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Xiaomi Redmi Note 12

Xiaomi Redmi Note 12
R4,500
SKU: 3216
Brand: Xiaomi
Category: Mobiles
Available
  • CPU: Octa-core (2x2.0 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55)
  • RAM: 4GB-8GB
  • Storage: 128GB/256GB
  • Display: AMOLED, 120Hz, 1200 nits (peak)
  • Camera: 48MP
  • OS: Android 12, MIUI 14

Our Rating

The overall rating is based on review by our experts

6.5
  • Display 7 / 10
  • Camera 6 / 10
  • Performance 6 / 10
  • Battery 7 / 10

PROS

  1. Budget mobile phone phone.
  2. Huge storage and RAM.
  3. Samsung AMOLED display with high resolution.
  4. Medium performance processor.

CONS

  1. Plastic back and body.

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 has established itself as a highly competitive mid-range contender in South Africa. Combining everyday reliability with premium visual features, it strikes a balance for consumers looking for strong value without breaking the bank.

Here is a closer look at what the device brings to the table, where you can find it, and what you should consider before purchasing.

Price and Availability in South Africa

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 is available starting from ZAR 4,500. However, the final price is not static and will fluctuate based on a few clear variables:

  • Regional Markets & Promos: Base prices can vary depending on local regional import dynamics and whether a specific retailer is running a weekend promotion, a clearance sale, or bundled tech deals.

  • Storage & RAM Variants: The entry-level price typically gets you the base storage tier (usually 128GB of internal storage paired with 4GB of RAM). If you opt for variants with higher RAM (such as 6 GB or 8 GB) for smoother multitasking, the price will scale upward accordingly.

Where to Buy: Retailers & Network Providers

Xiaomi has established a massive distribution footprint across South Africa. You can purchase the device cash upfront (or via store accounts) from major retail groups, or opt for monthly cellular contracts through network operators.

Online & Physical Retail Giants

For outright cash purchases, competitive tech deals, or store-card financing, the device is widely stocked across the country’s largest retail networks:

  • E-Commerce & Tech Specialists: Takealot, Hi Online, HiFi Corp, and Cellucity.

  • Department Stores & Hypermarkets: Makro, Game, and Foschini.

  • Value & Fashion Retailers: Mr Price, PEP, Ackermans, and 4U.

Cellular Networks & Airtime Partners

If you prefer to split the cost of the phone over a 24-month or 36-month contract bundled with data and minutes, or if you prefer buying from dedicated network franchise outlets, you can find it at:

  • MTN

  • Chatz Connect

High-Level Feature Overview

While skipping a dense specification table, the Redmi Note 12 leans heavily on three standout hardware features that define its day-to-day user experience:

  • 120Hz AMOLED Display: This is arguably the phone’s biggest selling point. AMOLED screens provide deep, perfect blacks and incredibly vibrant colors, while the high 120Hz refresh rate ensures that scrolling through apps and social media feels fluid and responsive.

  • 50MP AI Triple Camera: The rear setup is anchored by a sharp 50MP main sensor for clear daytime photos, supported by an ultra-wide lens for capturing landscape shots or large group photos, and a macro lens for close-up details.

  • 5,000mAh Battery with 33W Fast Charging: The massive battery capacity easily delivers a full day of heavy use. When you do run low, the 33W fast charging block (which Xiaomi still includes in the box) plugs into the USB-C port to top up your battery to half capacity in roughly 30 minutes.

Shopping Tip: Before buying outright, always compare the cash price on Takealot against major brick-and-mortar retailers like Makro or HiFi Corp. Retailers frequently bundle the phone with small extras like free power banks or basic earphones to win your business.

Full Specifications

General

Brand Xiaomi
Model Xiaomi Redmi Note 12
Announced 27 October, 2022
Released 11 January, 2023
Status Available
Price ZAR 4,500

Design

Type Design Type called form factor refers to a mobile phone's size, shape, and style as well as the layout and position of major components of phone. There are three major form factors seen in mobile phones => bar phones, folding phones and sliding phones. Bar
Dimensions 165.9 x 76.2 x 8 mm (6.53 x 3.00 x 0.31 in)
Weight 188 g (6.63 oz)
Protection IP53, dust and splash resistant
Colors Frosted Green, Matte Black, Mystique Blue

Network

2G Network
3G Network
4G Network
5G Network
SIM SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) is a small card that contains mobile network subscriber's account information. This allows the phone using the card to attach to a mobile network. The SIM card is most commonly associated with GSM and UMTS mobile networks. Moving a SIM card from one phone to another allows a subscriber to switch mobile phones without having to contact their mobile network carrier. SIM cards can also be used by a phone to store limited amounts of data, such as phone numbers and text messages. Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)

Display

Display Type Display Technology => A number of display technologies and types used in mobile phones => TFT (Thin Film Transistor), IPS (In-Place Switching), OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode), AMOLED (Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode), Super AMOLED (an even advanced version of AMOLED), Resistive Touchscreen (Resistive touchscreens contain two layer of conductive material with a very small gap between them which acts as a resistance), Capacitive Touchsceen (Capacitive touchscreen technology consists of a layer of glass coated with a transparent conductor) AMOLED, 120Hz, 1200 nits (peak)
Size 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~85.0% screen-to-body ratio)
Resolution 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density)
Display Protection Display Protection => Gorilla Glass is a special alkali-aluminosilicate glass shield with exceptional damage resistance that helps protect mobile displays from scratches, drops, and bumps of everyday use, It is always better to go for a smartphone with Gorilla Glass for that added protection and peace of mind. Corning Gorilla Glass 3

Media

Audio Playback
Video Playback
FM Radio Unspecified
Ring Tones
Loudspeaker

Camera

Main Camera Camera is able to capture photographs and usually videos, The most important characteristics of a camera are the resolution (measured in megapixels), lens focus type (fixed or automatic), higher megapixel cameras are known to capture higher quality photos, but not always a good measurement of the photos quality. 48 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF
8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm
2 MP, f/2.4, (macro)
Camera Features HDR
Video 1080p@30fps
Selfie Camera 13 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.0"
Camera Features HDR
Video 1080p@30fps

Software

Operating System OS => Every computer system run on a base software called Operating System (OS). Operating System controls all basic operations of the computer (such as smartphone, PDAs, tablet computers and other handheld devices). The Operating System allows the user to install and run third party applications (apps), apps are used to add new functionality to the device. Android 12
User Interface UI or user interface of a device is the look and feel of the on-screen menu system. How it works, its color scheme, how it responds to button presses, all of these things are part of the user interface. MIUI 14

Hardware

Chipset Chipset is a group of integrated circuits designed to perform one or a more dedicated functions, often with real time computing constraints, Popular smartphones are equipped with more advanced embedded chipsets that can do many different tasks depending on their programming. Qualcomm SM4375 Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 (6 nm)
CPU CPU (Central Processing Unit) mostly known as processors, CPU processes instructions in order to carry out certain functions that make your device operate properly. Processors are often described as the brain of computers, smartphones and tablets, Smartphones and tablets rely on processors to carry out their every task, Processors are an incredibly important factor in selecting any type of computing device, including your smartphone. Octa-core (2x2.0 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55)
GPU GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is a single-chip processor designed to rapidly manipulate and alter memory to accelerate the creation of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display, This includes things such as lighting effects, object transformations, and 3D motion. Adreno 619
RAM (Memory) RAM (Random Access Memory) is a type of computer memory that can be accessed randomly, any byte of memory can be accessed without touching the preceding bytes that allows information to be stored and accessed quickly from random locations. RAM is the most common type of memory found in computer systems, smartphones, tablets and other electronic devices. 4GB-8GB
Internal Storage Internal Storage is a data storage space (flash memory) mostly used in smartphones, tablets and other electronic devices where operating system, apps, music, photos, videos, files and other user data Is stored. 128GB/256GB
Card Slot Memory Card Slot is a special slot for inserting a memory card. Memory cards allow you to expand the phone's built-in memory, A memory card (sometimes called a flash memory card or a storage card) is a small storage medium used to store data such as text, pictures, audio, and video, for use on small, portable or remote computing devices such as mobile phones, mp3 players, digital cameras. microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Sensors Sensors are electronic components that detects and responds to some type of input from the physical environment. The specific input could be light, heat, motion, moisture, pressure and location, The output is generally a signal that is converted to use in computing systems, a location sensor, such as a GPS receiver is able to detect current location of your electronic device. Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass

Connectivity

Bluetooth Bluetooth is a wireless communications technology for exchanging data between mobile phones, headsets, computers and other network devices over short distances without wires, Bluetooth technology was primarily designed to support simple wireless networking of personal consumer devices. 5.1, A2DP, LE
Wi-fi Wi-Fi is a popular wireless networking technology using radio waves to provide high-speed network connections that allows devices to communicate without cords or cables, Wi-Fi is increasingly becoming the preferred mode of internet connectivity all over the world. Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
Wi-fi Hotspot
USB USB Type-C 2.0, OTG
Positioning GPS The Global Positioning System is a satellite-based radio navigation system, GPS permits users to determine their position, velocity and the time 24 hours a day, in all weather, anywhere in the world, In order to locate your position, your device or GPS receiver must have a clear view of the sky. GPS, GLONASS
NFC NFC (Near field communication) is a set of standards for smartphones and similar devices to establish peer-to-peer radio communications with each other by touching them together or bringing them into proximity, usually no more than a few inches.

Battery

Battery Type Battery Type => Cell phones run on various kinds of batteries depending on the manufacturer, phone size or shape and features. There are basically four types of cell phone batteries => Lithium Polymer, Lithium Ion, Nickel Metal Hydride and Nickel Cadmium. Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable
Charging Wireless Charging (Inductive Charging) uses an electromagnetic field to transfer energy between two objects. This is usually done with a charging station. Energy is sent through an inductive coupling to an electrical device, which can then use that energy to charge batteries or run the device. 33W wired, 50% in 22 min (advertised)

Reviews

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  • Rate this Product

  • Screen size, image quality (brightness, colors, contrast, etc), visibility in sun light, angles of view and touchscreen.
    6
  • Usability of Camera interface, image and video quality in different light conditions and environment.
    5
  • Is this device perform good while watching videos, playing games, taking snapshots, browsing internet and navigate through other applications?
    5
  • What about battery life, while calling, listening music, watching videos, playing games and doing other tasks.
    6
  • 6 / 10 based on your selection

Disclaimer Note

The information contained in this post is for general information purposes only.