I was really looking forward to reviewing it. Realme 12 Pro+ 5G The moment its availability was announced. realme is consistent about what their smartphones offer to their target users. The latest addition to the company’s famous number series is no exception.
This series focused on putting great cameras into phones at a significantly lower price point and improving overall performance.
Another reason I was looking forward to reviewing this is because I’m probably the most hands-on member of the GadgetMatch team. That’s who I am, and that’s why I give my thoughts on low-cost and mid-range devices from a clear point of view.
Once, our always kind editor-in-chief lent me his more expensive flagship killer for intensive reporting in my previous life as a sports reporter. It easily delivered, but it also didn’t make it into the best smartphones of last year. It definitely opened my eyes to how different the experience is when using a high-end device. This is why I was intrigued by the prospect of reviewing a capable mid-range product.
We hear that the Realme 12 Pro+ 5G is on par with flagship killers in the Php 30,000 to Php 40,000 range. And it doesn’t cost that much either. Now all you have to do is give it a thorough try for a few weeks and see for yourself.
realme 12 Pro+ 5G specs
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 Chipset
- realme UI 5.0 based on Android 14
- 12GB+12GB RAM
- 512GB internal storage, expandable up to
- 6.7-inch FHD+ display, 100% DCI-P3, 93% screen-to-body ratio
- 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate
- 5,000mAh battery
- 67W SUPERVOOC charging
Stylish, comfortable, just right
The Realme 12 series continues the luxury watch-inspired design that was first introduced with the Realme 11 Pro series. In particular, the realme 12 Pro+ model we got has a submarine blue body with silver metallic trimmings.
Several prominent luxury watch brands are known for their blue and gold models. realme incorporates that inspiration into its classy look.
Personally, I like the fact that realme’s design is not overdone. Silver metallic trimming gives it a white gold look, reflecting the environment. With the actual gold color, it probably would have looked like a copy of a luxury watch.
On the back, there is a sundial-like camera arranged in a circle, with a flash placed above it. The flash is not round in shape and resembles a capsule. I wish the camera had stuck out a little more, like the one on the Realme 10 Pro.
But you can’t blame the manufacturer when you know that they base their latest series on watches. Additionally, I wish the bezel could have been lifted so the camera doesn’t touch the surface when laid flat.
I also find the volume keys to be a bit difficult to press, although they’re not necessarily annoying. However, you could have easily adjusted the volume by just pressing and holding.
Overall it’s easy to hold. Made of vegan leather material, your phone won’t slip even without a case. The curved display also helps with the overall ergonomics of the device. I think smartphones are becoming lighter these days, and this one feels just right when you hold it, shake it, and shake it.
Smooth performance, clean interface
realme 12 Pro+ runs on realme 5.0 UI based on Android 14. Simple and easy to operate. There is no problem at all switching from one app to another. Even if your attention wanders, it will stay on the screen and come back to the app.
I took advantage of this no-frills interface when I could easily create short vlogs on the fly using the device. I shot the raw video, edited it, and edited the final result using the YouCut app. It was also easy to create a cover image using Phone Gallery’s crop feature.
Throughout the process, I was able to switch between apps easily and smoothly. His one hour of use, including filming and editing, probably only reduced the phone’s battery life by about 10%.
It’s a little frustrating when the keyboard stays on the screen for a split second, even when you don’t need to write anything. But I know this has been an Android issue for a while. Anyway, it did not interfere with the progress of creating a video blog or when I was supposed to perform tasks on the phone.
perfect for games
Moreover, this phone also delivers as promised when it comes to gaming.Set up Mobile Legends: Bang Bang I set the graphics settings to the highest possible and played for over 30 minutes without any issues. (Please note that the phone is still new so there is no “Ultra” option).
The phone didn’t get too hot, and the Dolby Atmos speakers provided an immersive audio experience. These speakers will enhance your viewing of any content, including social media, listening to podcasts, playing music in the background, streaming, and more.
Speaking of immersion, the FHD+ screen provides users with crisp detail and quality whether they’re watching, viewing photos, or just casually scrolling.
Battery life under load
The realme 12 Pro+ also offers enough battery life for long periods of use. For this work, I went to SM Mall of Asia all day to take photos. The entire time, I had social media and other apps open and connected to Wi-Fi.
I charged my phone from 39% to full in just 47 minutes before starting my day. On other occasions, he recorded just 35 minutes from 47% to full and 40 minutes from 44% to full.
As mentioned above, the device consumes only about 10% battery for one hour of shooting. It felt a little hot when I took continuous pictures under the scorching sun.
When I took out the jelly case, it returned to room temperature. Naturally, if you perform more demanding tasks or play games for a long time, the lifespan will be shortened. But overall, a user doesn’t have to worry about staying connected throughout his loaded day.
Camera package: most impressive
realme 12 Pro+ is equipped with the following cameras:
- 64MP f/2.8 Periscope Portrait Camera (OIS)
- 50MP f/1.8 Sony IMX890 Main Camera (OIS)
- 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera
- 32MP f/2.4 Sony selfie camera
Previously, realme 11 Pro+ was equipped with a 200MP OIS SuperZoom camera, which basically acts as the main camera. This time it’s the realme 12 Pro+’s “main” camera and “portrait” shooter. Unlike its younger brother Realme 12+, this one has an ultra-wide-angle camera instead of a macro camera.
This phone does a great job with quick captures. Regular zooms usually produce bright, sharp photos with amazing detail and quality. In my experience, I’ve noticed that some results are saturated.
Just make manual adjustments using the gallery’s in-app editing tools, or pre-select the right filter on the fly. In some cases, the results may seem too sharp, but it’s a matter of timing. Perhaps realme will also roll out an update to adjust this.
The 32MP selfie camera, on the other hand, produces photos with smoother details. 0.8x zoom option covers a lot of ground. This makes selfie shooters perfect for group selfies and including can’t-miss backgrounds.
[selfies]
Secondly, I’m also fascinated by how the camera preserves detail with up to 6x zoom. Under ideal conditions, you can get essentially the same quality with 5x or 6x zoom. Difficult scenarios often yield the intended results. Naturally, the more you zoom in, the more noise there will be in the photo, but you’ll still be able to discern what you’re looking at.
At the Realme 12 series launch event, I also took advantage of this in the back seat. While touring the event, I also secretly took some photos from a distance behind others. I even shot Mimi, the guest singer that night, with 10x zoom and got decent results.
Back at the Mall of Asia, I realized that the camera package unlocked a lot of possibilities for enthusiasts. With a little creativity and the right angle, you can take many photos you wouldn’t normally think of. We love how it combines powerful hardware and processing to let you explore more captures on your smartphone.
The field of view of the main camera is already wide enough to fit everything in one frame. I used the ultra-wide lens sparingly, but when I did, it got me what I needed, like riding the Ferris wheel.
Most of the landscape photos I took were taken at 3x to 6x zoom, and sometimes even more. What impressed me was that there wasn’t much loss of detail. The phone held up even when I spent some time at night at an amusement park near the bay.
We pushed the phone to its limits to test the “Portrait Master” label. For me it was mostly trial and error, but the 64MP Periscope camera made the whole experiment easy. In good lighting, I quickly got great results.
In the meantime, you need to keep trying at night. I used her 1x zoom for the full body capture and her 3x zoom for the half body portrait. I was very surprised because after a few tries, this phone produced decent bokeh photos without any segmentation errors. I think this is great considering my girlfriend was superimposed on the bright lights of a carnival game.
What was even more surprising was when we were riding in a bump car, and my girlfriend was able to secretly take a few snapshots with 5x zoom while we were on the move. The phone still delivered without any loud noises or blurring. When she rode the drop tower, there wasn’t enough lighting, but the photos still came out with decent detail.
This further highlights how good the realme 12 Pro+’s camera package is. As a “bonus” to myself, I took some long exposure shots of the paper windmill and the Flying Fiesta ride in Pro mode.
I found some cracks in the armor. I brought up segmentation because a few hours before night, I was trying to photograph my girlfriend with the sunset in the background.
When using portrait mode, the transition from blurred to unblurred areas was obvious. Additionally, without a macro lens, it’s also difficult to properly focus on close-up shots. To start, you need a distance of at least 10 centimeters from your subject.
Nevertheless, what you get with the whole camera package is amazing. If you’re looking for great options for food, travel, nightlife, scenery, and everything in between, the Realme 12 Pro+ is definitely for you.
realme 12 Pro+ 5G: amazing midrange
realme 12 Pro+ 5G is an absolute bargain considering its price range. Get an amazing midrange that can perform just as well as expensive flagship killers.
realme has tried its best to create smartphones that are close to flagship killers and they have achieved that with this device. The phone makes you more than just a “portrait master” (which deserves that moniker in the first place).
Best of all, if you consider investing in realme 12 Pro+, you will definitely save a lot of cash.
realme 12 Pro+ 5G is priced at Php 25,999. Customers can purchase it from March 7 to 15 on Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok for an introductory price of P21,999.
