Realme 9 Pro+: A Mid-Range Marvel Balancing Camera Excellence and Performance

The Realme 9 Pro+ marks yet another entry in the brand’s extensive and often perplexing selection of smartphones. Historically, Realme has introduced its core number series models simultaneously, but this year saw the release of the Realme 9i back in January. With this launch, instead of the anticipated Realme 9 and 9 Pro, we have the Realme 9 Pro along with a fresh Realme 9 Pro+.

Designed to compete with the latest Xiaomi 11 series and OnePlus Nord mid-range smartphones, the Realme 9 Pro+ raises questions about its enhancements over the Realme 9 Pro. The key question is: is it worth the extra cost?

Price of Realme 9 Pro+ in India

The Realme 9 Pro+ comes in three different configurations. The entry model features 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, priced at Rs. 24,999 in India. The mid-tier version has 8GB of RAM with 128GB of storage and is available for Rs. 26,999. The highest variant offers 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, costing Rs. 28,999. For this review, I received the top-tier model.

Considering the launch prices, they appear to encroach on Realme’s own GT Master Edition (Review), which starts at Rs. 25,999. While that device boasts a slightly more impressive display with a 120Hz refresh rate, it lacks the superior main camera sensor and optical image stabilization (OIS) found in the Realme 9 Pro+. The growing variety is beneficial, yet it certainly adds to the confusion for potential buyers. Ultimately, the decision comes down to whether you value a better camera or a more vibrant display.

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Design of Realme 9 Pro+

The Realme 9 Pro+ swiftly adopts the trend of color-changing smartphones. It is offered in three variants: Midnight Black, Aurora Green, and Sunrise Blue. Among these, only Sunrise Blue exhibits a color shift when exposed to sunlight, akin to the Vivo V23 Pro (Review).

The rear panel of the Sunrise Blue variant transitions from blue to maroon when exposed to sunlight

 

Realme’s interpretation of the color change feature allows the 9 Pro+ to transform from a shiny blue indoors to a maroon when out in sunlight. Personally, I found this less captivating than Vivo’s gold-to-green transition seen in the V23 Pro. Additionally, the overall aesthetic doesn’t convey a premium feel, particularly due to the rear glass panel that smudges easily.

Aside from the color-shifting aspect, the Realme 9 Pro+ reflects the standard design ethos of the brand. It comprises a polycarbonate frame with flat edges sandwiched between glass covers. The device is relatively slim at 7.99mm and is lightweight at 184g, making it easy to handle with one hand.

The Realme 9 Pro+ features an in-display fingerprint sensor and can measure heart rate

 

The flat display incorporates a hole-punch cutout for the front camera. It includes an in-display fingerprint reader, and it has the capability to measure heart rate—though according to Realme, this feature is still experimental and must be activated via the Realme Lab in the Settings. A design flaw I noted was the noticeable thick chin at the bottom of the display.

Specifications and software of Realme 9 Pro+

Realme has opted for the MediaTek Dimensity 920 SoC, which is also present in the newly released Xiaomi 11i series. This chip operates at a top clock speed of 2.5GHz and utilizes a 6nm construction process. The device supports multiple 5G bands alongside dual 5G standby. Additional features include Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and the standard satellite navigation systems. It is backed by a 4,500mAh battery that can be rapidly charged with the included 60W adapter.

The Realme 9 Pro and 9 Pro+ are among the first smartphones to run on Realme UI 3.0, which is based on Android 12. There are numerous pre-installed third-party applications, most of which can be removed, although some Realme-specific apps cannot be.

Realme UI 3.0 refrains from extensive customization unlike Vivo’s Funtouch OS, closely resembling stock Android, complementing the new Material You design of Android 12. While certain features of Android 12 have been omitted, the privacy dashboard and related elements remain. Compared to Vivo or Samsung, Realme’s selection of UI widgets has historically been limited, making the new Android 12 widgets fit naturally on the home screen.

The Realme 9 Pro+ comes pre-equipped with Android 12 and offers new customization features

 

Realme UI 3.0 maintains a consistent aesthetic for the brand. Its design and fonts appear uniform until you access the Privacy Dashboard in the Settings, which presents a stock Material You interface that looks distinctly different. As per Realme, specific components of Android 12 (like the Privacy Dashboard, Permissions Manager, and Digital Wellbeing) must adhere to the stock design, disregarding the customized OS skin. I also noted minor theming inconsistencies, such as greyed text in collapsed notifications in dark mode.

The Realme 9 Pro+ employs a dynamic theming system like that of the Pixel devices running Android 12. This feature selects colors from your chosen wallpaper and applies them to interface elements including notification tray toggles and Settings icons. You can manually choose colors from your wallpaper to enable the theme engine to create a harmonious palette. However, the execution is somewhat buggy; the revamped Android 12 widgets from Google apps and the Google keyboard do not shift colors with the rest of the UI as they do on Pixel devices, indicating that further adjustments are needed.

Performance of Realme 9 Pro+

The Realme 9 Pro+ is equipped with a 6.4-inch AMOLED display safeguarded by Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The colors appeared slightly oversaturated in the default ‘Vivid’ mode, prompting me to switch to the more subdued ‘Natural’ setting. Sunlight visibility was commendable, with crisp text and images. Unfortunately, the Netflix app was unavailable on my pre-production unit, but I managed to test video streaming via Amazon Prime, which functioned well. However, the phone struggled with color accuracy during HDR viewing, rendering colors as washed out; they did not match expectations. Realme has indicated that a solution will be implemented soon. Standard-definition content displayed well, producing rich blacks, and the stereo speakers enhanced the experience with clear sound.

The Realme 9 Pro+ showcases a 6.4-inch AMOLED display with a maximum refresh rate of 90Hz

 

The display refresh rate can toggle only between 60Hz and 90Hz. Even at 90Hz, the rate locks at 60Hz during gaming while changing to 90Hz for routine navigation. Opening the YouTube app also seems to lock the refresh rate at 60Hz, despite the video running at 30fps. Thus, the display’s optimal refresh rate is only active during software interactions, not gaming, at this point.

In benchmark tests, the Realme 9 Pro+ proved itself to be competitive, scoring 5,07,258 in AnTuTu and 818 and 2,316 in Geekbench’s single- and multi-core assessments, respectively. Despite the presence of bloatware, Realme UI 3.0 operated smoothly, and the 90Hz refresh rate made for fluid UI interactions.

Gaming performance was also commendable. The device ran Call of Duty: Mobile on default medium graphics and a very high frame rate without glitches. Increasing the graphics settings didn’t result in any performance drops. However, Asphalt 9: Legends crashed at launch, leading me to test Real Racing 3 instead, which functioned seamlessly.

The Realme 9 Pro+ features three rear cameras

 

The Realme 9 Pro+ has replaced the 108-megapixel camera from its predecessor with a 50-megapixel main camera equipped with optical image stabilization (OIS). This is a high-quality sensor—the Sony IMX766—typically found in premium devices like the Oppo Reno 7 Pro (Review) and OnePlus 9RT (Review). Additionally, it includes an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera and a 2-megapixel macro camera, with a 16-megapixel front camera for selfies.

The camera application shares similarities with those on recent Realme models, featuring some modifications. For instance, certain controls like the timer for photos and video frame rate selection have been relocated to the three-dot menu. Like other smartphones with Android 12, you’ll notice a green dot near the status icons indicating camera usage, a privacy feature.

Daylight camera samples from the Realme 9 Pro+. (Click to view full resolution)

 

Images captured in daylight were crisp and detailed, with an impressive dynamic range. While HDR processing was somewhat aggressive, leading to oversaturation, I opted to disable the ‘AI’ feature as it further intensified the colors. Portrait shots using both the front and rear cameras displayed excellent detail, offering good dynamic range and effective edge detection.

Daylight camera samples from the Realme 9 Pro+. Top: Primary camera, Bottom: Ultra-wide-angle camera (click to view full resolution)

 

Photos from the ultra-wide camera were surprisingly satisfactory. While they didn’t match the sharpness of the primary camera, they still delivered good dynamic range and minimal barrel distortion, aided by software correction. The macro camera proved to be usable, despite producing slightly oversharpened results.

In low-light conditions, the Realme 9 Pro+ defaults to a longer shutter speed for more light intake even without engaging the AI mode. Photos taken at night, even in Auto mode, maintained sharpness and dynamic range, benefiting from OIS. Activating Night mode enhanced the detail further.

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Low-light camera samples from the Realme 9 Pro+. Top: Night mode, Bottom: Street mode (click to view full resolution)

 

There’s a ‘Street’ mode in the camera app that automatically optimizes exposure for capturing effects like light trails. This feature has been available in past Realme models (and some from other brands), but I was pleasantly surprised by how effortlessly the Realme 9 Pro+ captured long-exposure shots without the need for stabilization or a tripod.

Videos recorded at 1080p appeared satisfactory and were well-stabilized, though not as sharp as I anticipated. Meanwhile, 4K recordings (limited to 30fps) displayed good detail and clarity, but exhibited shakiness and a somewhat choppy appearance. The same issues persisted in low-light scenarios as well.

Conclusion

While the Realme 9 Pro+ and the 9 Pro may share overlapping specifications, their core hardware distinctions position them in different market segments.

The Realme 9 Pro starts at Rs. 17,999, providing a 120Hz refresh rate display, a 5,000mAh battery, and a 64-megapixel main camera, making it appear superior to the 9 Pro+ on paper. Conversely, the Realme 9 Pro+ has an AMOLED display for better black levels, 60W fast charging, and a more sophisticated main camera sensor with OIS. Thus, despite the similar price points, these two phones cater to distinct audiences; gamers may gravitate towards the Realme 9 Pro for its higher refresh rate, while the 9 Pro+ targets photography enthusiasts.

The competition includes the Xiaomi 11i, which appears to deliver outstanding value at this price range with comparable or superior specs. The Xiaomi 11i Hypercharge (Review) offers rapid 120W charging capabilities, while the OnePlus Nord CE (Review) presents a capable camera and a streamlined software experience. Furthermore, the OnePlus Nord CE is set to be replaced by the Nord CE 2 soon.

The Realme 9 Pro+ may not boast particularly aggressive features, but the brand has made astute decisions on elements that truly matter. Key highlights include the main camera’s OIS system and premium sensor, which effectively handle both daylight and low-light photography—areas where many competing devices falter. The MediaTek Dimensity 920 SoC proves to be a reliable performer as well. With Android 12 pre-installed and a seamless experience with Realme UI 3.0, alongside commendable battery life, the 9 Pro+ represents strong value for your investment.