realme will launch the realme 12+ 5G, alongside the realme 12 Pro+ 5G, in the Philipines on March 7. The lineup features designs inspired by luxury watches, in collaboration with renowned watch designer Ollivier Savéo.
Like the realme 12 Pro+ 5G, we also have our hands on the realme 12+ 5G. And in this article, we share our first impressions of this device, as we continue working on our full review.
Unboxing
The unboxing experience is the same across all modern realme phones. The realme 12+ 5G comes in a familiar yellow box with the usual set of accessories, including a silicon case, a SUPERVOOC fast charger and USB-C cable, a SIM eject pin, and some documentation. It also comes with a pre-installed plastic screen protector.
The initial setup was quick and easy. However, experience stumbles slightly because of third-party apps, and the Hot Games and Hot Apps folders. As annoying as these are, they supposedly help lower the overall cost of the phone. Just delete or uninstall the apps you don’t need.
Design and Display
The realme 12+ 5G offers a flat design with a premium vegan leather back and polished PVD frame. While it isn’t as awestruck-inducing as the realme 12 Pro+ 5G, it still exudes elegance, with a promise to offer a premium smartphone experience in the mid-range space.
Our review unit, in Pioneer Green, is stunning, offering a collection of green hues across its design, from the vegan leather back, to the PVD frame, and on the sunburst dial. The other color option is Navigator Beige.
The sunburst dial is made with 500 gradient patterns that combine to replicate a luxury watch’s dial. At the same time, the 3D Jubilee Bracelet design runs across the back panel and adds an elegant accent to complete the premium appeal.
Unfortunately, there’s no fluted bezel around the circular camera island, but there’s a silver accent instead. To create a uniform look, there are four camera cutouts at the back. However, only three of them are actual cameras.
At the front, the realme 12+ 5G has a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with 2400×1080 pixel resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and a Rainwater Smart Touch feature that prevents issues when touching the screen with wet fingers.
It has narrow bezels and a 92.65% screen-to-body ratio, but there’s a slight chin at the bottom bezel. It also has a hole punch cutout at the top center for the selfie camera and an in-display fingerprint sensor.
The fingerprint sensor is near the bottom part of the display, making it harder to reach. However, the phone is comfortable to hold, thanks to its flat frame and leather back.
The volume and power buttons are on the right side. The bottom side has the SIM tray, microphone, USB-C port, and speaker. There is another speaker vent at the top, together with a secondary microphone and (surprise!) a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Specs and Features
The realme 12+ 5G is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7050 chipset. Our review unit has 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It runs realme UI 5.0 based on Android 14. As always, I maxed out the 12GB RAM expansion in exchange for storage space.
The phone has a triple camera setup at the back, consisting of a 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 2MP macro camera. It also has a 16MP selfie shooter in front.
The main camera uses a Sony LYT-600 sensor with a bright f/1.8 lens and OIS. The ultra-wide camera has a 112-degree field of view. The macro camera has an f/2.4 lens and a 4cm focus distance. I don’t have much use for a macro camera, but at least the option is there.
The phone also has a 5000mAh battery that supports 67W SUPERVOOC fast charging. realme claims 1-50% in just 19 minutes with the supplied charger.
Other features include Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, stereo speakers, a 4357mm² VC Cooling System, and an IP54 water-resistant build.
That’s it for our first impressions of the realme 12+ 5G. Stay tuned for our full review, coming soon.
The realme 12+ 5G and realme 12 Pro+ 5G will launch in the Philippines on March 7, 2024. You can watch the event via live stream on Facebook and YouTube at 6 PM. Local pricing will be revealed then.
Blind pre-orders of the realme 12 Series 5G are ongoing until March 7. The realme 12+ 5G will come with either a TechLife High-Speed Hair Dryer or a TechLife 4L Digital Rice Cooker worth P2,399.
The first selling period is from March 8 to 17. Freebies are also available until supplies last.
realme 12+ 5G specs
| Display | 6.67-inch FHD Ultra Smooth OLED Display, 2400×1080, 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ |
| Processor | MediaTek Dimensity 7050 5G |
| RAM/Storage | 12GB LPDDR4X RAM 256GB storage |
| Rear Cameras | 50MP main, OIS, Sony LYT-600 8MP ultra-wide 2MP macro |
| Front Camera | 16MP |
| Network | 5G, 4G, dual SIM |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS |
| Others | In-display fingerprint scanner, USB-C, Dolby Atmos stereo speakers, Dynamic RAM Expansion, IP54 water resistance |
| OS | realme UI 5.0, Android 14 |
| Colors | Pioneer Green, Navigator Beige |
| Battery | 5000mAh battery, 67W SUPERVOOC |
