The realme 12 Pro+ 5G is a mid-range phone. realme announced it on January 29, 2024, together with the 12 Pro 5G. It went on sale in India on February 6, 2024. In Europe, it launched at €499.99 for the 8 GB/256 GB model. Its main feature is a 64 MP periscope telephoto camera, a first for the realme Number Series.
Design and display
The design takes cues from luxury watches. The back uses vegan leather with a gold-tone camera ring and a center line. Colors are Submarine Blue, Navigator Beige and Explorer Red.
The 6.7-inch curved OLED panel has a 2412 x 1080 resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate. realme rates its local peak brightness at 950 nits. At low brightness, it switches to 2160 Hz PWM dimming. The body measures 161.47 x 74.02 x 8.75 mm, weighs about 196 g and carries an IP65 rating.
Performance
The phone runs on the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2, a 4 nm chip with Adreno 710 graphics. Its CPU peaks at 2.4 GHz. It comes with 8 GB or 12 GB of RAM. Storage is 128 GB, 256 GB or 512 GB of UFS 3.1, depending on the market. There is no microSD slot.
Cameras
The main camera uses a 50 MP Sony IMX890 sensor with OIS and an f/1.8 lens. The 64 MP OmniVision OV64B periscope camera gives 3x optical zoom and also has OIS. An 8 MP ultrawide camera covers a 112-degree field of view.
The rear cameras record 4K video at 30 fps. The 32 MP Sony front camera records up to 1080p at 30 fps. realme also added film filters made with cinematographer Claudio Miranda.
Battery and charging
The 5,000 mAh battery supports 67 W SUPERVOOC wired charging. realme says it charges from 1% to 50% in 19 minutes. A 67 W adapter comes in the box. There is no wireless charging.
Software and updates
The 12 Pro+ 5G shipped with realme UI 5.0 based on Android 14. We could not confirm the length of its update promise from two reliable sources.
Other features include stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 and an in-display fingerprint reader. The phone has no headphone jack.
Should you buy the realme 12 Pro+ 5G?
This phone suits buyers who want optical zoom at a mid-range price. The periscope camera and OIS on two lenses stand out in its class. The leather-style design will also appeal to some buyers.
On the other hand, the IP65 rating offers only splash protection. There is no wireless charging or microSD slot. The realme 13 Pro+ 5G has since replaced it in the lineup.
