Gadget of the Week: Realme keeps mid-range real

What is it?

High-end and foldable phones are dominating the news right now, but the headlines ignore the reality that far more consumers are buying mid-range handsets.

As a result, the latest entry into this market by challenger brand Realme, formerly a sub-brand of Oppo, is both a timely reminder and a welcome addition.

The Realme 12+ combines powerful features, sleek design and an affordable price, although one wouldn’t call it a budget smartphone. It’s price at the top end of the mid-range, along with its premium features, would make it appealing for those put off by ever-rising prices at the high end.

It’s appeal begins right out of the box, revealing a slim profile with glossy finish and a premium look, A colour gradient reflects light beautifully, giving it a stylish vibe. The look is enhanced by a premium feel, with a comfortable grip, while old-school earphone users will appreciate inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack.

A 6.67-inch AMOLED display with 2400×1080 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate makes serious battery demands, so it is appropriate that it comes with a 67W fast charging brick for its 5,000 mAh battery. It included HDR10+ support, which enhances the dynamic range and colour accuracy in supported content. This is the feature that contributes most heavily to its higher-end aspirations.

It is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7050 chipset, paired with a decent 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. That contributes to zippy multitasking, and no range anxiety in image and video packing.

After that, however, disappointments emerge that keep it from joining the leading pack. The main rear camera is led by a mere 50MP wide-angle lens, joined by an 8MP ultra-wide, a 2MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. We’ve seen that kind of array on lower-mid devices. It works well in daylight, but quality drops significantly in low-light,

That said, it offers excellent video recording, supporting for 4K resolution at 30fps and 1080p at 30/60fps. Gyro electronic image stabilisation (EIS),  slow-motion and time-lapse will appeal to content creators.

A 32MP selfie camera on the front offers 1080p video at 30fps, includes AI beautification and portrait mode, and is a standout feature of the phone.

The Realme 12+ runs on a Realme UI 5.0 skin, on top of Android 14, but would probably have been more user-friendly with plain Android. It may be feature-packed, but that often translates into clutter.

Ultimately, it is a welcome addition to the market, but will need to pack a little more punch to fight it out with the big players.

What does it cost?

The Realme 12+ 5G retails at around R15,000 in South Africa.

Why does it matter?

The Realme 12+ enters a crowded market, but provide premium-like features, like a large AMOLED display, big memory and ample storage, at well below the price of flagship phones. It is a capable device with a vibrant display and, as Realme attempts to establish itself in new markets like South Africa, the 12+ showcases its mid-range ambitions.

What are the biggest negatives?

• The Realme user interface may be feature-packed, but that makes it cluttered and undermines an otherwise fluid performance.
• The main camera performs well in daylight, but the quality drops in low-light situations and instead exposes its mid-range credentials.
• No wireless charging.

What are the biggest positives?

• The 6.67-inch AMOLED screen is a standout feature, offering vibrant colours and a refresh rate of 120Hz.
• While the 5000mAh battery falls short of a full day of heavy usage, the 67W fast charging promises to get the user back to 50% power in less than 20 minutes..
• Excellent video recording, with 4K resolution at 30fps and 1080p at 30/60fps, as well as electronic image stabilisation, slow-motion and time-lapse.

* Arthur Goldstuck is CEO of World Wide Worx and editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on social media on @art2gee.