Today, Realme unveiled the Realme 12x 5G in India. The phone is slightly different from the Chinese version, which debuted last month. As compared to the Realme 11x 5G from last year, the 12x comes with several upgrades. Positioned as the “Entry-level 5G Killer” by the brand, the 12x offers many exciting features, such as 45W fast charging, Air Gestures support, vapor cooling tech, dual speakers, slim design, and more. Continue reading to learn what to expect from the device.
Realme 12x 5G: Unboxing and first impressions
The Realme 12x 5G’s retail box includes the following items: the handset, a 45W SuperVOOC charger, a USB-C to USB-C cable, a TPU case, a SIM ejector tool, a Safety Guide, and a Quick Guide.
The overall design of the Realme 12x 5G is not too different from the previous generation. On the front, it has a punch-hole screen and on the back, there is a round-camera module with two cameras and an LED flash inside.
The right edge has buttons for volume and power, and its left spine is barren. On the top, it has a microphone, a speaker, and a hybrid SIM slot, and its opposite end features a speaker, a microphone, a USB-C port, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Apart from the Twilight Purple edition that can be seen in the images here, the phone comes in Woodland Purple as well. Despite packing a large battery, it measures only 7.69mm in thickness and weighs around 188 grams.
Realme 12x 5G specifications and features
The Realme 12x 5G features a 6.72-inch IPS LCD FHD+ panel that offers a 120Hz refresh rate, a Dimensity 6100 Plus chipset, and a 5,000mAh battery, which are also available on the predecessor model. However, this time around, the screen hits a peak brightness of 950 nits compared to 11x, which offers 680nits of max brightness. I used the device under sunlight and did not face any issue in reading its content.
The Dimensity 6100 Plus is good enough for casual gaming. What’s interesting is that it is the only phone in its price category to feature a vapor chamber cooling unit. I played a few games like Genshin Impact, and I didn’t find the device overheating after playing for around 45 minutes. The phone comes in multiple LPDDR4x RAM options: 4GB, 6GB, and 8GB. It offers 128GB of UFS 2.2 storage, up to 8 GB of virtual RAM, and a microSD card slot via a hybrid SIM slot.
It took around 80 minutes for the Realme 11x 5G to achieve a full charge. The 12x, on the other hand, with its in-box 45W SuperVOOC charge, takes around an hour to achieve a full charge. Shown above are screenshots that show the 12x performance of benchmarking apps.
The Realme 12x has an 8-megapixel camera on the front. On the back, the device has a 50-megapixel Samsung JN1 primary camera, joined by a 2-megapixel depth sensor. Here are some camera samples that show how well it performs in the photography department.
As can be seen, the camera performance is decent when there is sufficient light. Additionally, both the front and rear cameras produce good portrait shots with reliable subject detection. However, users may need to adjust the aperture and make a few attempts to capture the perfect shot. Overall, the camera performance is quite satisfactory.
The Realme 12x has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for security. The device ships with Realme UI 5 flavored Android 14, and it is entitled to receive two Android OS upgrades and three years of security updates. Realme has added some tricks to the device. Apart from the Magic Capsule that works like Dynamic Island on iPhones, the 12x supports several Air Gestures that allow users to control devices without touching the device, and it also offers a Dynamic Button feature, which allows users to launch any app or access feature by double pressing or double tapping the power button. To say it again, the Dynamic Button lets users quickly perform tasks like changing sound mode, turning on/off torch or DND or Riding or airplane mode, launching a camera app, opening an app, and so on.
Realme 12x 5G price and availability
What’s interesting about the Realme 12x 5G is that, despite offering several upgrades, it is cheaper than the previous generation. The Realme 11x 5G was made available in 6GB+128GB and 8GB+128GB storage options for Rs 14,999 (~$180) and Rs 15,999 (~$190), respectively.
In comparison, the same variants of the Realme 12x are priced at Rs 13,499 (~$160) and Rs 14,999 (~$180). In addition, there is a 4GB+128GB edition, which costs only Rs 11,999 (~$145). There is an early bird sale today between 6pm and 8pm on Flipkart. Buyers can get the device with up to Rs 1,500 cashback using ICICI, HDFC, and SBI bank cards.
Final Thoughts:
Realme has nailed the pricing of the Realme 12x. With offers, it is an even better deal. It goes without saying that it is a worthy successor to Realme 11x 5G. If you are looking for an entry-level 5G phone, the 12x 5G is one device that you should not miss.
Disclaimer: All of the opinions in this Realme 12x 5G hands-on post are mine and based on my own experiences. There has been no editorial input from Realme.
