Realme today launched the Realme 5i, a new phone that is a diluted version of the vanilla Realme 5. The phone packs a quad rear camera setup that is highlighted by a 12-megapixel main camera, and sports an 8-megapixel front camera. It comes equipped with a 5,000mAh battery that keeps the lights on for the 6.52-inch HD+ display. The Redmi Note 8 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 also feature comparable specifications, and fall under the same price bracket. Here's a quick comparison of how these phones stack up against each other.
The Realme 5i is priced at Rs. 8,999 for the sole 4GB RAM + 64GB storage variant, and comes in Aqua Blue and Forest Green colour options. As for the Redmi Note 8 Pro, it is priced at Rs. 9,999 for the 4GB + 64GB variant, while the 6GB + 128GB model will set buyers back by Rs. 12,999. On the other hand, Samsung's Galaxy M20 carries a price tag of 10,990 for the 3GB RAM + 32GB storage model, while the 4GB RAM + 64GB storage variant is priced at Rs. 12,990. However, it is currently available at Rs. 9,999 for its base variant, and Rs. 10,499 for its high-end model on Amazon.
The Realme 5i boots Android Pie with ColorOS 6.0.1 custom skin on top. It packs a 6.52-inch HD+ (720x1600 pixels) display with 20:9 aspect ratio, 269ppi of pixel density, and 2.5D curved Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for protection.
The Redmi Note 8, on the other hand, features a slightly larger 6.39-inch full-HD+ (1080x2280 pixels) display with 90 percent screen-to-body ratio, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for protection. It boots MIUI 10 skin based on Android Pie, and is due for MIUI 11 upgrade based on Android 10.
As for the Galaxy M20, it recently received the One UI v1.1 update based on Android Pie. The Samsung phone sports a 6.3-inch full-HD+ (1080x2340 pixels) display with Infinity-V design and 19.5:9 aspect ratio. All three phones feature a notch.
Coming to the internals, the Realme 5i draws power from the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 SoC paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage that is further expandable via microSD card (up to 256GB).
Xiaomi's Redmi Note 8 is also powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 SoC, but it offers up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage that can further be expanded up to 512GB via a microSD card. As for the Galaxy M20, it goes with the in-house Exynos 7904 SoC ticking alongside 4GB of RAM and 64GB of native storage that can further be expanded up to 512GB.
Coming to the imaging department, the Realme 5i packs a quad rear camera setup that includes a 12-megapixel main camera with an f/1.8 lens. It is accompanied by an 8-megapixel wide-angle angle snapper with an f/2.25 lens, and a pair of 2-megapixel snappers with an f/2.4 lens for capturing portrait and macro shots. On the front is an 8-megapixel selfie camera with an f/2.0 lens.
Xiaomi also equips the Redmi Note 8 Pro with four camera lenses at the back, but it features a higher-resolution 48-megapixel primary camera with an f/1.79 aperture. It is supported by an 8-megapixel wide-angle shooter with 120-degree field of view, a 2-megapixel macro camera, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. Selfies and video calls are handled by a 13-megapixel front camera with an f/2.0 aperture.
The Galaxy M20 packs a dual rear camera setup that includes a 13-megapixel primary camera with an f/1.9 lens and a 5-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera. Samsung has equipped its M-series phone with an 8-megapixel front camera with an f/2.0 aperture. Going by the on-paper specifications, the Samsung Galaxy M20 is the least powerful phone of the trio, if photography prowess is concerned.
The Realme 5i comes equipped with a 5,000mAh battery with 10W charging support. Connectivity options on the phone include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS/ A-GPS, Micro-USB, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The Realme offering measures 164.4x75x9.3mm and tips the scales at 195 grams.
Redmi Note 8 Pro packs a 20 percent smaller 4,000mAh battery that supports 18W fast charging standard. The connectivity suite of the Xiaomi offering includes GPS, A-GPS, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth v4.2, Wi-Fi Direct, USB Type-C port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and IR blaster. Dimensions of the phone are 158.3x75.3x8.35mm, and it weighs 188 grams.
Lastly, the Galaxy M20 sports a 5,000mAh battery that supports USB Type-C fast charging. Connectivity on the Samsung phone is handled by 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS, Bluetooth, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It measures 156.4x74.5x8.8mm and has a heft of 186 grams.
Realme 5 or Redmi Note 8: Which one should you buy? We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.
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