We are halfway through 2020 and have witnessed some of the biggest smartphone launches. Till now in this year we saw 5G devices in the Nepali market, devices with 100x zoom but these all were the flagship devices. What about entry-level smartphones? Well now, we are seeing heat building up in that category too.
Companies like Realme and Xiaomi are showing real interest to provide a better device on a low budget. With the likes of devices like Realme C3, Redmi 8, or the upcoming Redmi 9, the Nepali entry-level market is getting some real buzz. Today let’s have a comparison between Redmi 8 and the Realme C3 and see what both the devices have to offer under a similar price bracket of under 17,000.
Redmi 8 vs Realme C3
| Redmi 8 | Realme C3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions & Weight | 156.5x75.4x9.4 mm & 188g | 164.4x75.9x9 mm & 195g |
| Display | 6.22 inch, HD+, IPS Display | 6.5 inches, HD+, IPS Display |
| Processor | Snapdragon 439, 1.95Ghz Octa-core | Helio G70, 2.0GHz Octa-core |
| Memory | 4GB+64GB, eMMC 5.1 | 3GB+32GB, eMMC 5.1 |
| Software | MIUI 11 on top of Android 9 | Realme UI on Top of Android 10 |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS |
| Camera | Dual Camera (12MP with f/1.8 +2MP depth sensor), 8MP f/2.0 front camera | Triple Camera (12MP with f/1.8 + 2MP depth sensor + 2MP Macro ), 5MP f/2.4 front camera |
| Battery | 5000mAh, 18W fast charging | 5000mAh, 10W charging |
| Additional Features | Type C port, IR blaster, Gorilla Glass 5 |
Design
Nowadays even in entry-level price point devices over 80% of screen to body ratio is getting quite common and there is no exception in both of these devices. Both come with a dot notch at the top and polycarbonate back. Realme calls it a Sunrise Design whereas Redmi has named it as Aura Mirror.
With Redmi having cameras at the center and fingerprint sensor just below them. Realme has kept their cameras on the top left corner with a fingerprint sensor on the back of the device. Talking display protection Redmi comes with Gorilla Glass 5 but the Realme has an older Gorilla Glass 3.
Display
Realme is marketing this as an entertainment-centric device, so it comes with a larger 6.5 inches HD+ IPS Display as compared to 6.22 inches on the Redmi side. Both the displays are quite good for content consumption with vivid colors. Redmi supports 400nits of max brightness whereas Realme can go up to 480 nits.
Performance & Software
In the performance department, we have a clear winner here. Realme with its Mediatek Helio G70 outperforms Redmi 8 without any hiccups. Despite both the SoC is based on 12nm finfet technology, we could see better performance on the Realme. Whereas Redmi 8 is also a good performer with its Snapdragon 439 for daily day to day tasks and few less graphic intense games but it falls short while comparing with Realme.
Also Read: Best Performance Mid-range Smartphones
Here the only complaint with the Realme is that they have only launched a 3GB+32GB variant of the device. They should have gone with a 4GB+64GB configuration like Xiaomi. While talking about the software, both the devices come with their own Custom Skin on Top of Android (Android 9 on Redmi & Android 10 on Realme).
Optics
For the optics, Redmi offers a dual-camera setup at the back with 12MP main shooter with f/1.8 aperture which is accompanied by a 2MP depth sensor for the portraits. While you have a bit of versatility with the Realme as it has a Triple camera on the back of the device with a 12MP f/1.8 primary camera, 2MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth camera.
You can get a decent shot from both the devices just don’t expect something extraordinary at this price point. While at the front we have an 8MP f/2.0 shooter for the Redmi 8 while for the Realme we have a 5MP f/2.4. You can shoot a 1080P video @30fps from the front and back camera of both the devices. You also get software features such as HDR, Panorama, and Slow motion video recording in both.
Battery
The battery is yet another department where we see similarities between Redmi 8 and Realme C3. But despite having a 5000mAh cell in both the devices, Redmi 8 would be my choice here. Redmi has a smaller display, 18W fast charging, and a type C port for charging, and having all these features makes up for a better battery experience in Redmi 8. Realme should have given an 18W charging with this device. Charging a 5000mAh battery with a 10W charger gonna take an eternity to charge it fully.
Pricing
Redmi 8 and Realme C3 have a price difference of 500 rupees here in Nepal. We get a 4GB+64GB variant of Redmi 8 for 16,499 whereas 3GB+32GB of Realme is available for 16,999. These two are the only variants of both the devices launched in the Nepal market. Things may get complicated for Realme if Xiaomi launches its Redmi 9 with better performance and Optics under a similar price bracket.
Redmi 8
Pros
-
Type C Port
-
18W fast charging
-
Gorilla Glass 5
-
4GB+64GB at a similar price
Cons
-
Inferior Processor
- Older Android version
Realme C3
Pros
-
Better Performance
-
Larger Display
Cons
-
Micro USB Port
-
10W charging
