Side-by-side technical data
Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Special vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 12
Comparison between Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Special and Xiaomi Redmi Note 12: camera, battery, fast charging, display, performance and colors, side by side. More phones from Xiaomi.
NeoTeo's verdict
Which of the two is the better buy
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Special is the stronger pick for a brighter display, tougher protection, and a larger battery: it reaches 3200 nits versus 1200 nits on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12, and has 5800 mAh versus 5000 mAh.
The Redmi Note 15 Special’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 leads the Redmi Note 12’s Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 for performance. Charging is faster too, at 45 W versus 33 W. Both share a 120 Hz AMOLED display, 8 GB of RAM, and up to 256 GB of storage.
The Redmi Note 12 is the better fit for an ultrawide camera or NFC, both absent from the Redmi Note 15 Special. Its main rear camera is 48 MP versus 50 MP, but it adds an ultrawide; video tops out at 1080p at 30 fps, while the Special records 4K at 30 fps.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Special
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Special suits buyers prioritizing display and battery, with 3200 nits and 5800 mAh.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 12
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 is the better buy for anyone who needs an ultrawide camera or NFC, features missing from the Redmi Note 15 Special.
The verdict
Your pick: Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Special, ahead on Design & display, Performance & hardware and Battery & charging. Unless Camera or Connectivity decides it for you.
| Category | Redmi Note 15 Special | Redmi Note 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Design & display | 7.6 | 7.2 |
| Performance & hardware | 6.8 | 4.4 |
| Camera | 4.0 | 4.6 |
| Connectivity | 5.6 | 6.4 |
| Battery & charging | 7.1 | 5.7 |
Which one is for you?
Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Special, if you care about…
- Battery Capacity
- 5,800 mAh
- against 5,000 mAh
- Peak Display Brightness
- 3,200 nits
- against 1,200 nits
- Resistance Features
- MIL-STD-810H, IP66
- against IP53
- Fast Charge Power
- 45 W
- against 33 W
Specification comparison
Performance
| Specification | Redmi Note 15 Special | Redmi Note 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Processor Model | Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 |
| Processor Process Size | 4 nm Best value | 6 nm |
| Graphics GPU | Qualcomm Adreno 710 | Qualcomm Adreno 619 |
| Storage Type | UFS 2.2 | UFS 2.2 |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 2.4 GHz Best value | 2 GHz |
| Maximum Storage Capacity | 256 GB | 256 GB |
| AnTuTu Score | — | 460,800 |
| Geekbench 6 Single-Core | — | 852 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi-Core | — | 2,053 |
| CPU Description | Octa-core CPU with four Cortex-A78 cores at 2.4 GHz and four Cortex-A55 cores at 1.8 GHz. | Octa-core CPU with 2x2.0 GHz Cortex-A78 and 6x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55 |
| Processor Type | Octa-Core | Octa-Core |
| 64-Bit Processor | — | Yes |
| RAM Capacity | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| RAM Type | — | LPDDR4X |
| Expandable Storage | Yes | Yes |
| AnTuTu version | — | v10 |
Design
| Specification | Redmi Note 15 Special | Redmi Note 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Body Colors | Red, Black, White | Green, Black, Blue, Grey |
| Body Thickness | — | 8 mm |
| Body Width | 75.4 mm | 76.2 mm |
| Body Height | 164 mm | 165.9 mm |
| Weight | — | 188 g |
| Usable Surface | 89.7 % Best value | 85 % |
| Body Materials | Glass, Plastic, Leather Best value | Plastic |
| Resistance Features | MIL-STD-810H, IP66 Best value | IP53 |
| Waterproof Depth | 1.7 m | — |
| Unfolded thickness | — | 8 mm |
Battery
| Specification | Redmi Note 15 Special | Redmi Note 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Capacity | 5,800 mAh Best value | 5,000 mAh |
| Battery Type | Li-Ion | Li-Polymer |
| Fast Charge Power | 45 W Best value | 33 W |
| Battery Features | Fast Charging, Reverse Charging Best value | Fast Charging, Non-Removable, Rechargeable, Battery Level Indicator |
Display
| Specification | Redmi Note 15 Special | Redmi Note 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Display Aspect Ratio | 20:9 | 20:9 |
| Display Technology | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Peak Display Brightness | 3,200 nits Best value | 1,200 nits |
| Display Diagonal | 6.77″ Best value | 6.67″ |
| Display Horizontal Resolution | 1,080 px | 1,080 px |
| Display Vertical Resolution | 2,392 px | 2,400 px Best value |
| Display Pixel Density | 388 ppi | 395 ppi Best value |
| Display Refresh Rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Touch Sampling Rate | — | 240 Hz |
| Display Contrast Ratio | — | 4,500,000 :1 |
| Display Features | 3840Hz PWM, 120Hz | Gorilla Glass 3, AMOLED, Hole-Punch Notch, SGS Certified, Always-On Display, DCI-P3, Scratch Resistant, Capacitive Touch, Multi-Touch, Frameless, 120Hz |
Sensors
| Specification | Redmi Note 15 Special | Redmi Note 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Fingerprint Sensor Placement | Under Display | Side |
Sensor
| Specification | Redmi Note 15 Special | Redmi Note 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor Features | Fingerprint Sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass | Fingerprint Sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity Sensor, Compass, Light Sensor, Virtual Proximity Sensing, Cooling System |
Software
| Specification | Redmi Note 15 Special | Redmi Note 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 15 | Android 12 |
| OS Family | Android | Android |
| OS Version | 15 Best value | 12 |
| Google Services | — | Yes |
Connectivity
| Specification | Redmi Note 15 Special | Redmi Note 12 |
|---|---|---|
| SIM Configurations | Dual Nano-SIM | Dual Nano-SIM, Dual SIM Dual Standby, Dual SIM |
| Cellular Bands | 2G GSM 850, 2G GSM 900, 2G GSM 1800, 2G GSM 1900, 3G UMTS B850, 3G UMTS B900, 3G UMTS 2100, 4G LTE B1, 4G LTE B3, 4G LTE B5, 4G LTE B8, LTE B28, 4G LTE B40, 4G LTE B41, 5G NR n1, 5G NR n3, 5G NR n5, 5G NR n8, 5G NR n28, 5G NR n40, 5G NR n78 | 2G GSM 850, 2G GSM 900, 2G GSM 1800, 2G GSM 1900, 3G UMTS B1, 3G UMTS B2, 3G UMTS B4, 3G UMTS B5, 3G UMTS B8, 4G LTE B1, 4G LTE B2, 4G LTE B3, 4G LTE B4, 4G LTE B5, 4G LTE B7, 4G LTE B8, 4G LTE B20, 4G LTE B28A, 4G LTE B28B, 4G LTE B32, 4G LTE B38, 4G LTE B40, 4G LTE B41, 5G NR n1, 5G NR n3, 5G NR n5, 5G NR n7, 5G NR n8, 5G NR n20, 5G NR n28a, 5G NR n28b, 5G NR n38, 5G NR n40, 5G NR n41, 5G NR n77, 5G NR n78 |
| Cellular Technologies | GSM, HSPA, LTE, 5G | GSM, HSPA, UMTS, LTE, 5G |
| Wi-Fi Standards | Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g, Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac |
| Wi-Fi Features | Dual Band, Wi-Fi Direct | Dual Band, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Display, MIMO |
| Bluetooth Version | Bluetooth 5.1 | Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Bluetooth Profiles | A2DP, LE | A2DP, LE |
| Navigation Systems | GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS, BeiDou | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo |
| Connectivity Features | Virtual Proximity Sensing, Infrared, USB Type-C, USB OTG | 3.5 mm Audio Jack, Infrared, NFC, FM Radio, USB Charging, USB Mass Storage, USB OTG, USB Type-C, Computer Sync, DLNA, OTA Sync, Tethering, VoLTE, VoWiFi |
| USB Version | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
| SAR American Head | — | 1.09 W/kg |
| SAR American Body | — | 1.05 W/kg |
| SAR (EU) head | — | 0.68 W/kg |
| SAR (EU) body | — | 0.91 W/kg |
| Max. download speed | — | 2,500 Mbps |
| Max. upload speed | — | 900 Mbps |
Audio
| Specification | Redmi Note 15 Special | Redmi Note 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Audio Features | A2DP, LE, Stereo Speakers, Dolby Atmos, Hi-Res Audio Best value | A2DP, LE, Hi-Res Audio, Loudspeaker |
Technical
| Specification | Redmi Note 15 Special | Redmi Note 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Model numbers | — | 22111317I, 22111317G |
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