Smartphones that offer 5G, a 90 Hz display, and a triple camera are plentiful in the upper price range. Realme now offers these features for an MSRP of just 199 Euros (~$199) in the form of the Realme 8 5G.
It should be obvious that the customer has to make compromises for this price. But where are they and how serious are they?
Specifications
| Operating system: | Android 11 / Realme UI 2.0 |
| Display: | 6.5″, 2400×1080 pixels, IPS, 60 / 90 Hz, 405 PPI |
| Camera (rear): | 48.0MP, f/1.8, phase comparison AF, LED flash, EIS, videos @1080p/30fps (camera 1); 2.0MP, f/2.4, macro lens (camera 2); 2.0MP, f/2.4, monochrome (camera 3) |
| Camera (front): | 16.0MP, f/2.1, EIS, videos @1080p/30fps |
| Interfaces: | USB-C 2.0 (OTG), 3.5mm jack, WiFi-5 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, GPS |
| Sensors: | Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, light sensor, compass, fingerprint sensor (on the side, in the power button) |
| SoC: | Mediatek Dimensity 700, 64-bit |
| CPU: | 2x 2.20GHz Cortex-A76 + 6x 2.00GHz Cortex-A55 |
| GPU: | Mali-G57 MC2 |
| RAM: | 4 GB / 6 GB (test unit) / 8 GB |
| Memory: | 64 GB / 128 GB (test device) UFS 2.1 (approx. 13 GB occupied by operating system) |
| Battery: | 5000mAh, permanently installed, 18 watts wired charging |
| Dimensions: | 162.5 x 74.8 x 8.5mm |
| Protection certification: | – |
| Weight: | 185g |
| Inserts: | 2x nano SIM + 1x microSD (both SIM slots are 5G capable)(MicroSD with max. 1 TB) |
| Available colors: | Supersonic Blue, Supersonic Black (test unit) |
| Price: | € 149.90 * (test unit) |
Scope of delivery
In a plain orange box, the Realme 8 5G comes to the customer.
Inside, in addition to the smartphone, is a simple transparent TPU case, a charger with 9 V / 2 A power, a USB-C to USB-A cable, the SIM eject tool, as well as a manual and safety instructions. In addition, the manufacturer applies a screen protector from the factory.
Workmanship & Design
The large 6.5-inch display covers almost the entire front of the 8 5G. It is only interrupted by a punch hole in the upper left corner, where the 16 MP front camera sits. Above it is still the earpiece, which does not function as an additional speaker for a stereo effect.
The screen’s edges turn out relatively narrow, only the thick lower bezel looks a bit out of place, but it is okay considering the price.
The power button has been placed on the right side, which also implements a fingerprint sensor. It recognizes fingerprints very reliably and unlocks the device in no time. Only lefties, which include the author, might be dissatisfied with the sensor’s placement.
The volume rocker is on the left side and has a tactile, firm pressure point. Above it is the SIM tray. It accommodates up to two nano-SIM cards and a micro-SD card at the same time (triple slot).
A 3.5mm jack, microphone, USB 2.0 port, and speaker sit on the bottom.
The back, just like the frame, is made entirely of plastic. Visually, it is rather plain, but it clearly stands out haptically against smartphones with a glass back. The back panel of the 8 5G is quite soft and can be slightly pressed in, and it also creaks slightly when twisted. This looks a bit cheap, but this should not be a big issue for users who use a protective case.
It is generally worth installing a case since the plastic magically attracts fingerprints.
At the top left of the back sits the camera array, which, at first glance, consists of four sensors.
A closer look, however, reveals that there is an “AI” logo in the top right of the lens; thus, the Realme 8 5G only comes with three rear cameras.
The flash is still located below the sensors.
Due to the offset arrangement of the array, which protrudes far from the case, the smartphone wobbles when you put it on the table without a protective case. Even in the included case, the protruding camera elevation is not completely eliminated.
Software, performance & battery life
Realme relies on the heavily customized Realme UI 2.0 on the 8 5G, which is built on top of Android 11. Google services, including the Play Store, are installed by default.
The security patch of the review sample is from the beginning of March 2021 and is thus outdated.
However, not only the patch status is annoying, but also the abundant preinstalled bloatware. This includes Netflix, various Amazon apps, Facebook, Twitter and Booking. With the exception of Netflix, the apps can be uninstalled without any problems, but a more compact, bloat-free operating system installation would have been better.
The Far Eastern Android flavor offers very many additional features compared to stock Android. These include, for example, a gaming mode, which is supposed to ensure the best possible performance in games, and a calculator, which can convert units of measurement and currencies in addition to normal arithmetic operations.
Unfortunately, some of the additional system apps cannot even be deactivated.
Realme UI also offers many settings and customization options, but the settings are sometimes very convoluted, which makes the operating system confusing and cluttered. However, you should be able to cope with that after a period of getting used to it.
The Mediatek Dimensity 700 works quickly and rarely leaves you wanting more performance. Apps run smoothly and micro-stutters rarely occur. The 90 Hz display and the 6 GB working memory also contribute to the fast user experience.
The graphics quality has to be reduced in modern 3D games, for example Call Of Duty Mobile or PUBG Mobile, but they run smoothly. The realme only heats up marginally in this case.
| 3D Mark Wild Life | 1106 points |
| AndroBench seq. read | 992.69 MB/s |
| AndroBench seq. write | 280.98 MB/s |
| AndroBench rand. read | 55,135 IOPS |
| AndroBench rand. write | 51,859.58 IOPS |
| AndroBench sqlite insert | 4,034.59 QPS |
| AndroBench sqlite update | 4,093.97 QPS |
| AndroBench sqlite delete | 5,940.55 QPS |
| Geekbench 5 CPU (Single- / Multicore) | 575 / 1,791 points |
| Geekbench 5 Compute (Vulcan) | 1,468 points |
| PC Mark 3.0 Performance | 11,498 points |
The battery life is convincing. Thus, the 5000 mAh energy storage provided an average screen-on time of 11 to 12 hours (without 5G) in the test; enough for two to three days of use. GPS for navigation, Reddit, Discord, Firefox and Signal were used.
In just under 2 hours and 20 minutes, the included power adapter charges the battery from 0 to 100%.
Display, camera & multimedia
The 6.5-inch, nearly bezel-less IPS display resolves at 2400 x 1080 pixels (20:9 aspect ratio) and can operate at either 60 or 90 Hz refresh rates. There is also an adaptive mode that automatically adjusts the frequency of the display to the content currently being played; for example, 90 Hz is used in games, but only 60 Hz in movies to reduce energy consumption. This switching between the frequencies works flawlessly in everyday use and the user does not notice anything.
Unfortunately, the display is not as good in terms of contrast. Perfect black levels on AMOLED level are technically not possible for LCDs, but the Realme screen offers a quite low contrast and suffers from backlight bleeding at the lower edge. In addition, a slight gray haze forms around the punch hole, which is discreetly visible especially in bright backgrounds.
The viewing angle stability is on a high level. The screen’s content can be recognized well and without major color deviations even from acute angles.
The colors are a bit oversaturated by default; those who want it a bit more moderate can select a second color profile with a lower intensity in the settings. However, this already looks too pale.
The display can also be read well outdoors. Only in direct sunlight is it very tiring to recognize the content.
Thanks to the responsive and reliably working automatic brightness control, regular readjustment of the display brightness is almost obsolete; however, occasional manual fine-tuning might have to be performed.
The Realme 8 5G can also play Netflix, Prime Video and other DRM-protected content in Full HD thanks to Widevine-L1 certification.
The single speaker installed on the underside emits quite thin, bass-poor sound. You should not expect miracles considering the price, but there are smartphones in this category that offer stereo speakers, for example the Poco X3.
Friends of wired audio output devices will not go empty-handed with the 8: Rich, powerful sound is emitted from the 3.5 mm jack.
Phone calls do not pose a challenge for the Realme; reception, microphone and voice quality are all on a high level.
Two of the three rear-facing camera sensors; the monochrome and macro camera, have dubious utility. The pictures from the 2 MP macro camera are quite blurry and thus not really usable.
The monochrome sensor is used to determine depth information to create a bokeh effect in portrait photos. However, this can now also be solved well via software.
The main camera, which is electronically stabilized, shoots images with a good dynamic range, slightly oversaturated color reproduction and average sharpness. However, fine structures blur in the pixel mush. The pictures then become virtually unusable when the zoom is activated.
Subjects are usually focused quickly by the accurate autofocus.
Nevertheless, the photo quality is on a good level considering the price.
In low-light conditions, the night mode can be used. This works satisfactorily in twilight, but a lot of details are lost at night.
The Realme 8 5G can record videos in FullHD with 30 FPS at most, both via the front and rear camera. At least QHD (2560 x 1440 pixels) can be set for the rear camera via OpenCamera.
The recorded videos are quite blurry, but run smoothly without frameskips. The electronic stabilization works to some extent, but it does not really reduce shaking. Color reproduction and white balance are acceptable.
The microphone records speech clearly, but it is susceptible to wind noise.
The 16 MP front-facing sensor delivers passable pictures with an acceptable level of detail and rich skin tones in optimal lighting conditions. The beauty mode, which is often used in front cameras of Far Eastern devices and artificially softens the pictures, is disabled by default.
As soon as the ambient light is less favorable, the pictures quickly become too dark and the contrast drops sharply.
The performance of the WLAN, Bluetooth and GPS are on a class-standard level.
Conclusion
It should come as no surprise that a 5G-capable smartphone with an MSRP of €199 needs to save money. Fortunately, Realme has mostly applied the red pen where it hurts less.
The somewhat cheap-looking plastic casing, the generous amount of preinstalled but mostly uninstallable bloatware, the confusing UI, the weak speaker, the somewhat inhomogeneous illumination and low display brightness, and the protruding camera bump fall into the category of minor flaws.
The outdated Android security patch, coupled with the unclear operating system and the below-average video quality of the camera are more serious.
Apart from the display illumination and the color profile that could be improved, the smooth 90 Hz display is pleasing and, paired with the fast Mediatek Dimensity 700, provides a good user experience. By using the modern SoC, the Realme is 5G-capable with up to two simultaneous SIMs and can still hold a MicroSD card at the same time.
Thanks to the very enduring battery and low weight of 185 g, the 8 5G can easily be used for a long time at a stretch without man or machine getting tired.
In addition, the buyer gets a carefree package with the extensive accessories included; he does not have to buy a protective cover or a screen protector.
Overall, the Realme 8 5G offers a lot for little money and deserves a recommendation. However, the competition is tough; Xiaomi offers the Redmi Note 10 5G* and Poco M3 Pro 5G*, two devices that are almost identically equipped to the Realme. Alternatively, Samsung also offers the Galaxy A22 5G*, an inexpensive device with 5G support and good update coverage.
There is also competition in-house; the Realme 8* (without 5G) relies on a (60 Hz) AMOLED display, better cameras as well as a different SoC at the same MSRP.
The Realme 8 5G has relatively few weaknesses and is a real price-performance tip. Realme 8 5G
Workmanship
Hardware
Multimedia
Performance
Battery
Value for money
80/100
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