Realme Narzo series arrived as a new budget smartphone series in India earlier this year. The company took the wraps off the Narzo 20 series last month which came as a successor to the Narzo 10. Three different devices have been launched in this series packed with mid-tier hardware and available at a budget price.
Speaking of the standard Realme Narzo, it is priced starting at Rs. 10,499 in the country and compete against the likes of the Redmi 9 and the Samsung Galaxy M11. The device doesn't bear many differences compared to the Realme C15 which also made a debut recently in the market. Does the mid-range hardware such as the MediaTek Helio G85 processor, 48MP triple-rear cameras, and a fast-charging supported battery make it worth a buy? Let's find out in this review:
The Realme Narzo 20 also features the same ‘Victory' design as the Narzo 20A where the rear panel has V-shaped textures. The rear panel has a gradient-matte finish which gives it a good appeal overall. However, the bulky form factor is bit of a letdown. The device is slightly thick even without a case which hampers the one hand user experience. The rear panel isn't entirely smudge-proof and picks up fingerprints at the end of the day.
The square-shaped triple-camera setup is positioned on the top-left corner along with an LED flash. The fingerprint scanner has an ideal positioning to unlock the unit. The right spine has the volume and the power keys, while the left edge packs the dedicated microSD. At the bottom, there is the USB Type-C port, 3.5mm headphone jack, and the speaker grille. The design is simple yet is appealing to the eyes.
The display on the Narzo 20 measures 6.5-inches. It is an LCD panel which delivers an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels and has an aspect ratio of 20:9. The device sports a waterdrop style notch for the selfie camera. The display produces decent colors and viewing angles. It has decent brightness levels, but the content isn't visible under direct sunlight. The performance is similar to the low-end Narzo 20A. You won't be able to stream 1080p videos online which would have enhanced the viewing experience; considering the display is big. However, the output isn't super bad and you can binge on videos on-the-go.
The Realme Narzo 20 has the MediaTek Helio G85 processor packed under the hood. The mid-range chipset is built on 12nm process and has eight cores with a clock speed of 2.3Ghz. It is announced with 4GB/6GB RAM and 64GB/128GB storage. To suffice the storage requirements, the handset also has a dedicated microSD card slot that supports up to 256GB card. The device performs well with browsing and other general tasks. Unlike the Narzo 20A, this model does a fine job with multitasking.
There weren't any delays in app launches or switching from one app to other. Gaming is also good experience on the Narzo 20. You will be able to play high-end games like Mortal Combat 5 and Asphalt 9 without any lags. There is a dedicated game space mode as well to enhance the gaming experience. You can optimize your favourites games with this option. For around Rs.1000 more than the Narzo 20A, you get a better hardware performance which in our opinion makes more sense.
Now coming to the battery, the budget Realme Narzo 20 makes use of a humongous 6,000 mAh battery unit. This is the biggest in the budget segment. To complement this huge battery the company has also thrown in an 18W fast charging support in the mix. Expect a back of more than a day with a single charge and moderate to extensive usage. You can binge on HD videos or play games at a stretch without getting worried about the device getting discharged quickly. It wouldn't be wrong to say the Narzo 20's battery is the biggest highlight.
The Realme Narzo 20 has the same firmware as its siblings, i.e, Android 10 OS which is layered with Realme UI skin on top. The device isn't free of bloatware and you get a couple of then pre-installed on the handset. The Android 10 elements are also present and you get gesture-based navigations, Digital Wellbeing, and a smart slider as well. The smart slider can be located on the home screen and is a storehouse for quick tools such as screenshot, screen recording, and more.
We also ran several benchmark tests on the Realme Narzo 20. Starting with the 3D Mark Wild Life gaming benchmark, the device scored 697. On the other hand, it scored 384 points in the single-core and 1329 points in the multi-core test on Geekbench. Lastly, in the PC Mark Work Performance test, the handset achieved 8219 points. The scores are fair considering the mid-range hardware.
The Realme Narzo 20 uses three rear cameras for imaging. The setup accommodates a 48MP primary sensor which has an f/1.8 aperture. The main lens is combined with an 8MP sensor which is an ultra-wide-angle lens with an f/2.25 aperture and 119-degree FoV, and a macro sensor. The device clicks 12MP pixel-binned shots by default. The primary sensor clicks good amount of detailing in every shot.
You wouldn't find the images going grainy at any instance when there is ample lighting around. You get several shooting modes such as HDR, Panorama, AI Beauty, and Portrait mode. The camera is also capable of recording Slow-Motion and Time-lapse videos. The colour is enhanced with the Chroma Boost mode. As for the low-light images, the device does a fair job. Though the shots aren't super clear, they aren't too grainy with the Night mode on.
The 8MP selfie camera has an f/2.0 aperture and is AI-enabled. You can click selfies with HDR mode on and also capture software-based bokeh effects. The front camera gives a decent output with fair color production and clarity. You wouldn't mind taking self-portraits for social media uploads.
The Realme Narzo 20 does a good job in succeeding the Narzo 10. The upgraded features make it a good choice for the budget segment. In fact, the device is a notch above the Narzo 20A and you will have to shell out around Rs. 1,000 extra. The device offers better camera, powerful processor, and a huge battery that can last for more than a day on a single charge. Not to miss the 18W fast charging support. The handset makes for a value for money deal in the Rs. 10,000 price bucket.