In the ever-competitive scene of high-performance smartphones, Realme is stamping its mark with the GT 5 series, promising to redefine the limits of mobile performance.
Power-packed performance
The heart of the Realme GT 5 series is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, the powerhouse behind the lightning-fast operations. You can expect snappy app launches, seamless multitasking, and smoother gaming experiences. With a jaw-dropping 24GB of RAM on the highest-end model, the Realme GT 5 series ensures you have room to spare for all your multitasking needs.
Realme has raised the bar when it comes to charging speed. Their top-tier model boasts a staggering 240W wired charging capability with a 4600 mAh. There is also a 150W wired charging variant which promises impressive charging speeds while having a higher battery capacity of 5240 mAh. Regardless of the variant you choose, battery anxiety will be a thing of the past.
Audio and Visual Brilliance
The Realme GT 5 doesn’t just excel under the hood. Its 6.7-inch AMOLED display delivers vibrant colors and deep blacks, making your content pop. The 1,240 x 2,772 pixel resolution ensures crisp visuals, while a 144Hz refresh rate provides a silky-smooth experience, perfect for gaming and scrolling through social media. Game visuals are juiced up further with the Adreno GPU and X7 display chip that can boost framerates while gaming.
Sound quality is often an overlooked aspect of smartphones, but not for Realme. The GT 5 series features stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, that are both Hi-Res Audio and Dolby certified. While it does not have a 3.5mm audio jack, it does have support for aptX HD, LHDC, LDAC and LC3 audio codecs over its Bluetooth 5.3 connection. This means that you can enjoy the highest quality of audio over wireless connection.
Get snapping and….burning?
The camera setup is equally impressive. Realme knows the importance of a good shot, and they’ve equipped the GT 5 series with top-notch cameras. It consists of a 50MP main camera with Sony’s IMX890 sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide lens and a 2MP macro camera. To help with lighting, there is LED light with 26 customizable colors and 5 levels of brightness. For selfies, it sports a 16MP front camera.
An interesting feature that will be available is the Burning mode. This mode allows the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset to run at a sustained, full-frequency speed when paired with a clip-on fan. There is no word yet if this mode works with any clip-on fan or a specific one.
Pricing and Availability
The Realme GT 5 series is now available in China through Realme’s official Chinese website. The 150W charging variant is available in two configurations; 12 GB RAM and 256 GB of storage retailing at 2999 Yuan (~RM 1915) and 16 GB RAM and 512 GB of storage for 3299 Yuan (~RM 2106). The top-shelf 240W charging variant is available with 24GB RAM and 1TB of storage retailing at 3799 Yuan (~RM 2425). Two colors are available; silver with a mirror finish and matte Green finish.
The Realme GT 5 is shaping up to be a great option for a tech enthusiast, a gaming aficionado, or even a multitasking pro!
realme is finally hitting its 5-year milestone this coming 28 August. To mark this special occasion, the brand is introducing its 5th Anniversary Leap Up Products, aligned with their new brand focus: ‘Leap Up’ which encapsulates the brand’s drive to reach new heights by taking strategic leaps forward.
Leaping forwards since 2018
realme emerged in 2018 with a mission to empower the youth through technology, design, and experiences. This vision, which the brand attributes to its ‘Dare to Leap’ strategy focused on a light asset approach, short channels, and e-commerce prioritisation. As the brand evolved, its focus shifted to long-term growth principles that it dubbed “No Leap No Launch”.
These principles struck a chord, earning it a spot in the Top 50 Kantar BrandZ Chinese Global Brand Builders 2023 report. On the local front, realme Malaysia also saw a return to the top five smartphone brands list in Q2 2023, with an annual growth of 18%.
realme celebrates with Leap Up Products
As the brand steps into a new chapter, realme is set to unveil a series of exclusive devices dubbed 5th Anniversary Leap Up Products. While there are no details from realme yet, we’ll be sure to keep our eyes peeled for what’s to come. Stay tuned for updates! To learn more, you can also visit the realme website.
We get asked this question all the time; “What smartphone can I buy for less than MYR 1,000? The cheaper, the better”. The answer to that, obviously, is not as straightforward as choosing one smartphone amongst others. Well, it could be, but we just like to either mess with people, or we want to be sure that they are getting the right devices for themselves. Then again, modern smartphones are so good, you can hardly go wrong going with any one of them even if they set you back less than MYR 1,000.
Take the newly launched realme C53 for example, it will set you back MYR 599 and it comes with all the latest features you can expect a mid-range smartphone or even flagship smartphones to have. Of course, if it comes with everything that a flagships smartphone should come it, it will be rather expensive. For MYR 599, there are some compromises.
The first compromise comes from within the device. You get a UNISOC Tiger T615 system on a chip (SoC). It is not the most advanced integrated chip in the market at 12nm, but it does the job well enough. You cannot expect it to be a world eSports beater, but it does play games well enough when the mood takes you.
Alongside the SoC is a 6GB RAM that can be bolstered with another extra 6GB borrowed from the 128GB of storage. Obviously if you allocate an extra 6GB of storage for RAM use, you get less storage space. If you are filling up the storage fast though, you still have a MicroSD slot that you can utilise to expand its storage, not even your Samsung Galaxy S23 can do that.
The SoC should also run Android 13 with realme UI just fine as well on the large 6.74-inch display that offers Full HD+ resolution. It is a fast one too at up to 90Hz in refresh rate for hat extra smooth feel. For outdoor use, the display peaks out at 560nits, which may not sound very bright, but it works.
Above the display is a notch that houses an 8-Megapixel selfie camera that you can also use for video calls and record up to 720p videos at 30p. At the back though is a high-resolution 50-Megapixel main camera that is paired to another camera that they did not specify. We suspect it is a depth sensor.
Inside the device, keeping the realme C53 running an entire day is a 5,000mAh battery that can be charged at 33W at the maximum. While 5,000mAh should keep you running more than an entire day, it is nice to know that you can get the realme C53 plugged in and charged within just two hours before you have to get going again.
Price and Availability
As mentioned, the realme C53 entry-level smartphone will set you back MYR 599. It is now available in Champion Gold and Mighty Black colour options. You can get your hands on one via realme’s official store on Shopee and Lazada, their Official TikTok Store, and their official brand stores and dealers across the nation. For more information on realme’s latest C53, you can visit their website.
If you were planning to spend less than MYR 1,000 for a smartphone, we would usually tell you that you may not be able to expect too much from your smartphone in that price bracket. Most of the time, you get the bare basics of a smartphone. There is a small chance that you might want to think about upgrading a year or two later. This one might be different.
They call their new realme C55 “a Champion of the Segment”, a rather bold claim. To be fair to realme though, the C55 does offer a few things that you will not find on any other smartphone in its segment, at its asking price. For one, you get a 64-Megapixel camera, which is far from basic. You also get 256GB in storage, way more than what you usually get in the segment.
Everything else though is pretty much what you can expect from smartphones in this segment. No Qualcomm flagship stuff here, just a humble MediaTek Helio G88 system on a chip (SoC). It is still an octa-core processor though, not a slouch. You get up to 8GB of built-in RAM as well, nothing to shout about over smartphones in this segment. realme UI 4.0 allows you to ‘borrow’ up to 8GB of storage to beef the RAM up to 16GB though.
Outside, you find an IPS LCD display that offers up to 90Hz and Full HD+ in working resolution. Of course, it is covered with glass for some durability. As mentioned, you can opt for up to 256GB of storage. You can also expand that to up to 1TB via a MicroSD card too if you want.
Other than the 64-Megapixel main shooter, you will also find a 2-Megapixel black and white camera at the back. Out the front is an 8-Megapixel sensor for clear self-portraits. There is a small trade off here though. You can only record videos at Full HD resolution.
There is a small advantage in buying smartphones in this segment. You always get a larger than life battery pack within the chassis. In the realme C55, you get 5,000mAh to keep the realme C55 running all day and more. When you run out, you can charge the device at up to 33W charging speeds.
Price and Availability
The realme C55 is now available for pre-order on their official brand stores for MYR 699 onward. You can get yours in Sunshower and Rainy Night colour options. If you do pre-order your realme C55, you are entitled to a free realme Buds 2 Neo and 6 months of extended warranty. From the 31st of March 2023 onward, you can get your hands on the realme C55 at any of their brand stores, authorized dealers, their official online stores on Shopee and Lazada, and even their TikTok store. For more information on the realme C55, you can visit their website.
When you are set to buy a modern smartphone at this day and age, you are mostly advised to prepare about MYR 2,000 to MYR 3,000. Forget about high-end smartphones though, those will set you back MYR 4,000 and above nowadays. There is a common theme here; smartphones are expensive and they are just going to be more so in the future.
What if that is not true though? What if someone tells you that you can still get a decent smartphone for less than MYR 1,000 today? It is hardly believable, but you can get a smartphone for less than MYR 1,000 with realme.
They call it the realme 10, and it is a curious smartphone that trickled down from the already budget friendly realme 10 Pro 5G. It offers about the same design language as well as the realme 10 Pro with hard edges and completely flat display and sides. It feels like a slightly old-fashioned smartphone from a certain manufacturer, really.
The realme 10 is even more budget friendly than the realme 10 Pro 5G. It sets you back MYR 999. At that price, you need to expect some compromises in terms of the hardware it packs.
For starters, the device comes packing a MediaTek System on a Chip (SoC). Specifically, an entry-level Helio G99. They dubbed the SoC as a Gaming Chipset though, so you still can expect some decent performances from the processor, just not high-end or flagship level performance. Still, it should be fast enough to run Android 12 with realme UI 3.0 interface with little issues. You should benefit from up to 8GB of built-in RAM and up to 256GB of storage. From that 256GB of storage, you can technically ‘borrow’ up to 8GB as additional RAM on top of your built-in RAM. Unfortunately, there are no storage expandability options.
What greets you when you pick up the device is a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display that boasts Full HD+ resolution. At the same time, this is no generic 60Hz display. It is a fast 90Hz display that is worthy of your games. It boasts 4,000,000:1 contrast ratio with up to 98% NTSC colour gamut. All of these goodness is protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5. For something you get at MYR 999, all these is rather impressive.
Out the glass clad back is one 50-Megapixel main camera for high-resolution clear photos. That main camera is paired with a 2-Megapixel monochrome camera for added details on your photos. Above the Super AMOLED display, tucked in one corner of the surface is a 16-Megapixel camera that can take super clear selfies.
Keeping the device running all day and even more is a 5,000 mAh battery. When it runs out, you can charge it quickly before you head out of home or anywhere else with up to 33W in charging speeds via USB type-C. It also comes with a matching charging adapter to keep your battery topped up.
As mentioned the realme 10 will be available for MYR 999. It is now available for pre-order on realme’s web store and participating dealers across the nation until the 16th of February 2023. If you do pre-order your device, you are entitled to a free 1-year screen protection warranty and a complementary realme Band 2. It will be available in Clash White and Rush Black. For more information on the realme 10 entry-level smartphone, you can head over to their website.
realme is bringing the realme 10 Pro+ 5G to Malaysian shores starting the 8th of December 2022. The device promises flagship-level features at an affordable price and a new 120Hz curved display.
The 120Hz curved display is a highlight of the realme 10+ Pro 5G
120Hz curved display that’s easy on the eyes
Announced on November 17th, the realme 10 Pro+ 5G embodies the “dare to leap” spirit with its innovative curved display. On top of the 120Hz refresh rate, the curved OLED display is Malaysia’s first to come with the Rheinland Flicker Free Certificate. It is capable of 2,160Hz PWM dimming for industry-leading eye protection. This is almost two times better than the IEEE International Lighting Standard of 1,250Hz.
realme has introduced Hypervision mode to further elevate the visuals on display. It provides video quality enhancement to allow better contrast, colour reproduction and dynamic range. To accentuate the display, the device also has the narrowest bottom bezel of any curved smartphones.
Pre-order the realme 10 Pro+ 5G now to enjoy promotions
In preparation for the upcoming Malaysian launch, pre-orders are now open with special promotions. By pre-ordering at realme Malaysia’s Official Brand Stores and Authorised Dealers, win prizes worth up to RM2,999 with a Scratch and Win card. Every pre-order also includes a realme Band 2 and Extended warranty up to 2 years.
An entry-level smartphone makes plenty of sense if you think about it. It did not used to be like this though. For the longest time, in the earlier days of Android smartphones, entry-level smartphones are ones you want to avoid unless you absolutely must get one, or on such a tight budget, your wallet looked like there was about to be a hole in it. Thankfully, as high-end smartphones get more powerful, so does entry-level smartphones.
It is true that higher-end technologies of the yesteryears get passed down to more budget friendly options for the masses. It is especially true in the smartphone segment and the entry-level smartphone segment. An entry-level smartphone today can be comparable to flagship level smartphone from about 5 years ago in some cases and at a fraction of the price.
One of those entry-level devices you can get soon is the realme C30.
While the most popular smartphone segment in the region are mid-range smartphones, entry-level smartphones like the realme C30 can be rather appealing. For one, its price itself is rather appealing in the sea of flagships costing north of MYR 5,000 these days. The realme C30 will only set you back MYR 499 at most.
Source: realme
Source: realme
Source: realme
It is not like other entry-level smartphones either that tries to stand out with funky designs and weird looks. It is rather subtle, simple, very much like modern flagship smartphones. Of course, it does come with its own unique design to still set it apart. The Vertical Stripe Design, as they call it, are etched lines at the back of the device to not just add a visual impact, it is also to add some texture and grip for a more secure feel in your hands.
No, you do not get a Qualcomm, or a MediaTek for that matter, in this price range. Rather, you get a Unisoc T612 processor. You do not get bleeding edge 5nm technology with the System on a Chip (SoC). You do get eight cores on the device though with clocks up to 1.8Ghz with Cortex A75 architecture. While it may not sound like much, the processor can work with everything you need in a basic smartphone. At the same time, UFS 2.2 speeds should ensure that the C30 still feels as snappy as it can be for the money.
The SoC powers Android 11 with realme’s UI Go on a 6.5-inch display. No, its not a Full HD display, but you still get about 270ppi out of the 720p HD+ IPS panel. The front display also houses a 5-Megapixel front-facing camera for selfies, and even video conferences via the smartphone.
Out the back is a single 8-Megapixel main camera with some AI magic. It is constructed with 4P lens to ensure that your photos look as clear as you see them with your eyes. It is also capable of 4x digital zoom for when you need it. The photos may not take up too much space, but you can add up to 1TB in microSD storage on top of up to 64GB of built-in storage.
To keep everything running as they should be for an entire day, there is a 5,000mAh built-in battery. It is not a fast-charging battery, so you do want to give it some time to charge. You get up to 45 days in quoted standby time though, which is a long time between charges. If you keep it to Ultra Saving Mode, a 5% charge can last for 45.3 hours (quoted).
Price and Availability
The realme C30 comes in three attractive colours – Lake Blue, Bamboo Green, and Denim Black. Not whites, unfortunately. You cannot complain much though when you realise that you are paying MYR 429 (3GB + 32GB) for the smartphone. To get 4GB of RAM and 64GB in storage, you pay just a little bit more money at MYR 499. The realme C30 will be available in all realme Malaysia authorized stores and resellers across the nation from the 16th of July 2022 onward. For more information on the realme C30, you can head over to their website.
Realme has made a name for itself by offering affordable smartphones. However, the company has been uncompromising when it comes to features and value in its offerings with smartphones like the recently released Realme 9 series. That said, Realme is breaking from its MO and exploring a true flagship in their Realme GT 2 Pro. Teased earlier this year at MWC, the smartphone is Realme’s first foray into the flagship market and it’s finally making its Malaysian debut.
Source: Realme
The Realme GT 2 Pro sports Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor which promises top of the line performance. The new 4nm process also brings with it better power efficiency. The phone pairs this with up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage. However, unlike Realme phones of the past, the GT 2 Pro does away with microSD card support.
It comes with a 6.7-inch, AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and support for HDR10+. The display maxes out at 1,400 nits peak brightness. The 2K resolution (1440×3216 pixels) of the panel gives it a 509ppi density. It also comes with Bluetooth 5.2 and WiFi 6 support as well as 5G connectivity.
On the back, the Realme GT 2 Pro is coming with a triple camera setup with a dual 50-megapixel primary sensor with a large 150° field of view. Complementing this dual sensor setup is a 3-megapixel microscope sensor with 40x magnification. On the front is a 32-megapixel selfie camera. The main camera setup supports 8K video shooting. The main sensor comes with phase detection autofocus and optical image stabilization.
Source: Realme
Realme is touting all-day battery life on the GT 2 Pro thanks to its large 5,000mAh battery which supports 65W fast charging. It also comes with an under-display fingerprint sensor.
Pricing & Availability
The GT 2 Pro will be available in Malaysia starting on 25th March 2022 for MYR2,999. It will be available only in the 12GB RAM version with 256GB storage in either black or white.
However, if you’re looking for a great deal, the phone will be offered at MYR2,599 during flash sales on the Realme Malaysia Official store on Shopee from 25th to 26th March 2022 and from 30th to 31st March 2022. Units bought during these periods will come with a free set of Realme Buds 2 NEO.
The first sale at Realme authorized stores will be happening from 26th March 2022 until 27th March 2022. During this period, the GT 2 Pro will be sold at full retail price. However, purchases will be entitled to a free Realme Watch 2 Pro and an extended warranty.
In this week’s TechENT Download, we see a whole lot happening including things going back to normal when it comes to Malaysia with more measures being relaxed and the techENT team heading back to our offices.
ASUS has also been busy releasing many laptops including new additions to the ZenBook series as well as a new ExpertBook B9 which is powered by Intel’s vPro processors. The ASUS VivoBook S series also got 2 new entries bringing more colour and functionality.
Telcos in Malaysia are extending their 1GB of free data to everyone with no time limitations. Subscribers can redeem their 1GB via their respective apps.
HUAWEI and ZTE face more problems as the American Federal Communications Commission goes on the record saying that they pose a threat to national security and privacy. This new development comes after more than a year of sanction placed against the companies by the current U.S. Administration. The new move will be hurting HUAWEI and ZTE’s 5G business as more countries take the notion seriously. What does this mean for smartphones?
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IoT was the keyword of last year. That does not mean that IoT is an outdated concept though. It is still a big thing as we are going into the 5G era. But IoT is also not a new concept even coming into 2019. Our smartwatches are considered IoT devices. These smartwatches have existed for several years now.
Of course, ever since we saw the first smartwatch, everyone wants to be a part of that smart wearable market. The accessories market, after all, is one of the most profitable. realme, being on of the major players in the smartphone market is one of those companies that has delved into the IoT product market. In fact, they have been one of the fastest growing manufacturers in the segment.
Their growth rate is nothing curious though. The brand has been offering very compelling products at extremely attractive and accessible prices. Think about it, would you buy a TWS earbuds for MYR 599 or MYR 199 when they do the same things? The only real difference is probably in the branding. Okay, to be fair, there are some differences here and there in different aspects. But hey, the better accessibility also means that you can sell more of it since it is less painful to your pockets.
With the kind of success they enjoy, they are going to expand on other wearable and smart living products. It is quite inevitable too; everyone is getting into the wearable game that was conquered by the likes of Samsung. So, in addition to their previously launched realme Buds TWS earbuds, they launched even more products today.
realme Buds Air Neo
Source: realme
Source: realme
Source: realme
Firstly, they launched a new and improved TWS earbuds. They call it the realme Buds Air Neo. No, it does not come with noise cancelling technology. But it is an all-around better product with a slightly larger drivers at 13mm. They come with 17 hours of battery life too in total too. Also, it is a Bluetooth 5.0 device. Now also, you can wear it to the gym with zero worries since it is an IPX4 device. You might be able to wear it in the showers too. Just make sure it does not go into the drain.
realme Buds Q
Source: realme
Source: realme
Source: realme
They also launched another TWS earbuds. They launched the realme Buds Q that is supposed to have even more battery life at up to 20 hours of music playback time. Instead of the Apple Earpods-esque design, this is a more conventional design that we are used to. It has the usual silicon eartips that fit into your ears and seal the sounds in for a passive noise cancelling. Even with a smaller 10mm drivers, you should not lose too much performance on the earbuds. Still, because of the smaller drivers, it is light too at 3.9g each side
It comes with its own set of touch sensitive controls for a seamless design. The charging and storage case is also different with a pebble like design for a better looking fit and feel in the hands. It feels more natural. Of course, that is to be expected when they engaged Hermés’ designer josé Lévy.
realme watch
Source: realme
Then there is the realme watch. The realme watch is realme’s answer to the Fitbit Versa, HUAWEI Watch GT, Samsung Galaxy Watch, and even the Apple Watch. At first glances, it looks more like the Fitbit Versa and Apple Watch combined. The rotating crown and button combination of the Apple Watch is nowehere to be found. In their place is a Fitbit Versa-eque button but in the wrong place.
Greeting you from your wrist is a 1.4-inch touch sensitive display that is quite a staple for plenty of smartwatches these days. Like any respectable smartwatches too the realme watch has all the right sensors including a full-time heart rate sensor. It is also made to be water resistant with IP68 so you can wear it to the gym, or even in the showers with no fuss.
The realme watch does not look like it is running on Google Wear though. Instead realme builds their own version of a wearable operating system that fits the squared face better. Of course, it comes with multiple watchfaces that you can swap to anytime you like. The watch that has 14 sports modes will connect with your smartphones via the realme proprietary Link Smart App for all the health data and additional settings to be controlled on your smartphone.
realme Band
Source: realme
Source: realme
Source: realme
If you are not looking for something as complex as a smartwatch though, you have the realme Band. While it looks like just any other smart fitness tracker band thing that you can get from the likes of Samsung and even Fitibit, it is a little bit more special. You do not need any USB docks or wires to charge the device. No, it is not wireless charging in a sense, it is still docked charging, just that you do not need anything other than the watch itself to charge. Simply remove the bottom part of the strap and plug it into your PC or power bank or wall charger via USB port to start charging it.
You get 0.95-inch of colours from the watchface with a full-time heart rate sensor. You also get to track your daily activities with the built-in 9 modes. It is also IP68 rated so you still can take it from the gym to the showers with zero concerns over your device dying on you.
Power Banks
Of course, everyone is in extended power game now. Realme has their own attractive looking, striking coloured realme Power Bank line-up too. They introduced their new Power Bank 2 with multiple charging ports that supports up to 18W power output with USB Type-C two-way charging. This is a 10,000 mAh power pack, which also means it can charge most of your smartphones twice over
They also launched another variant of their Power Bank – the realme 30W Dart Charge Power Bank. As its name suggest, this power pack charges devices at up to 30W to drain its 10,000mAh capacity in no time. Yes, it charges multiple devices at one go too.
Price and Availability
The realme Buds Air Neo will be available in three colours – Pop White, Punk Green, and Rock Red. It will be available on the 22nd of June onward exclusively on Shopee at this time for MYR 199. If you do go on Shoppe to buy the TWS earbuds on the 22nd and 23rd of June, on the realme exclusive flash sales on Shopee though, you can get your Buds Air Neo at MYR 79.
The pretty looking realme Buds Q will be available in either Yellow, Pure white, or Black colour options. You are looking at July if you want your hands on one. There are no prices announced yet for this one, so stay tune to realme’s website or Facebook page.
realme’s watch will be available in Black, but you can interchange your strap to different colours. That will also be available with realme watch on the 12th June onward for MYR 299. If you get it on realme’s exclusive flash sales on Shopee though, you can get your hands on one for MYR 249 only.
The realme Band will also only be available later from 22nd June onward. It will be available in three colours variants – Yellow, Black and Green. On 22nd and 23rd realme exclusive flash sales on Shopee, you can get your hands on the realme Band at MYR 79 instead of its full retail price of MYR 129.
The Power Banks that realme introduced today will be available in two colour options – Yellow and Black. The Power Bank 2 with 18W charging will be available on the 12th June 2020 onward. On that day’s exclusive flash sales on Shopeee, you can get the Power Bank 2 for MYR 99 instead of MYR 129. The Dart Charge Power Bank will only be available somewhere in July with no announced price tag just yet. For more information on all their launched products, you can head over to their website.
