We have reviewed phones, televisions, audio systems, headphones, air filters, microwave ovens, consoles, and many other high-tech devices. But today we try a device that has never been reviewed before, a "time machine".
Well Redmi 12C is not a real "time machine" like the DeLorean car from the movie Back to The Future or Doraemon's Time Machine. But because the Redmi 12C has so many retro features it makes us feel like we are back to five years ago while also making it work like a time machine.
SPECIFICATIONS
Redmi 12C
6.71″ IPS LCD screen,
720 x 1650 , 60Hz
Mediatek Helio G85 processor (12nm)
2 X 2.0 GHz Cortex-A75 chips
6 X 1.8 GHz Cortex-A55
Mali-G52 MC2 Graphics Chip
RAM 4/6 GB LPDDR4X
Internal Load 128 GB eMMC 5.1
Micro SD 1TB
Main Camera 50MP f/1.8, (Wide Angle)
0.08MP (Depth)
Selfie Camera 5 Megapixel f/2.2
5000 mAh battery
10W wired charging
SIM/Telephony Dual SIM nano / 4G
NFC None
Audio Jack Yes
Waterproof None
Scan System Rear fingerprint scanner
Sale Price RM 599 (4/128GB)
RM 699 (6/128GB)
SCREEN
Do you still love the notch screen design that was popular four years ago? Good news because the 6.71″ Redmi 12C screen has a notch at the top for a selfie camera. It doesn't stop there, the screen is of the IPS LCD type, just HD+ resolution with a classic refresh rate of 60Hz. The bezels on all four sides of the screen are also huge by 2023 standards.
At a glance, the Redmi 12C looks like a device from 2019 like the Redmi C2 that we reviewed before. The good news about this screen is that it's flat with a brightness of 500 nits. It detected touch well throughout the review period of about a week.
The bad news is that with HD+ resolution and a 6.71″ screen, the image displayed on the screen is not sharp and looks like it is not well focused. Icons appear blurry and in certain situations the text is hard to read. Because it still uses an IPS LCD panel, the color reproduction is also poor and it cannot be read clearly under bright sunlight.
Because we are already spoiled with 120Hz technology, the 60Hz screen used makes the screen animation look slow and not smooth. If you've never used a device with a high refresh rate screen, the shortcomings of the 12C may go unnoticed.
FINGERPRINT SCANNER
We may be in the minority who miss the fingerprint scanner on the back of the device due to its more accessible position compared to the side or on the screen. Its location near the camera lens may cause the camera lens to become dirty if the finger position is not accurate. There is a circular groove that makes it easier for the finger to distinguish the fingerprint scanner from the camera lens.
The fingerprint scanner works very fast. One strength of physical fingerprint scanner systems is that they are typically faster than optical fingerprint scanners. What we can say is that the 12C's fingerprint scanner is more consistent and faster than the recently reviewed Oppo Find N2 Flip.
DESIGN
Drill your memory and imagine a mid-range device from 2018. What do you see? If you don't see it in your head, open your eyes and see the Redmi 12C because the design is the same as the device from five years ago. A sturdy flat metal frame is matched with a durable hard polycarbonate panel. There is a chin and forehead that is still quite noticeable in the front.
The back panel of the device has a rough texture that makes it not feel smooth. It also makes this panel not trap dirt easily. We quite like this panel as it feels durable and without using the provided frame, we're sure it won't get dirty in a short period of time.
The power and volume buttons are located on the right side and are firm. The position is ergonomic and we did not notice any issues. A 3.5mm audio jack is placed at the top. The speaker grille, micro USB charging port and SIM tray are placed at the bottom. This is not a typo, indeed the 12C still uses the micro USB charging port which is now as extinct as the African white rhinoceros.
The SIM tray supports two nano-sized SIMs and a micro SD card up to 1TB. All three trays use separate slots making the 12C one of the few devices that supports dual-SIM and a micro SD card simultaneously. We said at the beginning of this review that the 12C is a time machine. In this respect equating the 12C to a time machine is a positive thing as it's a nice feature but starting to get thrown away on modern devices.
There is a slightly sloping camera hump. So the device can be placed flat on the table because of the size of this hump that is not extreme. All the components we mentioned above are put into a body that is moderately large and comfortable in the hand. One feature not included is any standard water and dust resistance.
USAGE And SOFTWARE – MIUI 13
The operating system used is MIUI 13 which is based on Android 12. One generation back but at least more recent compared to the body design that was five generations back. The use of an operating system one generation back is regrettable because it harms the user. They are already a bit backwards in terms of functionality on devices and devices in this class rarely receive operating system updates.
The model we reviewed has a MediaTek Helio G85 chip, 6GB of memory and 128GB of storage. Not a spec to brag about. The Helio G85 is a chip comparable to the older Snapdragon 710. We still remember reviewing the device with the Snapdragon 710 chip. It's not the fastest but at least the device is still quite smooth to use.
But the Redmi 12C is a device that does not operate very smoothly. The process of opening the application may take a few seconds. Switching apps from the multi-tasking tray isn't fast enough either. The performance is still not satisfactory even after adding 9GB of memory using the Memory Extension feature. The Android 12 operating system is too heavy for the Helio G85.
No issues installing multiple apps. Netflix, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Prime Video and TikTok can all launch just a little slower because the device still uses eMMC 5.1 memory. The difference between the old generation memory performance and the UFS 4.0 currently used on the S23 Ultra is very different. On these Samsung devices, app installation can be done in a flash.
MIUI 13 brings some consequential issues such as there are many fat applications installed and notifications that appear inconsistently. Advertisements will also be displayed every time a Xiaomi app is used interrupting the usage. Many still don't realize it can be turned off because the settings are quite hidden.
We experienced all these issues when reviewing the Poco X5 Pro 5G before. That is why we feel the use of MIUI 13 on the 12C is a mistake. On Xiaomi 13 Pro with MIUI 14 all these issues no longer exist. Why continue to offer an operating system that has various issues to users?
In the camera application, this allows the device to be held like a retro camcorder. Taking selfies and selfies is also easier because just place the device on a flat surface, change the camera's angle of view and start recording with just a palm command.
Here are some interesting features that are included in MIUI 13.
Hide Notch – Hides the screen notch to prevent it from obstructing the visuals in the application.
Themes – Change the theme of the interface with various designs that can be downloaded through its own store.
Memory Extension – Add virtual memory up to 3GB.
Lite Mode – The interface mode is easier for the elderly.
BENCH MARK
The Mediatek Helio G85 chip is a chip launched in 2020. But its performance is more comparable to the Snapdragon 710 from 2018. But when paired with a memory of only 4GB, the performance of the Redmi 12C is disappointing. It takes a long time to launch and switch applications. Launching the first one is also slow because it is not supported by eMMC 5.1 storage. Using the Redmi 12C requires a lot of patience because everything is slow.
Only older games that do not require high graphics can be played. Temple Run 2 which is already 10 years old can be played even that is not very smooth. Pop ups occur frequently and when there is a lot of action on the screen the frame rate suffers.
We bravely installed COD Mobile and surprisingly it was still playable but on the lowest settings. When everything is on low settings, this beautiful first looks like a game from the PlayStation 2 era. As with Temple Run 2, the frame rate suffers when there is a lot of action on the screen. The Redmi 12C is not a device we recommend for playing the majority of games. The benchmark scores are as below.
Geekbench 6 – 403/1212
Antutu 3D – 212,386
Wildlife Extreme – 188
TELEPHONY And GPS
Only 4G LTE network can be used on Redmi 12C. Users can also make phone calls through VoLTE and VoWiFi support which is very useful in situations where the cellular network is not very good. Voice calls made are clear with no lag or dropout issues. GPS performance is slow. But we don't know if it's actually due to a slow GPS system or a device that isn't operating fast.
CAMERA
The 50MP wide-angle main camera is paired with a depth sensor with a QVGA resolution of 0.08MP. No other lens is included with the front selfie camera is only 5MP. Photos taken using the main camera are only acceptable in perfect lighting situations. If it's too hot, the HDR mode doesn't seem to work with detail in the image not being captured. Without OIS, almost all images taken are not sharp enough. There is a portrait mode but the bokeh effect produced is only average.
The colors in the pictures are also not bright and look lifeless when compared to the capabilities of modern mid-range cameras. When in a closed area, the majority of the images taken are not sharp. As we said earlier, good photos can only be taken in good lighting situations.
What about selfies? With a 5MP camera we feel you can guess what the quality of pictures can be captured at this resolution. The camera performance of the Redmi 12C is less than satisfactory but comparable to the price.
BATTERY
Battery life is excellent with it achieving a consistent 9-10 hour SOT on moderate usage. It can also last a day too on moderate use. No surprise actually because a 5000 mAh battery is used. Even then the recharging time is about two hours. It's been a while since we've waited this long to charge the device's battery because only 10W chargers are supported. Charging also still uses the Micro USB port.
AUDIO
The speaker is just mono at the bottom. It's smooth and doesn't break even at maximum volume. The audio quality is only average because there is no Dolby Atmos system. For those who have quality TWS, the LDAC system can be used. Audio performance using external audio accessories is better than physical speakers. There is still a 3.5mm audio jack on the top for those who still want to use a wired connection.
IN THE BOX
Here is what is received in the box with purchase.
1x Redmi 12C
1x 10W Charger
1x USB-A to USB-A charging cable.
1x Manual.
1x SIM Pin.
CONCLUSION
Everything about the Redmi 12C can be said to be underwhelming. Not enough power, not fast enough, the screen isn't bright, the camera isn't impressive and the charger is slow. The battery alone can be commended for being quite durable and the fingerprint scanner is also fast.
The Redmi 12C is a time machine that brings back the experience of using a device from five to six years ago complete with an obsolete micro USB charging port. At the sale price of RM599 (4/128GB) and RM699 (6/128GB), the Redmi 12C is still worth buying
We feel it is a device not designed for adult use. On the other hand it is very compatible if bought as a first smartphone for children. Low cost and even if damaged, parents or guardians will not feel the loss. Not enough power in this situation is good because the child will not waste time playing first. The Helio G85 chip is powerful enough for the basic applications of WhatsApp, Google Meet and YouTube. Redmi 12C may not be suitable for adults but it is perfect enough for kids.
Pro
Durable design with polycarbonate back panel.
The battery lasts a long time due to its large capacity.
Loud speaker.
The physical fingerprint scanner on the back is fast.
Cons
10W charger is very slow.
The screen is not very smooth.
The processor is not powerful.
The camera capabilities are disappointing.