’m not a fan of huge bulky camera islands, as they often not only don’t fit into the overall style of the device, but also quickly get scratched because they protrude above the body. In this case, the model hasn’t undergone any significant innovations, but at least it looks nice – the island resembles an expensive watch. To protect your camera, just buy a case.
The entire body is made of plastic, but it’s good-quality plastic, which makes the panel look better. You won’t have to carry a cloth to keep the phone clean, as it doesn’t show fingerprints or signs of use.
I can praise the ergonomics—thanks to the flat edges and dimensions of 163×75.5×7.9 mm, it fits comfortably in the hand. Additionally, the realme 12 is lightweight, which adds to the comfort during everyday use. The only downside is the very slippery back, making it easy to drop the phone. I recommend using the included case.
The manufacturer claims that the model is protected to the IP54 standard, which means the realme 12 4G is resistant to dust and splashes.
Read also: realme 12 Pro Review: All About the Cameras
Display
The screen of any phone is its calling card, and here realme boasts a vibrant 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a Full HD+ resolution, a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, and a peak brightness of 2,000 nits.
I love bright, colorful, and high-contrast displays—and I wasn’t disappointed, as realme managed to strike a balance between hardware and user needs. We have a screen that doesn’t wash out on sunny days while maintaining wide viewing angles. On the other hand, the operating system allows you to customize the display to avoid draining the battery too quickly and to adjust important settings—this includes color modes, eye comfort features, and refresh rate options (60Hz, 120Hz, or automatic selection).
Sound
I wanted to indulge in a bit of nostalgia for the days when almost everyone had wired headphones, and the realme 12 4G allowed me to do just that, as it features a 3.5mm mini-jack. I believe this was a smart decision, considering many people still use wired headphones.
The sound is stereo (with one speaker at the bottom and another above the screen), but let’s say it’s not very impressive; it lacks bass. However, the situation improves when using headphones, as there’s an OReality Audio option in the settings that allows you to customize the sound profile.
Unlocking methods
Once, a friend asked me, “Why bother with screen lock during testing? It would be faster without it.” Of course, it would be quicker, but has anyone ever done that while using their own phone? No, because a smartphone is like a friend that protects our private data. The phones we test are just like our own, with the only difference being that we spend a bit less time with them. Moreover, each of our reviewers prefers to use all available security options. With realme, you can choose a PIN, a pattern lock, Face ID, or a fingerprint scanner embedded in the screen. The latter option is well thought out and positioned at a comfortable height; I experienced no false touches or accidental unlocks, and I was very satisfied. Face ID also responds quickly, and in low light, the screen lights up slightly, unlocking without any delays.
Connectivity and data transfer
The smartphone supports modern communication and data transfer standards, including Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, QZSS, and BDS. It also features NFC for quick payments in stores.
Read also: Realme GT 6T Smartphone Review
Realme 12 4G Cameras
The camera setup is as follows: a 50 MP main camera from Sony (LYT-600) with optical stabilization, and a 2 MP macro sensor (which is quite weak and included more for numbers). The selfie camera has a resolution of 16 MP.
The main camera captures good photos in daylight, but these shots lack a bit of contrast, and the color palette could be improved. Still, these images will look great. Most users at this price point will be very satisfied.
I consider the night shots to be decent—you can see beautiful views of the illuminated city, and the photos aren’t blurred thanks to artificial lighting, showing that OIS is working effectively. The night mode is useful only when it’s really dark. Just be sure to keep the phone still so the camera can focus.
As for zooming, slight magnification doesn’t result in noticeable quality loss, but if you zoom in to 5x or 10x, you’ll notice a loss of most details and some graininess. However, objects or people in the image can still be distinguished.
The realme 12 allows for decent video recording. I liked that it features stabilization, keeping the image steady even while filming in motion. The zoom during recording isn’t very effective, but I think most users won’t mind. The only downside is that 60 fps is only available when recording in HD; for Full HD, you’re limited to 30 fps.
The selfie camera does a good job—faces look nice. If you want to play around with your appearance, you have options to even change features like your nose and cheeks. However, in my opinion, all these filters just add to our insecurities. It’s worth mentioning that the portrait mode effectively blurs the background, keeping the face in focus.
Realme 12 Software
The device runs Android 14 with the realme UI interface and all its useful features. You can customize various elements to your liking—including the display, themes, sound, notification panel positioning, and more. However, if you don’t want to tweak everything, the system still performs wonderfully. We won’t repeat ourselves; we’ve covered the realme UI in our review of the 12 5G, for instance.
Read also: Realme GT 6 Smartphone Review
Performance
Realme 12 4G battery and operating time
As the review slowly comes to a close, I can’t help but mention the battery life of the realme 12 and its charging time. It all depends on individual usage habits. Some people hardly put their phone down, while others have multiple gadgets for work and don’t need their smartphone all the time. On average, during active testing, the smartphone lasted up to 2 days, which I consider an excellent result.
According to the manufacturer, the realme 12 4G features a 5000 mAh battery that supports SuperVOOC 67W charging. Now, the most important question: how long does it take to charge this marvel? From my observations, charging from 1% to 100% took just 1 hour and 5 minutes. And reaching 50% only requires a mere 19 minutes! Unfortunately, the charger is not included in the package, so you’ll need to purchase an original or compatible one separately.
The settings include modes designed to help conserve battery life if needed: a power-saving mode, intelligent charging, performance modes, and an optimal standby mode, among others.
Summary and competitors
The realme 12 has everything it needs to compete with other models on the market. Let’s not forget that the smartphone is reasonably priced, so some compromises were made—such as the sound quality not being the best and the additional camera modules not being particularly useful. However, the drawbacks are far outweighed by the positives: we have a main camera with OIS, a unique design, a smooth and intuitive interface, appealing aesthetics and ergonomics, a 3.5mm headphone jack, long battery life, fast charging, and, most importantly, a fantastic AMOLED display with wide viewing angles, vibrant colors, and good contrast. What more could you wish for? Of course, everyone has their own preferences, but we are thoroughly satisfied with this device from realme and highly recommend it!
Among the interesting competitors are Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G (200 megapixel camera with OIS, charger included), Motorola Moto G54 5G 12/256 GB Power (6000 mAh battery, 5G, but IPS screen), Moto G84 5G 12/256 GB (more expensive, but has more storage), Honor Magic5 Lite 5G, POCO X6 5G 12/256 GB (more expensive but has more memory, powerful Snapdragon 7s Gen 2, 67W charger included, 5100 mAh battery, triple camera with OIS, including ultra-wide-angle module).
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