realme 9ivsSamsung Galaxy F12

realme 9i

Samsung Galaxy F12

realme 9i

The Realme 9i is an all-around performing budget smartphone that boasts a big battery, full HD+ display, and competent processor. With a 15 megapixel main camera, it's a great device for casual use. The phone has a slim and light design with rounded corners, making it comfortable to hold and use. The rear panel features a stereo prism effect when hit with light, but does catch fingerprints and smudges easily. The front of the device houses a large 6.6 inch display with relatively thin bezels on top and sides, while the chin is slightly thicker. A cut-out on the top left corner of the screen accommodates the selfie camera. The phone runs on Android 11 skinned with Realme UI 2.0, which is easy to use and comes with a few pre-installed third-party applications. The app drawer can be turned off or changed to standard mode in settings. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor powers the device, paired with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The display is great, with adequate brightness and rich colors, even in bright sunlight outdoors. However, it's a step down from the Realme 8i's screen, which had a higher refresh rate. The stereo speaker produces distorted sound at maximum volume and is heavy on mids, making it suitable for voice calls but not ideal for music listening. The camera setup includes a 50 megapixel main sensor, 2 megapixel macro lens, and 2 megapixel monochrome depth sensor. Selfie shots are decent in daylight settings, with good edge detection and background blur options. However, the phone struggles in low light conditions and has no stabilization for video recording. Priced at 1190 pesos, the Realme 9i is a good device for casual use, but it's hard to justify as an upgrade over its predecessor, the Realme 8i, given how little it changes. Overall, it's a decent budget smartphone that gets the job done, but may not be the best choice for those seeking a more premium experience.

Samsung Galaxy F12

The Samsung Galaxy F12 is a new budget smartphone that starts from ₹10,999. It boasts a unique textured back with a wave-like pattern, setting it apart from other smartphones in its price range. The device features a 6.5-inch HD+ 90Hz LCD display, which provides punchy colors and a sharp viewing experience. The rear camera setup consists of a 48MP primary sensor, 5MP ultra-wide sensor, 2MP depth sensor, and 2MP macro sensor, offering versatility in capturing various scenes. However, there's no video stabilization, and video recording is limited to 1080p at 30fps. The phone runs on the Exynos 850 chipset with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage, providing a smooth performance. It also features a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, USB Type-C port, and a headphone jack. The device ships with Android 11 and One UI Core 3.1, which is expected to receive updates for a longer period. The Galaxy F12's battery is a 6000mAh unit that should provide a long-lasting experience. However, it only supports 15W charging, which takes around three hours to fully charge the device. Despite this, the phone's pricing seems competitive, and Samsung has done a decent job of packing in features without breaking the bank. Overall, the Galaxy F12 appears to be another solid addition to Samsung's lineup of budget smartphones, offering a feature-rich experience at an affordable price point.