Realme 12 4G smartphone review: camera like the older ones

This year, the numbered series of realme smartphones places a huge emphasis on the camera – each of its representatives is remarkable in this regard. Pro+ brought a periscope camera to the upper-middle segment, realme 12+ received a main camera based on the latest Sony LYT-600 sensor, as well as some software features that seemed reserved for the older model.

It is all the more interesting that realme 12 4G, despite being the most inexpensive in its family, received exactly the same main camera and did not do without characteristic filters developed together with cinematographer Claudio Miranda. That is, in terms of camera, we see a device very close to realme 12+, but almost 10 thousand rubles cheaper! However, it, of course, uses a much simpler hardware platform (Qualcomm Snapdragon 685) without a 5G modem, which is reflected in the name. What other compromises are there and how they affect the perception of the gadget – we’ll look into this material.

⇡#Specifications

⇡#Design and ergonomics

All members of the realme 12 family are designed approximately the same (characteristic style with a symmetrical rear panel, visually divided by a zipper strip into two parts), but, of course, each has its own characteristics. For example, realme 12 Pro+ has a curved display, realme 12+ is flat, but its back is covered with artificial leather.

Realme 12 4G also received a characteristic stripe and a round camera block, painted black, but overall it looks simpler than its older brothers. This strip itself somewhat blends in color with the rest of the back; the camera block no longer so clearly refers to a mechanical watch with a ribbed bezel.

Realme 12 4G, front panel: in the center at the top of the screen is the front camera, under the top edge is the earpiece

The materials are also simpler – the back, like the edges, is made of plastic. The panel is matte, pleasant to the touch, but still it is not artificial leather. However, sometimes plastic is also found on near-flagship devices, let’s remember the brand’s recent flagship realme GT 6, so you don’t want to make dissatisfied faces.

Realme 12 4G, rear panel: at the top there is a block with two cameras and a single LED flash

In terms of dimensions, the realme 12 4G is identical to the realme 12+ – it uses essentially the same body with some cosmetic changes. But thanks to the use of plastic, the realme 12 4G is a little (three grams) lighter. The display occupies 87.3% of the front surface – the frames are small; but the “chin” is still noticeable; the manufacturer was unable to completely occupy the panel with a screen. The front camera is located in a custom hole at the top of the display.

Realme 12 4G, left side without functional elements

Realme 12 4G, right side: power key and volume key/camera shutter

There are two color variations: “blue dawn” (as in our case) and “green malachite”.

Realme 12 4G, top edge: microphone, additional speaker hole, mini-jack

Realme 12 4G, bottom edge: speaker, USB Type-C port, microphone, slot for SIM cards and memory cards

The functional elements, of course, are no different either: there is an analog audio jack and a regular power key without a fingerprint scanner built into it. The latter is built into the screen, which is still not entirely typical for a smartphone in the “about 20 thousand rubles” price category.

Realme 12 4G with complete case

The realme 12 4G comes with a transparent silicone case.

⇡#Software

Realme 12 4G runs on Android 14 operating system with realme UI 5.0 skin. Right during the testing process, another update arrived, but there are no noteworthy changes compared to the same software environment installed, for example, on realme 12+. The key feature is a flash capsule that appears in an arbitrary location on the screen, and not just in the area of ​​the front camera, like the iPhone with its Dynamic Island. It displays information when making a call, recording a screen, turning on the voice recorder, and some other operations. I would also like to note the wide possibilities for managing information on the locked screen. There is also a Phonelink tool that connects the device to a PC through the Microsoft LTW program, synchronizing calls, texts and file transfers without the need to install additional software.

Realme UI 5.0 has a nice interface and quite expected functionality. As an unpleasant thing, I once again note a large amount of pre-installed software, on which the emphasis is placed – applications transferred from the previous smartphone (which are clearly more important to the user) are hidden on the general application screen (called by swiping from the bottom edge of the display), and the desktop is filled with what realme considered it necessary.

The system works stably, but due to the not very powerful hardware platform it responds to commands slowly. I can’t really call it slow, but flipping through screens and opening applications (especially “heavy” ones, like the camera) require a certain amount of patience. The system occupies a little more than 14 GB of memory.

The fingerprint scanner is located under the screen, it uses an optical sensor that does not respond to the touch of a wet or oily finger, but otherwise it is fine: it works quickly and with a good success rate. But again, I’ll chide the smartphone a little for the slight slowdown during the animation of the sensor’s activation and the subsequent unlocking of the gadget. The scanner is located at the bottom of the screen, so you have to either grab the gadget in your hand (this risks dropping it) or hold the device with your other hand. But there is a tactile response not only when the scanner fails, but also when a successful operation is confirmed. The second method of biometric authentication is a facial recognition system, which operates on the basis of a regular front camera.

⇡#Display and sound

Realme 12 4G has a 6.67-inch diagonal AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2400 × 1080 pixels (density 395 ppi).

It supports a 120Hz refresh rate (this is not an LTPO display, so the minimum available rate is 30Hz) on the system and in many applications, but unfortunately not in games. But the touch layer has a polling rate of 240 Hz, which will definitely please gamers. The PWM frequency is not specified, but it feels quite high – there is only minimal flickering at low brightness values.

The measured maximum brightness level without software increase during automatic adjustment (measurement is carried out in dim artificial light) was 569 cd/m2 – a very good result. The peak is stated to be high – up to 2000 cd/m2. There is every reason to believe that the screen is at least approaching this level; using a smartphone on the street is quite comfortable.

In the settings, you can select the display refresh rate (60 or 120 Hz, as well as dynamic mode, where the smartphone itself switches the frequency), change the size and type of fonts, set and adjust the dark or light interface theme (or set the timer for turning them on). There is a brightness adjustment and the ability to enable automatic brightness adjustment – it works relatively correctly here; Moreover, you can set the minimum value so that the display does not darken excessively. The color reproduction of the display is adjustable: there are two main presets (“Vivid Colors” and “Natural”), as well as a “Professional Modes” section with sub-items “Cinematic” and “Great”. Manual color temperature adjustment is available for each mode. I measured the realme 12 4G’s screen color performance in Vivid Colors mode, which is the default, as well as Natural and Cinematic Colors modes, with the standard color temperature for all three.

Realme 12 4G, gamma in “Vivid Colors” color mode. Yellow line – realme 12 4G indicators, dotted line – reference gamma

Realme 12 4G, color temperature in Vivid Colors mode. Blue line – realme 12 4G indicators, dotted line – reference temperature

Realme 12 4G, color gamut in Vivid Colors mode. Gray triangle – DCI-P3 coverage, white triangle – realme 12 4G coverage

In Vivid Colors mode, the color space is slightly larger than DCI-P3 gamut. The average range of shades of gray is within the normal range – 2.23, the curves go slightly up in light shades. The color temperature is increased, but not too significantly – the curve rises smoothly in the range from 6,700 to 7,300 K. The average deviation DeltaE for the extended Color Checker palette (grayscale + a wide range of color shades) is 2.85 (with a norm of 3 and a reference value 2).

Realme 12 4G, gamma in “Natural” color mode. Yellow line – realme 12 4G indicators, dotted line – reference gamma

Realme 12 4G, color temperature in Natural color mode. Blue line – realme 12 4G indicators, dotted line – reference temperature

Realme 12 4G, color gamut in Natural color mode. Gray triangle – sRGB coverage, white triangle – realme 12 4G coverage

In the “Natural” mode, the color gamut is narrowed to the sRGB space, the color temperature is very close to the standard (6,500 K). The gamma decreases slightly, but is also essentially normal (2.18), the average deviation DeltaE for the extended Color Checker palette is 1.8 – and this is already the reference level.

Realme 12 4G, gamma in “Cinematic colors” color mode. Yellow line – realme 12 4G indicators, dotted line – reference gamma

Realme 12 4G, color temperature in Cinematic Colors color mode. Blue line – realme 12 4G indicators, dotted line – reference temperature

Realme 12 4G, color gamut in “Cinematic Colors” color mode. Gray triangle – DCI-P3 coverage, white triangle – realme 12 4G coverage

In the “Professional Colors” (“Cinematic”) mode, the screen operates with an expanded color gamut, close to DCI-P3, but with warm tones: the temperature is again slightly lower than the standard (6,500 K). The average gamma is 2.22, and the average DeltaE deviation according to the ColorChecker table is 2.28. Summarizing the test results in all three modes, I can confidently say that the realme 12 4G screen is configured wonderfully.

The realme 12 4G has stereo speakers – paired with a dedicated speaker located on the bottom edge, but thanks to a small hole, the sound is output to the top edge (in talk mode, of course, the algorithm is different), which improves its positioning. There is a mini-jack, Bluetooth profiles are supported for high-resolution data transfer (including aptX thanks to the Qualcomm platform).

⇡#«Iron and performance

The realme 12 4G is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 685 hardware platform – despite its formal debut last year (it was used, in particular, in the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12), this is far from a new solution in its architecture and the cores used. In fact, we are talking about a slightly overclocked Snapdragon 680: powerful cores with a frequency of 2.8 GHz versus 2.4 GHz, the graphics subsystem is a little more active, there is support for screens with a frequency of 120 Hz. In fact, this is a platform from 2021.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 685 offers four Kryo 265 Gold cores (modified ARM Cortex-A73) at 2.8 GHz and four Kryo 265 Silver (modified ARM Cortex-A53) at 1.8 GHz, accompanied by Adreno 610 graphics at 950 MHz (with Vulkan 1.1 support). The technical process is conventional 6 nm.

Naturally, one shouldn’t expect feats in terms of performance from such a chipset – it’s already good that it works well with the Vulcan. Accordingly, realme 12 4G is noticeably inferior to most competitors in the same price segment. But it’s worth comparing a smartphone with gadgets a little cheaper than 20 thousand, and everything doesn’t look so bad according to benchmarks. As for the subjective sensations of working with the device, I already said above about the leisurely nature of the software environment. Games will launch confidently (almost any), but in this case there is no point in talking about serious gaming potential.

But there is no throttling, as well as a tendency to overheat. In fact, frequencies in endurance tests do not decrease, and the case heats up minimally under load.

Realme 12 4G comes only with 8 GB of LPDDR4x RAM and a UFS 2.2 drive (also far from the fastest) with a capacity of 256 or 512 GB. Yes, yes, half a terabyte in the middle price segment – the smartphone is not the most powerful, but it is very “thick”. RAM can be expanded using the drive, “taking away” up to eight additional gigabytes. Non-volatile memory can be expanded using a MicroSD card, but the slot here is hybrid – you will have to choose between a memory card and a second SIM card.

⇡#Communications and wireless communications

The realme 12 4G can install two nano-SIM standard operator cards. I repeat, there is no 5G modem, but for 4G everything is more or less standard – the speed is normal (we are most likely talking about LTE Cat.4, but I cannot confirm this with confidence), all the necessary bands are supported.

Realme 12 4G, slot for two nano-SIM cards or one nano-SIM and a MicroSD memory card

List of other wireless connections: dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, as well as a navigation module with support for GPS and A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, NavIC.

⇡#Camera

Realme 12 4G has two cameras, and only one is directly responsible for shooting. The second module is an auxiliary module; its exact role in filming is not reliably known.

On the left is a picture with a base resolution of 12.5 megapixels, on the left – with a maximum resolution of 50 megapixels

The main camera shoots with a resolution of 12.5 megapixels by default, but you can switch to “High Resolution” mode and take pictures at 50 megapixels – the optics are not able to resolve them 100%, but there is still some advantage in detail.

On the left are pictures with a standard focal length, on the right are with 2x hybrid zoom

Thanks to the use of a Quad Bayer sensor, the realme 12 4G has, in fact, two basic focal lengths – in addition to the standard one (about 26 mm in 35 mm equivalent), a 2x hybrid zoom is also available (crop from a 50-megapixel image).

First, let’s talk about how the realme 12 4G shoots with a regular focal length. Let me remind you that realme 12+, equipped with the same module, had some difficulties – the picture was processed too roughly, we noted excessive sharpness and problems with dynamic range. The younger model, to our surprise, does better with this: there are errors in color rendering (colors become too cold), but not often. Everything is good with detail and dynamic range, focusing is stable; Apart from slightly slower image processing, there’s essentially nothing to complain about. This applies to shooting in good lighting conditions. At night, the quality of shooting certainly decreases – noticeable noise, loss of detail in shadowed areas. But you can take a sharp photo suitable for posting on social networks – the realme 12 4G demonstrates not an outstanding, but acceptable level here.

But with zoom everything is a little more complicated. On average, in good lighting with 2x zoom, the smartphone takes pictures normally – the dynamic range sags a little, details are slightly “pinched”, but everything is within reason. At night we already see too much noise and problems with the balance of lights and shadows, but again, at least at dusk it is not difficult to achieve a sharp photo. Another thing is that, unfortunately, there is a noticeable percentage of defects when shooting with a double zoom – as if during processing the camera does not crop correctly, not respecting the proportions of the objects in the photograph. Examples can be seen above. There is a possibility that with future firmware this problem will be corrected, as well as flaws in the processing of portraits (more on which below).

Left – snapshots in normal mode, right – in the night

There is a dedicated night mode that works with all basic focal lengths. It is not necessary to force it on – in the main mode it is activated by default if the smartphone senses a lack of lighting. But it doesn’t affect the image that much, and not always in a positive way. Yes, the picture looks smoother, less noisy, but at the same time, highlights, for example, become more pronounced. And there may be a slight loss of detail due to the longer shutter speed. Also, when shooting at night, proprietary filters are available.

There are also traditional filters, not just night filters. There are a lot of them, and among the usual toning methods there are precisely those processing options from cinematographer Claudio Miranda called “Journey”, “Memory” and “Maverick”. Examples are above in the gallery; the filters mentioned separately are the first in the selection.

There is a shooting mode characteristic of BBK smartphones that simulates the effect of Tilt Shift optics.

In portrait mode there is software background blur, retouching and filters (including three “named”). Two focal lengths available. In this case (unlike realme 12+), it was decided to abandon the 3x software zoom, and this is the right decision; the picture quality in any case dropped too noticeably. There are a lot of possibilities for a relatively inexpensive smartphone, and the blur works well – without separating the object and background too roughly. But there are also flaws – for example, when shooting a model in profile, the blur was not limited only to the contours, but also partially “eaten up” the nose. In addition, the dynamic range drops noticeably – you can no longer take portraits with hard light.

Realme 12 4G camera app interface

For the camera application, we note normal navigation and a set of familiar formats: the “Street” mode of unclear purpose (it completely duplicates the standard shooting mode, just with slightly different designations of its parameters), a full-fledged “Professional” mode with manual settings, text scanning mode, panorama stitching.

If in terms of photography the realme 12 4G is very close to the more expensive realme 12+, and in some places even surpasses it (processing flaws have been corrected), then in video shooting the not very powerful hardware platform already affects it. The smartphone shoots with a maximum resolution of Full HD at 30 frames per second – and at the same time does not shine with shooting quality. The picture is loose, with a weak dynamic range. It is possible to quickly switch the focal length when shooting, as well as an enhanced stabilization mode (the usual one works in any case – and is quite effective), filters, shooting portrait video with retouching, fast and slow motion – but the abundance of functions only adds to the sadness of the poor quality of shooting.

The front camera in realme 12 4G is the same as in realme 12+: 16 megapixels, ƒ/2.5 aperture optics (EGF – 24 mm). There is no autofocus or flash. There is retouching, portrait mode with background blur, filters. Shooting is carried out in full resolution, one focal length is available; Video shooting is available in the same resolution as with the rear camera (maximum Full HD 30p). The shooting level is generally good.

⇡#Offline work

Realme 12 4G has a 19 Wh (5000 mAh, 3.8 V) battery. The smartphone quietly holds a charge throughout the day, you can play on it for 8-10 hours (depending on the brightness of the screen and the ambient temperature – we tested the smartphone mainly in the heat, when the battery drains faster). The combination of an OLED display, a battery of normal capacity and a platform that is not very powerful, but also not demanding in terms of energy, gives good results.

In our test with Full HD video playback at maximum brightness, with Wi-Fi turned on, the realme 12 4G lasted approximately 16.5 hours – an excellent result.

The package includes a 67W charger that fully charges the smartphone in about 50 minutes. Along with the camera, this is a sign of a higher-end smartphone. Wireless charging is not supported.

⇡#Conclusion

On paper, the realme 12 4G looked like a kind of “camera phone for the little ones” – a camera from the realme 12+ (an interesting new sensor, optical stabilization!), filters like the older model, but at a much lower price. In fact, the not very powerful hardware platform leaves its mark on the impression – there are problems with processing pictures taken with a 2x zoom; in the dark, the smartphone allows you to take sharp pictures (thanks to the stabilizer), but it also does not shine with ideal processing. But when shooting with a standard focal length, the level is in any case very good, in some ways even superior to what we saw with realme 12+.

But the realme 12 4G is still not a camera phone, but a universal device that has aces up its sleeve besides shooting: it has a gorgeously tuned AMOLED screen, good battery life combined with really fast charging, and a lot of memory (there’s even an option half a terabyte). An interesting choice for those for whom the power of the hardware platform is not that important.

Advantages:

• Nice design like the older models in the series;
• Well-tuned AMOLED display with support for 120 Hz frequency;
• Good quality of shooting on the main camera;
• Good autonomy and quick charge;
• Stereo speakers;
• A lot of memory;
• There is a mini-jack.

Disadvantages:

• Not very powerful hardware platform;
• 120 Hz frequency is not supported in games;
• Plastic body;
• There is no optical zoom or wide-angle camera;
• There are mistakes when shooting with zoom and portrait photography;
• Low video quality;
• There is a lot of pre-installed software in the shell.