Do the Realme 9 Pro and Pro+ have a place in your pocket?

 

Realme 9 Pro - 9 Pro+

While they are related by name, there is actually very little overlap between the Realme 9 Pro and the Pro+. They arrive at different price points (of course), but also with different screens, chipsets, cameras, batteries and other details. Which one is right for you?

The Realme 9 Pro+ is positioned as the top of the line model. It will start at ₹25,000 ($335/€295) when it goes on sale on Monday (February 21). Some retailers (like Flipkart) will be running trade-in deals to lower the cost.

What do you get for your money? A 6.4” Super AMOLED display for starters with a 90 Hz refresh rate. There is an under display fingerprint reader with that can measure your heart rate. Also, there are stereo speakers for a better multimedia experience.

Realme 9 Pro+ highlights

The phone is powered by the Dimensity 920 chipset with 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage (UFS 2.2, non-expandable) as standard. Also, the 50MP main camera has a fairly large 1/1.56” sensor (1.0µm pixels) with OIS and it can record 4K video (at 30 fps). Realme is promising great image quality, but we're yet to test that claim for ourselves. Finally, the 4,500mAh battery charges from zero to 100% in 44 minutes with the included 60W charger.

The Realme 9 Pro costs nearly a third less, starting at ₹18,000 ($240/€210). Yet it offers a larger (6.6”) display with a higher refresh rate (120Hz). It is an IPS LCD, though, and that also means a side-mounted fingerprint reader with no heart rate function.

Realme 9 Pro highlights

 

 This one is powered by the Snapdragon 695. Like with the Pro+, this means 5G connectivity. And you do get a microSD card slot (with the same 6GB of RAM and 128GB UFS 2.2 storage as standard). Also, the main camera has a smaller 64MP sensor with no OIS and it tops out at a disappointing 1080p @ 30 fps video recording. The battery is larger (5,000 mAh), but slower to charge (33W support). 

Pricing info: Realme 9 Pro+ • Realme 9 Pro

 

Let’s have a look at some similarly-priced competitors. The Realme GT Explorer starts just above the Pro+ at ₹26,000, but it has a 120Hz Super AMOLED and a Snapdragon 778G chipset. The camera isn’t as nice (64MP 1/2.0” sensor), but the battery is comparable (4,300mAh, 65W charging – 100% in 33 minutes). As for the design, the GT Explorer has more of it, whether you like it or not is up to you.

The Xiaomi 11i starts at ₹25,000 and offers a larger 6.67” 120 HZ AMOLED display and is powered by the same Dimensity 920 as the Realme. The camera may even be better with a 108MP sensor (1/1.52”) and you get a large 5,160mAh battery with 67W charging. If you want to go faster, the 11i HyperCharge starts at ₹27,000 and goes up to 120W (for a 4,500mAh battery).

The newly announced OnePlus Nord CE 2 starts at ₹24,000. It offers a similar 90Hz Super AMOLED and an nearly identical Dimensity 900. Again, the camera isn’t as nice (64MP, 1/1.97” sensor), but the battery is comparable (4,500 mAh, 65W).

The Samsung Galaxy M52 5G (₹25,000 now with a discount) has a larger 6.7” Super AMOLED Plus display with 120Hz refresh rate and a Snapdragon 778G. The main camera has a 64MP sensor that is smaller (1/1.97”), but you do get a sharper, wider ultra-wide (12MP, 123º). The battery is a bit larger at 5,000 mAh, but slower to charge (25W).

The Realme Narzo 30 Pro 5G (₹17,000) may have a comparable 6.5” 120Hz IPS LCD, but the Dimensity 800U chipset doesn’t cut it. The 48MP camera (1/2.0”) isn’t great either, at least the 5,000mAh battery with 30W charging is on the level.

A Redmi Note 11T 5G (₹17,000) also lags behind with a 6.6” IPS LCD running at 90Hz and a Dimensity 810. It’s not clear whether the 50MP main camera is better or worse, but the 5,000 mAh battery (with 33W charging) should perform identically.

With discounts you can snag a Poco X3 for ₹17,000. This one does stack up better with a 6.67” 120Hz IPS LCD, a Snapdragon 732G chipset (so no 5G) and a 64MP camera (1/1.73”), plus a large 6,000mAh battery (33W charging).

A Poco M4 Pro 5G (₹15,000) is an option if you want 5G, but it gets it with an old Dimensity 810 chip. Other than that it is similar with a 6.6” 90Hz IPS LCD, 50MP main camera and 5,000 mAh battery with 33W charging.

So, what are your thoughts on the Realme 9 Pro and Pro+ - would you pick one up or go for an alternative phone? As a reminder, the Pro+ will become available in India on the 21st, the Pro will arrive on the 23rd.