Again in 2016-2017, Samsung’s smartphone technique appeared like a spray-and-pray strategy. In different phrases, the model would launch a number of smartphones at related worth factors with the expectation that a few of them would catch shopper consideration. Whereas the Korean big has modified its methods since 2019 – for the higher, if we could add – evidently one other firm is following its footsteps. No prizes for guessing this one – it’s Realme.
OPPO’s offshoot model took a slow-and-steady strategy when it launched its first smartphone again in Might 2018. However now it’s in prime gear as not even a single month goes by with out us seeing a brand new telephone from the model. In reality, in lower than three months of 2021, Realme has launched a minimum of eight telephones (together with RAM / storage variants). Two extra gadgets are being added to that checklist now because it has taken the curtains off the most recent fashions from its mainstay quantity collection – the Realme 8 and Realme 8 Professional. This assessment can be specializing in the Professional version. Will Realme find yourself going Samsung’s means, or will it have the ability to maintain its spate of launches to maintain the potential consumers hooked? Let’s discover out at present within the Realme 8 Professional assessment.
Desk of Contents
Verdict
We don’t must make a case for buying a Realme telephone anymore. What we imply is that for those who’re a value-conscious purchaser, then the Realme 8 Professional deserves all of your consideration, and rightfully so. It scores excessive on all of the vital points – proper from show to efficiency, and naturally, its cameras, which is its raison d’être… all due to its 108MP major sensor. It’s evident that Realme is banking on the machine’s digital camera capabilities to make it stand out not simply from the competitors, but additionally from its personal smartphones, specifically the Realme X7 (assessment) and Realme Narzo 30 Professional (assessment).
Nonetheless, for those who aren’t a pictures fanatic, or aren’t chasing pure numbers (since megapixel depend is only one side of pictures), you then would possibly wish to search for the opposite choices. Particularly, the newly-launched Redmi Be aware 10 Professional Max (assessment) or soon-to-be-launched POCO X3 Professional.
Cameras
Since pictures is Realme 8 Professional’s declare to fame, let’s start the assessment with that. The quad-camera on the handset includes a 108MP Samsung HM2 f/1.88 sensor, an 8MP f/2.25 ultra-wide snapper, a 2MP f/2.4 black and white portrait lens, and a 2MP f/2.4 macro shooter. In brief, the machine ought to have the ability to seize all kinds of situations. On to the entrance, you get a 16MP f/2.45 sensor, which guarantees video calling expertise… one thing which has develop into fairly vital within the WFH period.
The digital camera UI on the handset is user-friendly even though it presents a bunch of options. For those who’ve used Realme smartphones earlier than, you’ll really feel proper at residence. Within the vertical orientation, you’ll discover varied toggles together with the settings icon up prime, whereas varied photograph / video modes may be discovered on the backside. Google Lens can be built-in natively, and going to the Extra tab will carry up superior choices reminiscent of Twin-View video, Extremely macro, AI Combined Portrait, and many others.
The Realme 8 Professional ranks among the many prime as one of the best digital camera telephone below Rs 20k. That’s as a result of it will probably supply spectacular particulars and vibrant output in all situations, be it landscapes or close-ups. Do notice that the colors come out saturated, which makes the pictures look pleasing to the eyes, however doesn’t present pure colors. In reality, we’d recommend that it’s best to activate the AI selectively as that reinforces the colors on the images even additional. The 108MP ISOCELL Plus sensor measuring 1/1.52-inch does shoot nice-looking photos, plus you get 3x in-sensor zoom… which is technically totally different from optical zoom, however presents good high quality. We observed that 108MP captures take a bit longer to course of, so you may’t use them in conditions you need fast outcomes. We do love the evening mode on the smartphone because it manages to supply sharp output even in dim settings, and will get the benefit of 9-in-1 pixel binning (because the output is 12MP from a 108MP sensor). Take a dekko on the Realme 8 Professional digital camera samples to gauge its prowess your self.
So far as the movies are involved, the 8 Professional can go as much as 4k recording at 60fps. The slow-mo seize is capped at 960fps. Realme additionally highlights the Starry mode and Tilt-shift mode (when used nicely, it offers you an impression that you just’re a miniature panorama) within the video division. Selfies are spectacular too, although they prove grainy in low mild.
Design and show
Realme touts that the 8 Professional is among the many slimmest and lightest telephones round, and we have now to agree. With a body measuring 8.1mm, it’s fairly skinny and you’ll maintain it for an extended length too, because it suggestions the scales at simply 176g. The telephone has a curved rear panel with a matte-like end, which the corporate calls the AG-crystal course of. On this case, the again of the telephone sports activities a texture of mineral crystals. The machine is accessible in three color choices of blue, black, and yellow.
The most effective half is that Realme hasn’t adopted the “larger is healthier” herd and saved the scale of the machine in examine. The smartphone comes with a 6.4-inch display, and meaning you need to use it with a single hand fairly comfortably. The fascia of the smartphone is dominated by the show itself, although there’s a noticeable chin on the backside… which is usually a sore sight. The punch gap nevertheless, doesn’t take away from the immersive expertise provided by the 1080p panel. I significantly loved watching motion pictures on the smartphone.
The button and port placement are commonplace, and also you do get a 3.5mm headphone socket as nicely (fortunately). Sadly, once you see the rear of the 8 Professional, it doesn’t come throughout as a premium-looking machine. And I’m not even speaking concerning the quad-camera array that protrudes from the physique. It’s the in-your-face “Dare to Leap” slogan that doesn’t add any worth and appears moderately ugly, for the dearth of a greater phrase. Furthermore, whereas the telephone’s design language dubbed “Infinite Daring” sounds good on paper, it doesn’t translate nicely in actual life. Whereas holding the telephone, I used to be all the time afraid that it’ll slip from my palms. That’s why I’m glad that the model ships a clear protecting cowl within the field.
{Hardware} and software program
This can be a part that makes us query why did Realme launch this smartphone. You see, the Realme X7 and X7 Professional (assessment) got here with the brand new MediaTek Dimensity chipsets, and the identical was the case for the Narzo 30 Professional. Realme’s arch-rival Xiaomi launched the Redmi Be aware 10 trio, with the top-end Be aware 10 Professional Max (assessment) that includes Snapdragon 732G. The all-new Realme 8 Professional, alternatively, utilises Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 720G. Don’t get us unsuitable. The octa-core processor with two 2.3GHz high-performance cores and 6 1.8GHz environment friendly cores is nice for the mid-range, however it was additionally used for the 8 Professional’s predecessor, the Realme 7 Professional (assessment) – launched six months again. In that respect, the Realme 8 Professional doesn’t come throughout as a giant improve.
Subjectivity apart, the 8 Professional is ready to comfortably deal with something you throw at it. There was nary an occasion the place I felt that the machine slowed down whereas scrolling by way of the UI, ow whereas switching between a number of apps, due to 8GB RAM (the machine can be accessible in a 6GB RAM model). The gaming expertise was pretty easy whereas taking part in titles reminiscent of Name of Responsibility Cellular. You’ll be able to’t get the very best doable body charges once you select very excessive graphics nevertheless, for the Adreno 618 GPU isn’t as highly effective. Storage wants are taken care of by 128GB built-in reminiscence. The great factor is that you would be able to develop it additional with out compromising on the dual-SIM performance.
The Realme 8 Professional is probably not a battery monster, however it will probably simply final greater than a day even with heavy utilization. The 4,500mAh pack lasted greater than a day with ease on common throughout my testing interval. And that is corroborated by PCMark’s check as nicely, because the machine gave a results of 16 hours. The most effective half is that you just don’t need to preserve it plugged in for lengthy. With its help for 50W SuperDart charging, the machine can go from 10 to one hundred pc in 43 minutes – which is in step with the model’s declare. Unusually although, the smartphone’s earlier iteration boasted 65W quick charging, so it’s unclear why the 8 Professional would get a downgrade.
On the software program facet of issues, the 8 Professional is the primary Realme smartphone to come back with Android 11-based Realme UI 2.0. It’s nice to see manufacturers lastly adopting Android 11, which was launched in September. Aside from the advantages of the brand new Android OS nevertheless, we didn’t discover a lot of a change within the interface. You do get personalisation choices through theme help, the power to vary fonts, icons, and extra. For authentication, you get each face unlock and built-in fingerprint which work as anticipated, so long as you don’t attempt to authenticate along with your face whereas having the masks on (duh).
Competitors
The Realme 8 Professional is up towards some strong competitors, so right here’s an outline of the way it stacks up.
Realme 8 Professional vs Redmi Be aware 10 Professional Max
The Redmi Be aware 10 Professional Max is the telephone to beat within the sub-Rs 20k phase. Priced at Rs 18,999, it presents a greater show (120Hz refresh charge), a extra highly effective processor (Snapdragon 732G), and a higher-capacity battery (5,020mAh) whereas providing the same digital camera setup headlined by a 108MP sensor. The one side the place Redmi’s providing falls behind is that it ships with 33W charging.
Realme 8 Professional vs POCO X3 Professional
Whereas the POCO X3 Professional India launch is scheduled for subsequent week, the telephone has already been unveiled globally. Being hailed because the true successor to the POCO F1 – the machine that kickstarted the POCO model and put in on the map – it comes filled with a powerful set of specs. The spotlight is the flagship-grade Snapdragon 860 chipset and 120Hz refresh charge display. POCO X3 worth in India will probably be divulged on its launch on March thirtieth, we will anticipate it to be priced aggressively under Rs 20k.
Realme 8 Professional vs Narzo 30 Professional
It’s powerful to pit the model’s choices towards one another, however the Narzo 30 Professional is a strong VFM providing that’s additionally future-proof with 5G help. With a beginning worth of Rs 16,999, it additionally comes with a greater processor, due to the MediaTek Dimensity 800U below its hood.
Closing verdict
The Realme 8 Professional leaves us with blended emotions. There’s quite a bit to love about it… till you take a look at the phase the smartphone is catering to. For those who aren’t a pictures nerd, then it’d be laborious to make a case for the Realme 8 Professional towards the likes of the model’s personal Narzo 30 Professional and Redmi Be aware 10 Professional Max.
Editor’s ranking: 3.5 / 5
Professionals
- Slim and light-weight design
- Spectacular digital camera capabilities
- Good battery life and 50W charging
Cons
- No excessive refresh charge show
- Efficiency isn’t greatest in school
- Doesn’t come throughout as a serious improve to the Realme 7 Professional
Images by Raj Rout
