Samsung Galaxy A54 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro

Introduction

The ever-competitive mid-range segment has a few new contenders from popular lines. The Samsung Galaxy A54 puts the A5x series back on track after a super successful A52 was followed by more than one meh A53. The Redmi Note 12 Pro, on the other hand, is well specified and attractively priced – as is the norm for Xiaomi’s mid-range efforts. What is the best?

You can compare the full spec sheets or check out our editor’s review below.

Design and build quality

Both phones are fairly standard in size for their class and will take up a lot of room in your pocket. The blocky shapes also don’t help to make them more compact. That said, the Galaxy is a bit shorter – 5mm isn’t an insignificant difference. Again, the Redmi is a bit lighter and gives you a slightly bigger screen.

You can compare the size of the two phones in 3D view using the link below.

A few physical properties beyond mere dimensions are worth mentioning here. While the Redmi is rated IP53 for splash protection, the Galaxy should be able to survive being submerged in water as deep as 1m for 30 minutes (IP67). On the other hand, the Redmi gives you a few connectivity options that the Galaxy doesn’t – a 3.5mm headphone jack and an IR emitter. The Samsung has a microSD slot (shared, but still) – the Redmi does not.

An additional point to consider is the implementation of the fingerprint reader. We know people who deliberately seek out side models like the Redmi’s, while others complain about some specific usability issues with them. Then there’s the Galaxy’s unit – it’s the optical under-display variety, albeit placed a bit lower than ideal.

Display

The most obvious difference in displays has already been mentioned – the Galaxy’s is smaller at 6.4-inches diagonally compared to the Redmi’s 6.67-inch panel. There’s not much to separate them otherwise – both FullHD OLEDs with roughly comparable peak brightness and 120Hz max refresh rate which they both use maxed out. Color reproduction is also a breeze with a proficient sRGB adapted mode on each and less accurate but more visually pleasing Vivid options. The Redmi’s Dolby Vision certification gives it an edge if you’re obsessed with those things, while the Galaxy is HDR10+ compatible.

Battery life

Both phones are powered by 5,000mAh batteries, but the Galaxy manages to squeeze better endurance from the same capacity. More importantly, on-screen results are better – by 4 hours in the web browsing test and 2 hours in video playback. An additional 4 hours on a voice call and better standby efficiency means the Galaxy lasts longer across the board, which is also reflected in the overall ratings. The Redmi isn’t bad, it just isn’t as well.

Charging speed

The tables turn when we look at charging speeds. The Redmi Note 12 Pro is rated for 67W charging, while the Galaxy specs say 25W, and while the Redmi doesn’t charge 3x faster, a 30-minute run flat on the Note 12 Pro will take you to 78%, while the Galaxy indicator will show 56%.

The other win for the Redmi here isn’t in the numbers, but in the box – it comes with a charger in the retail pack, unlike the Galaxy.

Speakers

Both the Galaxy and Redmi have stereo speakers, and they showed identical results for volume in our tests, putting them in the “Good” category.

Side-by-side comparisons leave us preferring the A54’s output thanks to a bit more noticeable low-end presence for a more balanced sound overall, while the Note 12 Pro is more mid-range.

Performance

None of these phones are powered by a Qualcomm chipset – mid-range budgets are best served with alternative SoC options. The Galaxy uses Samsung’s own Exynos 1380 chip, while the Redmi Note 12 Pro packs the Mediatek Dimensity 1080. Both chips have 5G capability and are made on modern production nodes (5nm vs. 6nm).

Exynos’ CPU has a 4+4 core configuration compared to Dimensity’s 2+6 configuration, although the Galaxy’s mighty 4xCortex-A78 cluster is capped at 2.4GHz, while the Redmi’s 2xA78 can hit a slightly higher at 2.6 GHz. The Galaxy outperforms the Redmi by around 15-20% in multi-core CPU tests, although the difference under single-core load is negligible.

The Galaxy’s Mali-G68 MP5 GPU has an additional core compared to the Mali-G68 MC4 which the Redmi is equipped with. The A54 is then slightly better in graphics benchmarks and should be a slightly better option for gaming, although neither phone is a powerhouse in this regard.

One advantage the Galaxy has on day one, and which will only get bigger, is software support. The A54 comes with Android 13 and is expected to get 4 more OS versions in the future, so up to 17), while the Redmi starts at 12 and is only promised 2 system updates operating. The One UI vs MIUI debate is more of a personal preference, as both are highly functional and customizable.

Camera quality

Both phones have similar camera setups in principle – an ultra-wide camera and a ‘macro’ camera join the main one on the rear. That said, the Galaxy-specific modules are a cut above the Redmi ones, except for the 50MP main unit – 12MP ultrawide vs 8MP, 5MP macro vs 2MP and even a 32MP selfie camera vs. 16MP.

While the numbers don’t mean much on their own, they tell the story that the Galaxy is more suited to camera use than the Redmi and the pictures and video we pulled from both reinforce this concept. The differences aren’t huge by any means, but the Galaxy has small advantages across the board, even on seemingly identical primary cameras.

Samsung Galaxy A54 camera samples: 0.6x • 1x • 1x • 2x

More samples and a detailed analysis can be found in our Galaxy A54 camera review.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro camera samples: 0.6x • 1x • 1x • 2x

More samples and a detailed analysis can be found in our Redmi Note 12 Pro camera review.

Neither will fool you into thinking it can capture flagship-quality low-light images, but both do a decent job, especially if you stick to the main cameras. Still, we’d wink at the galaxy as a whole.

Video quality is another close call between these two. Both support 4K, but neither can stabilize it, so if you want stabilization you need to upgrade to 1080p30fps.

What is easier to adjust is the quality of the selfie camera. The Galaxy’s front camera photos are excellent, notably better than the Redmi’s. The Galaxy can also record a 4K selfie video (but without EIS), so that’s in its favor too.

Here’s a look at the image quality of the main camera on the Galaxy A54 compared to the Redmi Note 12 Pro in our photo comparison tool.

And here’s how the Galaxy A54’s main camera compares in video quality to the Redmi Note 12 Pro’s in our video comparison tool.

Verdict

In this battle of capable midrangers, there’s a clear price difference, and while exact numbers vary, the Galaxy A54 is more expensive than the Redmi Note 12 Pro. The extra money gets you some clear, if not really tangible benefits, like better dust and water resistance and longer software support. Some of its advantages are easier to discover, such as the memory card slot or the cute selfies.

The Redmi has a few of those perks that you can take advantage of on a daily basis, and if you need them, the Galaxy just isn’t an option – the headphone jack and IR blaster.

It’s a good thing that there’s actually little to separate the two when it comes to many fundamentals, especially if you look at it from Redmi’s perspective. Both phones have great displays, and while the Galaxy lasts longer on a single charge and the Redmi charges faster, neither is really a deal breaker. Similarly, a slightly better overall camera experience on the A54 (arguably) isn’t enough incentive to sway you in its direction.

Yes, maybe the Galaxy’s advantages add up to a more comprehensive package, but the Redmi’s price does a lot to make up for its shortcomings, plus it has its unique selling points.