Realme 6: The Good, The Bad, And The X Factor

The company has introduced the Realme 6 Pro and the Realme 6 in its new smartphone series. Both smartphones are equipped with modern-day features like a punch-hole display, quad-rear cameras, and a premium-looking design.

Even the standard model comes with up to 8GB RAM and 128GB storage configuration; making it one of the few handsets in its segment to launch with this high configuration. If we talk about the pricing, then the standard model with 4GB RAM+64 GB storage can be purchased at Rs. 12,999, while the 6GB RAM+ 128GB storage variant will be available at Rs. 14,999. There is another model with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage which will retail at Rs. 15,999.

Realme 6: The Good

Premium Appeal; Feels Sturdy

The Realme 6 borrows its design from the Realme XT. You might get fooled for once identifying both the handsets if you don't give a closer look. But, the fascia of the Realme 6 is one of the key distinctions which you will see compared to the Realme XT. The former ships with a punch-hole display, while the latter has a waterdrop notch for the selfie camera.

Speaking of the overall design, the rear panel has a gradient panel with a protruding quad-camera module positioned on the top-left corner. The power key on the right-edge doubles up as a fingerprint scanner. On the left edge, it has a SIM card tray and the volume adjusters.

This positioning of the power and volume keys is one of the most convenient approaches in terms of smartphone design. Basically, it prevents a user from locking the smartphone while adjusting the volume.

This is quite common when the power and volume rockers are placed on the same side. The bottom panel, as usual, is the storehouse for the 3.5mm headphone jack, a USB Type-C port, and the speaker grille. You will like its overall big form factor.

Capable Hardware And Latest Software

The Realme 6 drives on the octa-core MediaTek HelioG90T processor with 2.05Ghz clock speed. The processor is accompanied by up to 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. The Realme 6 has a dedicated microSD card using which you can expand the onboard storage. One of the major advantages of this SIM card tray is that you can use two SIM cards along with a microSD simultaneously.

You can use up to 256GB external microSD. This will take care of all your storage needs. Also, the mid-range chipset is expected to deliver high on performance. While we haven't yet tested the unit with extensive gaming or multitasking, we expect it to not let us down.

The smartphone is launched with Android 10 OS which is wrapped around the company's proprietary Realme UI. The highlights of the new UI are the presence of a dedicated Dark mode and also the voice wake-up feature. You don't need to head deep inside the Settings menu to activate the Dark mode, rather you can toggle it on/off from Notifications tab.

Also, you will like the stock Android-like feel which this UI offers. But, the UI isn't completely free of the bloatware. It is worth mentioning that the Realme 6's haptic feedback is not at par with the competitions.

High-End Cameras At A Budget Price

The Realme 6 is equipped with four cameras on the rear which consists of a 64MP primary sensor with an f/1.8 aperture. The primary lens is accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide-angle sensor with an f/2.3 aperture, a 2MP macro sensor with an f/2.4 aperture, and a 2MP monochromatic sensor that has an f/2.4 aperture.

The camera uses pixel binning and clicks 16MP images by default. You can, however, toggle to 64MP images from the camera app. Additional features offered by the rear camera includes Panorama, Expert, Slow-Motion, Time-Lapse, and Ultra Macro. There is a dedicated Night mode as well which will assist you in low light shots.

The colors produced by the rear camera are good even without switching on the Chroma Boost mode. Also, the images have good edge detection and the portrait images also look natural.

We haven't checked the low-light imaging capabilities using the Night Mode. But, will check its performance in the coming days. For selfies and video calls, there is 16MP snapper that performed well in our brief testing. Stay tuned with us for the detailed camera performance review.

Realme 6: The Bad

Bit Bulky, Smudge Magnet

The Realme 6 no doubt looks good at the first look. Besides, its premium looking design it offers a sturdy feel. But, its big form factor makes it feel bulky. One thing I would like to reiterate that this device has a lot of similarities with the Realme XT.

Even the thickness of both devices is identical. But, the XT seems a bit compact than the Realme 6. Also, if you wrap it around a case, then be prepared for the extra heft.

We all would agree that the shining rear panel looks appealing on smartphones. And specifically, if it reflects some kind of patterns when light rays fall on the surface.

You will be able to see patterns on the Realme 6 as well when the rear panel comes in contact of light rays. But, the gradient smartphones picking up fingerprints and smudges is something that bothers us. It's nothing different from the new Realme entrant.

But, the device does ship with a transparent soft TPU case, so that you can showcase the design without it getting dirty. Also, we would like to add that the company isn't bringing any noticeable changes in the design department.

We would appreciate it if the company brings a refreshed design for its next Realme 7 series. In our limited testing, this is the primary bad factor which we have come across in the Realme 6. We will need to test the handset thoroughly before we can figure out what all cons this device has.

Realme 6: The X Factor

First 90Hz Display Under Rs. 15,000

The Realme 6 is launched with a 6.5-inch display which offers an FHD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. This is the first budget smartphone which is packed with a 90Hz panel and a punch-hole together starting at Rs. 13,999. The display further delivers 405 PPI pixel density and has 90.5 percent screen-to-body ratio.

The display is surrounded by narrow bezels on three sides except for the chin. But, you get a wide area for content consumption. The color temperature seems slightly on the cooler side by default.

But, you can tweak the color temperature from the Display Settings. Also, the refresh rate is set to Automatic by default, so you need to make the settings accordingly (90Hz or 60Hz) from the display settings.

Realme 6: Hit Or A Miss?

The Realme 6 has arrived with some potent hardware that you can buy starting at just Rs. 13,999. It seems that Realme has pulled up its socks and has already upped the game in the budget segment which was once dominated by Xiaomi.

We have seen Xiaomi introducing the Redmi Note series with the features that were once limited to high-end smartphones. Now, Realme is venturing into that segment. The new Realme 6 is a good example of the company's ingenuity in smartphone manufacturing. Not only display, but the other features offered by the handset makes it one of the best offerings in the market.