There is no denying that Realme is doing pretty well in the Indian smartphone market. In just one year, the company launched over 10 smartphones, and most of them have been disruptive in their price segments. The latest are the Realme 5 and Realme 5 Pro that come with quad-camera setups. We have already talked about the “Pro” model in our first impressions, and now it’s time for the Realme 5.
The Realme 5 is offered in three variants. The base model with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage will be available for Rs 9,999. The 4GB RAM an 64GB storage price is set at Rs 10,999, whereas the top model with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage will set you back by Rs 11,999. It will go on sale starting August 27 at 12:00PM. I have been using the Realme 5 for a few days now, and here are my first impressions.
Realme 5: Quad rear cameras
Let’s talk about the USP right away. Multiple cameras that once sounded more like a gimmick, are now turning out to offer more versatility. The quad-camera setup on the Realme 5 includes a 12-megapixel primary camera with f/1.8 aperture. The second is an 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensor that lets you capture more from the scene. Best for capturing landscapes. The regular 2-megapixel depth sensor is also present for portrait mode.
But the one interesting thing that Realme has done is add a 2-megapixel sensor with a macro lens. It lets you get close to an object or subject from a distance as close to 4 centimeters. This will really add a new perspective when clicking photos. For selfies and video calling, you have a 13-megapixel front camera. Both the front and rear cameras are backed by AI, with features like scene detection, and more. I clicked a few pictures and they looked good, but I’ll reserve my judgment for later.
Realme 5: 5,000mAh battery
Battery life has always been a pain point for many, and Realme is solving this by offering a 5,000mAh battery. The company says that on a single charge, the battery can easily last a couple of days. I’ll be testing it thoroughly and talk more about it in my review. Sadly, the charger included in the box is 10W, and it will take a good amount of time to charge the big battery.
Good looking design
The Realme 1 featured a diamondback pattern design. Since then, Realme has always experimented with the design. Needless to say, they all looked gorgeous, especially considering the price point of Realme devices. The Realme 5 comes with a laminated plastic back, and a diamond/crystalline design that looks stunning.
Upfront, you get a big 6.5-inch HD+ display. It runs at a resolution of 720×1600 pixels, and an aspect ratio of 20:9. Again, this is a tall form factor, and a first in its price range. As a result, the sides aren’t wide, the tall display makes it difficult for the thumb to reach all four corners. While that’s the case with almost all smartphones today, the extra tall form factor means you have to move the phone around to access the top or bottom corners. Of course, you can get used to it after using it for a few days.
Hardware and software
The Realme 5 is the first smartphone in India to be powered by an 11nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 SoC. It is paired with up to 4GB RAM and up to 128GB storage. There is an expandable storage option too. On the software front, you get Android 9 Pie with ColorOS 6 skin on top. Based on previous experience, the ColorOS skin has a lot of interesting features and options that are otherwise missing from stock Android. But has Realme tweaked it good enough to ensure smooth performance? This question remains to be answered.
Realme 5: First impressions
Realme is pitching itself as a smartphone maker that is disruptive and the one that listens to user feedback. It is more like giving the community what they want. The company has been successful in the software department, especially by adding a theme store, offering bootloader unlock and more.
Coming to Realme 5, on paper, it looks like a smartphone to beat in the Rs 10,000 price bracket. It will compete with the likes of Samsung Galaxy M20, Xiaomi Redmi Note 7S, Redmi Y3 and more. The HTC Wildfire X, LG W30 and Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 are other competitors. Does the Realme 5 have what it needs to shine in front of its competitors? I’ll answer that in my detailed review soon. Stay tuned for that.
| Features | Samsung Galaxy M20 | Xiaomi Redmi Note 7S | HTC Wildfire X | Realme 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 10990 | 10999 | 9999 | 9999 |
| Chipset | Exynos 7904 octa-core | Snapdragon 660 SoC | Octa-core SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 SoC |
| OS | Android 8.1 Oreo | Android 9 Pie | Android Pie | Android 9 Pie with ColorOS 6 |
| Display | 6.3-inch full HD+ | 6.3-inch full HD+ | 6.22-inch HD+ | 6.5-inch HD+-720x1600pixels |
| Internal Memory | 3GB RAM with 32GB storage | 3GB/4GB RAM + 32GB/64GB storage | 3GB RAM + 32GB storage | 3GB RAM + 32GB storage |
| Rear Camera | Dual – 13MP + 5MP | Dual – 48MP + 5MP | Triple – 12MP + 8MP + 5MP | Quad cameras – 12MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP |
| Front Camera | 8MP | 13MP | 8MP | 13MP |
| Battery | 5,000mAh | 4,000mAh | 3,300mAh | 5,000mAh |
