Xiaomi announces Redmi Note 12 series with 210W charging and 200 megapixel cameras

Xiaomi has unveiled the latest models in its Redmi range of devices: the Note 12 series. These are also the first on the market to break the 200W fast-charging barrier, with the most powerful of the series promising full charging in just 9 minutes. Incidentally, it charges even faster than the company’s latest flagship, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, as well as any other competitors on the market, which barely offer charging at 120 or 150W.

The Redmi Note 12 Explorer Edition also charges faster than the Xiaomi 12S Ultra

The Redmi Note 12 series incorporates four models, three of which are very similar to each other with slight differences. We’re talking about the top model with the fastest charging, the Redmi Note 12 Explorer Edition, alongside the Redmi 12 Pro+, Pro and finally the “standard” Redmi Note 12.

The Redmi Note 12 Explorer Edition is the model everyone will be talking about, thanks to its high charging power and the special battery it integrates. It’s built on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ configuration, meaning a 6.67″ OLED display with Full HD resolution at 120 Hz, MediaTek’s Dimensity 1080 chipset, 8 or 12 GB RAM, and 128 or 256 GB storage.

The battery differs, however. While the Pro+ model comes with a 5,000 mAh battery charging at 120W, the Discovery Edition uses a smaller 4,300 mAh battery, but charging at 210W. Of course, Xiaomi uses a proprietary charging technology that powers a battery with three buses, each at 70W. In theory, each could charge up to 100W for charging at 300W, but Xiaomi has limited the power for safety reasons.

The 210W charger uses GaN technology, and despite the high power, is very small in size. Charging won’t be possible without this charger and the special cable that comes with the phone, which includes an E-Mark chip that unlocks high-speed charging. Without this cable, the phone charges at 65W via USB Power Delivery.

The Explorer Edition and Redmi Note 12 Pro+ come with Samsung’s ISOCELL HPX sensor for the main camera, a 200-megapixel sensor. Incidentally, this is the first Xiaomi phone with such high resolution. While the sensor can shoot at 8K, the processor can only allow 4K shooting. Secondary cameras use 8 and 2 megapixel sensors for ultrawide and depth respectively.

The 12 Pro and 12 “standard” are more modest models

The Redmi 12 Pro model benefits from a 50-megapixel main camera, 67W charging and otherwise identical specs to the other two models.

The Redmi Note 12, however, still uses a 6.67″ screen, OLED at 120 Hz and 5,000 mAh battery, but charging is at just 33W. Also, this model has a processor from a lower range, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 4 Gen 1. With a configuration of 4 or 18 GB RAM and 256 GB storage, it’s clear that this model is a more budget model.

The main camera has 48 megapixels, and the secondary camera is a 2 megapixel one for depth. This model doesn’t integrate an ultrawide camera, and the front camera is only 8 megapixels.

How much is the new Redmi Note 12

• Redmi Note 12 Discovery Edition – 2,400 yuan (330 eur)
• Redmi Note 12 Pro+ – 2,200 yuan (305 eur)
• Redmi Note 12 Pro – 1,700 yuan (235 eur)
• Redmi Note 12 – 1,199 yuan (166 eur)

Of course, these prices are only for the base variants, and in Europe they will be significantly higher due to shipping and import fees that will be added. Sales for these models start on 31 and 1 October respectively in China.