Redmi Note 12 series launched: 200MP camera, 210W charging for under $400

Xiaomi‘s Redmi Note series has traditionally been the company’s most popular smartphone series, offering great value for money in the budget segment. Now, the company has revealed the Redmi Note 12 series in China.

We’ve actually got three phones this time, namely the Redmi Note 12 Discovery Edition, Redmi Note 12 Pro, and Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus. All three handsets are equipped with a flat 6.67-inch FHD+ 120Hz OLED screen, MediaTek Dimensity 1080 5G processor, and a 16MP selfie camera.

The phones also share features like a 3.5mm port, NFC, IR blaster, and Wi-Fi 6 support. But there are a few key differences otherwise.

Redmi Note 12 Discovery Edition

Perhaps the most eye-catching Redmi Note 12 model is the Note 12 Discovery Edition, bringing a 200MP HPX main camera (f/1.65, OIS). This camera is capable of shooting 200MP shots, 50MP pixel-binned images (using four-in-one binning), or 12.5MP snaps (using 16-in-one binning). The phone also serves up an 8MP ultrawide camera and 2MP macro lens.

The phone also differs from its stablemates by offering 210W wired charging, with Xiaomi claiming a 100% charge in just nine minutes. This high wattage comes at the cost of battery capacity though, as you’re only getting a 4,300mAh battery here.

Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus

Like the idea of a 200MP smartphone but want a bigger battery? That’s exactly what you get with the Pro Plus model. Expect the same 200MP+8MP+2MP triple rear camera system as the Discovery Edition.

However, the Pro Plus model opts for still blazing-fast 120W wired charging and a 5,000mAh battery. Expect a 100% charge in just 19 minutes, according to Xiaomi.

Redmi Note 12 Pro

Don’t care about megapixels? That’s where the Redmi Note 12 Pro comes in, bringing a 50MP IMX766 main camera (f/1.88, OIS) in addition to the 8MP+2MP pairing. This is the same 50MP sensor seen on flagship phones like the OPPO Find X5 Pro and ASUS Zenfone 9. So we’re hopeful that it delivers decent image quality on the Note 12 Pro as well.

Otherwise, the Pro variant also brings a 5,000mAh battery with 67W wired speeds. Expect a 100% charge in a still brisk 46 minutes.

Redmi Note 12 series pricing and availability

The Redmi Note 12 Discovery Edition starts at 2,399 yuan (~$332) for the base 8GB/256GB model, while the Redmi Note 12 Pro starts at 1,699 yuan (~$235) for the 6GB/128GB model. Want the Pro Plus? Then you’ll need to pay a starting price of 2,099 yuan (~$290) for the 8GB/256GB model.

Xiaomi has confirmed that these phones are China-only releases for now, but said we should “stay tuned” for global announcements. For what it’s worth, the Chinese Redmi Note 11 series differed in numerous ways from the global models that launched a few months later.