For someone spoiled with high-end, flagship smartphones, a watered-down experience terrifies me. I couldn’t fathom using just a midrange smartphone, even if I’m counted as a casual user.
But spending a month with the realme 12+ 5G gave me a new perspective on what midrange smartphones at 2024 can do.
Powerhouse at a fraction
A lot of times, I’ve used the realme 12+ 5G to play Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. I know, I know. It’s 2024 and I’m still playing the same old MOBA but it’s a game I know all too well that helps me de-stress after a long day.
See, I’m an athlete balancing my work and life. Sometimes, I just want to rot in bed while playing on my phone.
The realme 12+ 5G helped keep me sane thanks to its lag-free gameplay. Not once did I feel any heat or slowing down even while playing in an Ultra Graphics and Super High Frame Rate setting.
The Vapor Chamber Cooling System came into play, dissipating the heat so even if under heavy usage, the gameplay is still optimal.
Moreover, the realme 12+ 5G uses a MediaTek Dimensity 7050 chipset. When you combine this with a 12GB dynamic ram that’s expandable through your storage space, you won’t have to worry about a watered-down experience from using a midrange device.
The RAM can take up from 4GB up to 12GB to be re-allocated from the 256GB internal storage. Though, I only used 4GB since I didn’t feel the need to turn it up to the highest configuration. It’s already smooth even when multi-tasking.
It may not be as smooth as the flagship smartphones I held, but it’s enough particularly for people who just needs a smartphone they can use for their everyday lives. However, if you want a midrange device dedicated for an even more intensive gameplay, I’d suggest looking elsewhere.
Daily companion for viewing, listening
When I was on my way home from my training, I drove past a busy road in Pasig City where vendors are in the streets, bystanders are frolicking, and loafers gossip while taking space through the plastic stools they sat on spread out near the sidewalk.
What do they have in common? Smartphones. There was a realization that the Filipino masses rely on their devices to be entertained and connected.
I have a feeling that if I wasn’t a multi-passionate person with an insanely hectic schedule, I’d bury my head on a smartphone, too.
This is where having a spectacular audio-visual performance comes into play, especially for budget and midrange devices. Luckily, the realme 12+ 5G has a 120HZ Super AMOLED Display and Dual Stereo Speakers.
It’s one of the reasons why I started playing Mobile Legends: Bang Bang again when I was decompressing for the day.
Aside from doomscrolling on TikTok, I just like it when the display is fluid, vivid, and smooth while the audio can be as loud and immersive. Unlike most midrange smartphones, the audio-visual performance is always a hit or miss.
Sometimes, they have an excellent screen while the audio suffers, or vice-versa. The realme 12+ 5G just have it both.
Capture it, remember it
The realme 12+ 5G uses a 50-megapixel SonyLYT 600 OIS Portrait Camera, an 8-megapixel 112° wide-angle lens, a 2-megapixel macro sensor, and a 16-megapixel selfie camera on the front.
I used the smartphone to capture photos I send to my loved ones. From selfies, coffee runs, hotel visits, group photos, food shots, and just anything and everything in my life.
The quality for low-light shots is a hit or miss, but for photos taken during daytime and with good lighting? It’s just spectacular.
Here are some sample photos to look at:
Portraits & Selfies
Food
