A $229 Phone That’s Just Fine
Realme 10
Realme is likely one of the most prolific smartphone makers round. It was simply 4 years in the past once I reviewed the Realme 2, and now right here we’re with the Realme 10. Like its predecessors, this new telephone is meant to attraction to the entry degree market in India and Southeast Asia, with an emphasis on modern appears to be like and digicam efficiency that punches above its value vary.
Whereas there’s a very baffling omission that I’ll get to very quickly, the Realme 10’s beginning retail value of round $229 makes it onerous to nitpick. Just about any telephone cheaper than this received’t look pretty much as good or have as spectacular a predominant digicam.
Design
Realme 10.
The Realme 10 is a comparatively small Android telephone, with a 6.4-inch OLED show, a weight of 179g and coming in at 7.9mm thick.
I’m a fan of the general form, which takes a on a flatter profile, straying from the same old twin curved sides of Android units. It’s a design much like the iPhone’s blocky vibe, however far more comfy to carry as a result of it’s lighter, thinner, and the nook the place the perimeters meet are barely curved. The again plate is plasticky with this glittery coating that isn’t my cup of tea, nevertheless it does replicate gentle in several methods relying on angle. The entrance aspect is protected by Gorilla Glass 5.
The 6.4-inch panel of the Realme 10.
There are some things that hold this display screen from being a flagship panel — the refresh charge is simply 90Hz, and the chin bezel is noticeably thicker. Nonetheless, the display screen shows vibrant colours and get brilliant sufficient.
Cameras
The Realme 10 includes a 50-megapixel predominant digicam that is superb for its value vary. It’s quick to focus, captures photographs with above-average dynamic vary, and correct colours.
The Realme 10’s predominant digicam is ok, however the lack of an ultra-wide is stunning.
Nonetheless, the secondary digicam on the again is a ineffective 2-megapixel black-and-white sensor. It is a area normally reserved an ultra-wide digicam, which this telephone doesn’t provide one in any respect. Not having an ultra-wide digicam in 2022 feels limiting, notably since earlier Realme telephones on this collection did actually give us an ultra-wide.
a pattern from the Realme 10
As a result of pixel-dense predominant sensor, you’ll be able to pull off a strong 2x to 3x zoom at digital crop and the picture appears to be like respectable with out a lot lack of particulars. You may zoom as much as 10x however photographs start to look mushy.
Zooming in 10x
Internals
There’s a MediaTek Helio G99 chip inside and 8GB of RAM, each of those are effective elements for this value vary, and performs properly, however clearly a tier or two under telephones above $500.
Nonetheless there’s a 5,000 mAh battery which then in flip is superb and might energy this factor all day, simply. The included 33W charging brick tops up the telephone at an inexpensive charge, taking about 28 minutes to high up the telephone.
Software program
The telephone runs on Android 12 with Realme’s Android pores and skin on high. The software program model is a era behind the Android 13 seen in Pixel telephones, however in comparison with different third social gathering Android telephones, I suppose it’s not far off. Animations are easy and fluid, the UI is customizable, and the whole lot that should work, works properly. No actual gripes, nevertheless it’s a little bit of a bland software program pores and skin too.
Conclusion
Finally, as I check the Realme 10 I hold going again to its $229 retail value, which is able to seemingly be even decrease in some Asian international locations like India and Malaysia, in addition to embody potential freebies like wi-fi earbuds with orders. At this value vary, it’s actually onerous to fault a mini laptop with display screen, okay cameras, and nice battery life. All my different gripes, just like the plastic again and lack of ultra-wide cameras, may be forgiven, I suppose.
The Realme 10 in white.
However on the finish of day, I need to ask: why launch so many telephones if there aren’t significant upgrades to be made? The Realme 10 is sweet in a vacuum, however so was the Realme 9 or Realme 8, and people telephones didn’t come out too way back.
We all know Realme is able to creating thrilling units, like its Grasp Version models, or the Realme X I examined a number of years in the past. There’s even rumors of a Realme 10 Extremely that can convey some eye-grabbing options. Because it stands, the Realme 10 is a bit bland. However bland can nonetheless be good.
