TECNO Spark 10 vs Xiaomi Redmi 12C: Comparison Review

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TECNO Spark 10 and Xiaomi Redmi 12C

Budget smartphones under 20K in Kenya have gotten so good. We got our hands on two of the latest entry-level devices from TECNO and Xiaomi – the Spark 10 and the Redmi 12C. Both are really good phones under 20K but how do they compare in terms of performance?

UNBOXING

Differences start showing from the packaging with the Spark 10 box coming with more accessories which include the earphones and silicon case that are absent in the Redmi 12C.

DESIGN

Coming to the design, the Redmi 12C has a plastic back while the Spark 10 has a more premium-looking matte finish.

Both phones sport 720p screens but the Spark 10 goes for a 90Hz refresh rate while the Redmi 12C uses the regular 60Hz refresh rate.

TECNO Spark 10 Type-C charging port on top vs Redmi 12C microUSB charging port on the bottom
TECNO Spark 10 Type-C charging port(top) vs Redmi 12C microUSB charging port(bottom)

Also, the Spark 10 uses an 18W type-C charging port while the Redmi 12C has a 10W micro-USB port.

Overall, the Spark 10 looks more attractive than the Redmi 12C.

PERFORMANCE

When it comes to performance, the Spark 10 gets left behind as it uses a relatively less powerful chipset. TECNO goes for the Helio G37 while the Redmi 12C uses Helio G85.

The Spark 10 redeems itself by packing up to 8GB of RAM while the Redmi 12C has 4GB of RAM. TECNO adds up to 8GB of virtual RAM while the Redmi adds up to 3GB of virtual RAM.

SpecificationTECNO Spark 10 Xiaomi Redmi 12C
LTE supportYesYes
Screen 6.6" HD
550 nits
90Hz Refresh rate
6.71" HD
500 nits
60Hz Refresh Rate
OSAndroid 13, HiOS 10.6Android 12, MIUI 13.0.5
Chip and CPUMediatek Helio G37Mediatek Helio G88
GPUIMG PowerVR GE8320 GPUMali-G52 MC2
RAM8GB + 8GB virtual RAM4GB + 3GB virtual RAM
Memory128GB
MicroSD card support -1TB
128GB
MicroSD card support -1TB
Main camera50MP
AI Lens

1080p video 30fps
50MP
AI Lens

1080p video 30fps
Selfie8MP selfie camera
Video: 1080p at 30fps
5MP selfie camera
Video: 1080p at 30fps
Headphone jackYesYes
Battery and charging 5000 mAh
18W fast charging
USB Type-C
5000 mAh
10W charging
Micro-USB
ColoursMeta Black, Meta Blue, Meta White and Meta GreenGraphite Black, Ocean Blue, Mint Green, Lavender Purple
PriceKsh 19,300Kshs 13,999: 3GB RAM/32GB
Kshs 14,999: 3GB RAM/64GB
Kshs 17,299: 4GB RAM/128GB

It’s great that we have extra RAM with the Spark 10 but when it comes to real-life use, the Redmi 12C is still a champ thanks to the faster processor.

Multitasking and even playing games are handled better on the Redmi 12C. You’ll encounter the occasional lag when using the TECNO Spark 10.

TECNO one-ups the Redmi as it ships with Android 13 straight out of the box while the 12C ships with Android 12.

Overall, the Redmi 12C beats the Spark 10.

CAMERAS

For optics, both phones rock a 50MP dual main setup with an additional VGA camera.

For selfies, the 12C has a 5MP front facing while the Spark 10 has an 8MP front facing.

Both phones take amazing shots during the day and at night as well.

The photos come out with nice colors, decent saturation, sharpness, and details.

Selfie portraits also look good in low light.

Video recording is capped at 1080p for both phones.

It’s worth noting that the Spark 10 lacks a dedicated night mode present in the Redmi 12C. TECNO compensates for the lack of the night mode by making the photos relatively brighter so you will definitely get good-looking shots in lowlight.

Overall, you can’t go wrong with either pick as they both tie in when it comes to photography.

BATTERY LIFE

Both phones ship with 5000mAh batteries with TECNO supporting 18W fast type-c charging while Redmi 12C has 10W micro-usb charging.

The Spark 10 juices up in a little under 2 hours while the Redmi 12C will need close to 3 hours to go from empty to full.

Both phones will give you up to two full days of use with light tasks and a full day with heavy tasks.

When it comes to battery performance, the two phones are equal but the TECNO Spark 10 is more modern with fast type c charging.

PRICE

The Spark 10 and the Redmi 12C exchange blows during this comparison review but the pricing is where they split paths.

The TECNO Spark 10 goes for Ksh Ksh 19,300 while the Redmi 12C goes for Ksh 17,300. And at that price, the Redmi 12C offers more value for the price.

Redmi 12C

  • Kshs 13,999: 3GB RAM/32GB
  • Kshs 14,999: 3GB RAM/64GB
  • Kshs 17,299: 4GB RAM/128GB