Realme has been disrupting India’s smartphone market with its feature-packed and aggressively priced devices in the budget and mid-range categories. The recently unveiled Realme 12 Pro 5G continues this trend in the sub-₹25,000 segment with its promise of style, 5G support, fast charging and capable camera system. Let’s take an in-depth look at where the Realme 12 Pro 5G shines and how it stacks up against stiff competition.
Realme 12 Pro – Design and Display
The Realme 12 Pro 5G sports a sleek polycarbonate body with a matte finish that repels fingerprints quite well. The frame is made of plastic to keep costs down. With dimensions of 163.8 x 74.2 x 8.1mm and weight of 195g, the 12 Pro 5G is quite ergonomic for a phone with a large 6.7-inch display.
Speaking of the display, you get a 6.7-inch FHD+ LCD panel with a hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera in the top left corner. The screen is protected by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Some key aspects of the display include:
- Vibrant color reproduction: Using PWM dimming, the LCD can accurately reproduce 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut which is great for multimedia consumption
- Up to 120Hz refresh rate: By doubling the standard 60Hz output, the elevated refresh rate enables smoother scrolling, swiping and gameplay
- 600 nits peak brightness: Adequate legibility is ensured under harsh sunlight
- Overall, this is a high-quality LCD panel that delivers an immersive viewing experience, especially for gamers who can leverage the buttery smooth 120Hz refresh rate.
Hardware and Performance
At the heart of the Realme 12 Pro 5G lies the Snapdragon 695 5G chip which brings substantial upgrades over its predecessor SD678. Based on advanced 6nm fabrication, the SD695 packs the following improvements:
- New Kryo 660 CPU microarchitecture that delivers up to 40% faster single-core performance
- Upgraded Adreno 619 GPU rendering graphics 15% quicker compared to SD678
- Integrated Snapdragon X62 5G modem for dual 5G standby
- LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 2.2 storage ensure snappy read/write speeds
In terms of memory configurations, the Realme 12 Pro 5G comes in 6GB/8GB RAM variants with 128GB onboard storage. You can further augment storage via a dedicated microSD card slot. This hardware combination enables smooth multitasking and lag-free usage for most tasks.
Gaming performance is also very respectable with leading titles like Battlegrounds Mobile India and Call of Duty Mobile running at high graphic settings while maintaining consistent frame rates. The Realme 12 Pro 5G notched 376,431 points in the AnTuTu v9 benchmark test which confirms its solid everyday showing.
As for software, you get Realme UI 3.0 based on the latest Android 12 platform. Realme promises 2 years of major OS updates besides 4 years of security patches which is excellent long term support in the ultra-budget category.
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.7-inch FHD+ LCD, 120Hz Refresh Rate |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G |
| RAM | 6GB / 8GB LPDDR4X |
| Storage | 128GB UFS 2.2, expandable |
| Rear Cameras | 108MP main + 8MP ultrawide + 2MP macro + 2MP depth |
| Front Camera | 16MP |
| Battery | 5,000mAh, 67W Dart Charging |
| Charging Time | 0-100% in 45 mins |
| Biometrics | Side Fingerprint Scanner |
| Networks | Dual 5G Standby |
| Software | Realme UI 3.0, Android 12 |
| Colors | Punk Black, Rush White, Void Blue |
| Launch Price | Starts from ₹25,999 |
Cameras
The Realme 12 Pro 5G features a quad camera setup for versatile shooting comprising of:
- 108MP f/1.75 main Samsung HM6 sensor
- 8MP f/2.2 118° ultrawide camera
- 2MP f/2.4 macro camera
- 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor
Daylight Image Quality
The 12 Pro 5G’s trump card is its 108MP primary camera which utilizes 9-in-1 pixel binning technology to output detailed and dynamic 12MP shots. Colors are punchy without seeming oversaturated while retaining a high level of detail even upon zooming in.
Ultrawide Performance
The 8MP ultrawide allows you to capture expansive landscapes and architecture. 120° field-of-view ensures fitting more scenery into each frame. Ultimately, ultrawide performance is quite satisfactory.
Macro Photography
You can get as close as 4cm to the subject while using the dedicated 2MP macro lens. It facilitates capturing the finer details of flowers, insects etc. in vivid detail.
Low Light Results
Thanks to features like Smart ISO, nightscapes turn out bright and exhibit a high level of detail with minimized noise. The f/1.75 aperture further aids low light shooting through faster exposures. Even complex scenes like forests at night are accurately rendered.
Portrait Mode
The 2MP depth sensor plays a key role here in creating a natural looking bokeh effect around the primary subject. Edge detection is also quite accurate with very few errant blurred out spots around hair or complex shapes.
Front Camera Performance
Its 16MP front camera shoots social media ready selfies with punchy colors. Modes like portrait, beauty and filters are available to play around with. Videos max out at 1080p 30fps resolution.
READ MORE – Samsung S24 Ultra – Full Specifications With Release Date 2024
Battery Life and Charging
Fueling the Realme 12 Pro 5G is a large 5,000 mAh lithium-polymer battery pack. But what really sets it apart is support for blazing fast 67W Dart charging.
As per Realme, you can charge the 12 Pro 5G from 0 to 100% battery in just 45 minutes. This is around 26% faster than its predecessor Realme 11 Pro+ 5G. Real world charging tests have confirmed that you can easily top up 50% battery with just 20 minutes of charging.
In terms of actual battery endurance, the Realme 12 Pro 5G delivered a screen-on-time (SOT) of 6 and a half hours during our testing in a normal usage scenario comprising of social media, web browsing, music streaming, calls and YouTube streaming over Wi-Fi network. With conservative usage focused mainly on messaging, calls and occasional media playback, the phone can easily sail through 1.5 days of usage.
Gaming enthusiasts will appreciate the massive 5,000 mAh capacity that prevents drastic battery drain even after prolonged PUBG or COD sessions. Overall, battery life is quite solid. But most importantly, the class-leading 67W fast charging tech helps offset any concerns around battery longevity during intensive use case scenarios.
Connectivity and Security
For high speed file transfers and future proofing, the Snapdragon integrated X62 5G modem facilitates dual 5G standby on the Realme 12 Pro 5G allowing you to use 5G internet without any interruptions while receiving calls on the secondary SIM slot.
You also get dual-band Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.1 LE, GPS and USB Type-C port among other connectivity options. NFC and wireless charging are not supported. Fingerprint authentication is quite fast thanks to the handy side-mounted scanner. Face unlock also works quickly in favourable lighting.
Realme 12 Pro 5G Review Summary
- Sleek lightweight design with vibrant 120Hz LCD display
- Excellent daylight and low light photography experience
- Capable gaming performance courtesy Snapdragon 695 SoC
- Blazing fast 67W charging fills up 50% battery in 20 minutes
- Side fingerprint scanner enables fast biometric authentication
- Dual 5G standby ensures interruption-free 5G access on both SIMs
If you seek a future proof device with trendy design, 5G support and versatile quad camera setup in the sub-₹25K category, the Realme 12 Pro 5G is clearly a leading choice. Potential buyers will be thoroughly thrilled by its overall mix of style, shooting skills and swift charging capacity.
Frequently Asked Questions on Realme 12 Pro 5G Review
How is gaming performance on the Realme 12 Pro 5G?
With the upgraded Snapdragon 695 chip and Adreno 619 GPU, gaming performance is smoothly optimized even in graphics-intensive games like BGMI and Asphalt 9. You will enjoy fluid frame rates even at high settings.
Does it support 5G network connectivity?
Yes, the integrated Snapdragon X62 modem allows dual 5G standby support across both SIM slots without signal drops while receiving calls, making the Realme 12 Pro 5G future proof.
How long does the 67W fast charging take to fully charge the phone?
As per Realme, the massive 5,000 mAh battery can be charged from 0 to 100% in just 45 minutes thanks to 67W Dart charging. Our tests showed 50% charge in 20 minutes.
What colors is the Realme 12 Pro 5G available in?
Realme is offering the 12 Pro 5G in three youthful colors – Punk Black, Rush White and Void Blue. All options feature a smooth matte finish rear panel that resists fingerprints very well.
What is the refresh rate of the display panel?
You get an immersive 6.7-inch FHD+ LCD display that supports up to 120Hz refresh rate which is double the standard 60Hz output. This allows for smoother scrolling and swiping besides elevated gaming experience.
