The realme 12+ 5G is a mid-range phone announced on February 29, 2024. It went on sale in Malaysia on March 1 and in India on March 6, 2024. It reached Italy on May 14, 2024. There, the 8 GB/256 GB model cost €359.99. Its headline feature is a Sony LYT-600 main camera with OIS.
Design and display
The 12+ 5G follows the luxury watch design of the 12 Pro series. The back uses vegan leather with a textured center strip. It comes in Pioneer Green and Navigator Beige. At 7.87 mm thick and about 190 g, it is slimmer than the Pro models.
The flat 6.67-inch AMOLED screen has a 2400 x 1080 resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate. realme lists 2,000 nits of peak brightness and HDR10+ support. Rainwater Smart Touch helps the screen work with wet fingers. The phone is rated IP54.
Performance
It uses the MediaTek Dimensity 7050, built on a 6 nm process. The CPU runs at up to 2.6 GHz, and the GPU is a Mali-G68 MC4. A vapor chamber helps with cooling.
RAM ranges from 6 GB to 12 GB. Storage ranges from 128 GB to 512 GB. The exact versions depend on the market. There is no microSD slot.
Cameras
The main camera uses a 50 MP Sony LYT-600 sensor with OIS and an f/1.88 lens. It also offers a 2x in-sensor zoom for portraits. An 8 MP ultrawide and a 2 MP macro camera complete the rear setup.
Rear video goes up to 4K at 30 fps. The 16 MP selfie camera records 1080p at 30 fps.
Battery and charging
The 5,000 mAh battery supports 67 W SUPERVOOC charging. realme says it reaches 50% in 19 minutes. The charger is included in the box. Wireless charging is not available.
Software and updates
The phone shipped with realme UI 5.0 based on Android 14. We could not confirm its update promise from two reliable sources.
Extra features include NFC, dual speakers and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. It also has Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 and an in-display fingerprint reader.
Should you buy the realme 12+ 5G?
The 12+ 5G fits buyers who want an OIS camera and a slim design. It costs less than the 12 Pro. It also keeps the headphone jack, which the Pro models drop. Charging speed and battery size match the Pro series.
On the downside, it has no telephoto camera, and the macro camera adds little. The IP54 rating is lower than the IP65 of the Pro models. There is no wireless charging.
