Realme 12 Pro Review: A Stylish Mid Range Phone That Balances Power, Camera, and Value

Realme 12 Pro Review: A Stylish Mid Range Phone That Balances Power, Camera, and Value

When it comes to midrange smartphones, there’s no shortage of flashy specs and bold claims. But the Realme 12 Pro steps in with something a little more refined a combination of stylish design, dependable performance, and camera versatility that doesn’t scream “budget.” Let’s take a deeper look at what this phone offers and whether it’s worth your attention in 2025.

A Display That’s Easy on the Eyes

The moment you pick up the Realme 12 Pro, you’ll notice the curved 6.7 inch AMOLED display wrapping subtly around the edges. It’s the kind of feature usually reserved for premium flagships, but Realme made it work here both visually and practically.

With a 120Hz refresh rate, 100% DCI P3 color gamut, and up to 950 nits brightness, the screen feels snappy, colorful, and easy to view even under direct sunlight. Scrolling feels smooth, animations are fluid, and streaming content looks better than you might expect for a phone in this price range.

Performance That Keeps Up

Under the hood, the Realme 12 Pro is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 a capable mid tier chipset built on a 4nm process. It might not win benchmark wars, but in real world use, it gets the job done. Apps open quickly, multitasking is smooth (thanks to 8GB RAM and dynamic memory expansion), and games like PUBG and Asphalt 9 run without stutters at medium settings.

The 5.000mAh battery handles daily tasks with ease, easily lasting a full day with moderate use. And when it’s time to juice up, the 67W SuperVOOC charger fills it up from 0 to 100% in under an hour. That’s a real lifesaver when you’re on the move.

Cameras That Surprise

Realme has clearly put some thought into the camera setup here. The rear module features a triple camera system:
  • A 50MP main lens with OIS (Sony IMX882)
  • A 32MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom
  • An 8MP ultra wide sensor for group shots and landscapes
In daylight, photos are rich in detail and contrast, especially from the main and telephoto lenses. Portrait mode works surprisingly well, with clean edge detection and a pleasant depth effect. Zoom shots hold their own at 2x, and while ultrawide images lack the same punch, they’re good enough for casual snaps.

Low light performance, as expected, isn’t flawless though Night Mode does help brighten things up. Some images may look a bit soft or noisy, but the results are still decent for the price. The 16MP front camera produces Instagram ready selfies, especially under natural lighting.

Design That Feels Premium

From the vegan leather back to the gold trimmed camera ring, the Realme 12 Pro looks more expensive than it is. It’s available in eye catching colors like Submarine Blue and Navigator Beige both of which stand out in a crowd of boring black slabs. Despite the curved edges, it feels comfortable in hand and the weight distribution is spot on.

Realme UI: Packed with Features, But...

Running on Realme UI 5.0 based on Android 14, the software experience is smooth and feature rich. You’ll find useful touches like split screen multitasking, a customizable sidebar, and floating windows. The only downside? There’s still some bloatware out of the box and a few ads in the system UI that can be annoying if you’re not used to them.

The good news, Realme promises two years of major Android updates and three years of security patches. That’s fairly generous for a mid range device and makes it a safe pick if you’re looking to hold onto your phone for a while.

Real World Feedback

Users have generally praised the Realme 12 Pro’s overall reliability. It handles everyday tasks without drama, takes good photos (especially in good lighting), and charges quickly. A few have mentioned minor heating during long gaming sessions but nothing out of the ordinary.

One caveat: Some owners of the 12 Pro+ variant reported camera performance slightly dropped after a software update, so it’s worth keeping an eye on user feedback before hitting “update now.

The Verdict: Should You Buy It?

If you're shopping for a mid range smartphone that doesn’t compromise on design, display, or camera versatility, the Realme 12 Pro is a worthy contender. It doesn’t try to compete with flagship phones instead, it nails the basics with a few delightful surprises along the way.

Pros & Cons at a Glance

Pros:
  • Gorgeous curved AMOLED display
  • Great main and telephoto cameras
  • Fast 67W charging
  • Stylish, premium build
  • Clean UI with Android 14

Cons:
  • Ultrawide camera underwhelms
  • Bloatware and ads in UI
  • Slight heating during intensive tasks

Whether you’re upgrading from an older budget device or just want something that feels premium without breaking the bank, the Realme 12 Pro is easy to recommend. Just keep your expectations balanced, it’s a solid performer, not a flagship killer.