Highly Affordable Redmi 12C Launched for Only $100 in China

Xiaomi’s sub-brand Redmi revealed its K60 series smartphones, Note 12 Pro Speed Edition, and an assortment of accessories just a few days back during a launch event in China.

The sub-brand also launched the Redmi 12C a highly affordable handset starting at only $100 which we’ll go through in this article.

Display and Camera

Redmi 12C features a 6.71-inch HD+ screen and a notch to house the 5MP selfie cam. The back panel, which has a non-slip texture with diagonal stripes, features a fingerprint scanner.

It also houses a dual camera setup that includes a 50MP unit. Redmi has not provided any information about the second camera but we suspect it to be a depth sensor.

Internals and Battery

The Helio G85 SoC is under the hood of the 12C. It comes with up to 6 GB LPDDR4X RAM and 128 GB storage which is expandable up to 512 GB. Although the smartphone runs MIUI 13 (likely built on Android 12), you won’t be able to access all features of MIUI 13 on the 12C as it uses an “exclusive optimized” version of the OS made for budget phones. 

Redmi 12C also features a 5,000 mAh battery, a micro USB port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It supports 4G networks and has a dedicated slot for microSD cards. There is no fast charging available. 

Pricing and Availability

The Redmi 12C comes in four colors and has three memory options – 4 GB/64 GB, 4 GB/128 GB, and 6 GB/128 GB priced only at $100, $115, and $130, respectively. The device will be available in China from January 1, via Xiaomi’s official Chinese website. However, there is no information on availability in other countries.

Redmi 12C Specifications

• Chipset: MediaTek Helio G85
• CPU: Octa-core (2×2.0 GHz Cortex-A75 & 6×1.8 GHz Cortex-A55)
• GPU: Mali G52 MC2
• OS: Android 12, MIUI 13 (optimized for budget phones)
• Supported Networks: 2G, 3G, 4G LTE
• Display:
  • 6.71″ IPS LCD with 720 x 1600 pixels resolution; 270 ppi
• Memory:
  • RAM: 4 GB, 6 GB
  • Internal: 128 GB
  • Card slot: yes
• Camera:
  • Rear (Dual): 50MP (main) + 2MP (depth)
  • Front: 5MP
• Colors: Black, Blue, Green, Violet
• Fingerprint sensor: Rear-mounted
• Battery: 5,000 mAh
• Price: $100