Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 7 is perhaps one of the most sought budget devices out there for obvious reasons. But with the arrival of Realme 3 offering yet another budget phone for general consumers, will it be enough to reconsider your options?
Realme 3 and Redmi Note 7 Differences
Advantages of Realme 3
- attractive gradient finish
- Helio P60’s dedicated AI unit
- dual 13MP f1.8 + 2MP main camera (brighter)
- dedicated microSD slot
- larger 4230mAh battery
Advantages of Redmi Note 7
- metal and glass build
- Corning Gorilla Glass 3
- FHD+ resolution
- Snapdragon 660
- up to 6GB RAM
- BT 5.0
- USB Type-C
- 18W wired charging
Realme 3 and Redmi Note 7 Similarities
- teardrop notch
- IPS LCD panels
- Android 9.0 Pie
- microSD slot support of up to 256GB
- dual main camera
- 13MP selfie camera
- audio jack
- rear-mounted fingerprint scanner
Which is a better buy between the Realme 3 and Redmi Note 7?
Starting with the design, the Redmi Note 7 easily offers “premium feel” in the hands with its glass and metal build but the polycarbonate body of the Realme 3 sports a rather gleaming design that looks even better compared to other glass-clad phones.
For the display, both come with teardrop notches for their IPS LCD panels but the Redmi Note 7 comes out better and crisper looking in quality due to its FHD+ resolution. Protection against scratches should be better on the Xiaomi phone with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 as opposed to the version 3 of Realme’s.
Moving to the performance category, the Snapdragon 660 of the Redmi Note 7 sits better on performance against the Realme 3’s Helio P60 but it lacks a dedicated AI processing unit for lesser power consumption.
We all know that the Redmi Note 7 features a 48MP main camera which basically processes it into a 12MP photo – along with a 5MP depth assisting sensor. Which means, this put the Realme 3’s 13MP + 2MP closer in technicalities. In terms of selfies, both come with a single 13MP sensor.
Battery-wise, we are seeing a larger 4230mAh for the Realme 3 capable of 10W charging while the Redmi Note 7 makes do with still a large 4000mAh but with faster 18W charging.
Realme 3 is expected to go on sale for Php5,990 for the 3GB/32GB variant while the Redmi Note 7 is directly converted to Php7,700 for the same configuration. Although you can get one from the black market for Php10,990.
No doubt that Xiaomi’s device is a better overall phone but the Realme 3 also offers compelling reasons to get it as your next budget phone due to its attractive design, larger battery, and a dedicated microSD slot.
Specs | Redmi Note 7 (global version with no 48MP camera) | Realme 3 |
Display | 6.3-inch IPS LCD FHD+, ~409ppi, Corning Gorilla Glass 5, 19.5:9 ratio | 6.22-inch IPS LCD, 720 x 1520, 270ppi, 19:9 ratio |
Dimensions | 159.2 x 75.2 x 8.1 mm, 186g | 156.1 x 75.6 x 8.3 mm |
Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 (global version | Mediatek MT6771 Helio P60 (12 nm) |
GPU | Adreno 512 | Mali-G72 MP3 |
Memory | 64 GB, 4/6 GB RAM or 32 GB, 3 GB RAM + microSD slot, up to 256GB | 64 GB, 4 GB RAM or 32 GB, 3 GB RAM + dedicated microSD slot, up to 256GB |
Main Camera | 12 MP, f/1.8, 1/2″, 0.8µm, PDAF + 2 MP, f/2.4, depth sensor (global version) |
13 MP, f/1.8, 1/3″, 1.12µm, PDAF 2 MP, depth sensor |
Front Camera | 13 MP | 13 MP, f/2.0, 1/3″, 1.12µm |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, WiFi Direct, hotspot, BT 5.0, A2DP, LE, USB Type-C, headphone jack | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, WiFi Direct, hotspot, BT 4.2, A2DP, LE, micro USB, headphone jack |
Battery | Non-removable Li-Ion 4000mAh battery (18W charging) | Non-removable Li-Ion 4230mAh battery, 10W charging |
OS | Android 9.0 (Pie) with MIUI 10.0 | Android 9.0 (Pie) |
Official Price | (3GB/32GB) (~Php7,700 or $150)(4GB/64GB) (~Php9,200 or $180)
(6GB/64GB) (~Php10,800 or $200) |
$120 or P5,990 estimate 3GB model |