Infinix NOTE 12 Pro 5G Review Philippines: Better with 5G?

Infinix NOTE 12 Pro 5G Review Philippines: Better with 5G?

Review Verdict: While it only has two real upgrades over the NOTE 12, the Infinix Note 12 Pro 5G gets good value for money in the Philippines with its use of a capable, 5G-ready processor and an upgrade on the main camera. We still do hope, however, that Infinix tones down on the amount of bloatware preinstalled in their phones. 

Pros

  • 5G-ready processor
  • Decent OLED display

Cons

  • The main camera is not maximized
  • Plenty of bloatware

Infinix NOTE 12 Pro 5G Review Philippines specs

  • Dimensity 810 processor
  • 8GB LPDDR4X RAM
  • 128GB UFS 2.2 internal storage, expandable via microSD
  • 6.7-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display
  • 108-megapixel f/1.8 main camera with PDAF, 2-megapixel depth sensor, AI camera
  • 16-megapixel selfie camera
  • LTE, 4G, 5G
  • WiFi, Bluetooth, side-mounted fingerprint scanner
  • Stereo speakers
  • 33w charging
  • 5000mAh battery
  • Android 12, XOS 10.6

 

While the NOTE 12 has set the bar high for the under Php 10k segment, Infinix wants to do the same for its 5G offerings. Aside from the Zero 5G, the NOTE 12 Pro 5G aims to be another budget 5G offering from Infinix that offers good value for money. Is the Php 2.5k premium over the non-Pro, 4G-only model worth it?

Design

The NOTE 12 Pro 5G has the same design and dimensions as its non-Pro, 4G sibling. Put both phones side-by-side, and the only visual difference you’d probably see is the 108-megapixel branding on the camera module of the Pro 5G, along with 5G branding at the bottom. You also get the same wavy finish on the Pro 5G, along with flat sides to make the phone look slim visually.

Since the Pro and non-Pro versions are very similar, the button and port layout remain the same. That means you still get a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers, USB-C port, and a headphone jack.

Display

Like the non-Pro version, you also get a 6.7-inch AMOLED display on the NOTE 12 Pro 5G. Since they are the same panel, our sentiments are the same: it’s nice that Infinix is bringing AMOLED displays on more affordable phones, even if there are a few setbacks like the dated notch, being limited to Widevine L3, and the panel is not as bright as other AMOLED displays we tried.

Despite those setbacks, we still take an AMOLED panel over IPS on a phone any day, as the vibrant colors and deep blacks really make consuming content a pleasurable experience. Pair that with decent-sounding stereo speakers, and the NOTE 12 Pro 5G is great for entertainment.

Cameras

Despite looking the same, the NOTE 12 Pro 5G does have a higher-resolution 108-megapixel main camera. While the upgraded main camera has its perks, we’re wondering if the phone maximizes it, as the Dimensity 810 supports up to 64-megapixel cameras according to MediaTek’s website.

Compared to the NOTE 12’s 50-megapixel main camera, the NOTE 12 Pro 5G has a wider dynamic range, though it still struggles in low light conditions. The NOTE 12 Pro 5G does perform better than its non-Pro, 4G-only sibling in terms of HDR photos, as we got a cleaner output that does not have heavy post-processing.

The same can be said with the 16-megapixel camera, whereas the NOTE 12 Pro 5G processes selfies better despite using the same camera.

Like its non-Pro, 4G-only sibling, video recording is capped at 2K (1440p) resolution. There’s no EIS onboard, so you’ll need a gimbal to get smooth, rock-steady footage.

Internals and Battery Life

Other than the main camera, the big difference between the NOTE 12 Pro 5G and its non-Pro, 4G-only sibling is its use of a 5G-ready Dimensity 810 processor.

Aside from having 5G connectivity, the Dimensity 810 has other advantages over the Helio G96 that include the use of a more power-efficient 6nm process and higher CPU clock speeds. While not as powerful as the Dimensity 900 used on the Zero 5G, the Dimensity 810 is a great choice for the under Php 13k segment.

We’ve tried phones with a Dimensity 810 before, and the NOTE 12 Pro 5G offers decent performance when it comes to gaming. Conservatively, you can play heavy titles like Genshin Impact in medium graphics settings and get acceptable gameplay.

While it still uses a 5000mAh battery, the use of a newer processor makes the NOTE 12 Pro 5G more power efficient, clocking in at 14 hours and 7 minutes in PCMark’s battery test. That’s over four hours more than what we got on the NOTE 12, where we only got 10 hours and 4 minutes of battery life.

 

Wrap-up and Conclusions

For a few thousand Pesos more, the NOTE 12 Pro 5G justifies being more expensive than its non-Pro, 4G sibling with its capable and power-efficient Dimensity 810 processor, making it another compelling budget 5G offering in the Philippines. While the processor could not maximize its 108-megapixel main camera, overall photos look better–further justifying its price premium.

Infinix NOTE 12 Pro 5G Philippines Price

The NOTE 12 Pro 5G is priced at Php 12,499 and is available starting September 27. It will be exclusive to Lazada from September 27 to 29, where it will have a promo price of Php 10,299. It will have a promo price of Php 11,499 on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop on September 30.

 

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