Redmi 12c and MediaTek Helio G85: Bridging the Gap Between Budget and Performance

In a surprising twist of innovation, the Redmi 12c and the MediaTek Helio G85 have forged a strategic alliance, effectively bridging the gap between budget-conscious devices and high-performance capabilities.

While the Redmi 12c stands as a cutting-edge newcomer, the Helio G85 chipset, despite being three years old, complements it seamlessly. In this post, we delve into the ingenious reasoning behind Xiaomi's decision and how this collaboration sets an unprecedented standard for achieving a harmonious blend of budget-friendliness and impressive performance.

To understand the rationale behind the fusion union between the Redmi 12c and MediaTek Helio G85, we will need to explore the kind of performance Helio G85 offers.

The Key specifications of the Helio G85

The key specifications of this SoC include:

• CPU cores: 2x ARM Cortex A75 (2.0GHz) + 6x ARM Cortex A55 (1.8GHz)
• GPU: ARM Mali G52 MC2
• ISA: ARMv8.2-A
• Fab: 12nm TSMC
• RAM: LPDDR4x (up to 8GB)
• Storage: eMMC 5.1, UFS 2.1
• ISP: MediaTek Imagiq
• AI/ML: MediaTek Neuropilot
• Camera support: 48MP
• Video support: 1080p @60fps
• Connectivity: 4G, Bluetooth 5, Wi-Fi 5, USB, GPS

(Click here to see more specs)

Performance of the Redmi 12c and MediaTek Helio G85

The Redmi 12c is positioned as a budget-friendly phone with a corresponding price point. A comparison with other budget phones in the market reveals an interesting trend. Many of these alternatives budget opt for weak SoCs like the Unisoc T606 or the MediaTek Helio G37. This is where the marriage between the Redmi 12c and the MediaTek Helio G85 starts to make sense.

The MediaTek Helio G85 is a lower Midrange SoC on a budget Redmi 12c phone. Unlike most lower midrange SoCs, it utilizes a unique 2 + 6 setup, featuring two ARM Cortex A75 cores clocked at 2GHz and six ARM Cortex A55 cores operating at 1.8GHz.

Despite its modest count of two Cortex-A75 CPU cores, the Helio G85 demonstrates good processing power with a respectable 2GHz clock speed. As a result, this SoC can easily handle a wide range of apps and games such as eFootball mobile, Call of Duty, PUBG mobile, etc. To optimize battery life, the power-hungry A75 CPU cores are only used when required. Meanwhile, the six ARM Cortex-A55 cores are used to efficiently manage lighter tasks on the smartphone.

While the MediaTek Helio G85 is advertised as a gaming SoC and it does live up to that reputation, it is however not top tier, it is firmly lower midrange. The G85 is a good SoC. It can play games, and launch apps and is well ahead of the budget and entry-level SoCs used by other phones in the same category.

With all of this being said, the use of the MediaTek Helio G85 gives the Redmi 12c an advantage over other phones in the same price category.

RAM and Storage on Redmi 12c

The Redmi 12c and MediaTek Helio G85 are compatible with LPDDR4x RAM (with a capacity of up to 8GB). It is also compatible with eMMC 5.1 and UFS 2.2 storage. As a result, it is smooth, fluid and handles daily tasks well. This will stay true as long as you avoid overburdening your phone and reducing the number of apps running in the background.

Multimedia capabilities of the Helio G85

The Helio G85 sports an unnamed MediaTek ISP and Neuropilot AI. As a result, the Redmi 12c supports a max camera resolution of 48MP and videos of 1080p @60fps. Whilst not the best out there, the results are very decent. This is especially true when images and videos are captured under good lighting conditions.

Connectivity range

Like most lower midrange SoCs, the MediaTek Helio G85 supports just 4G LTE and older network generations. It has no support for 5G. As for network speeds, it supports Cat-7 downlink speeds and Cat-13 uplink speeds. In addition, it also integrates support for Bluetooth 5, WiFi 5, and USB 2.1. There is also support for Global Satellite Position technologies like Beidou, Galileo, and Glonass.

Conclusion

The use of the three-year-old MediaTek Helio G85 on the Redmi 12c may be surprising but it does make sense. This is because the Helio G85 is cheaper and more powerful than many of the SoCs used on budget phones. You can also find this SoC on the Moto G23, and Infinix Hot 12.

Whilst the Helio G85 is a very capable SoC, please note that it is still a lower midrange SoC and does not offer top-tier performance. So when you go out to buy a smartphone with the Helio G85, do keep this in mind.