Which is the more compelling nambah wan phone?
It has been a busy week in the Philippines as Realme and Redmi simultaneously launched their latest budget offerings with the Realme 3 and Redmi Note 7. Sporting a sub-Php 10k price tag, both phones have capable processors, dual rear cameras, decent displays and features normally found in mid-range phones.
Let’s take another look at what both phones have to offer and see how each one stacks up to one another:
Realme 3 Specs
- MediaTek Helio P60 octa-core processor
- 3GB/4GB RAM
- 6.2-inch HD+ LTPS IPS Dewdrop display, Gorilla Glass 3 protection
- 32GB/64GB of expandable storage
- 13-megapixel f/1.8 and 2-megapixel rear cameras with LED flash, PDAF, Chroma Boost, and Nightscape
- 13-megapixel f/2.0 front camera
- Dual SIM
- 3G, LTE
- WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS
- Fingerprint scanner, AI Facial Unlock
- 4230mAh battery
- Android 9 Pie with ColorOS 6
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 specs
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 octa-core processor
- 3GB/4GB RAM
- 6.3-inch Full HD+ display, Gorilla Glass 5 protection
- 32GB/64GB/128GB internal storage
- 48-megapixel f/1.8 Samsung ISOCELL GM1 primary rear camera, 5-megapixel depth-sensing camera; PDAF, LED flash
- 13-megapixel front camera
- Dual SIM
- 3G, LTE
- WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS
- Fingerprint scanner, face unlock, USB-C
- 4000mAh battery with Qualcomm QuickCharge 4
- Android Pie with MIUI
Internals of the same caliber
We’ve reviewed a bunch of smartphones now rocking either a Snapdragon 660 or Helio P60 processor and based on our experience both chipsets deliver roughly the same performance in benchmarks, casual use, and gaming.
While both phones have several RAM and storage options, Xiaomi offers the Redmi Note 7 in 6GB/128GB, while the Realme 3 tops out at 4GB/64GB.
Same notch, different display resolution
While both phones have roughly the same display size and the same waterdrop notch, the Redmi Note 7 one-ups the Realme 3 by offering full HD+ resolution. Aside from that, the Redmi Note 7 uses Gorilla Glass 5 protection—which is better than the Gorilla Glass 3 used on the Realme 3, at least on paper.
48-megapixels better than 12-megapixels?
While the Redmi Note 7’s 48-megapixel rear camera certainly sounds impressive, there’s a bit more nuance to that than most people know. You’ll probably won’t be taking 48-megapixel photos with the Redmi Note 7 since you’ll be producing 12-megapixel photos thanks to pixel binning.
It all boils down to the image processing capabilities of both phones: the Redmi Note 7 has Night Mode, while the Realme 3 has Chroma Boost and Nightscape.
As for which camera is better, we’ll have to take a look at a dedicated camera test to find out.
The Reason Why The Redmi Note 7 And Other High-resolution Camera-phones Aren’t 48-megapixel Monsters
Almost the same set of features
Both phones don’t disappoint when it comes to offering essential features. Both phones have a fingerprint scanner, face unlock, Android Pie out of the box, a headphone jack, and a 13-megapixel front camera. However, the Redmi Note 7 is more premium than the Realme 3 as it sports a Gorilla Glass 5 back and a USB-C connector.
Bigger battery but…
The Realme 3 has the upper hand in this department as it has a bigger battery capacity at 4230mAh compared to the Redmi Note 7’s 4000mAh cell. However, the Redmi Note 7 has support for QuickCharge 4, which means that you can fill up the Redmi Note 7’s battery faster than the Realme 3.
It’s a close match
Aside from offering almost the same set of features, both the Realme 3 and Redmi Note 7 offer very competitive pricing. While they have the same price for the 4GB/64GB model at Php 9,990, the Realme’s 3GB/32GB variant is Php 1k cheaper than the same Redmi Note 7 variant at Php 6,990.
Take a look at our reviews for both phones to see which one you fancy better:
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Unboxing: The Ultimate Budget Phone For 2019?
