Redmi 9C vs Samsung Galaxy A12

In today’s comparison post, we are going to jump into the crowded world of budget smartphones. Yep. A Redmi 9C vs Samsung Galaxy A12 is as budget as it gets.

Gone are the days where Xiaomi used to be upstarts. They are officially one of the big boys now. Samsung as ever, will continue to be an even bigger giant.

This Redmi 9C vs Samsung Galaxy A12 comparison was suggested by a reader. So if you have any comparison that you would like me to do, please leave it in the comments or join our telegram conversation. I do one weekly.

The Redmi 9C was a surprise addition to the Redmi 9 series in 2020. It was positioned as better option to the Redmi 9A. The Samsung Galaxy A12 on the other hand was a refresh to the A10 and packs some decent specs.

Specs	Redmi 9C	Samsung Galaxy A12
Body	Plastic frame/body 196g	Plastic frame/body 205g
SoC	Helio G35	Helio P35
GPU	PowerVR GE8320	PowerVR GE8320
Software	MIUI 12 Android 10	One UI 3.1 Android 10
Memory	LPDDR4x eMMC 5.1 SD card slot	LPDDR4x eMMC 5.1 SD card slot
Display	6.53" HD IPS-LCD, 269ppi, 400nit	6.5" HD PLS-LCD, 270ppi, 400nit
Camera	13MP main f/2.2 2MP macro f/2.4 2MP depth f/2.4 1080p@30fps	48MP GM2 f/2.2 5MP ultra/w f/2.2 2MP macro f/2.4 2MP depth f/2.4 1080p@30fps
Selfie	5MP f/2.2	8MP f/2.2
Battery	5,000mAh 10W	5,000mAh 15W
Connectivity	Dual sims, 4G, BT 5, WiFi 5, 3.5mm, OTG, GPS.	Dual sims, 4G, BT 5, WiFi 5, 3.5mm, OTG, GPS.
Sensors	Accelerometer, proximity sensor, ambient light, side mounted fingerprint	Accelerometer, proximity sensor, ambient light, side mounted fingerprint
Prices	N60,700 (2/32GB) N72,800 (3/64GB) N79,800 (4/128GB)	N82,500 (4/64GB) N88,800 (4/128GB)

Body

Both phones are made of plastic all round. The only difference here is that the A12 is heavier.

Body – Tie

Read: http://Infinix Hot 10 vs Samsung Galaxy A12

Performance

The SoCs on both phones are basically the same thing. The Helio G35 (R9C) is a reworked version of the older Helio P35 (A12). However, the Redmi 9C posts a slightly better performance of 109,000 on AnTuTu. The A12 comes second with a score of 101,000.

Both phones ship with Android 10 running their respective skins. The Redmi 9C runs MIUI 12 while the A12 runs One UI 3.1.

Performance – Tie

Display

Both phones are also closely locked when it comes to displays. They both use LCD displays with 720p (HD) resolution. Whilst the Redmi 9C is slightly bigger, it doesn’t count for much

This one is a tie.

Read: HOW TO READ SMARTPHONE CAMERA SPECIFICATIONS

Cameras

This is the one area where the A12 finally edges ahead of the Redmi 9C. The A12 houses a 48MP Samsung GM2 main camera, which for all intents and purposes is better than the 13MP on the Redmi 9C. The A12 also has a 5MP ultrawide camera which the Redmi 9C lacks.

The Samsung A12 also has a slightly better selfie camera.

Both devices record video at 1080p although it is quite evident that the A12 will produce the better videos.

Cameras – A12

Battery

Both phones also have similar battery capacities of 5,000mAh. The R9C has a slightly better battery consumption whilst the A12 has a slightly better fast charge.

This is a tie.

Connectivity/sensors

Both phones have similar connectivity options as well as similar sensors.

Another tie.

Prices and availability

The Redmi 9C is the more affordable of the duo. It sells for N60,700 (2/32GB), N72,800 (3/64GB) and N79,800 (4/128GB).

The A12 is much more expensive selling for N82,500 (4/64GB) and N88,800 (4/128GB).

Summary

Apart from the camera on the A12, both phones are exactly the same. If you want to pay extra for the cameras, knock yourself out. If however you’re on a budget, the Redmi 9C is still a good option.

Redmi 9C vs Samsung Galaxy A12