realme 9 review
The Realme 9 4G is a mid-range smartphone that boasts impressive features for its price point. With a 6.4-inch full HD+ AMOLED display and a fast refresh rate, this phone promises smooth visuals and responsive touch interactions. Powered by the Snapdragon 680 chipset, it delivers decent gaming performance. The camera setup, featuring a 64MP primary sensor and 16MP selfie camera, is also notable. We'll be putting this device through its paces to see if it lives up to its promise of being an affordable yet capable smartphone.
Build Quality and Design
In today's smartphone market, design and build quality play a significant role in setting devices apart from one another. The Realme 9, part of the brand's mid-range series, boasts an attractive design that makes it stand out. From the moment you hold the phone in your hand, you'll notice its solid feel and weight distribution, which suggests a high-quality construction process. The gold color variant I reviewed has a beautiful sunburst effect on its back panel, giving it a premium appearance that's hard to ignore. On the front, we have a 6.4-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and 360Hz touch sampling rate. This screen is a treat for gaming enthusiasts and those who enjoy watching videos or scrolling through content on their smartphones. The color accuracy and brightness levels are impressive, making this panel a great choice for daily use. The design of the Realme 9 has been well thought out, with a clean and simple aesthetic that's pleasing to the eye. The volume rockers and power button are conveniently placed on the left and right sides, respectively, and the triple card slot is located on the top of the device. I appreciate the location of these buttons, as they're easy to access without any fuss. One notable design aspect is the inclusion of a built-in screen protector, which adds an extra layer of protection to the display. Furthermore, the phone features Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection, giving users peace of mind when using their device on a daily basis. While some might find the design and build quality of the Realme 9 to be average or unremarkable, I believe it's a significant step above what we've come to expect from mid-range devices. With its solid feel, attractive color options, and well-designed layout, this phone is certainly worth considering for those in the market for a reliable and feature-packed smartphone.
Battery Life
In my experience with the Realme 9, one aspect that truly impressed me was its battery life. After using the device for an entire day, I was still left with around 30% of battery life. This is a remarkable feat, especially considering how extensively I used the phone. The phone's 33W power brick and USB-C to USB-C cable allowed it to charge from 0-50% in just 30 minutes, which is a significant advantage for those who need a quick top-up on-the-go. Moreover, the battery life was consistent throughout my testing period, with the device lasting the entire day even after extensive use. In terms of battery efficiency, I found that the Realme 9 performed exceptionally well. The phone's 5000mAh battery, combined with its optimized software and hardware, ensured that it could handle daily tasks without any issues, even when subjected to heavy usage. Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with the battery life of the Realme 9. It is an area where this device truly shines, making it a great option for those seeking a reliable smartphone with long-lasting battery life.
Display
The Realme 9 is a mid-range smartphone that boasts an impressive display, making it a great option for those looking for a vibrant and engaging visual experience. The device features a 6.4-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. This means that the screen can produce up to 360 different frames per second, resulting in a smooth and seamless scrolling experience. In terms of design, the Realme 9's display is a treat for the eyes. The screen has a sleek and modern look, with minimal bezels on either side and a slight curve at the edges. The AMOLED technology used here provides excellent color accuracy and contrast, making it ideal for watching videos or gaming. One notable feature of the Realme 9's display is its ability to adjust refresh rate on the fly. If you're in an environment where power consumption is a concern, the device can seamlessly switch from 90Hz to 60Hz, ensuring that your battery life remains unaffected. The display also features a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection layer, which provides an added layer of scratch resistance and durability. This means that you can enjoy using the Realme 9 without worrying about accidental scratches or drops. In terms of display quality, the Realme 9 delivers on its promises. The screen is clear and crisp, with minimal pixelation or artifacts visible under normal viewing conditions. Whether you're watching movies, playing games, or simply browsing social media, the Realme 9's display will not disappoint. Overall, the display on the Realme 9 is a major highlight of this device. It offers excellent color accuracy, smooth scrolling performance, and durability, making it a great option for those seeking an affordable smartphone with impressive display capabilities.
Camera
The Realme 9 is an intriguing mid-range smartphone that has garnered attention for its impressive features and affordability. As I delved into reviewing this device, I wanted to take a closer look at its camera capabilities. One of the notable aspects of the Realme 9's camera system is its versatility. The primary sensor supports up to 64 megapixels, while an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens and a 2-megapixel macro lens provide additional functionality. However, the selfie camera takes center stage with its 16-megapixel shooter. While the Realme 9's camera app is user-friendly, it falls short in certain areas. The maximum supported resolution for photos is indeed 64 megapixels, but this doesn't necessarily translate to exceptional image quality. In fact, switching to the 18-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens often results in washed-out images with reduced detail. One area where the Realme 9 excels is its low-light performance. The phone's main camera handles indoor and outdoor settings reasonably well, even without a telephoto lens. However, when zooming in (digitally up to 10 times or optically three times), image quality suffers. This limitation becomes apparent when comparing photos taken with the Realme 9 to those from higher-end devices. The absence of a telephoto camera also means that digital zoom is limited to 3x, whereas other smartphones often offer more flexible and effective zoom capabilities. Night mode and Nightscape mode do their best to brighten up dark scenes, but results are hit-or-miss. In video recording, the Realme 9's camera performs adequately, with a maximum resolution of 1080p. The lack of optical image stabilization is somewhat mitigated by the presence of electronic stabilization, ensuring smoother footage. However, not having 4K resolution might be considered a drawback for some users. Overall, while the Realme 9's camera system offers acceptable performance in various scenarios, it doesn't quite live up to the standards set by its more expensive counterparts. While this might be a disappointment for those looking for exceptional photography capabilities, the phone still has a lot to offer in terms of other features and price point.
Price and Value
The Realme 9 is a mid-range smartphone that offers impressive features at an affordable price point. The device starts at PHP 14,999 for the base variant with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, making it an attractive option for those looking to upgrade without breaking the bank. One of the standout features of the Realme 9 is its display. The 6.4-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen boasts a 90Hz refresh rate and supports up to 360Hz touch sampling rate. This results in a smooth scrolling experience, making it perfect for gaming and watching videos. Additionally, the Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection adds an extra layer of durability. The phone runs on Realme UI 3.0 based on Android 12, which is a significant upgrade over some of its competitors. With three years of security updates, you can rest assured that your device will receive timely software support. In terms of performance, the Realme 9 is powered by a Snapdragon 680 chipset, which may not be the most powerful processor but still delivers smooth daily tasks and gaming experience. The camera setup consists of a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 2MP macro lens. While it may not match the quality of higher-end cameras, it still manages to take decent photos. The Realme 9 also boasts a 33W fast charging system, which can charge your device from 0-50% in just 30 minutes. Battery life is also impressive, with the phone lasting throughout the day even for heavy users. Overall, the Realme 9 offers exceptional value for its price point. With its impressive display, smooth performance, and decent camera capabilities, it's an excellent choice for those seeking a reliable mid-range smartphone.
Performance
The Realme 9 is a mid-range smartphone that offers impressive performance at an affordable price point. In this review, I'll focus on the device's performance, including its display, user interface, and gaming capabilities. The Realme 9 features a 6.4-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, which provides smooth scrolling and vivid visuals. The phone runs on Realme UI 3.0 based on Android 12, offering three years of security updates and regular software updates. While the UI is clean and simple, I noticed some bloatware and unnecessary apps pre-installed on the device. The Realme 9's performance was surprisingly good during gaming tests. With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 chipset, the phone handled demanding games with ease, although it may not be the best option for extreme gamers. The device's triple card slot sim 3 supports seamless multitasking and heavy app usage. One of the standout features of the Realme 9 is its battery life. After a few days of testing, I found that the phone's battery backup was really impressive, with around 30% remaining even after a full day's use. The included 33W power brick and USB Type-C to C cable ensured rapid charging. The Realme 9 offers excellent performance at an affordable price point, making it a great option for those looking for a reliable mid-range smartphone. While it may not excel in gaming or camera capabilities, its display, UI, and battery life make up for these shortcomings. Overall, the Realme 9 is a solid choice for anyone seeking a hassle-free mobile experience without breaking the bank.
Pros
1. The phone has a nice, vibrant color option with a 'sunburst gold' finish that may appeal to younger generations.
2. It comes with a free Realme Buds Air 2 Neo worth PHP 1990 for every purchase from June 15-19.
3. The phone has a triple-card slot sim card tray and a USB Type-C port, along with a headphone jack and microphone.
4. The display is a 6.4-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate and 360Hz touch sampling rate.
5. The phone's battery backup is really good, lasting the whole day even for heavy users.
6. It has a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the screen and can be bought down to 60Hz depending on need.
Cons
1. The phone has a decent amount of bloatware and some apps in the padding e uninstall option.
2. The chipset is a Snapdragon 680, which may not be the best for gaming performance at this price point.
3. The camera only supports a maximum of 64 megapixels, with an 8MP ultra-wide lens that can produce washed-out images.
4. There's no telephoto camera, so zooming is all digital and can feel lacking compared to other phones.
5. The phone does not have 4K resolution video recording capability, despite having optical image stabilization.
6. The phone's UI has some clutter and may require some uninstalls of pre-installed apps.