Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus vs Galaxy A54: which one wins among intermediaries? | Comparative

The Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus is Xiaomi’s latest bet for the premium mid-range segment. But to be the best in the category, it needs to beat the Galaxy A54, Samsung’s main competitor at the moment.

When putting the two in this clash, is the most advantageous smartphone on the Chinese or Korean side? TechSmart shows you in detail now, in this Comparison.

• design
• Multimedia and resources
• Performance
• Battery
• Camera
• Price
• Conclusion

Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus

Right from the start, we see two very different designs between them. Redmi uses a rectangular camera block, which highlights the two main ones. Galaxy, on the other hand, prefers to place the lenses individually on the lid, like the most expensive models of the brand. This one also wins for its more compact and lighter body than the rival.

In construction, we already similarities. Both one and the other bring a plastic body with a glass back. They deliver dust and water resistance certification, but the IP67 of the A54 grants greater protection than the IP53 present on the Note 12 Pro Plus.

Samsung Galaxy A54

Only Samsung has placed the fingerprint reader under the screen of your phone. Xiaomi preferred to leave the biometric sensor integrated into the power button. At the front, the duo kept the traditional notch in a hole in the center of the display.

Only the Korean supports microSD card storage expansion, thanks to the shared slot with the second carrier chip. It even has a more advanced Bluetooth 5.3 than the Chinese version 5.2. In any case, both provide sixth-generation Wi-Fi and NFC for contactless payments.

We start with a point for the Galaxy.

Screen

The two devices have an AMOLED-type screen, accompanied by a Full HD + resolution and a refresh rate of 120 Hz, which allows for high fluidity in system animations and compatible games. Gorilla Glass 5 protection is present here for added protection against scratches.

The brightness level on them is pretty high and doesn’t disappoint on sunny days. Redmi features a 10-bit type panel, which allows for more than 1 billion colors, a higher amount than the Galaxy.

The Chinese still has a larger display and better frontal use than the Korean. Not to mention support for Dolby Vision, in addition to HDR10+ also compatible with the A54.

This is an easy point for the Note 12 Pro Plus.

Sound

The two manufacturers didn’t skimp on audio and put a stereo system on these intermediaries. Both take advantage of the call speaker as an additional channel, except that Redmi still has a third sound output at the top, to give the user a little more immersion.

Anyway, the two have a good sound power, but still far from perfection. The balance between bass, mids and highs pleases them. Smartphones do not have a headphone jack in the package, but only the Chinese one has a physical connector to plug in a standard accessory.

In details, it’s another point for the Note 12 Pro Plus.

System

Redmi still comes with Android 12 from the factory, while Galaxy comes out of the box with version 13 of the “little robot”. In addition to having a newer system, the Korean also offers a longer lifespan, as Samsung promises four software updates and five years of security packages. A much longer time than Xiaomi support.

Cell phones flow well, boosted by the 120 Hz rate display. The mobile network will not be a problem here, as both are compatible with 5G technology.

In terms of features, some are in common between them, such as information with the cell phone locked by the Always-on Display, in addition to the shortcuts on the side of the panel, either through the Sidebar of the Note 12 Pro Plus, or through the Edge Screen of the A54.

Thus, the greater longevity of the Galaxy makes the difference and gives it the point.

The Chinese smartphone is powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 1080 platform, versus the Exynos 1380 present in the Korean model. With their 8GB RAM versions, which is the faster of the duo? Our tests indicated a victory for Redmi, which took about five seconds less than the rival in total time.

The superior performance was better than the results in the benchmarks. Galaxy was ahead of the competition in AnTuTu and Geekbench. In games, they don’t get to explore the maximum of each title, but they manage to run even the heaviest ones without difficulties.

With superior performance, the point goes to Xiaomi.

These are two devices that come equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery. And they don’t disappoint when it comes to autonomy. The two are in the range of 27 hours, with an advantage of 23 minutes for the Note 12 Pro Plus, as we saw in our tests.

What will differentiate the duo is in the loading. The 120 W adapter sent by Xiaomi allows you to complete the process in less than half an hour. The 15 W accessory sent by Samsung takes more than two hours to reach 100%.

So the point goes to Redmi.

Both feature a triple set of rear cameras. Despite having a 200 MP main sensor, the Redmi software does not fully exploit the hardware and takes pictures with exaggerated contrast, which kills shadow details. On the other hand, the Galaxy ends up getting more right in colors and dynamic range, in addition to capturing superior images at night.

Their ultrawide does not disappoint, but the A54 offers greater definition and quality than the Note 12 Pro Plus. The Korean also provides a better macro experience, as it has a higher resolution than the basic lens offered by the competitor, even though the two only deliver a fixed focus.

Samsung returns to score in the confrontation.

Photos taken with the Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus

Their camcorder supports recording videos in 4K resolution at 30 fps. Both have optical stabilization, but Galaxy’s is more efficient in dealing with shakes, which translates into superior quality recordings. We still have agile focus on both sides, as well as satisfactory sound capture.

The A54 scores once again.

Photos taken with the Samsung Galaxy A54

The front camera of the duo takes selfies with good colors and skin tone right. Redmi’s problem lies in the compression and upscaling that the software does in photos natively, which leaves the cell phone well behind the Galaxy in terms of detail, whether during the day or at night. The Korean is also the only one of the two to shoot at the front in 4K.

Samsung notes another point.

Of the two, only the Korean device was officially launched in Europe. It arrived at R$ 2,900, but it can already be found below R$ 2,000 in the domestic market, a mark that the Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus has not yet reached in the options for importers in the Europeian retail market.

Therefore, Samsung takes the last point of the duel.

The duel between premium intermediaries turned out to be quite balanced, with solid advantages on each side. The Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus stands out in the multimedia part, with a screen that reproduces more colors and a more immersive sound. Apart from its faster performance and the battery that has a much lower load than the rival’s time.

On the other hand, the Galaxy A54 is ahead on the scoreboard for its various benefits. It comes with more consistent dust and water resistance, a longer system lifespan, and a superior camera array for rear photos, videos, and selfies.

As it is officially available in the country, the Samsung cell phone ends up being found at a lower price of the pair, which makes this model the most complete and the one that least hurts the pocket between them.

RESULT

Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus: 4 POINTS

• Bigger screen with better colors and Dolby Vision
• more immersive sound
• Better multitasking performance
• Longer battery life and shorter charging time

Samsung Galaxy A54: 6 POINTS

• More modern design and premium construction
• System with better longevity
• Rear cameras with better night shots and ultrawide
• 4K videos with optical stabilization and agile focus
• Selfies with greater clarity
• Lowest price in the current Europeian market

Which of these smartphones attracted you the most? Which side do you prefer the benefits of? Comment everything in the space below.

• The Samsung Galaxy A54 is available from Girafa for BRL 1,599 and at Extra by BRL 1,719. The cost-benefit is average and this is one of the best models in this price range.
• The Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus is available on Amazon for BRL 2,490.