OnePlus Nord CE 5G vs. Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro: A Deep Dive Comparison
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro emerges as the stronger contender. Its significantly faster 67W charging, coupled with a brighter display (890 nits vs 607 nits), provides a more convenient and visually engaging experience. While the Nord CE 5G offers respectable endurance, the Redmi Note 12 Pro’s charging speed mitigates its slightly lower battery endurance rating.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | OnePlus Nord CE 5G | Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Europe | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - Europe | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| 78 SA/NSA - India | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - China | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, June 10 | 2022, October 27 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, June 11 | Available. Released 2022, November 01 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, plastic frame, plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back, plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 159.2 x 73.5 x 7.9 mm (6.27 x 2.89 x 0.31 in) | 163 x 76 x 8 mm (6.42 x 2.99 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 170 g (6.00 oz) | 187 g (6.60 oz) |
| - | IP53, dust and splash resistant | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~410 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.43 inches, 99.3 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Fluid AMOLED, 90Hz | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 500 nits (typ), 900 nits (HBM) |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 570 & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 570) | Octa-core (2x2.6 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7225 Snapdragon 750G 5G (8 nm) | Mediatek Dimensity 1080 (6 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 619 | Mali-G68 MC4 |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13, OxygenOS 13 | Android 12, MIUI 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 | UFS 2.2 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.0", 1.0µm | - |
| Triple | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 0.7µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.3, 119˚ (ultrawide) Auxiliary lens | 50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro) |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@960fps |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.0", 1.0µm | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps | 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 24-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, NavIC | GPS (L1), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c), GALILEO (E1), QZSS (L1) |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 30W wired, 70% in 30 min | 67W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 15 min, 100% in 46 min |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Po 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Blue Void, Charkoal Ink, Silver Ray | Frosted Blue (Sky Blue), Onyx Black (Midnight Black), Polar White, Stardust Purple |
| Models | EB2101, EB2103 | 22101316C, 22101316I, 23013RK75C, 22101316G |
| Price | About 250 EUR | € 148.54 / $ 142.17 / £ 149.99 / ₹ 19,999 |
| SAR | - | 1.09 W/kg (head) 1.06 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 117h | Endurance rating 97h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -29.9 LUFS (Average) | -26.6 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 318672 (v8) | 391770 (v9) GeekBench: 1812 (v5.1) GFXBench: 17fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 490526 (v9) GeekBench: 2209 (v5.1), 2372 (v6) GFXBench: 22fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
OnePlus Nord CE 5G
- Longer endurance rating (117h)
- Potentially better thermal management due to 8nm process
- Clean software experience (typically)
- Slower charging speed (30W)
- Dimmer display (607 nits)
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro
- Significantly faster charging (67W)
- Brighter display (890 nits)
- More powerful chipset (Dimensity 1080)
- Lower endurance rating (97h)
- MIUI software can be bloated
Display Comparison
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro boasts a notably brighter display, reaching 890 nits compared to the OnePlus Nord CE 5G’s 607 nits. This translates to significantly improved visibility in direct sunlight. Both displays share an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting typical IPS LCD characteristics. While neither phone features LTPO technology for adaptive refresh rates, the Redmi Note 12 Pro’s higher peak brightness is a clear advantage for outdoor use and HDR content consumption. The difference in brightness will be immediately noticeable to users transitioning from older devices.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature 'Photo / Video' capabilities, but the provided data lacks specifics to draw meaningful conclusions about camera quality. Without sensor size, aperture, or image processing details, it’s difficult to assess the photographic performance. However, given Xiaomi’s tendency to emphasize camera specs, it’s reasonable to assume the Redmi Note 12 Pro may have a more advanced camera system, potentially with a larger main sensor. The absence of information regarding OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) on either device makes it impossible to determine low-light performance advantages. We can safely assume that any 2MP macro cameras included on either device will offer limited practical benefit.
Performance
Under the hood, the Redmi Note 12 Pro utilizes the Mediatek Dimensity 1080 (6nm) while the Nord CE 5G is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G 5G (8nm). The Dimensity 1080, built on a smaller 6nm process, generally offers superior CPU performance with its 2x2.6 GHz Cortex-A78 cores versus the Nord’s 2x2.2 GHz Kryo 570 cores. While both are octa-core CPUs, the architectural differences favor the Dimensity 1080 in demanding tasks. However, the 8nm Snapdragon 750G may exhibit slightly better thermal efficiency, potentially leading to more sustained performance during extended gaming sessions, though this is not definitively quantifiable with the provided data. The Redmi Note 12 Pro’s chipset is likely to provide a smoother experience with multitasking and graphically intensive applications.
Battery Life
The Redmi Note 12 Pro’s 67W wired charging is a significant advantage, achieving 50% charge in just 15 minutes and a full charge in 46 minutes. This is substantially faster than the Nord CE 5G’s 30W charging, which takes 30 minutes to reach 70%. While the Nord CE 5G boasts an endurance rating of 117 hours compared to the Redmi Note 12 Pro’s 97 hours, the Redmi Note 12 Pro’s active use score of 12:08h suggests real-world battery life is comparable. The faster charging speed effectively mitigates the slightly lower endurance rating, allowing users to quickly top up their battery throughout the day.
Buying Guide
Buy the OnePlus Nord CE 5G if you prioritize a clean software experience and value long-term battery endurance over rapid charging. It’s ideal for users who aren’t power users and prefer a phone that can reliably last a full day on a single charge. Buy the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro if you demand faster charging, a brighter display for outdoor visibility, and are comfortable with Xiaomi’s MIUI software. This phone is best suited for users who frequently top up their battery and consume a lot of media.