As expected, the new lineup comes along with the Realme 8 and the Realme 8 Pro models. The Pro variant brings some major camera upgrades over its predecessor, i.e, the Realme 7 Pro.
The Realme 8 Pro brings a 108MP camera setup to the table along with some other premium grade hardware such as a Super AMOLED display with an FHD+ resolution and 50W SuperDart charge technology. We are listing down the good, the bad, and the x-factor of the Realme Narzo 8 Pro.
Realme Narzo 8 Pro: The Good
Slim Profile Adds To Premium Appeal
The Realme 8 Pro is easily one of the premium-looking smartphones in its segment. It bears a gradient rear surface with a matte texture. The latter is what adds to the grip which along with the slim form factor allows for a comfortable hold. You won't feel any bulk in your pockets as well.
We have received the Infinite Blue color option and would like to say that it does appear funky with all the glittering effects. Fingerprint impressions wouldn't be making the rear look messy. But, you can still wrap up the device with the soft TPU case bundled with the retail box.
Both volume and the power key are placed on the right spine, while the right edge has the dedicated 3 SIM slot.
It's good to see the brand has kept this feature intact; the Narzo 30 Pro ships with a hybrid SIM slot, limiting you to use one SIM card and a microSD card at a time. Other ports such as the USB Type C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and the speaker griller is placed at the bottom panel.
High-Resolution Super AMOLED Display For Media Playback
The Realme 8 Pro flaunts a tall 6.4-inch display panel. The company has upgraded the panel to Super AMOLED. It has a 1080 x 2400 pixels FHD+ resolution and an aspect ratio of 20:9. The display output is similar to the Realme X7 with vibrant-looking colors.
You can toggle on/off the Dark mode directly from the notifications bar or the display settings and also tweak the color temperature from the same window. The high-resolution panel supports up to 2160p resolution videos on YouTube.
The output is vivid and you wouldn't require any extra tweaking to enhance the visual effects. You would enjoy binge-watching on this handset in your spare time. The display has slim bezels on the side, while the chin is thick, it doesn't really compromise with the viewing surface.
The punch-hole for the selfie camera is also minute and hampers minimal visibility. As for the brightness levels, there were no issues outdoors viewing the content. But, we are yet to test in under harsh sunlight.
Ample 8GB RAM For Multitasking, Dedicated MicroSD Card, Android 11 OS
Realme has announced the Realme 8 Pro with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage configuration. This high-capacity RAM allows for a swift multitasking experience. App loading is fast and we haven't come across any stutters while switching between several of them.
Storage space is also ample to store photos and videos along with other documents. The dedicated microSD slot is a bonus here. Unlike the recently launched Narzo 30 Pro which ships with Android 10 OS, the Realme 8 Pro offers the new Android 11 OS.
The user interface pre-installed is the Realme UI. Realme has managed to give a near-stock Android experience on its smartphones. It's the same on the Realme 8 Pro. Except for a few of the pre-loaded bloatware without which the UI would have been cleaner.
Realme 8 Pro: The Bad
Game-Centric Snapdragon 720G Processor But Missing 5G Connectivity
The device tucks the Snapdragon 720G processor under the hood for better gameplay and efficient processing speeds. The chipset has been used on several popular premium-mid range devices.
Some of the recent launches include the Galaxy A52, Galaxy A72, and the Vivo V20. It is worth noting that its predecessor, i.e, the Realme 7 Pro also had the same chipset. While this processor delivers well on performance, an upgrade would have made more sense. Also, the device comes void of 5G connectivity which is another trending feature in modern mid-range smartphones. Nevertheless, expect a refined performance with gaming and general day-to-day tasks.
Missing Higher Refresh Rate
The Realme 8 Pro has one of the best display panels in its segment. The only drawback here is the standard 60Hz refresh rate. The company has been equipping its affordable and mid-range smartphones with this feature.
The Realme Narzo series is one good example of such. The display performance is good but a 90Hz or 120Hz would have allowed for smoother gameplay in the highest settings.
Realme 8 Pro: The X-Factor
The Realme 8 Pro draws the crowd with its 108MP quad-camera setup. It is the first mid-range Realme handset to be equipped with this massive sensor. We have been waiting for the brand to play along with the camera hardware for a long now. The Realme 8 Pro seems to be the brand's first lab rat for better camera performance.
Along with the 108MP Samsung ISOCELL HM2 primary sensor, the device features an 8MP sensor which is a wide-angle lens and a pair of 2MP sensors. We have seen Xiaomi raising bars in the affordable smartphone segment with the Redmi Note lineup. This time Realme seems to be taking a lead. We will be sharing the camera features a detailed performance review in the coming days.