Can Realme’s new offering match Huawei’s mid-range star?

As Realme is set to make the Realme 6 official in the Philippines in the next few days, the brand’s new budget mid-range offering is looking to do battle with several established phones in the sub-Php 15k segment. Chief among these is Huawei’s Nova 7i, which is one of the most feature-packed phones for under Php 14k that the brand has ever released. Is the Realme 6 a good match for the Nova 7i? Let’s check out their specs:

Realme 6 Specs

• MediaTek Helio G90T octa-core processor
• Mali-G76 MC4 GPU
• 4GB/6GB/8GB RAM
• 6.5-inch Full HD+ IPS display, Gorilla Glass 5 protection, 90hz refresh rate
• 64GB/128GB expandable storage
• Quad rear cameras: 64-megapixel f/1.8 ISOCELL GW1 main camera; 8-megapixel f/2.3 ultra-wide-angle camera; 2-megapixel f/2.4 monochrome camera; 2-megapixel f/2.4 macro camera; with LED flash, Chroma Boost, Nightscape, 4K video recording
• 16-megapixel f/2.0 front camera with AI beautification, Smart Groufie
• Dual SIM
• 3G, LTE
• WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS
• Fingerprint scanner, AI Face Unlock, Smart Audio Amplifier, Dust and splash resistant
• 4300mAh battery with VOOC 3.0 30w fast charging
• Android 10 with Realme UI

Huawei Nova 7i Specs

• Kirin 810 octa-core processor
• Mali-G52 MP6 GPU
• 8GB RAM
• 6.4-inch Full HD+ LCD display; 1080 x 2310 resolution
• 128GB expandable storage (up to 256GB via NM card)
• Quad rear cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.8 main camera; 8-megapixel f/2.4 ultra-wide-angle camera; 2-megapixel f/2.4 depth sensor; 2-megapixel f/2.4 macro camera; with PDAF, LED Flash
• 16-megapixel f/2.0 front camera
• 4G, LTE (Dual SIM, Hybrid Tray)
• WiFi, Bluetooth
• GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS
• Side-mounted Fingerprint scanner, Facial Recognition, USB-C, GPU Turbo 2.0
• Android 10 with EMUI 10
• 4200mAh Battery with 40W SuperCharge

Realme 6 vs Huawei Nova 7i: Design

While both phones have a polycarbonate back panel, they have different approaches when it comes to design. The Nova 7i has either a glossy, crystal-like pattern (for the Black and Emerald Green) or a gradient finish (for the Sakura Pink). The Realme 6, on the other hand, has a ray graduation pattern for both Comet Blue and Comet White colors. For the back panel, both phones have been treated for better scratch resistance.

Both phones have their camera modules nestled on the top left corner, with the Realme 6 using a conventional strip design while the Nova 6 sporting a square-shaped module. For the frame, the Nova 7i has an edge for its aluminum frame.

 

Realme 6 vs Huawei Nova 7i: Internals

On paper, the Kirin 810 is better than the Helio G90T as it is manufactured using a newer 7nm process, along with higher-clocked performance cores at 2.27Ghz (compared to 2.0Ghz on the Helio G90T) and a slightly better GPU. The same goes for synthetic benchmarks: based on AnTuTu’s March 2020 list, the Helio G90T scored almost 290k, while the Kirin 810 scored almost 308k.

While the Nova 7i only comes in a 8GB/128GB variant, the Realme 6 has 3 different variants, though Realme Philippines will most likely offer the 4GB/128GB and 8GB/128GB models. While both phones have expandable storage, the Realme 6 uses a MicroSD card, which is easier to purchase over the Nova 7i’s NM card.

Realme 6 vs Huawei Nova 7i: Display

Both phones have a punch-hole located on the leftmost corner of the display, along with a Full HD+ resolution. However, the Realme 6 has a superior panel as it is physically larger at 6.5-inches (vs. 6.4-inches on the Nova 7i) and has a smoother 90hz refresh rate.

Realme 6 vs Huawei Nova 7i: Camera

Both phones have the same selfie camera and the same quad rear camera setup (main/ultra-wide-angle/depth sensor/macro). The main difference here is that the Realme 6’s main camera is a 64-megapixel snapper using an ISOCELL GW1 sensor and that the Realme 6 can shoot video in 4K—a feature that is noticeably missing on the Nova 7i.

Realme 6 vs Huawei Nova 7i: Battery

While the Realme 6 has a slightly bigger cell at 4300mAh (vs 4200mAh on the Nova 7i), the Nova 7i offers a faster charging solution with 40w SuperCharge. Both phones come with a USB-C port and will need a specific charging brick and cable to enjoy fast top up speeds.

Realme 6 vs Huawei Nova 7i: Price

Currently, the Nova 7i is priced at Php 13,990, making it one of the most feature-packed phones for its price point. However, if rumors about the Realme 6’s price is true, the 8GB/128GB variant will have the same price as the Nova 7i, challenging Huawei’s star mid-ranger at the said price point.