Now and again, a cellphone hits the market that makes me query why we’re nonetheless spending $1,000 or extra on flagship units, and this time it’s the Realme Neo 7’s flip to do the identical.
Simply launched in China, and priced at just below $400 (to import), the Realme Neo 7 may not be good, but it surely’s so near flagship territory that it makes most rivals look overpriced (to say the least).
Virtually 2x sooner than Google’s newest $1,200 flagship for 1/3 of the value?
Efficiency is one other space the place the Realme Neo 7 appears to shine due to the last-gen Dimensity 9300+ chip, which can outperform telephones just like the Pixel 9 Professional XL, scoring a whopping 90% increased than Google’s Tensor G4 in Antutu and 60% increased in Geekbench. We’re speaking a couple of $400 cellphone versus a $1,200 one.
And who would wish a extra highly effective chip than what’s already within the Realme Neo 7? Realme even offers you the most recent and biggest UFS 4.0 storage with 12GB of RAM within the base variant, which places efficiency on par with the likes of the Galaxy S24 Extremely and OnePlus 12, which is… bananas.
Ooops… It’s extra sturdy than your $1,300 Galaxy S24?
IP68 is so 2015, as a result of IP69 is the brand new gold customary for smartphone sturdiness now.As not too long ago mentioned in my tales about Xiaomi’s new Redmi Be aware 14 Professional+ and Redmi K80 flagship-killers, sturdiness is an space the place mid-range telephones now not compromise.
And the identical is true of the Realme Neo 7, which will get the (now) customary IP69 mud/water resistance ranking therapy, which nearly all new Chinese language telephones that value greater than $300 appear to have now.
The Actual-me superpower: 7,000 mAh battery + quick charging = a cellphone that may final twice as lengthy in a day – or over 5 years
The Realme Neo 7 ought to be capable of final two days on a single cost with none points. Until you are a super-heavy person. Not Plus zied.
Nevertheless, probably the most spectacular “little” element in regards to the Realme Neo 7 is that it packs a 7,000 mAh battery – and that’s not a typo.
Chinese language telephones are already not less than a 12 months forward in terms of battery tech in comparison with the “large three”, and they don’t seem to be afraid to flex their muscle groups on Apple, Samsung, and Google. Correctly.
Realme claims the 7,000 mAh Si/C battery (typing this nonetheless appears unreal!) lasts as much as three days, and though my guess is you’d should be a light-weight person to get this consequence, I’m fairly positive the cellphone will comfortably final two days for most individuals. Which is loopy.
That can assist you put that into context, let me remind you that Samsung and Google’s $800 Galaxy S24 and Pixel 9 can hardly make it by way of a day of heavy use. The truth is, even the class-leading iPhone 16 Professional Max will wrestle to make it to 2 full days on a single cost.
After all, such a monstrous battery wants quick charging, which tops out at 80W right here – comparatively conservative given the battery measurement, however nonetheless a lot sooner than something you’ll discover on a mainstream “western” flagship.
I’ve spoken about that earlier than, however an enormous battery + quick charging equals a really underrated mixture – it means you don’t even have to cost your cellphone to 100% for it to final an entire day, which ALSO means you’d be preserving your battery well being over time, AND you received’t have to attend for a full cost in case that you must go.
It’s a game-changing {hardware} mixture, which can take years earlier than attending to Samsung, Google, and Apple flagships. And right here is Realme giving it to us for lower than $400. On a cellphone that doesn’t even compromise on (nearly) the rest.
A $400 flagship with out a flagship-grade digicam? There’s a straightforward resolution for what isn’t an issue for 90% of smartphone customers
Who wants a flagship cellphone digicam when you will get an actual digicam with the cash you saved?
Talking of compromise, the Realme Neo 7’s digicam system is the place the true(me) cost-cutting has taken place, and I’m not mad at that.
The 50MP major digicam has a comparatively small 1/1.9-inch sensor, suggesting it received’t rival one of the best flagships, however I’m positive it’s going to be ample for 90% of the customers purchasing within the $400 value phase – individuals like my mum and my uncle.
In the meantime, the 8MP ultra-wide-angle digicam would possibly look ineffective, but it surely makes the digicam system extra versatile, and I’m pleased it’s there. I’m positive future iPhone SE 4 customers will agree.
And what do most individuals use their cellphone cameras for anyway? Instagram and TikTok pictures/movies don’t require a $1,200 digicam cellphone – until you’re a professional/semi-pro creator.
But when images or videography is your ardour, you may (and doubtless ought to) put money into a devoted digicam like the favored Sony ZV-1 (mounted lens choice), Sony ZV-E10 (mirrorless digicam with interchangeable lenses), or one thing like a Osmo Pocket 3 (and even the DJI Osmo Motion).
The very best half is that in case you had been to purchase any of the above-mentioned cameras and the Realme Neo 7, it’d nonetheless value you lower than shopping for a $1,200 flagship cellphone – which goes to take worse pictures than Sony’s cameras, and fewer spectacular movies than the Osmo Pocket 3. AND received’t be useless when your cellphone is useless – which it would simply by no means be, as a result of it has a 7,000 mAh battery.
Don’t sleep on the reasonably priced Chinese language telephones disrupting the smartphone market (like by no means earlier than)
Silicon-Carbon batteries have began a brand new revolution within the smartphone market. Apple, Samsung, and Google have to catch up ASAP.
At below $400 (to import), the Realme Neo 7 looks as if a really particular cellphone due to the worth it presents, however principally due to the insane battery-charging expertise, which is perhaps unmatched proper now.
After all, it’s additionally price contemplating different Chinese language flagship-killers I’ve written about – like the marginally cheaper Redmi Be aware 14 Professional+ or the Redmi K80, which comes very near the Realme Neo 7 when it comes to battery and efficiency.
And whereas it is perhaps price ready for the standard suspects on this value phase – the upcoming iPhone SE 4, Galaxy A56, and Pixel 9a, I can inform you proper now that they received’t match the Realme Neo 7’s mixture of battery life, efficiency, and general worth.
For instance, the iPhone SE 4 would possibly provide related efficiency due to Apple’s flagship A18 chip, its battery life, show, design, and charging speeds will probably be straight out of 2020. But it surely has iMessage, so who cares!
And whereas the Pixel 9a and Galaxy A56 would possibly offer you higher cameras and class-leading AI (within the case of the Pixel), the remainder of the {hardware} received’t be a match for the Realme Neo 7 – or any of Xiaomi’s latest flagship-killers.
The Realme Neo 7 is simply one other Chinese language killer-offering, which highlights how overpriced some mainstream mid-range telephones are by comparability, and that’s good to see.
On the identical time, it raises the eternal query of whether or not you want a “flagship cellphone”. As a result of it IS a flagship cellphone – solely with out a zoom digicam and wi-fi charging. And did I point out it prices $400 to import? Or you’ll be able to look ahead to the worldwide model…
