realme 12 Lite Review: Is it the Star of the Mid-Range?

Mid-Range Phones and realme 12 Lite

Mid-range phones are among the products preferred by a large portion of smartphone users. Phone manufacturers love to showcase their flagship models in pursuit of prestige and attract attention through the media. However, the number of people willing to pay 100,000 lira for a phone is quite limited worldwide. Therefore, phone manufacturers are aware of this; while they promote their expensive phones, their actual profits come from mid-range phones. Thus, it is critically important for the phones that we refer to as mid-range, in terms of hardware and price level, to satisfy their consumers.

One of the rapidly rising brands in the smartphone market in recent years is realme, which offers models that cater to every budget with its wide product range. In this review, we will detail all the features of the realme 12 Lite model, which is aimed at the mid-range segment, from its design to its performance, camera, and battery life. Let’s see if the realme 12 Lite can truly be a star in the mid-range, or if it is a missed opportunity; let’s explore together…

How is the Design of realme 12 Lite?

realme 12 Lite has a large screen and a modern design with dimensions of 165 x 75 x 7.6 mm. This phone, equipped with metal frames, meets the expected design standards for the mid-range. Users want phones that look stylish and prestigious without spending a fortune. However, it is also a fact that not everyone wants to follow “fashion.” Users looking for different or hard-to-find designs may often be disappointed in the mid-range. This is because mid-range products mostly consist of devices that resemble each other and appeal to the masses.

Now let’s talk about the screen… The IPS LCD screen, which is 6.72 inches in size, has a resolution of 1080×2400 pixels. AMOLED screen users may feel a bit uncomfortable with IPS LCD screens. The screen offers a seamless look by meeting the body directly without a plastic housing at the junction point. At the top of the screen, there is a small hole for the front camera. The back of the phone has a shiny surface and a vertically aligned dual camera setup. The shiny back surface reflects different shades of light, giving the phone a premium look. Additionally, the power button on the side has a fingerprint sensor. This is one of the popular design solutions of recent times; however, it is worth noting that the fingerprint sensor on the button is a design flaw that shortens the phone’s lifespan. The reason for this is that in today’s industrial world, phone buttons are produced with “intentional wear” methods that can cause them to break away from the body within a few years. When the most used power button breaks, the user may be left with a non-functional device as there is no option to unlock the phone with a fingerprint. Keep this information in mind.

What Performance Does realme 12 Lite Promise?

realme 12 Lite is equipped with a Snapdragon 685 6nm processor. This processor offers a quite powerful performance in the mid-range. The processor includes 4 ARM Cortex-A73 cores running at 2.8 GHz and 4 ARM Cortex-A53 cores running at 1.9 GHz. realme offers 6GB + 6GB RAM and 128GB storage or 8GB + 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage options with this model. It is possible to extend this capacity up to 1TB with microSD cards. In daily use, the phone provides a smooth performance without any lag or slowdown. Users who want to store a lot of photos and videos may prefer the 256GB version. However, it should be noted that this choice will increase the price. The phone also performs well in multitasking, being able to run multiple applications comfortably at the same time. In terms of graphic performance, realme 12 Lite offers a satisfying experience for its class. The Qualcomm Adreno 610 processor provides smooth performance while gaming. However, stutters may occasionally occur in games that require higher performance. Although this GPU does not offer a top-tier gaming experience, it is capable of comfortably running daily games.

How is the Camera of realme 12 Lite?

The camera performance of the realme 12 Lite is quite good for its segment. The main camera has a resolution of 108 MP and can take clear and vibrant photos in daylight. The phone also has a night mode, allowing it to achieve satisfying results in low light conditions. The second camera has a 2 MP macro lens, which allows you to capture details in close-up shots. The front selfie camera features an 8 MP resolution ultra-wide lens. The video performance can record at 1080p resolution at 30fps, similar to other mid-range phones. However, this falls short in an era where social media videos are prominent. A mid-range phone is expected to achieve recording speeds such as 60 fps to say, “I am different.”

What Does realme 12 Lite Offer in Terms of Battery and Charging?

realme 12 Lite features a battery capacity of 5000 mAh. This battery can easily last a day with heavy usage. The phone also supports 33W fast charging. These values comply with the standards of today’s mid-range phones. The 33W fast charging adapter that comes in the box can fully charge the battery in about one and a half hours. Additionally, thanks to the fast charging feature of the phone, it is possible to reach over 50% charge in just 30 minutes.

What Are the Other Features of realme 12 Lite?

realme 12 Lite comes with the Realme UI interface based on Android 14. This interface offers users many customization options. Realme UI provides a clean and smooth experience, being largely free from unnecessary applications and bloatware. Additionally, regular software updates continue to add security patches and new features. However, competitors also offer similar advantages. The realme 12 Lite is a phone with 5G support. However, 5G connectivity is not yet active in Turkey, and there is no preparation for this network to be operational before 2026. Therefore, it is not logical to seek 5G features in Turkey at the moment and to pay an additional fee for it. Additionally, the phone’s NFC feature allows for contactless payments. Furthermore, the 3.5 mm headphone jack at the bottom of the phone offers an important advantage for users who prefer to use classic headphones.

Conclusion

realme 12 Lite stands out as an ordinary model among mid-range phones. Its design does not offer a significant difference from other mid-range phones. Almost all phone manufacturers today design products boasting metal frames reminiscent of the iPhone 5 and present them with screens over 6.5 inches. The phone impresses in terms of processor performance; however, in terms of battery life, it offers a similar 5000 mAh capacity as its competitors. The IP54 dust and splash resistance does not provide sufficient protection against water; hence, it is likely that liquid may enter your device if it falls into a puddle or if a glass of water is spilled on it. IP54 is a protection feature commonly found in the mid-range. With a price tag in the range of 11-12 thousand lira, this phone presents its biggest advantage as its price for being preferred. However, considering that competitors offer more affordable models, we cannot comment that the realme 12 Lite is a superstar that will create great excitement. During periods when brands or retailers in the market implement campaigns or discounts, it is possible to find phones with similar features at much more affordable prices. Therefore, we recommend that you conduct a thorough price research among its competitors before purchasing the realme 12 Lite. It is quite likely that you will find phones with similar performance at more reasonable prices.