Realme 5 Review: A Well-Rounded Budget Phone

The Realme 5 is a budget phone that packs a punch. It comes with four rear cameras, including a 12-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, a 2-megapixel macro lens, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor.

The phone's quad-camera setup allows for versatile photography options. With the ultra-wide-angle lens, you can capture more in a single shot, while the macro lens enables extreme close-up shots. The depth sensor helps create professional-looking portraits with a blurred background.

The Realme 5's camera capabilities are impressive, especially considering its budget-friendly price. It can record 1080p video at 30fps, which is more than enough for casual video recording.

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The realme 5 has a beautiful diamond cut finish that's a major selling point. The phone's dimensions are 164.4 x 75.6 x 9.3mm, and it weighs 198g, which is on the heavier side due to the large battery.

The design is solid, and the buttons have a good feel to them. However, the volume rockers are placed a bit too close to each other, making it easy to fumble around when adjusting the volume in your pocket.

The phone's display is a 6.5-inch IPS LCD panel with a 20:9 aspect ratio and a peak brightness of 460 nits, making it suitable for outdoor viewing. It has a resolution of 1,600 x 720 HD+, which is a trade-off for the larger screen size.

The realme 5 has a beautiful diamond cut finish that's both elegant and durable. The phone's dimensions are 164.4 x 75.6 x 9.3mm, and it weighs in at 198g.

The fingerprint reader is conveniently located on the back, making it easy to unlock your phone. The phone's build quality is solid, with a good feel to the buttons.

The quad camera module on top of the phone is a nice touch, and the glittering blue finish has an almost jewel-like appearance. However, the volume rockers are placed a bit too close to each other, which can make it tricky to adjust the volume when the phone is in your pocket.

Here are the key specs for the realme 5's design:

The realme 5's display is a mixed bag. It's one of the largest in the sub-$150 segment, clocking in at 6.5 inches.

The resolution is HD+, which doesn't quite live up to the screen size. You'll notice blurry edges and a lack of sharpness, especially when rendering text.

The display has a 20:9 aspect ratio, which is quite tall. You'll also find Gorilla Glass 3 for protection and an IPS LCD panel for color accuracy.

Peak brightness levels reach 460 nits, making it suitable for outdoor viewing. However, you won't find robust options to tweak picture profiles.

The Realme 5 has a quad camera setup that includes a 12-megapixel primary sensor with f/1.8 aperture.

The front camera is a 13-megapixel sensor with an AI beauty mode, which is always enabled by default, but can be turned off to capture reasonably detailed images.

Images from the Realme 5 look pretty good, but have a bit too much sharpening, especially when enlarged on a monitor.

The camera system has a 13mm equivalent ultra-wide angle lens that takes better shots than expected, but still has a bit of over-sharpening and over-saturation.

The macro-mode is a bit of a gimmick, and it's difficult to get usable shots with the camera, even in good lighting conditions.

The front-facing camera's beauty filter can be turned off to capture more natural-looking images, but even then, the camera doesn't do all that well with dynamic range.

The Realme 5 packs a punch with its 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 AIE SoC, capable of running at 2.0 GHz max.

This powerful processor is paired with an Adreno 610 GPU, making it a formidable combination for handling demanding tasks.

The device features a massive 5000 mAh high-capacity battery, ensuring you can use it throughout the day without needing to recharge.

You can choose from three different models: 3 GB RAM/32 GB storage, 4 GB RAM/64 GB storage, or 4 GB RAM/128 GB storage.

The Realme 5 also supports memory expansion up to 256 GB via the microSD card slot, giving you plenty of room to store your favorite apps, photos, and music.

In terms of performance, the Realme 5 does pretty well in Antutu, beating out its predecessor and leaving other devices in the same price range in its dust.

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The Realme 5 runs on ColorOS 6.0.1 based on Android 9.0 (Pie), which can be upgraded to realme UI 1.0 based on Android 10.

This operating system is upgradeable, so you can look forward to future software updates.

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The Realme 5 also features a customized spatial design and close-to-native interaction mode, which is exclusive to Realme.

You'll find a range of customization options, including gestures, a floating convenience key, and a magazine-style lock screen that constantly refreshes the wallpaper.

The phone comes with a standard set of pre-installed apps, but be aware that some of these can't be uninstalled, including the 'Hot Apps' folder and its constantly refreshed list of apps.

The Realme 5's interface is heavily reliant on white, which might be an eyesore for some users.

The realme 5's single speaker is sufficiently loud for daily use, but quality isn't particularly great. There's no bass, but it won't crackle unless you turn up the volume to the max.

Audio output from the headphone jack isn't the best. I noticed a bit of hiss when listening to music with my 1MORE Triple Drivers.

The battery life on the realme 5 is truly impressive, with a massive 5,000mAh battery that can easily get you through a day and a half, or even two days, of moderate use.

One thing to keep in mind is that the phone doesn't support fast charging, which means topping off that huge battery takes a significant amount of time - over 150 minutes to be exact.

If you're planning to use your phone extensively, you may need to charge it more frequently, but for most use cases, the phone should be able to last a full day without needing a recharge.

A 5,000mAh battery is a significant advantage for users who want to enjoy their phone without worrying about running out of power.

The realme 5's single speaker is sufficiently loud for blasting music or taking calls, but quality isn't particularly great.

There's no bass to speak of, but the audio doesn't crackle unless you crank the volume up to the maximum level. This is in line with most of its competitors.

Audio output from the headphone jack is not great, and I noticed a bit of hiss when listening to music using my 1MORE Triple Drivers.

The unboxing experience is a great way to get a first impression of a new device, and the realme 5 is no exception. You'll find the phone, charger, and micro-USB cable inside the box.

The box itself is predominantly white with a picture of the device taking up most of the space. It's similar to the realme 5 Pro's packaging, but I personally prefer the minimalistic design of the realme 3 series.

Here's a list of what you can expect to find in the box:

One thing to note is that the realme 5 doesn't support fast charging, which is a bit of a letdown. On the other hand, the 6.5" display is a significant upgrade from the realme 3's screen, making it a great option for those who want a bigger screen.

The realme 5 offers great value for its price. You can get a 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM variant for Rs. 9,999 (~$140) or a 4GB RAM, 64GB ROM variant for Rs. 10,999 (~$153).

The phone's top-tier build quality is a major selling point. It looks brilliant and has a glass build that comes across as a bit more premium.

The realme 5 has a long-lasting battery, which is a must-have for any smartphone. The camera delivers good enough images and offers a lot of versatility, making it a great option for those who want to capture life's moments.

Here are the different variants of the realme 5 and their prices:

The realme 5 is a good package that redefines what you can get in an entry-level smartphone. Between the top-tier build quality, the versatile camera, and a solid hardware package, it's hard not to get excited about this smartphone.