Smartphone cameras have been on a roll in the past two years. OnePlus launches their OnePlus 9 flagship series in partnership with Hasselblad, OPPO’s Find X3 Pro comes with a microscopic lens, Samsung pushing technology with 108-Megapixel sensors, Sony even pushing the limits of their 12-Megapixel sensors with their Alpha camera knowhow. These are nothing new, to be fair. Co-branding smartphone cameras with big camera brand names started with Nokia and Zeiss. The phenomenon hit the main stage with HUAWEI and Leica’s big partnership since the HUAWEI P9.
With the advancement in camera technology on smartphones though, has these brands made proper cameras obsolete? While nothing bigger sensor still has its own advantages in terms of low-light performance and detail, smartphone cameras have progressed so much with the software that they are paired with that even low-light photography is a breeze with a smartphone. The advancement of smartphone technology also made it easier for you to get the shots you want in less time and less work than a DSLR or mirrorless.
What does this mean for dedicated cameras though? Does this mean we can replace these kinds of stuff with the small slate in our pockets? Or, should you still spend your hard-earned money on a proper camera that could set you back anywhere between half the price of a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra to multiple flagship smartphones? We discuss this in this episode of Tech & Tonic.
Smartphones have gone quite crazy these days. If you think about it, there are not many smartphones that you can buy at MYR 1,000. Thing is though, there are plenty of people that still does not want to or cannot spend above MYR 1,000 for a new smartphone.
In that space, there are even less players. Most established brands in the smartphone industry has gone above the MYR 1,000 line. That leaves only certain players staying in that market space. One of the most prominent one that kept within that line is Realme.
While the price range does not make it sound like a premium brand, they do make some compelling smartphones. Their realme 6 that just launched about a month ago for example, gives you best in class performance but at the same time has an asking price that is easily reachable for almost anyone who is looking for a smartphone. Today, they introduced another one, the realme 6i.
Source: realme
The first thing they teased, not teased, what was the right word? Rendered. They rendered two colours on offer for the Realme 6i – Green Tea and White Milk. But that is not all they are, they are not just pretty things. They pack some power too.
It is even more powerful than the Realme 6. It packs a MediaTek Helio G80 Octa-core System on a Chip (SoC) that clocks up to 2.0GHz. That is MediaTek’s most powerful SoC to date, and realme 6i is the first device to boast this kind of flagship power from MediaTek. You get up to 4GB of RAM with the SoC too, meaning multitasking should be no issue. You get up to 128GB
Out the back is a 48-Megapixel main camera that is supported by three other lenses, very much like any modern realme. You get an ultra-wide lens, a black and white lens, and a macro lens together with the 48-Megapixel main camera. They did not specify the amount of megapixel the other lenses pack though. Out the front is a 16-Megapixel camera for selfies. There is no telephoto lens here, which is a little out of the ordinary. Thing is, black and white lens does help with detailing on your final photo though. All this power and high-resolution photo are pushed to your eyes through a 6.5-inch Full HD+ display with a small notch on top of the display.
To ensure that you can take photos all day long or even play games all day long or at the very least stay connected to the world for a whole day, the realme 6i packs a large battery. Larger than usual at 5,000 mAh. That is also one of the largest you can find in smartphones in its class. That 5,000 mAh battery can be charged at 18W fast charger. It can also charge your friend’s smartphone if your friends need some extra power. Now you can be your friend’s hero.
Source: realme
The Realme 6i is available in two colour variants, as mentioned earlier. It will be available in Green Tea and White Milk colour variants. The Realme 6i will be available from MYR 699 (3GB + 64GB) and MYR 899 (4GB + 128GB). From the 23rd of April onward, the 3GB RAM and 64GB storage variant of the Realme 6i will be available exclusively on Shopee. If you do get your device on first sale date, you can get your device at MYR 599. The 4GB + 128GB variant will be available two days later on the 25th of April 2020 in all Realme authorised dealers and retailers. For more information, you might want to check out their website.
