realme 8 review
The Realme 8 is a budget smartphone that deviates from its 5G counterpart in several ways. While sharing the same name, this device boasts a unique design with a two-tone finish and prominent logo on the curved backside. The phone's build quality is decent, featuring a glossy plastic body and frame. One of the notable upgrades in the Realme 8 is its AMOLED display, which offers deep blacks, contrasty visuals, and HDR10 support. However, this screen features a standard 60Hz refresh rate, making it less smooth compared to higher-end models. The camera setup includes a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, a 2MP macro cam, and a depth sensor. In terms of performance, the Realme 8 is powered by a MediaTek Helio G95 chipset, which delivers solid results in CPU benchmarks. Although it's not the most impressive budget chip available, it still provides adequate power for daily tasks. The phone also boasts an impressive battery life, with an endurance rating of 127 hours. The camera capabilities are a mixed bag, with the primary sensor delivering good images and decent dynamic range. However, the processing is somewhat heavy-handed, leading to over-sharpening and contrast enhancements. The ultra-wide lens struggles in low-light conditions, while the macro cam produces soft and noisy results. One of the standout features of the Realme 8 is its fast charging capabilities, with a 30W Dart charger included in the box. This allows for rapid top-ups, making it an attractive option for those seeking convenience. Ultimately, the Realme 8 is a decent compact smartphone that offers some nice features, such as AMOLED display and solid performance. However, its shortcomings, including less impressive camera results and lack of 5G connectivity, make it hard to justify unless it's available at a discounted price.
Build Quality and Design
The Realme 8's build quality and design are a mixed bag. The phone has a glossy two-tone finish that resembles glass, but is actually made from plastic. While it looks premium, the material can feel cheap to the touch. The frame is also plastic, which adds to the overall feeling of fragility. Despite its petite size compared to the Realme 7, the Realme 8 feels comfortable in the hand due to its curved backside. However, the prominent Dare to Leap logo on the rear may not be to everyone's taste. One notable omission is the lack of water-repellent coating and seals on the ports, a feature that is present on the 5G model. This is a curious decision, especially given the phone's price point. The display, while not the largest at 6.4 inches, is a Super AMOLED affair with a 1080p resolution and a punch hole for the selfie cam. The screen's brightness is quite good, but it can be a bit too bluish in tone. HDR 10 support is present, which is a welcome feature. Overall, while the Realme 8's design has its moments, it feels somewhat lacking compared to other phones at this price point. The build quality, in particular, could be improved upon. For those who value aesthetics and durability, there may be better options available.
Battery Life
One of the standout features of the Realme 8 is its impressive battery life. The phone comes equipped with a large 5,000mAh power battery that has an endurance rating of 127 hours in our proprietary tests. This translates to several days of usage without needing to charge the device. In our testing, we found that the Realme 8's battery life was actually better than its 5G variant, which is a testament to the phone's efficient hardware and software configuration. The phone also comes with a 30W Dart charger in the box, which provides fast charging capabilities. We were able to charge the phone from zero to 56% in just half an hour, almost double what we could get with the Realme 8 5G's bundled 18W charger. The battery life is one of the few aspects of the Realme 8 that truly shines, making it a great option for users who need a compact smartphone with impressive staying power. While the phone has its shortcomings, including a lackluster camera performance and outdated design, its battery life is certainly something to brag about. Overall, the Realme 8's battery life is a major selling point, especially considering the affordable price tag of this device.
Display
The Realme 8 boasts an impressive display that sets it apart from other budget smartphones in the market. The 6.4-inch Super AMOLED screen is a significant upgrade over its predecessor, offering deeper blacks, better power efficiency, and HDR 10 support. One of the standout features of this display is its vibrant colors, which are not only pleasing to the eye but also accurately represent the subject matter. Although the display is not as bright as some other smartphones in its class, it still manages to deliver a respectable maximum brightness of around 460 nits with the slider, boosting to an impressive 660 nits in auto mode. The AMOLED technology used here allows for an always-on display feature, which shows you time and notifications even when the phone is asleep. This can be a useful feature for those who like to stay connected without having to constantly check their phone. Another notable aspect of the Realme 8's display is its support for HDR 10 content, which can lead to more immersive viewing experiences. However, it's worth noting that the colors may lean towards bluish tones, which might be a minor drawback for some users. Overall, the Realme 8's display is a significant improvement over its predecessor and offers a compelling package of features and performance at an affordable price point.
Camera
The Realme 8 is equipped with four cameras on the back, including a 64-megapixel quad-camera setup, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera, a 2-megapixel macro cam, and a depth sensor. While it's a significant upgrade from its predecessor, the phone has some limitations when it comes to photography. The main camera produces good images, especially for a budget phone, with plenty of detail, lively colors, and decent dynamic range. However, the processing is quite heavy-handed, leading to over-sharpening and contrast enhancements that may not be desirable. Portraits taken with the main camera and assisted by the depth sensor are impressive for the class, with sharp and detailed subjects, accurate colors, and proficient separation. The ultra-wide shots, on the other hand, are underwhelming, with noticeably dimmer exposure and softness around the edges of the frame. The macro cam is also a letdown, producing soft and noisy images even when the focus is spot-on. Colors are dull, and it's challenging to get a sharp result due to the fixed focus. Low-light performance is decent, with the main camera holding up reasonably well in these situations. The dynamic range is limited, though, with clipped highlights and dark shadows. Noise is present, but not as excessive as some other budget phones. AI scene detection can help improve exposure and dynamic range, while Night Mode takes a few seconds to process but produces brighter images with better controlled highlights. The ultra-wide camera struggles in low-light conditions, producing soft images with dull colors and blown-out highlights. AI scene detection has little effect here, but Night Mode can brighten up the photos and produce more detail. Overall, while the Realme 8's cameras have some strengths, particularly in good lighting conditions and when capturing portraits or selfies, they fall short in low-light situations and ultra-wide shots.
Price and Value
The Realme 8 is a budget smartphone that promises an upgrade from its predecessor, but with some notable trade-offs. While it's true that the device offers a decent compact design, improved battery life, and a fast charger, the price tag raises questions about value. Compared to its 5G version, the Realme 8 sacrifices connectivity for a lower price point. However, this compromise doesn't necessarily translate into better features or performance. The device's Amoled display, although an upgrade from the previous model, is limited by a 60Hz refresh rate and lacks the smoothness of higher-end devices. The camera department is another area where the Realme 8 falls short. While it boasts a 64MP main camera, image quality is marred by over-sharpening and contrast enhancements, resulting in less-than-natural-looking photos. The ultra-wide camera struggles in low-light conditions, producing soft images with dull colors. Given these shortcomings, the Realme 8's value proposition becomes murky. At its price point, you might expect a more comprehensive feature set or superior image quality. However, this device seems to be positioned as a "decent" compact smartphone rather than an outstanding one. Ultimately, whether or not the Realme 8 represents good value depends on your individual needs and priorities. If you're in the market for a budget phone with average specs, then this might be worth considering. Nevertheless, those seeking better performance or more comprehensive features may need to look elsewhere.
Performance
The Realme 8's performance is a mixed bag. The phone runs on a Mediatek Helio G95 chipset, which is the same as the one found in the Realme 7. While it's not the most impressive budget chipset around, it still delivers decent results at this price point. In CPU benchmarks, the Realme 8 performs similarly to the Realme 5G, which has a Mediatek Dimensity 700 5G, as well as phones running on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G. The phone even edges out the Realme 5G in GPU tests. This means that you can expect smooth performance for everyday tasks like browsing, social media, and casual gaming. However, it's worth noting that the Realme 8 doesn't have 5G connectivity, which might be a drawback for some users. In terms of power efficiency, the phone seems to handle heat and throttling well, even during intense usage sessions. One positive aspect is the fast charging support, which can charge the phone from 0-56% in just half an hour. This is thanks to the bundled 30W Dart charger, which outperforms the Realme 5G's 18W charger. Overall, the Realme 8's performance is serviceable for its price point. While it might not be the most powerful phone around, it gets the job done without any significant hiccups. However, if you're looking for a device with more muscle, you might want to consider other options in the same price range.
Pros
1. The Realme 8 features an upgrade to an AMOLED display
2. Great battery life with endurance rating of 127 hours
3. Solid performance from Mediatek Helio G95 chipset
4. Good results from 64MP quad-camera setup
5. Front-facing camera takes great selfies
6. Can capture 4K video at 30fps with main camera
7. Fast charging with 30W Dart charger
Cons
1. Misses out on 5G connectivity
2. Heavy-handed processing can lead to over-sharpening
3. Ultrawide camera struggles in low light conditions
4. Night mode required for better results in low light
5. Other devices at the same price may offer nicer features