Most entry-level smartphones of the past were good enough for browsing the web, using Facebook, and WhatsApp. The new generation of entry-levels can do much more, with their larger displays, excellent build quality, and powerful hardware. In fact, the gap between mid-range and entry-level smartphones has diminished.
There are plenty of entry-level smartphones to choose from, but the Realme 5i stands out. Realme smartphones are known for their stylish designs and powerful hardware. The Realme 5i is no different. It sports flagship features such as a quad-camera setup and wireless reverse charging.
The Realme 5i is elegantly designed. The back panel has a polished mirror finish, that changes colour depending on the angle you look at it. The phone is made of plastic but it promises sturdiness. The Realme 5i is available in Aqua Blue and Forest Green colours. The phone is 164mm tall, 9.5mm in width and it weighs close to 195 grams. The screen comes with Gorilla Glass 5 that protects it from scratches. The screen notch is minimal due to its water-drop design, so it provides a better screen-to-body ratio than most entry-level smartphones. The phone also sports a splash-resistant design that protects it against accidental water damage.
Most entry-level smartphones come with a 5-inch or a 5.5-inch screen. However, the Realme 5i is one of the first budget smartphones to sport a 6.5-inch HD display. The IPS LCD panel display runs a screen resolution of 720 x 1600. It promises to deliver accurate colours along with wide viewing angles. The screen has nearly no bezels which should make it great for binging on content. The display comes with 480 nits of brightness which should make it legible, outdoors. The display also supports an Always-on feature that lets you view key information such as date, weather alerts, and incoming notifications at a glance.
The Realme 5i runs the Snapdragon 665, a mid-range processor featuring Qualcomm’s AI Engine designed to deliver better camera quality, security, and gaming performance on entry-level smartphones. The device comes with an Adreno 610 GPU, which means most popular games should run smoothly at medium graphic settings. The phone comes with 4GB LPDDR4X of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. You also get the option of expanding the storage to up to 512 GB using a microSD card.
The Realme 5i is powered by the latest Android 10 OS and it runs Realme’s Colour UI 7.0. Realme says the new UI is designed to deliver a stock Android-like interface. It comes with white and gradient backgrounds to make the interface look spacious. You also get the option of a Dark Mode that reduces eye strain. Realme has also added smart gestures-based controls that makes navigating through menus and apps easier. The new UI also offers customisation options in the form of icons packs, themes, and various transitions effects.
The Realme 5i sports a quad-camera configuration at the rear. The primary camera is a 12MP unit with f/1.8 aperture. The secondary camera is an 8MP unit with ultra-wide-angle support. The ultra-wide-angle camera offers a 119-degree field-of-view, making it great for clicking landscape pictures. There is also a 2MP macro camera for close-ups. The list of rear cameras ends with a 2MP depth unit, with the purpose of clicking DSLR-like portrait photos. The rear camera also supports EIS and can record videos up to 4K at 30fps.
The Realme 5i promises to click great selfies with its 8MP front camera. It can also record full HD videos at 30 fps. Both, the front and rear cameras support advanced HDR which help click detailed pictures in uneven lighting conditions. The camera app sports modes such as AI Beauty, AI Smart detection, and Automatic Colour Correction. It has an Expert Mode which lets you take control over camera setting such as ISO, shutter speed, aperture, and more.
The Realme 5i is also strong on the connectivity front. The device comes with Bluetooth 5.0 that offers a wider coverage area. It also supports the dual-audio feature that allows you to play audio on two connected devices at a time. The phone comes with Wi-Fi 802.11ac for seamless wireless connectivity. This is a dual-SIM device supporting LTE networks simultaneously. The Realme 5i comes with a massive 5,000 mAh battery, that promises to offer up to 30 hours of standby time. The phone also supports reverse wireless charging, a feature rarely found on entry-level devices. You can use the Realme 5i as a powerbank to charge wirelessly chargeable device such as smartphones and truly wireless earbuds.
Today’s entry-level smartphones barely make any compromises. They sport great cameras, powerful hardware and are even designed to look like flagship smartphones. The Realme 5i is a strong contender in the entry-level smartphone segment. With all its features and a price of Rs.10,299*, the Realme 5i is the perfect budget smartphone. It’s now available at your nearest Reliance Digital store and you can also order it online from www.reliancedigital.in.
