realme continues its streak, this time with the realme 7i. The second best smartphone brand in the Philippines is not slowing down anytime soon. Its latest midranger is the spiritual successor of the realme 6i, bringing with it upgrades such as a 90Hz display and a 64MP main camera.
The realme 7i is set to launch in the Philippines on October 21, 2020 via livestream on realme’s Facebook page. At the time of writing, the price is yet to be revealed. My best guess is that its going to be somewhere close to the Indonesian price, which is around PHP 10,990, give or take a thousand or two.
UPDATE 10.21.20: The realme 7i is priced at PHP 11,990. You can read about price and availability details here: realme 7i priced at PHP 11,990 in the Philippines.
Now, lets see how it looks and performs out of the box.
Unboxing, first impressions
The realme 7i is packaged in a familiar yellow box. The phone comes with a silicone case, a USB-C port, an 18W fast charger, the SIM card needle, a pre-installed screen protector, warranty documentation, and the quick start guide.
Taking of the lid, you’ll be greeted by the unit itself. Like most realme phones, it is a large device with a 6.5-inch display and dimensions measuring in at 164.1 x 75.5 x 8.9 mm and weighing 188g. But looking closely, you’ll quickly notice that it is slimmer and curvier, with a body akin to the realme 7 Pro.
That being said, the realme 7i is a handsome phone. The glass-like back panel is made of plastic with a gradient and shiny finish. Its a fingerprint magnet, no doubt, but still gorgeous. It fits the hand better, too. The curvy back and slimmer body make it easier to hold.
At the front, we have a 6.5-inch HD display with 90Hz refresh rate which makes animations and scrolling a smoother and more pleasant experience. This is made even better with “Smooth Scrolling” turned on under realme Lab in settings. It is an IPS screen with good brightness, vibrant colors and good contrast.
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All buttons are on the right side of the phone. Personally, I like having the volume keys on the left, but with this layout, you can easily reach and control the hardware buttons with one finger. The triple SIM slot is on its lonesome on the left side.
The headphone jack, microphone, USB-C port, and a mono speaker are at the bottom.
The realme 7i has a four camera setup with a 64MP f/1.5 main, an 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide, a 2MP B&W, and a 2MP depth. The camera app features 64MP mode, Super Nightscape Mode, Night Filters, Panoramic view, Expert Mode, and HDR, among others.
Sample photos look promising.
Wrap Up
At first look, the realme 7i is slowly looking like another hit. It has a lot of good things going for it, including the 90Hz display and 64 MP main camera. Adding to that, the phone also boasts a Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 processor, 8GB LPDDR4x RAM, 128GB storage, and a 5,000mAh battery.
At this point, its hard to make any kinds of judgements until we see how much it costs in the Philippines. But if the price is right, then this could turn out to be quite the mid-range powerhouse.
realme 7i specs
- Display: 6.5-inch HD+ Display, 1600 x 720, 90Hz Refresh Rate, 90% Screen-to-body Ratio, Corning Gorilla Glass
- Processor: 2GHz Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 662
- GPU: Adreno 610
- RAM: 8GB LPDDR4X RAM
- Storage: 128GB UFS 2.1 Storage
- Rear Cameras: 64MP Main + 8MP Ultra-wide + 2MP B&W + 2MP Macro, Quad AI Cameras
- Front Camera: 16MP Selfie Camera
- Network: 4G LTE, Dual SIM (Triple Slot)
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS
- Others: USB Type-C, Rear Fingerprint Scanner, 3.5 Headphone Jack
- OS: realme UI, Android 10
- Battery: 5,000mAh Battery, 18W Fast Charging
