Realme 9i, the first edition of the Realme 9 series, debuted on schedule yesterday. It landed in Vietnam and Thailand first and should drop in other Asian markets (including Pakistan) in the weeks that follow. Here is what the sequel to last year’s Realme 8i offers.
Before we get into upgrades, let’s talk about the downgrades and sidegrades. Realme 8i featured a 1080P IPS LCD that refreshed at an ultra-smooth 120Hz. But the refresh rate is capped at 90Hz in the Realme 9i (presumably to conserve battery life.) You can also set the responsiveness at 30, 48, 50, 60, and 90 Hz steps. We’re still looking at a 6.6” 1080P IPS LCD, however.
Realme 9i’s predecessor had the Helio G96 at its heart — a mid-range chip from MediaTek. But the Realme 9i uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 680, a newly announced chip built on a more efficient 6nm node. Also, note that Realme ships the 9i with the realme UI x Android 11, even though the latest realme UI 3 is out.
6GB of memory (virtually extended to 11GB) and 128GB of internal storage round off the Qualcomm engine on the Realme budget new model. Everything runs on a 5000 mAh battery but with faster charging support. So instead of 18W, the Realme 9i peaks at a solid 33W of power.
The side power key is merged with the thumbprint scanner for convenient security. The storage is expandable up to a terabyte. And stereo speakers deliver surround sound. You can pick from Prism Blue and Prism Black shades. Both sport a lined texture, but the blue version has a glossy, polished finish thanks to its multi-layer coating.
The rear camera matrix features three lenses: a 50MP wide-angle camera, a 2MP macro shooter, and a 2MP B&W sensor. We find the 16MP front-facing camera embedded in a hole punch. Realme 9i can cost anywhere between Rs. 39,999 to Rs. 44,999 in Pakistan.
