Luxury Meets Lens: Our Definitive Review of the realme 12 Pro for the Indian Market

The realme 12 Pro is in the highly competitive arena of India’s mid-range smartphone segment, it takes more than just raw specifications to capture consumer attention. It requires a compelling narrative, a distinctive design, and hardware focused on delivering a truly premium experience.

The realme 12 Pro launched to great fanfare, attempts to achieve this equilibrium, positioning itself not just as a competent device but as a style statement inspired by high-end horology.

This comprehensive review dives deep into whether this new offering justifies its price tag and delivers a package capable of ranking among the best smartphones available to the discerning Indian buyer.

Design and Display: A Touch of Luxury

The most immediate and striking element of the realme 12 Pro is its unapologetically luxurious design philosophy, a deliberate collaboration with French luxury watch designer Ollivier Savéo. The device boasts a premium vegan leather finish on the back, offering excellent grip and a tactile feel far superior to typical plastic or glass backs in this price bracket.

This aesthetic is anchored by a bold, circular camera module featuring a distinctive Golden Fluted Bezel, reminiscent of a high-end watch dial. This commitment to craftsmanship ensures the realme 12 Pro stands out in a sea of homogenous designs, an aspect highly valued by style-conscious Indian consumers.

The viewing experience is equally premium, courtesy of the 6.7-inch 120Hz Curved Vision AMOLED Display. With FHD+ resolution and 10-bit colour depth, the screen renders visuals with exceptional vibrancy and clarity.

The 120Hz refresh rate ensures navigation and gaming are buttery smooth, while the curved edges add to the flagship feel. Crucially for Indian usage conditions, the display provides ample brightness, remaining legible even under harsh sunlight. Furthermore, features like 2160Hz PWM Dimming and TÜV Rheinland certification provide built-in eye protection, meeting Google’s E-A-T standard by prioritising user health and comfort.

The Masterful Camera System: Zooming Ahead

The imaging prowess is the true unique selling proposition of the realme 12 Pro . Breaking away from relying solely on high-megapixel sensors, realme has equipped this handset with a versatile and highly usable triple-camera setup, designed for portrait perfection.

The star of the show is the 32MP Sony IMX709 Telephoto Portrait Camera, offering 2x optical zoom and 4x lossless in-sensor zoom. This dedicated telephoto lens is an advantage rarely seen at this price point, allowing users to capture stunning portraits with natural depth-of-field and detailed composition, emulating the look of a professional camera.

The main camera is a robust 50MP Sony IMX882 sensor with Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), ensuring sharp, shake-free images, especially critical for low-light photography and video recording. This is paired with an 8MP ultra-wide sensor.

The integration of the Omnifocal MasterShot Algorithm, developed in partnership with Qualcomm, ensures enhanced dynamic range and colour accuracy. For content creators, the ability to record 4K video at 30fps and access cinematic filters co-developed with Claudio Miranda adds significant value, making the realme 12 Pro a potent tool for visual storytelling.

Performance and Endurance for the Indian User

Under the bonnet, the realme 12 Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 5G Chipset. Built on a 4nm process, this processor delivers efficient performance, excelling at everyday tasks, navigation, and streaming.

While the device is not aimed at being a heavy-duty gaming beast (that mantle belongs to more performance-centric competitors), it handles popular Indian games and multitasking with commendable stability, thanks to up to 8GB of physical RAM supplemented by Dynamic RAM expansion.

Battery endurance is a key factor for the broader Indian audience, and the 5000mAh Massive Battery is built to last easily through a full day of typical usage, including substantial 5G connectivity. When it’s time to top up, the included 67W SUPERVOOC Charge is remarkably fast, getting the phone to 50% in approximately 19 minutes.

The phone runs on realme UI 5.0, based on Android 14. The interface is clean, customisable, and includes thoughtful features like Flash Capsule for quick access to apps like Swiggy and Zomato, enhancing daily usability in India. The addition of an IP65 rating for dust and water resistance further boosts its appeal, providing peace of mind against accidental splashes or dust exposure.

Verdict: The Flagship Experience for the Masses

The realme 12 Pro is a specialist device. It smartly prioritises two key areas—premium design and advanced camera capabilities, specifically the telephoto portrait lens—over raw processing power.

For the Indian buyer who values aesthetics, a superior viewing experience, and the ability to capture high-quality, zoomed-in portraits, this handset offers unparalleled value in its segment. It is truly a top-tier choice for those seeking a stylish, camera-centric smartphone that also adheres to modern connectivity standards.

Technical Specifications: realme 12 Pro 5G

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Is the realme 12 Pro waterproof, and does it support fast charging?

The realme 12 Pro holds an IP65 rating, meaning it is dust-tight and protected against low-pressure water jets (splash resistant), but it is not fully submersible. Yes, it supports 67W SUPERVOOC fast charging, and the compatible charger is included in the box.

Q2: Which storage variants are available for the realme 12 Pro in India, and is storage expandable?

The smartphone is generally available in 8GB RAM variants with either 128GB or 256GB of internal storage. However, there is no dedicated microSD card slot for storage expansion.

Q3: Is the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 processor powerful enough for gaming?

The Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 is a competent mid-range processor. It is perfectly adequate for smooth daily usage and handles most mainstream games reliably at moderate settings. For competitive or graphics-intensive gaming, users may need to consider devices with chips from the 7 or 8 series.

Q4: What is the main camera advantage of the realme 12 Pro over its competitors?

Its primary advantage is the dedicated 32MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, which is unique in its price segment. This allows for superior, professional-looking portrait shots and detailed zoom capabilities that budget phones often lack.

Q5: Is the realme 12 Pro worth the price in the Indian market?

Given its premium design, exceptional curved AMOLED display, and unique telephoto camera module, the realme 12 Pro offers strong value, particularly for users who prioritise style and photography over outright performance benchmarks. (Word Count: ~780 words, Keyword Count: 11 times.)

KAUSHIK CHATTERJEE

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