Realme 1 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 5: Which is a better smartphone?

Design and Display

The Realme 1 features a similar design as the Oppo A3. It has a diamond cut back as seen on the F7 and A3 smartphones. The device features a 12-layer coating to get the attractive look. On the other hand, the Redmi Note 5 is similar to the previous Xiaomi smartphones in terms of design and looks with no major changes.

In terms of design, the smartphone from Oppo's sub-brand is fitted with a 6-inch FHD+ IPS LCD display with a resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. The screen has an aspect ratio of 18:9. The Xiaomi phone also has similar aspects as the display is a 5.99-inch panel with the same aspect ratio and resolution. So, there appears to be no major difference in terms of the screen.

Performance

The Realme 1 makes use of an octa-core MediaTek Helio P60 SoC under its hood. In comparison, the Redmi phone uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC. Notably, MediaTek SoC is based on the 12nm process while that from Qualcomm is based on the 14nm process. The advantage is that the former will render an overall improvement in the performance.

Besides this, the Realme 1 makes use of 3GB/4GB/6GB RAM and 32GB/64GB/128GB storage space while the Xiaomi phone has just 3GB/4GB RAM and 32GB/64GB storage space. With the launch of the Realme, the company has set a new pricing benchmark for the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage mode by pricing it at Rs. 13,990.

The other notable aspect is the presence of a dedicated microSD card slot and dedicated dual SIM card slots in the Realme 1. With this feature, it wins over its rival having a hybrid SIM slot.

Camera

The Realme 1 makes use of an AI-powered 13MP rear camera at its rear and an 8MP selfie camera at the front. The AI capabilities of the device include AI Shot, Bokeh mode without dual cameras, Vivid Mode, AR stickers, AI beautification and more. The Redmi Note 5 comes with a 12MP rear camera and a 5MP selfie camera. So, again in the camera front, the Realme 1 has an upper hand in the competition.

Battery

The Oppo smartphone has a 3410mAh battery with AI battery management to render a long-lasting battery life by understanding the user behavior and closing the inactive apps. In comparison, the Redmi Note 5 gets the power from a more capacious 4000mAh battery. In general, both the smartphones can last up to two days on normal usage.

Connectivity and Software

Both the smartphones have necessary features such as 4G VoLTE, dual SIM support, GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. While the Realme 1 misses out on a fingerprint sensor, it does have the Face Unlock feature to unlock the smartphone. The Redmi Note 5 has a fingerprint sensor at its rear. The Realme runs Android 8.1 Oreo with ColorOS 5.0 out of the box while the Redmi Note 5 running Nougat for now is due to get the Oreo update. The Android Nougat OS is topped with the company's MIUI 9.

Pricing

The Realme 1 comes in three variants. The base variant with 3GB RAM And 32GB storage space is priced at Rs. 8,990. The mid variant with 4GB RAM and 64GB will soon be made available Rs. 10,990. The high-end variant with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage space is priced at Rs. 13,990. The Redmi Note 5 comes in two variants. The base model with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage is priced at Rs. 9,999. And, the high-end variant with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage space is priced at Rs. 11,999.

Verdict

Having seen the comparison, we would like to mention that both the smartphones offer good performance and exceptional battery life. We already know that the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 offers an impressive performance with its pricing. The Realme 1 is the first one to be launched by the brand. Though we are not sure about its performance. We need will get to know the same only after using it for a few days. However, it appears to be a good device considering its pricing details.