Realme is making a strong statement in the global market. Beyond attractive designs, the brand’s products hold great potential. The manufacturer continues to introduce new devices, some of which expand existing smartphone families. The realme 12+ 5G is the fifth and one of the latest additions to the “12” series lineup.
The model was released alongside the realme 12 5G (which we also tested). Compared to the latter, it boasts a better AMOLED screen, a more powerful chipset, more memory, superior cameras, an under-display fingerprint sensor, and faster charging. You can compare the specifications through this link. In addition to the realme 12 5G and 12+ 5G, the series also includes the more advanced realme 12 Pro and realme 12 Pro+, which were introduced in January.
The smartphone is available in two colors – Pioneer Green and Navigator Beige (both look great, with the beige resembling the older Pro models). It comes in the following versions: 8/256 GB, 12/256 GB, and 12/512 GB. The price ranges from approximately $345 / €320 to $370 / €345 depending on the memory capacity.
Specifications
- Operating system: realme 5.0 interface (based on Android 14)
- Display: 6.67-inch AMOLED, FHD+ (2400×1080), 120 Hz refresh rate
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 7050 5G 2×2.6 + 6×2.0
- RAM: 12 GB
- Permanent memory: 512 GB
- Audio: Stereo speakers
- Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2
- Security: Fingerprint sensor in the display
- Certificate of protection: IP54
- Battery: 5000 mAh, charging SUPERVOOC 67 W
- Cameras:
– Main: 50MP Sony LYT-600 with main OIS + 8MP ultra-wide-angle + 2MP macro
– Front: 16 megapixels - Dimensions and weight: 162.95 x 75.40 x 7.87 mm, 190 g
- Color options: Pioneer Green, Navigator Beige
I won’t delve into the technical specifications in detail, as you can see them listed above. Instead, I’d like to focus on some aspects that particularly caught my attention. Firstly, the 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080×2400 pixels and a 20:9 aspect ratio. This is a solid choice among the screens available on the market, as they consume less power and provide longer battery life. The viewing angles are also a significant plus, being quite wide. The inclusion of HDR10+ should ensure brighter, more realistic images with excellent color reproduction.
Круто, що використали SoC Mediatek Dimensity 7050 (6 нм), який підтримує технологію 5G. Крім того, він може обробляти фото з максимальною роздільною здатністю 200 Мп, а також відео 4K HDR.
I’d also like to highlight the fast memory modules and the ample amount of storage available.
Read also: Realme 12 5G Smartphone Review
Package contents
In my opinion, the package contents are rather mediocre. In the characteristic yellow box, you’ll find the phone, a USB-C cable, and a simple but decently made silicone case. The package also includes a SIM card ejector tool. However, there’s no charger included. While my test set did come with a 67W SUPERVOOC block, unfortunately, it is not included in most European markets for environmental reasons.
It’s nice that the display comes with a basic protective film pre-applied. Of course, you can easily remove it and replace it with another film or tempered glass for better protection. Headphones are not included in the package, despite the presence of a headphone jack.
Display
The smartphone features a 6.67-inch AMOLED screen with a Full HD+ resolution (1080×2400) and a 120Hz refresh rate. With a maximum brightness of 2000 nits, the display performs excellently even on sunny days. The image is easy to read both indoors and outdoors. Being an AMOLED display, it offers truly vibrant colors.
realme has included several color modes in the settings: Vivid, Natural, and Pro. The HDR brightness enhancement is a nice addition, although it may not be noticeable to most people. Thanks to its high resolution and pixel density, the display produces sharp and detailed images.
Cool addition – Rainwater Smart Touch feature. It’s designed to prevent screen malfunctions due to wet fingers or water droplets getting on it. Similar solutions exist with other manufacturers, but it’s still cool that realme added this feature.
There’s an optical fingerprint sensor built under the display. It works quickly and accurately.
Read also: realme 12 Pro Review: All About the Cameras
Appearance
Certainly, the smartphone is visually striking and reminiscent of the older Pro series models. The main attention-grabber is, of course, the camera island. It’s a large circle housing 4 camera lenses and a flash.
I must admit, I really like the design of the camera island. It’s surrounded by a pleasing vegan leather finish that, in my opinion, visually enhances the device’s value. Why? Personally, I’ve grown tired of rough plastic. The leather looks sophisticated, intriguing, and draws attention.The manufacturer decided to place a simple stripe in the center of the device, which seamlessly integrates with the camera module. It looks like a unique seam that ties everything together. It’s a great idea that diversifies the exterior of the body and adds an extra touch of charm. In my opinion, it’s a perfect addition.
I didn’t mention the beautiful decoration of the back cover for nothing. It was crafted by the renowned watchmaker Ollivier Savéo, known for collaborations with brands like Rolex, Roger Dolby, Piaget, Breitling, and Quentin. The rounded edges make the device comfortable to hold, which is crucial for me as I’m not a fan of edge displays. It’s pleasing to see manufacturers moving towards “flat displays.” The smartphone’s frame is glossy yet plastic, which comes with a few downsides. The first is, of course, fingerprints.
Another drawback is that the frame easily picks up minor scratches and scuffs. Fortunately, the included case comes to the rescue here. It’s a bit difficult to put on and take off due to its design, but it’s a nice addition since not every manufacturer includes such accessories.
At the top, there’s a headphone jack and a microphone. An unexpected (though not entirely new to me) feature is the placement of the SIM card slot, located at the bottom right next to the bottom microphone, USB-C port, and stereo speakers. On the right side, of course, we find the power and volume buttons, matching the color of the frame. It’s worth noting that the phone measures 162.95 × 75.40 × 7.87 mm and weighs 190 g. Additionally, the smartphone is dust and splash resistant according to IP54 standards.
Read also: Realme 12 Pro Plus 5G Review: Created for Success
Battery life
Starting my test of the realme 12+, I installed the well-known AccuBattery application. It assesses the actual battery capacity and its current condition, making it easier to monitor and alerting when a replacement might be needed. However, let’s return to our smartphone. The realme 12+ allowed me to go just over 3 days on a single charge, which is a decent result. I must note that during this period, I didn’t use the device very intensively. Under heavy use, one can expect the phone to last approximately 1.5 to 2 days. The 5000 mAh battery capacity provides adequate performance in line with market standards and competitors.
The manufacturer has also prepared a range of solutions aimed at saving battery charge. For instance, there’s “Smart Charging,” a mode that studies our usage habits. Its goal is to prevent battery aging.
The manufacturer also provided other tools. In particular, it’s worth noting the productivity mode where you can manage how the battery interacts with the phone’s performance. Personally, I recommend the automatic mode, which adjusts power consumption according to our needs. You might also be curious about how long it takes for the device to fully charge. For me, it took about 40 minutes.
Communication tools and additional features
It’s great that the smartphone already supports 5G. Many countries are already within 5G coverage, so choosing a phone without this module should make you think twice. realme doesn’t have any issues in this regard. Additionally, there’s support for Wi-Fi Cat 6 or 802.11ax. This is one of the best solutions because it allows increasing bandwidth up to 10 Gbps, and in practice, you can achieve connection speeds of at least 600 Mbps. Category 6 operates on both 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz frequencies.
On the realme 12+, you’ll also find stereo speakers. Personally, I don’t think a phone necessarily needs to have expensive speakers like those from well-known brands such as JBL. If a device is supposed to fit its stated price and compete for its position, careful consideration is needed for each accessory. Personally, I prefer fast Wi-Fi, a reliable 5G network, and functional Bluetooth capabilities.
If we’re talking about short-range wireless communication, I can’t imagine a phone without Bluetooth. The realme 12+ supports Bluetooth 5.2. It’s not the latest generation (introduced in 2020), but it’s still quite capable.
Moreover, the realme 12+ smartphone shares many similar features with its elder sibling, the 12 Pro+. For instance, technologies like O-Haptics and Dolby Atmos sound effects, which Olga Akukina has already covered in her review. By the way, I don’t quite understand why the manufacturer is showcasing the entire 12 series with such a time gap.
Read also: Realme C67 4G review: stereo sound, IP54 and battery life
Software
It sounds like the software experience on the realme 12+ is a bit of a sore point for you. It’s not uncommon for manufacturers to have some localization issues before release, and realme is no exception. Out of the box, certain elements may have inaccurate translations, but these issues are typically addressed with updates. Ultimately, while the UI 5.0 based on Android 14 could have been better refined.
It’s frustrating when I enter the app drawer, and the keyboard immediately appears. It assumes that by typing the name of the app, I’ll find what I’m looking for right away. This feature can be turned off, but it takes time to search through numerous settings to do so.
Here I have to mention Olga’s review again. In the realme 12+ model, there are two annoying folders that seem to exist solely to annoy people. These are, of course, the pre-installed games.
Why is this necessary, for whom? To me, this looks like advertising because these apps cannot be removed. In addition to this, realme displays ads on the lock screen. Even if this can be turned off, it’s still a major drawback. Look below:
Does the Chinese brand then deserve a positive review in this section? Yes, but for little reason. Most features we have in the realme 12+ are also available from other manufacturers. However, the software is intuitive. I don’t need to figure out specifically where to find necessary prompts (though I can’t turn off ads). I appreciate the simplicity of navigation in the software, and realme offers us that.
“Like Olga, the reviewer of the realme 12 Pro+, I also noticed the Zen Space app, which helps to stay less distracted during work or other tasks. It’s undeniable that this is a cool addition from the manufacturer, but not from realme. The creator of this app is OnePlus. In this case, we see a great collaboration between two manufacturers. Recall that Vivo, Oppo, realme, and OnePlus belong to the BBK Electronics Corporation/BBK Education Electronics conglomerate.”
It’s also worth exploring realme’s lab where experimental features are housed. Among them is the ability to connect two pairs of wireless earbuds to the phone simultaneously. This is somewhat surprising considering that Bluetooth 5.2 already supports connecting to multiple devices at once. Another feature is pulse tracking using the fingerprint scanner. It’s cool, but such innovations are expected to be more numerous.
There are other perks already described in other reviews as well. For example, parental controls, the dynamic button (where the power button can perform specific functions with a double press, like opening apps, setting timers, activating bike mode, airplane mode, etc.), and special features such as child mode, easy mode, flexi-window, split-screen view, special gestures, and motions. New features have emerged too, like File Dock for quick access to recently opened images, videos, and documents, and PhoneLink for integration with Microsoft Link to Windows.
It’s worth highlighting the Flash Capsule – an animation that appears next to the front camera, somewhat akin to Dynamic Island on iPhones. On the regular realme 12, this is called Mini Capsule and looks more straightforward. Here, small notifications can expand, offering functional buttons.
The manufacturer promises two major operating system updates and three years of security patches – not quite as much as some competitors offer.
Read also: Realme Buds Air 5 TWS Headphones Review
Performance
The device is powered by the familiar MediaTek Dimensity 7050 processor clocked at 2×2.6 GHz + 6×2.0 GHz. For graphics, it features the Mali-G68 MC4. How does this translate in practical use? With these specifications, the device ensures smooth performance. It handles popular applications with ease, and browsing the internet is fluid. It comes with 12 GB of LPDDR4X RAM.
Let’s look at tests that place the device in a competitive position. Interestingly, there’s also the option to expand the RAM via virtual means, a well-known feature utilized by many manufacturers.
It’s hard to argue that the manufacturer could have invested in a slightly newer processor. However, we evaluate the device based on how it performs in everyday use. With the MediaTek Dimensity 7050 5G SoC, I have no serious complaints. The fast 512 GB UFS 3.1 storage also contributes to its performance.
realme 12+ cameras
In this section, there are a few points of criticism, but there are also positives. I do have mixed feelings about the cameras. However, I always stick to the motto that the best smartphone camera is the one we have with us. Before diving into the rear camera, where the main action takes place, a few words about the selfie camera. The front camera is average. It captures decent contrasts, contours, and image rendering. In my opinion, additional tools like extra lighting or additional modes give smartphones something more. Here, everything seems similar, although the 16 MP selfie camera provides everything needed.
Let’s move on to the camera island, which has an impressive setup:
– 50 MP main camera (Sony LYT-600 sensor) with OIS technology
– 8 MP ultra-wide camera
– 2 MP macro camera
The main 50 MP camera defaults to taking photos at a resolution of 12.5 MP due to pixel clustering. Overall, the photos look good, but I feel the level of detail could be slightly better. Contrast is good, and so are the colors, although they appear quite saturated and not very true to life. I prefer to avoid exaggeration in this aspect. For me, images should have the colors I see, but manufacturers tend to overly enhance colors. The best images come out in full resolution. Of course, there’s a trade-off with file sizes, which we often like to brag about with friends.
There is also a 2x zoom “in the matrix”, which is quite good, here are examples:
You can zoom in even further – up to 20x, the quality is no longer impressive, but it’s not the S24 Ultra.
Night photos are good, considering the price of the smartphone.
The ultra-wide camera, in my opinion, doesn’t raise any particular complaints. I’m not going to nitpick here (perhaps just slightly darker shots in less than ideal lighting), because the presence of such an option in the device is a plus. Believe me, for some manufacturers, this is the pinnacle of dreams. Realme 12+ lacks a dedicated telephoto lens, and to me, that’s understandable, considering it exists in the 12 Pro, for example.
realme brands the model 12+ as a master of portrait photography. The phone handles bokeh effect well, featuring a portrait mode with 3x zoom.
The macro module is practically of no use, with poor quality and often blurry photos; 2 MP is insufficient.
The realme 12+ records video at 1080p 60 fps with the main camera or 30 fps with the wide-angle camera and selfie camera. There is a slight drop in quality during recording. Videos in low-light conditions appear rather disappointing, with even the main camera capturing blurry video and lacking detail.
Read also: Realme C53 review: cheap and cheerful
Conclusions
It’s evident that the manufacturer, with the help of a renowned designer, put effort into creating interest. The phone looks very appealing. It fits securely in the hand and doesn’t slip, even when used without a case.
The device also boasts extensive connectivity options. The display deserves a separate plus: wide viewing angles and brightness pose no inconvenience even on sunny days. As for the camera, I have very mixed feelings. Daytime photos are really good, but they disappoint in the evening. It’s undeniable that the photographic aspect is always challenging for many manufacturers. It’s also nice that the manufacturer has thought about fast charging.
One of the drawbacks for me is the software. It’s evident that developers are working on fixes, but unnecessary apps with games or other programs, intrusive ads that I couldn’t disable… All of this is a bit frustrating.
I’m somewhat disappointed with the processor. Mediatek processors are relatively cheaper than Snapdragon, yet the manufacturer decided to use an older model. Performance might be acceptable for average users. But what if you load the device with a significant amount of data? This is where the first dissatisfactions might arise.
Video recording in low light conditions? It also doesn’t perform very well here. I deliberately chose a scene with many car headlights to demonstrate this. Looking at it from another angle, if I didn’t have another device with me, the realme 12+ would be the best possible and affordable option for recording.
And finally, realme creates too large gaps between models within the same series. The 12 Pro 5G has already significantly dropped in price, so for the same or even less money, you can buy it and get a Snapdragon chipset, a better camera setup, and the trendy curved design. But of course, the new model will also drop in price over time.
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