realme 1 design
Realme 1 has a fiberglass body with a diamond-cut look at the back. Oppo says that it has made the back panel in such a way that when light falls on it, it reflects it in different directions. The design is really unique. One problem with this is that the phone easily catches fingerprints. We have to thank the 84.75% screen-to-body ratio, due to which Realme 1 looks compact and handy. The screen is not actually borderless but the front look of the phone looks sleek and modern. Despite the plastic frame, the build quality is good. We dropped the Realme 1 several times but it did not suffer any damage.
There is a slight bulge in the rear camera module. There are volume rockers on the left side of the phone, which are not difficult to reach. The power button and SIM tray have been placed on the right side. While many phones in this price range come with hybrid SIM trays, the Realme 1 has two nano SIMs and separate slots for an SD card.
The absence of a fingerprint sensor is strange but the company has replaced it with facial recognition. There is a passcode option for security. Face recognition works better but faces problems in direct sunlight and low light.
Realme 1 specifications
The specifications of Realme 1 are attractive considering the price. The octa-core MediaTek Helio P60 processor works in the phone, whose clock speed is 2.0 GHz. This feature makes it a competitor to Redmi 5, but it also has the power to compete with the more expensive Redmi Note 5 Pro.
The price of 3 GB RAM and 32 GB storage variant of Realme 1 is Rs 8,990. For 4 GB RAM and 64 GB variant, you will have to pay Rs 10,990. Also, the variant with 6 GB RAM and 128 GB will be available for Rs 13,990. It is possible to expand the storage via microSD card up to 256 GB. The entry level variant especially brings a lot to the table for its price.
Realme 1 has a 6-inch Full HD+ display. The display is a bit reflective and viewing angles are not good. The colors are vibrant but the screen is a little too bright for outdoor use. We are glad that the company has not copied the notch display. Realme 1 has a 3410 mAh non-removable battery. The phone runs on Color OS 5.0, which sits on top of Android 8.1 Oreo. FM radio, GPS, A-GPS will be available in the phone. Micro-USB port will be available in the phone. As per the trend, USB-Type C port is not provided in it. In Realme 1, one SIM will provide 4G speed at a time. The second SIM will automatically shift to 3G.
Realme 1 performance, software and battery life
During our review, everything ran smoothly on the smartphone. Daily tasks like taking pictures, web browsing, watching 4K videos etc were done with ease. Even heavy games like Subway Surfer and Asphalt 8 ran smoothly in Realme 1. The phone does not get too hot during this period. Realme 1 also defeated Redmi Note 5 Pro in AnTuTu benchmark rating.
Realme 1 runs on Oppo’s modified Color OS 5.0, which is on top of Android 8.1 Oreo. The interface is smooth. The Settings app and Quick Launch panel are a bit cumbersome. The app drawer is not provided and the Google Now panel has been replaced with a custom screen, which shows options like weather, steps taken, favorite contacts, recent events. The positive thing is that unnecessary apps will not be found in it. However, in this the user will get dual apps, three-finger screenshot shortcut, theming app and locking gesture. However, nothing has been said about Android P update in the phone.
The battery given in Realme 1 is better. In our HD video loop test, the handset lasted for 11 hours 30 minutes. Even if the phone is used heavily, the charger is required only between 12-1 am in the night. Realme 1 smartphone does not support quick charging. It takes two and a half to three hours to get fully charged.
realme 1 cameras
Realme 1 has a 13-megapixel rear camera, which comes with a single LED flash. The front camera is 8 megapixels. The company says that it can recognize 296 facial points. It also has Artificial Intelligence feature.
Camera app like iOS can be used easily. It features panorama, time-lapse and AR stickers. It already features Pro mode, which helps users adjust shutter speed, ISO, exposure, aperture and white balance. AI based selfie camera automatically detects skin tone, skin type, age, gender. In our experience, the front camera produced better photos but struggled in low light. The AI ​​beautification is better but comes with some unnecessary watercolor effects.
The camera app took better photos in good lighting. It appeared to be struggling in low light. AI beautification is better but comes with unwanted watercolor effect. Both front and rear cameras use the Bokeh effect. The pictures did not turn out well. Edge detection was poor and detail was also not good. The 13-megapixel rear camera captures photos with detail but they remain dull. The dynamic range of the sensor is poor and it seems to struggle for detail and auto-focus in low light. The AR stickers are well applied. A total of 14 stickers can be used through the front and rear cameras.
Decision
Realme 1 has a unique design, which may not matter that much to everyone. The 6GB RAM variant we reviewed performed better. Battery life is good. There is a dedicated microSD card slot and the display is also good. The lack of a fingerprint sensor, stuck software and average cameras keep the Realme 1 from being the best in its segment. Its 3 GB and 4 GB RAM variants are value for money products. It is certain that Realme 1 has created some trouble for Xiaomi.
Oppo is positioning the Realme 1 brand as a competitor to Xiaomi. Oppo says that it will not sell it through flash sale. But it is not clear how many units the company will launch for the first time. Demand is obviously going to be high, so it would not be surprising if the phones go out of stock.