A Sony IMX766 camera is embedded on the Pro+. Meanwhile, the Pro variant uses the inferior Omnivision OV64B sensor.
Realme has officially released the Realme 9 Pro series. The launch concluded with two phones. One of which is highly promising, and the other a disappointment. Guess which?
The Realme 9 Pro series boasts of having the best camera system on a midrange, even going so far as calling them flagship-level. Indeed. The Pro+ uses the Sony IMX766 sensor, which is normally only seen on top-ranking flagships and also features OIS, something that’s a novelty in the midrange sector.
REALME 9 PRO+
The main highlight of the launch and the most hyped for in any of the Realme 9 series. It boasts having flagship-level performance while also maintaining the price down at the midrange. It’s like a starter for someone who wants to experience flagship phones for the first time.
The display of the Realme 9 Pro+ is a 6.4in. SAMOLED panel with 90Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of up to 1000nits. Embedded in the display is the suspiciously gimmicky fingerprint sensor with a heart rate monitor.
The phone has a colour-changing design when lit under the sun. So for example, you’re using the Sunrise Blue variant, it will change to a dusk-like colour when it’s under direct sunlight. Realme calls this feature “Light Shift Design”.
The main feature of the Realme 9 Pro+ is its cameras. The main sensor is a 50mp Sony IMX766 camera with OIS, a camera sensor found on phones like the OnePlus 9RT, Realme GT 2, and even the Vivo X70 which is already flagship level. Other than the 50mp main camera, it’s also complemented by two other sensors. This includes the 2mp GalaxyCore GC02MI macro sensor and the 8mp Sony IMX355 ultrawide lens. The selfie camera is a 16mp Sony IMX471 sensor, similar to the Realme 8 Pro.
The camera app has a lot of features including long exposure mode as well as street photography mode.
The phone uses a Mediatek Dimensity 920 chipset, a chipset manufactured on a 6nm process. It boots with Realme UI 3.0 based on Android 12 and also has a VC Cooling System that prevents the phone from overheating when it is used for prolonged periods. The battery is the standard 4500mAh battery complemented with 60W fast charging. The chipset is paired with 6 or 8GB RAM and either 128GB or 256GB internal storage, plus Virtual RAM expansion up to 5GB.
The phone debuted first in India and comes with a hefty price tag. The 6/128 configuration starts at INR 24,999 (~Php 17.1K), the 8/128 configuration at INR 26,999 (~Php 18.5K), and finally, the 8/256 configuration at INR 28,999 (~Php 19.8K). As part of the debut price, the phone is discounted at all variants. We’re just waiting until Realme Philippines releases this banger.
SPECS:
- 6.4in. FHD+ (2400x1080px) SAMOLED
- 90Hz refresh rate,
- 360Hz touch sampling rate,
- 1000nits peak brightness
- Corning Gorilla Glass 5
- Mediatek Dimensity 920 (6nm)
- CAMERAS:
- 50mp (main), Sony IMX766, OIS/EIS, f/1.8, 84.4° FOV, 23.6mm
- 8mp (ultrawide), f/2.2, 119°, 15.4mm
- 2mp (macro), f/2.4, 88.8°, 21.8mm
- FRONT: 16mp (main), Sony IMX471,f/2.4, 78°
- 4500mAh, 60W fast charging
- RealmeUI 3.0 based on Android 12
- 3.5mm jack, 5G services, VC Cooling System, Light Shift Design
- In-display fingerprint scanner
- Midnight Black, Aurora Green, Sunrise Blue
- PRICE:
- 6/128: INR 24,999 (~Php 17.1K)
- 8/128: INR 26,999 (~Php 18.5K)
- 8/256: INR 28,999 (~Php 19.8K)
Realme 9 Pro
The name “Pro” has lost all meaning in the tech industry, because it is now applied as a marketing term rather than something an enthusiast would use. Even budget phones include the term, but most professionals require several technicalities that a regular customer would not understand. The Realme 9 Pro is another example of this nonsensical naming.
The Realme 9 Pro has a 6.6in. FHD+ IPS LCD that is compensated from the Pro+ by having a higher 120Hz refresh rate that is also adaptive, starting at 30Hz.
The phone is overall a letdown versus the Realme 8 Pro and Realme 7 Pro. The fact that it downgraded to IPS LCD instead of SAMOLED, and a lower charging rate, is already enough to say the phone doesn’t deserve the “Pro” moniker. The Realme 9 Pro is technically just the Realme 9S but a little shinier.
The processor used on the Realme 9 Pro is the Snapdragon 695 5G, the same one used on the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G. This is complemented with 6 or 8GB RAM and 128GB UFS 2.2 internal storage.
The cameras used for the phone are also worse. Not because it has lower megapixels, but because of the camera sensor it used. The main camera is a 64mp Omnivision OV64B which is a downgrade to the 108mp Samsung ISOCELL HM2 sensor used for the Realme 8 Pro. This camera system is complemented with an 8mp ultrawide and a 2mp macro, like the Realme 9 Pro+. The selfie camera is a 16mp Sony IMX471 which is currently the industry standard.
Like the Realme 9 Pro+, the phone has a VC cooling system, runs on Realme UI 3.0 based on Android 12, and can also expand its RAM capacity virtually by taking space on your internal storage. The phone has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner and also a 5000mAh battery complemented by a far lower 33W fast charging tech, versus the 50W on the Realme 8 Pro.
While we’re waiting for the Philippine release, let’s base the prices first on the Indian variants. The 6/128 configuration starts at INR 17,999 (~Php 12.3K) while the 8/128 configuration starts at INR 20,999 (~Php 14.4K). Like the Realme 9 Pro+, this phone also has the Light Shift design and has colours based on nature, such as Aurora Green, Sunrise Blue, and the classic Midnight Black.
Oh, keep an eye out for the Realme GT2 launching on MWC 2022 this coming 28th February!
SPECS:
- 6.6in. FHD+ (2400x1080px) IPS LCD, 120Hz
- 6-level adaptive refresh rate (30-120Hz)
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 (6nm)
- CAMERAS:
- 64mp (main), OV64B, f/1.79, 79°, 25.18mm
- 8mp (ultrawide), f/2.2, 119°, 15.62mm
- 2mp (macro), f/2.4, 88.8°, 21.8mm
- FRONT: 16mp (main), Sony IMX471, f/2.05, 79.3°
- 5000mAh, 33W fast charging
- RealmeUI 3.0 based on Android 12
- 3.5mm jack, 5G services, VC Cooling System, Light Shift Design
- Side-mounted Fingerprint Scanner
- Midnight Black, Aurora Green, Sunrise Blue
- PRICE:
- 6/128: INR 17,999 (~Php 12.3K)
- 8/128: INR 20,999 (~Php 14.4K)
Source: Realme 9 Launch event (has concluded)
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