Review Summary
Expert Rating3.5/5
Design★★★★★★★★★★ Display★★★★★★★★★★ Software★★★★★★★★★★ Camera★★★★★★★★★★ Performance★★★★★★★★★★ Battery★★★★★★★★★★
Pros
- Decent performance
- Acceptable battery life
- Good display
Cons
- Low light photography could be better
- Still on Android 11
- Macro and depth sensors serve little purpose
Chinese smartphone giant Realme has unveiled new additions to its signature number series in the form of the Realme 9 5G and Realme 9 SE 5G. As things stand, the company has unveiled a grand total of six phones in the span of three odd months, which is mind-boggling, to say the least. But, more to the point, the Realme 9 5G is the direct successor of the Realme 8 5G (review) from last year. The device is priced at Rs 14,999 and competes with a few phones from Realme’s own stables, including the Narzo 50 (review) and Realme 9i (review). Apart from that, the handset hopes to cause an upset to the Redmi Note 11 (review) as well, which, albeit a tad more expensive, retails in the same price bracket. So, today, let’s take a closer look at the Realme 9 5G and see if it can stand its own amidst the hotly contested budget segment.
Table of Contents
Verdict
The Realme 9 5G has all the makings of an adequate budget phone. That said, the device could’ve benefitted from a more capable camera stack, along with a dual speaker setup.
The lowdown
Design innovation usually takes a backseat as far as affordable devices are concerned, with companies focusing more on a phone’s internals to cater to the spec-heads. Case in point, Realme, which is guilty of reusing the same design ethos to stylise its contenders in the affordable segment. In fact, the Realme 9 5G looks a lot like the Narzo 50 too, albeit features a more polished finish on the back panel. The handset makes use of a unibody polycarbonate construction which, might not feel as premium, however, is undeniably more resistant to accidental drops. And, for what it’s worth, the handset even ships with a gradient finish on the back which looks good, although can be found on any run-of-the-mill Android phone as well. Dubbed the ‘Ripple Holographic Design’, the back of the phone changes its hue as light impacts the surface at various angles. Furthermore, the device feels reasonably light in the hand, which is saying something, since the phone is packing a chunky 5,000mAh cell. What’s more, the unit’s curvy back lends users a better grip as well. As for the I/O, the handset ships with a USB Type-C connector, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a speaker grille located on the bottom. The phone’s volume rocker is positioned on the side, alongside its power toggle which, by the way, also doubles up as a fingerprint scanner. On the whole, the Realme 9 5G offers a robust design, which is a plus point for anyone looking to buy a phone on a budget. That said, I would’ve liked to see a bit more flair in the design department. As things stand, the Realme 9 5G’s aesthetic is – for the lack of a better word – fairly utilitarian.
