From Redmi Note 5, Honor 9N to Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1; here are the top five Realme 2 alternatives
Realme, launched its new handset, Realme 2 in India today. The new Realme device is the second budget offering from the company this year launched for a price starting at Rs 8,990. While Realme entered the Indian smartphone market as Oppo’s sub-brand, it now aims to operate as an independent brand and aims to grab a chunk of the market pie in the country. Notably, Realme launched its first handset, Realme 1 in India in May for the exact price as the Realme 2 starting at Rs 8,990 for the base model. While the previous iteration came with a single camera module and notch-free display, this time around Realme overhauled the front fascia and added an extra lens on the rear side.
Realme 2 is the most affordable smartphone in India currently with a notch display
The new Realme 2 features a 6.2-inch display with a notch on top and 19:9 aspect ratio. However, it comes with a HD+ display and not full HD+ as the Realme 1. The phone flaunts a glossy diamond pattern finish similar to the previous iteration. Realme 2 bears dual rear cameras comprising a 13MP primary sensor and a 2MP secondary sensor, aligned horizontally. While Realme 1 came only with face unlock support, the second-gen Realme now offers a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor as well. Ticking underneath is a modest Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor which is paired with either 3GB or 4GB of RAM along with 32GB and 64GB of internal storage respectively. On the software front, it runs ColorOS 5.1 based Android Oreo. Realme 2 pegs a huge 4,230mAh battery and comes with AI Power Manager that is claimed to enhance endurance. Realme 2 (Red and Black version) will be up for sale on September 4 exclusively via e-commerce portal, Flipkart. The Blue version will go on sale in early October, although Realme has not announced a specific release date yet.
While Realme made some notable changes on its new smartphone in terms of display and battery capacity; considering its price and internal hardware, Realme 2 will face a stiff competition in India’s budget smartphone segment. In this article, we listed out some of those rivals that Realme’s new budget offering will have to deal with. Let’s take a look.
Realme 1
The very first contender that makes the list is Realme’s own device, the Realme 1. Although the smartphone doesn’t carry a tall notch-style display or big battery, it includes impressive specifications as compared to Realme 2. The Realme 1 is powered by a MediaTek Helio P60 octa-core chip with Mali G72 MP3 graphics. With a chipset that incorporates NeuroPilot AI processing technology, Realme 1 is sure to deliver better overall performance as compared to Realme 2’s Snapdragon 450. The Realme 1 sports a 6-inch full HD+ 18:9 display with narrow bezels on both sides of the phone. The display has a significantly higher resolution (2160 x 1080 pixels) as compared to Realme 2’s screen (1520 x 720 pixels).
While the handset carries a single 13MP camera module at the back, it delivers decent output courtesy of Helio P60’s AI Edge technology. Up front, it has an 8MP camera sensor. The phone runs Android 8.1 Oreo with Color OS 5.0 on top. Realme 1 packs a decent 3,410mAh battery that keeps it working for a day. Unlike the Realme 2, it doesn’t have a fingerprint sensor; however, the phone supports face unlock that claims to unlock the device in 0.1 second.
Realme 1 price in India: Rs 8,990 onwards for 3GB RAM/32GB storage
Realme 1 is powered by MediaTek Helio P60 processor
Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1
Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 is another smartphone in the list that takes an edge over Realme 2 in terms of performance. The handset is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 636 processor which is designed for mid-range devices. The SoC on the Zenfone Max Pro M1 manages to handle day-to-day activities smoothly. Even while throwing a few power-hungry games, the phone delivers a lag-free experience without breaking a sweat. As far as other aspects are concerned, Zenfone Max Pro M1 features a 5.99-inch full HD+ 18:9 display with a resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. It has a metal body with plastic inserts at the top and bottom. Zenfone Max Pro M1 houses a 13MP primary lens and a 5MP secondary lens at the rear and an 8MP camera sensor at the front.
Another highlight of the Asus device is its massive 5000mAh battery. Notably, Zenfone Max Pro M1 is the first device from Asus’s smartphone inventory to offer stock Android UI. The phone runs Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box and offers a clean Android experience.
Zenfone Max Pro M1 price in India: Rs 10,999 for 3GB RAM/32GB storage.
Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 runs Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor
Honor 9 Lite, Honor 7X, Honor 9N
While Realme 2 features a diamond-cut finish design, Honor 9 Lite, in contrast, flaunts a glass back with mirror effect that gives an elegant touch to the phone. The budget offering from Honor embraces a 5.65-inch full HD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio. Powering the phone is Huawei’s in-house Kirin 659 octa-core processor. Honor 9 Lite is a decent performer and manages to handle day-to-day tasks without any lag. In terms of photography, the handset carries dual camera setup of 13MP+2MP sensors, both at the back and up front. The rear dual cameras come with PDAF and LED flash support. Software-wise, Honor 9 Lite runs custom EMUI 8.0 based Android Oreo OS. It has a standard battery capacity of 3,000mAh. The base variant of the Honor 9 Lite that packs 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage is available for a price of Rs 10,999.
Honor 9N is an affordable device with a notch display
While glass encased smartphones give a premium feel irrespective of the price, these handsets are prone to fingerprint smudges and scratches. In that case, you can opt for its cousin, the Honor 7X. This handset offers a metal back and sturdy build. It sports a 5.93-inch full HD+ (2160 x 1080 pixels) 18:9 display that provides vibrant colour reproduction. In terms of optics, it includes a 16MP+2MP sensor combination that delivers decent output in well-lit condition. An 8MP camera up front manages selfie and video calls. Similar to Honor 9 Lite, this smartphone is powered by a Kirin 659 SoC but is paired with 4GB RAM and 32GB storage, and sells at Rs 11,999.
If a notched display is what you crave for, then Honor has another handset up its sleeve, Honor 9N. This too is based on the Kirin 659 SoC and with 13MP+2MP rear cameras. Its 3GB RAM/32GB storage version starts at Rs 11,999, with the 4GB RAM/64GB storage variant selling for Rs 2000 more.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 is another decent pick in the budget segment. The phone has good build quality, decent display and durable battery backup. The phone has a capable Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 625 processor. It features a 5.99-inch 18:9 display with full HD+ (2160 x 1080 pixels) resolution. The metal unibody designed smartphone runs Android Nougat OS and packs a big 4000mAh battery that promises more than a day’s worth of usage. As for the optics, the phone pegs a 12MP primary camera sensor and a 5MP camera sensor up front.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 price in India: Rs 9,999 onwards for the 3GB RAM and 32GB storage model.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 packs a huge 4,000mAh battery
Infinix Note 5
If you don’t like custom, cluttered UI, Infinix Note 5 plays a rescuer role in this regard. The phone is a part of Android One initiative which means, you get a bloatware-free Android experience and regular software, security updates for two years. Similar to the Redmi Note 5, the new Infinix device features a 5.99-inch full HD+ 18:9 display resulting in a resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. Infinix Note 5 boasts a fluidic edge design and 10-layer coating of nano-chrome particle at the back panel. It is powered by a MediaTek Helio P23 processor clocked at 2.2GHz. The chipset is paired with ARM Mali-G71 MP2 GPU for rendering graphics.
The Android One powered Infinix Note 5 carries a massive 4,500mAh battery
Like the Realme 2, it offers a dedicated microSD slot that provides expandable storage support of up to 128GB. On the software front, Infinix Note 5 runs a stock version of Android 8.1 Oreo OS. It carries a single camera lens at the back, packing a 12MP unit with f/2.0 aperture, dual-tone LED flash support and AI-enabled auto scene detection, portrait mode. At the front, it has a 16MP selfie camera with f/2.0 aperture and soft LED flash. Infinix Note 5 packs a huge battery capacity of 4,500mAh and supports fast charging.
Infinix Note 5 price in India: Rs 9,999 onwards for 3GB RAM and 32GB storage.