Realme 5i Smartphone Detailed Review

The Realme 5i is a budget-friendly smartphone that packs a punch. It has a quad-camera setup with a 12MP primary sensor, 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, 2MP macro lens, and 2MP depth sensor.

The phone's display is a 6.52-inch HD+ screen with a resolution of 720x1600 pixels. It's a decent size for watching videos and browsing the web.

Realme 5i is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 processor, which provides smooth performance for everyday tasks. This processor is paired with up to 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage.

The phone runs on Android 10 out of the box, with Realme's custom UI on top.

The realme 5i has a textured plastic finish on the back, giving it a more tactile feel and making it relatively resistant to fingerprints.

This textured finish also means the phone is well protected from scratches and slipping out of your hand, making it a great option for those who prefer to go case-free.

The phone is available in two elegant colors: turquoise blue and forest green, both of which look great, even with the rear camera module that protrudes slightly.

Realme has managed to keep the weight of the phone below 200g, which is impressive, and it's also just 9mm thick, making it a great size for everyday carry.

You'll find a rear fingerprint sensor on the back of the device, positioned in a convenient spot that makes it easy to locate.

The speakers are located on the bottom of the phone, alongside the 3.5mm headphone jack and micro-USB port for charging.

I'm a bit disappointed that Realme hasn't opted for industry-standard USB-C here, but the phone's design is still overall quite solid.

The cameras on the Realme 5i are quite impressive, with a quad setup that includes a 12 MP f/1.8 primary camera, an 8 MP f/2.5 ultra-wide angle camera, a 2 MP f/2.4 macro camera, and a 2 MP f/2.4 depth camera.

The primary camera has a high resolution of 4000 x 3000 pixels and supports features like phase detection autofocus, LED flash, and 10 x digital zoom.

You can also capture high-quality videos up to 3840x2160 at 30 fps, or 1920x1080 at 30 fps. The camera app has a simple and straightforward user interface, making it easy to use.

The ultra-wide angle camera allows for a wider field of view, and the macro camera can capture details from just 4cm away.

Here are the camera specifications at a glance:

The front-facing camera produces satisfactory results for the price, although it doesn't have an option for wide-angle shots.

The realme 5i's battery is a powerhouse, with a massive 5000mAh capacity that can last up to 720 hours on standby in 2G mode.

You can charge it quickly with 10W wired quick charging, and it's also equipped with reverse charging, allowing you to turn your phone into a power bank for other devices.

The battery type is Li-Ion (Lithium Ion), which is a reliable and efficient choice.

Here are some key battery specs:

The realme 5i can easily last a day with moderate use, and you can even squeeze in some extra hours with the power-saving features.

The realme 5i manages to beat the original realme 5 in Antutu, despite using the same Snapdragon 665 chipset. However, it lags behind in Geekbench and PCMark, scoring lower than its siblings.

In battery benchmark tests, the realme 5i loses out to other realme 5 series devices, but its score isn't bad considering it's using a Snapdragon 665 chipset. I've reviewed other phones with this chipset and found them to be power efficient.

The realme 5i's 720p display may not be exciting, but it helps extend battery life. I found that after a day of heavy usage, including YouTube videos and social media scrolling, I still had 75% battery left by night time.

Charging the realme 5i is slow, with only 16% charged after 30 minutes. It's a shame they didn't include a fast charger to complement the large 5000mAh battery.

Curious to learn more? Check out: Realme 5

The realme 5i has a respectable amount of internal storage, clocking in at 64 GB. This should be more than enough for most users, but if you're a heavy downloader or gamer, you might find it a bit cramped.

You can expand the storage capacity up to 256 GB using a microSD card, which is a huge plus. This means you can store as many movies, songs, or apps as you want without worrying about running out of space.

The realme 5i also has 4 GB of RAM, which is a decent amount for general use. However, if you're a power user who likes to have multiple apps open at the same time, you might find it a bit limiting.

Here's a quick rundown of the realme 5i's memory and storage specs:

The realme 5i also features USB OTG, which allows you to connect external storage devices or other USB peripherals. This is a nice touch, especially if you have a lot of files to transfer or need to connect a keyboard or mouse.

The realme 5i offers a range of connectivity options, including 2G, 3G, and 4G networks. It also has dual SIM slots, which can accommodate two Nano SIMs.

You can expect fast data speeds with HSPA and LTE-A (2CA) 450/50 Mbps capabilities. The phone also supports Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth v5.0, and GPS with A-GPS.

One notable feature is the presence of VoLTE, which allows for high-quality voice calls over 4G networks. Additionally, the phone has a Wi-Fi hotspot feature, making it easy to share your internet connection with others.

The realme 5i runs on Color OS 6.0, which is based on Android 9 Pie. This operating system offers a range of customization options and features.

The realme 5i's multimedia features are pretty impressive. You can enjoy FM radio and loudspeaker capabilities, making it perfect for music lovers and those who want to stay connected.

The phone also supports vibration, MP3, and WAV ringtones, so you can customize your alert types to suit your preferences.

If you're an audiophile, you'll appreciate the 3.5 mm audio jack, which allows you to plug in your favorite headphones or earbuds.

When it comes to video, the realme 5i delivers high-quality footage with its 4K@30fps and 1080p@30fps capabilities, and it even features gyro-EIS for added stability.

The display on the realme 5i is a 720p one, similar to the original realme 5, and visibility can be poor under direct sunlight due to its limited maximum brightness level.

The textured plastic back of the phone feels great to hold and is resistant to fingerprints and scratches, a big improvement over the realme 5 and 5s.

Its shimmering green hues are eye-catching, to say the least, and the phone's design is quite appealing.

The UI is the same as previous recent realme smartphones, which is "okay" but could be improved with more intuitive features, like zooming out to use the ultra-wide lens.

If this caught your attention, see: Realme 5 Pro

User opinions are a great way to gauge the overall satisfaction of a phone's users.

Many users have been using the Realme 5i for an extended period, with one user still using it as a backup phone after 4 years without any issues.

The price of the Realme 5i is considered very reasonable by many users.

One user prefers the ColorOS operating system over RealmeUI, citing less lag and a more enjoyable user experience.

The realme 5i's display is still using a 720p resolution, which can make visibility poor under direct sunlight due to its limited maximum brightness level.

I've personally found that the textured plastic back of the phone is a huge plus, as it doesn't collect fingerprints or scratches.

Its looks are eye-catching, with shimmering green hues that I think are quite appealing.

The UI is the same as previous recent realme smartphones, which is "okay" but could be improved.

The phone's cameras are decent for its price, but not the best around – they're more than enough for social media uploads, though.

The wide-angle lens and macro camera offer a lot of flexibility, allowing you to capture a variety of shots.

The realme 5i has its share of pros and cons. One major con is its 720p resolution, which might not be the best for watching high-definition videos.

The phone also only has single-band Wi-Fi, which can lead to slower internet speeds in areas with many devices connected. This can be frustrating when you need a stable connection.

Another drawback is the lack of USB-C, which is now the industry standard. This means you'll be stuck with micro USB, a cable that's slowly becoming a thing of the past. Hopefully, 2020 will be the last year we see it on mainstream phones.

Here are the pros and cons of the realme 5i in a nutshell:

The realme 5i has a huge 5000mAh battery, which is a major plus for its price segment.

Its performance is solid, making it a real contender in the budget category.

The phone's design is also quite attractive, which is a nice bonus for users who want a stylish device.

You'll have to be willing to make some sacrifices, however, as the realme 5i has a single band connectivity, limited to 2.4GHz.

Additionally, the front camera has a lower resolution compared to the standard realme 5.

The realme 5i is a feature-packed smartphone with a range of impressive specifications.

The phone's display is a 6.52-inch HD+ IPS LCD panel with a 89% screen-to-body ratio, perfect for watching videos or browsing the web.

It's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 Octa-core processor, which provides smooth performance for everyday tasks.

You can choose from 3 or 4 GB of RAM, depending on your needs, and 32 or 64 GB of storage, which can be expanded via microSD.

The camera setup is impressive, with a 12MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide angle camera, and 2MP macro and depth sensors.

The front camera is an 8MP f/2.0 sensor, ideal for taking selfies.

The phone runs on Android 9 Pie with ColorOS 6, and has a rear fingerprint reader for added security.

Connectivity options include LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, and Bluetooth 5.0.

Here are the specifications of the realme 5i at a glance:

The realme 5i also has a range of other features, including a 10W charging port and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The Realme 5i is no longer available from Realme's UK site, but it's still officially on sale in Spain.

Prices in Spain start at €159 for a model with 3GB RAM and 64GB of storage.

You can get this model for approximately £143 or US$178 in other currencies.

That's a pretty affordable price for a smartphone with these specs.