Realme 9 5G: A Solid Contender or Just Another Face in the Crowd?

The Realme 9 5G and the Realme 9 5G Speed Edition are the latest entrants in the 9 series lineup. Their release comes as a bit of a surprise given that the company has introduced three additional smartphones within the same series over the last couple of months. The Realme 9 Series now covers a broader price spectrum compared to earlier models, providing a wider array of choices. While this variety is beneficial, it might also lead to some confusion among potential purchasers. This review will mainly concentrate on the standard model, the Realme 9 5G, to evaluate how it stands against its competitors in a similar price bracket.

Realme 9 5G pricing in India

The Realme 9 5G starts at Rs. 14,999 in India for the entry-level model featuring 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The alternative version, which comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, is priced at Rs. 17,499. This smartphone is offered in two color options: Stargaze White and Meteor Black; I reviewed the former.

Realme 9 5G aesthetics

The design of the Realme 9 5G is quite familiar, reminiscent of other Realme devices I’ve previously used. The large display features a camera cutout positioned in the upper-left corner. The bezels are slim along the top and sides, while the chin is slightly thicker. This isn’t distracting and is acceptable for a smartphone in this price range. The frame and back are made from plastic, contributing to a lightweight profile of 188g.

The right side of the device houses a power button equipped with a fingerprint sensor, while the volume controls are located on the opposite edge. All buttons are centrally positioned on the frame and can be easily accessed with one hand. The phone boasts a slim profile at 8.55mm thick.

The Realme 9 5G is slender and features a 5,000mAh battery

At the bottom, the Realme 9 5G includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, primary microphone, USB Type-C port, and speaker. The top edge is completely bare. The back of the device is flat with rounded edges for comfortable handling. It features a trio of cameras arranged in a slightly protruding rectangular module, causing the phone to wobble when placed on a flat surface, which is a minor drawback.

The Stargaze White finish exhibits patterns that change color when viewed in light. The back panel does attract smudges, but they are not easily noticeable. Realme provides a transparent case in the package.

Realme 9 5G specifications and software

The device boasts a 6.5-inch LCD display with a full-HD+ resolution and supports a maximum refresh rate of 90Hz. It’s powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 810 5G octa-core processor. The phone is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery, facilitating 18W fast charging, and includes a compatible charger in the box. The SIM tray on the Realme 9 5G accommodates two nano-SIM cards and a microSD card for expandable storage. Additionally, the phone supports Bluetooth 5.1, dual-band Wi-Fi, and six different satellite navigation systems.

For software, it operates on Realme UI 2.0, based on Android 11. My unit had the March 2022 security patch installed. The user interface is straightforward and user-friendly, making it ideal for first-time users of Realme devices. It provides an option to switch between the conventional three-button setup and gesture-based navigation. Also included are features like a smart sidebar, which serves as a floating set of shortcuts to favorite apps and tasks.

The display’s cutout houses the 16-megapixel selfie camera

Realme UI 2.0 offers customization features for tweaking the icon style, color palette, fonts, and icon arrangement. Within the settings menu, the Realme Lab section presents experimental features for users to explore. One notable feature is Sleep Capsule, which restricts app usage after a set time to promote distraction-free sleep.

I observed a significant amount of bloatware pre-loaded on the device. Some applications, like FinShell Pay and Theme Store, generated intrusive notifications during my review. However, third-party apps can be uninstalled to free up storage.

Realme 9 5G performance and battery life

The Realme 9 5G delivers satisfactory performance, with no noticeable lag during typical use. The display adjusts between 60Hz and 90Hz based on user activity. Users can also lock it at 90Hz for smoother scrolling experiences. Two color modes—Vivid and Gentle—are available based on personal preference.

Redmi Note 11 is a direct rival at this price point, featuring an AMOLED display and dual speakers, making the absence of such features in the Realme 9 5G somewhat disappointing. The side-mounted fingerprint scanner responds quickly and consistently recognizable, requiring no multiple attempts to unlock the device. Facial recognition is also swift.

The fingerprint scanner is integrated into the power button and is conveniently positioned

My review unit came with 6GB of RAM, allowing for up to 5GB of storage to be used as RAM. Multitasking proved seamless; switching between apps did not require background apps to reload. App launch times were also reasonable.

The smartphone performed decently in synthetic benchmark tests, achieving 372,099 points in AnTuTu. In Geekbench 5, it scored 609 on single-core and 1,830 on multi-core tests. The device finished with 3,475 points in the 3DMark Sling Shot test.

Casual gaming was smooth, with games like Call Of Duty: Mobile running at ‘Medium’ graphics and frame rate settings by default and functioning without stuttering. After 15 minutes of gameplay, my battery level dropped by four percent, and the device felt only slightly warm afterward.

The Realme 9 5G features a triple-camera array on the rear

Battery performance is impressive, with the Realme 9 5G easily lasting a day and a half on a full charge. In our HD video loop test, the device operated for 16 hours and 38 minutes, which is commendable. The provided 18W charger can replenish about 27 percent battery life within 30 minutes and around 52 percent in an hour. A full charge takes just over two hours.

Realme 9 5G camera capabilities

The Realme 9 5G is equipped with a 48-megapixel primary camera featuring an f/1.8 aperture, which by default combines pixels to yield 12-megapixel photos. The absence of an ultra-wide-angle lens is a notable drawback. The other two cameras are a monochrome portrait and a macro lens. Selfies are handled by a 16-megapixel camera. The camera interface is well-equipped, offering various shooting modes along with quick access toggles for HDR and AI scene detection. A new Street Mode filter creates high-contrast, high-saturation images.

During daylight shooting, the camera performance was acceptable. The device accurately measured light and automatically activated HDR in bright conditions. However, I found the AI excessively enhanced greens, making plants and trees appear unnatural. The primary camera’s output was decent; while the photos looked fine at first glance, enlarging them revealed a lack of detail. An ultra-wide camera would have substantially expanded the phone’s versatility.

Realme 9 5G daylight camera sample (tap to view full-size image)

Close-up shots were satisfactory, yielding clear images provided the distance was appropriate. Background blurriness was also commendable. Portrait photos were sharp, demonstrating solid edge detection and adequate background blur, which can be modified before capturing the shot. Macro images were decent yet limited to a 2-megapixel resolution.

Realme 9 5G camera samples; top to bottom: closeup, portrait, macro samples (tap to see full-size samples)

In low-light conditions, camera performance was only average in standard ‘Photo’ mode. The images were soft, with distant objects appearing watercolor-like. Night mode did not greatly improve outcomes. While it managed to reveal somewhat enhanced detail in the darker areas, the outputs possessed a yellowish tint, suggesting a filter effect. Additionally, the phone did not stabilize shots, leading to unwanted blurriness due to shakes.

Realme 9 5G low-light camera and Night mode camera samples (tap to view full-size image))

Self-portraits appeared good in both daylight and in dim light. The Realme 9 utilized screen flash for low-light selfies which enhanced picture quality. While portrait selfies were acceptable, the device applied a beautification filter by default.

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Realme 9 5G Selfie portrait samples (tap to view full-size image)

Video recording capabilities are capped at 1080p for both the primary and selfie cameras. The Realme 9 5G does not stabilize video footage by default. However, it does feature an ‘Ultra Steady’ mode that slightly crops the frame to enhance stability, which was useful for improving video quality. Low-light footage exhibited slight graininess.

Overall, the camera performance of the Realme 9 5G was commendable in well-lit conditions, while it struggled under low-light situations.

Conclusion

Realme’s recent releases have flooded the market with numerous smartphones priced under Rs. 20,000, resulting in overlapping models and series, making selection a challenge. The Realme 9 5G showcases a straightforward design and offers specifications that are decent but may not lead to significant interest from buyers. The Realme 9 5G shares several components with the Realme 8S 5G (Review) but appears to have downgraded certain specifications from the older model to reach a lower price point.

The 6GB RAM version of the Realme 9 5G is available for Rs. 17,499, while a similarly equipped Realme 8s 5G variant would only be Rs. 500 more. The latter offers greater value, featuring a superior 64-megapixel camera and 33W fast charging.

The base variant of the Realme 9 5G is sold at Rs. 14,999, making it a better option for budget-conscious buyers. If you are a casual user, this model might be worthwhile; however, I would suggest considering the Redmi Note 11 instead, as it boasts an AMOLED display, stereo speakers, and 33W charging. Although it lacks 5G support, it’s important to note that no Indian telecom provider currently offers 5G, so this may not be a significant drawback.