Redmi and the magical world of Harry Potter collided to bring forth a collector’s item that will win the hearts of Potterheads worldwide– is it worth the hype or just a shameless cash-grab?
Xiaomi’s sub-brand, Redmi, has been enjoying quite a success as one of the best-selling brands within their territory. Their collaboration with Harry Potter is tells us something about their status in the smartphone market. Will this one-in-a-lifetime collab result in eternal luck, or it will end up as a Cruciatus Curse? We will find out.
But what does the Redmi Note 12 Turbo Harry Potter edition store for us? And is it worth the price? And if it’s your first time buying a special edition Redmi phone, will this be a solid choice for collectors and enthusiasts?
To kick things off, here are the smartphone’s specs (at its core, it is technically just a Redmi Note 12 Turbo 12/256GB variant):
The exciting part will come next—unboxing! We shall now uncover the secrets of wizardry!
REVELIO! UNCOVERING THE WORLD OF WIZARDRY!
They did work hard on the customization from the outside to the inside. The whole packaging is impressive at first glance. It looks like a wizarding or non-magic book in the world of magic. Oh, there is also an upcoming Harry Potter HBO Max series, so this collaboration may be the appetizer.
The emblem has the four houses’ symbol at the center and the back. Under the school’s logo, you can see the familiar motto: Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus, which, translated from Latin, means “Never tickle a sleeping dragon.” And, of course, we can see the Redmi Note 12 Turbo texture below the emblem.
There is a lightning-bolt symbol on the red magnetic buckle, which should be the symbolic scar on Harry’s forehead. We all know that the scar is both a bane and a blessing left by the killing curse.
Open the box to reveal more information; it is filled with numerous spells performed with hand gestures. The middle piece, the Mirror of Erised, was removed to make room for the Redmi smartphone. Does this imply that Redmi is our heart’s most fervent desire? Well, Redmi, you are indeed our heart’s deepest desire. 🥺 A card pin is also designed to resemble the eponymous Platform 9 and 3/4 sign. It’s manufactured reasonably well. There is also an envelope attached to the back of the cover.
Every Harry Potter fan has dreamed of becoming a wizard since they were little, but by the time they turned 12, the majority still needed a letter of admittance, which dashed their hopes. Nevertheless, you now have a second chance to make it happen by using the acceptance letter provided with your personalized phone kit. It would be excellent; however, in every purchase, the customer could have the option to change the letter’s recipient to their name.
If there had been a specific user’s name, it would have been ideal and fantastic for their network marketing. But we understand that having a custom name for each customer isn’t exactly feasible, so there’s that. Looking at the bright side, the fact that the letter and envelope are a replica of the ones Harry got in the movie is still something to brag about.
Could you pull out the box at the bottom? Yes, indeed. And inside(please refer to the unboxing video), there are several HP-themed stickers showing the school’s emblem along with the four other houses, a faux leather phone case with half of the Hogwarts crest etched, a unique user manual designed as the Marauder’s Map and a cutout showing the left half of the phone’s back.
The unboxing was a magical journey through the Harry Potter universe! What more if a Potterhead decides to grab a hold of one of these special edition smartphones?
NOW UNTO OUR DEEPEST DESIRES, THE SMARTPHONE ITSELF!
The significant difference between the Harry Potter edition and the standard Redmi Note 12 Turbo is on the glass back, which features the Hogwarts school crest as the main element with its motto (“Draco dormiens nunquan titillandus which means “never tickle a sleeping dragon), while it’s also silk-screened with Harry Potter’s glasses, Quidditch, Expecto Patronum deer, and other classic elements from the movie.
The Harry Potter logo has the same somewhat sticky substance as the Hogwarts emblem. When struck by light, both the emblem and logo become more accented. The selection of colors is also excellent; they fall within the same color range as those utilized in the Harry Potter movies and are also, a little bit dark 🧐. The smartphone has the same slender, rounded edges, and lightweight as the Redmi Note 12 Turbo basic model.
If you look closely at the camera module, its design is like Harry Potter’s glasses. Also, the smartphone looks sleek and gorgeous with the case on. The faux leather case feels tight, sturdy and smells nothing unusual. The case will certainly help in protecting the smartphone during light falls and such.
IS THE DISPLAY QUALITY AS IMMERSIVE AS THE WIZARDRY WORLD?
The smartphone’s display, which measures 6.67 inches and occupies 89% of the screen, is fairly large. Anything from watching videos to playing games may be accommodated to be as immersive as possible. Moreover, it delivers 68 billion colors, increasing color fidelity and reproducing colors more accurately – allowing for a more wonderful viewing experience. The display is fluid with animations, video playback, and gaming thanks to its 120Hz refresh rate. Also, the 1080 x 2400 pixel quality of the screen allows the smartphone to display sharper images – who does not want sharper images? The smartphone can also be used comfortably outside thanks to its 1000 nits of brightness – higher nits = brighter screen.
IS THE CAMERA GOOD ENOUGH TO CAPTURE MAGICAL MOMENTS WITH YOUR LOVED ONES?
Selfie camera test
Main camera test
The smartphone contains three camera sensors: a 64MP wide-angle primary sensor, an 8MP ultrawide sensor, and a 2MP macro sensor. Although the 16MP selfie camera has a wide sensor, it lacks an internal flash, making it appropriate to capture selfies in a well-lighted environment. The smartphone’s camera Interface is straightforward and boasts optical image stabilization. The smartphone does not have an edge over other competitors with regard to its camera. As can be seen from the photographs above, the camera is at most passable; it has acceptable contrast and colors, but certain details are missed and the AI used for the blur function when capturing portraits is not very good.
There is something odd regarding its video recording capabilities too, as the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 can record 4k videos at 60 fps, Redmi has decided not to use the full capabilities of the chipset in that regard because the smartphone can only record up to 4k/30fps videos.
HOW ABOUT ITS PERFORMANCE AND BATTERY? CAN IT HANDLE A WHOLE DAY ONSLAUGHT OF DEMENTORS?
Because the smartphone is running a Chinese ROM, MIUI 14 on Android 13, we are unable to provide any sample gameplay. The Redmi Note 12 Turbo is the first smartphone to be powered by a Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2, which is by far the most powerful mid-range chipset. The smartphone is capable of scoring over 940834 in AnTuTu, which is very enormous for a mid-range smartphone. Moreover, the smartphone came in at number 14 on the AnTuTu rankings.
The smartphone has a vapor chamber cooling system, that is said to improve heat dissipation by 35%. This feature helps the smartphone to endure longer gaming hours as well as to improve battery and smartphone life.
The Redmi Note 12 Turbo Harry Potter edition has the same battery capacity as its other variants, 5000mAh. The thing that irked us the most, however, is its relatively slower charging rate compared to the Redmi Note 12 Pro +. It only has 67W fast charging and it can charge the phone to 100% within 40 minutes, which is nothing to write home about.
HOW ABOUT ITS SOUND SYSTEM? ARE WE ABLE TO HEAR INCANTATIONS CLEARLY?
Together with a USB Type-C 2.0 connection, the smartphone boasts two stereo speakers—one above and one below. Dolby Atmos is another feature that makes the audio more immersive and complete. It is quite pleasant and relaxing to watch a movie with stereo speakers playing the sound – it’s like having your own mini sound system setup! Oh, and by the way, THERE IS A HEADPHONE JACK! Well, nothing special, but most mid-range smartphones do not have a headphone jack.
LASTLY IS THE USER INTERFACE, WILL DUMBLEDORE CALMLY APPROVE OF THE UI?
The smartphone uses a Chinese ROM MIUI 14 on Android 13. Although the appearance of the smartphone is stunning, how is the software? Sadly, their collaboration does not include its software. There is only a wallpaper with a Golden Snitch animation, and that’s it, no particular interface, animations, icons, and the like, just a pretty disappointing wallpaper. However, for a first Harry Potter-themed smartphone, it is still good enough to be a collectible because of its design and packaging! 😍
WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT THE SMARTPHONE
- The packaging
- The smartphone’s specs
- The back design
- Immersive display
- Great sound
- Good homage to Harry Potter
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE ABOUT THE SMARTPHONE
- No Harry Potter themed software
- The camera is lackluster
- A wand-like stylus could have been better
CONCLUSION
The special variant is identical to regular variants despite its distinctive appearance. Even without the special variant, the Redmi Note 12 Turbo is insanely well worth the price, and this special edition top it off, making it magical for collectors and enthusiasts alike. Tech enthusiasts will find the smartphone’s excellent looks and features appealing. The design is good for a special edition, the display is immersive, the performance and battery are excellent for its price point, and the sounds are rich and loud, but the User Interface and camera are subpar for a special variant. Nonetheless, the software could have been a part of the collaboration
For the world’s first special edition Harry Potter phone, expectations are high but not well met by the smartphone itself. Redmi also does not utilize the smartphone’s full potential. Well, it is still a great choice for Potterheads and tech geeks even with minor discrepancies and just do not expect too much with its cameras.
