The Realme 8 Pro: A Worthy Upgrade or a Missed Opportunity?
The Realme 8 series arrived with a bang, featuring the Realme 8 and the Realme 8 Pro, successors to the popular Realme 7 and Realme 7 Pro respectively. These new additions boast appealing hardware and striking AMOLED displays. But is the Realme 8 Pro a true upgrade over its predecessor, or just a cosmetic refresh? And how does it measure up to the formidable Redmi Note 10 Pro? We put the Realme 8 Pro to the test to find out.
Realme 8 Pro: Price and Availability
The Realme 8 Pro is priced starting at ₹17,999 for the base variant with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The higher-end model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage comes in at ₹19,999. Realme offers the 8 Pro in three vibrant color options: Infinite Blue, Infinite Black, and Illuminating Yellow. The latter boasts a unique glow-in-the-dark finish, setting it apart from the crowd.
Realme 8 Pro: Design and Build
Realme’s bold design approach shines through in the Realme 8 Pro. It features their iconic "Dare to Leap" tagline boldly plastered across the back, adorned with a glossy finish that pops against the subtly textured backdrop. The Infinite Blue and Illuminating Yellow options embrace a vibrant aesthetic, while the Infinite Black offers a more understated look.
The camera setup is another design highlight. The quad-camera system protrudes in a two-step design, featuring a first step housing the flash and a second step showcasing the four individual lenses. The Realme 8 Pro feels slim and comfortable to handle thanks to its curved back, which makes it easy to grip.
Looking at the front, the Realme 8 Pro appears remarkably similar to its predecessor, the Realme 7 Pro. It retains the spacious 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display with a hole-punch front camera neatly positioned in the top left corner. While the side bezels are acceptable, the chin appears slightly more pronounced. The frame is crafted from plastic, and the power and volume buttons are conveniently located on the right side, easily accessible for one-handed use. The SIM tray resides on the left side, with all ports neatly placed at the bottom.
The Realme 8 Pro houses a 4,500mAh battery, a fairly standard capacity for today’s smartphones. This strategic choice allows Realme to keep the 8 Pro’s weight down to 176g and its thickness to a slim 8.1mm. The impressive battery supports 50W fast charging, and Realme generously includes a 65W charger in the box.
Realme 8 Pro: Specifications and Software
Realme has opted for a conservative approach to the 8 Pro’s specifications, largely mirroring those of the Realme 7 Pro. The 8 Pro retains the 6.4-inch Super AMOLED panel, boasting a full-HD+ resolution and an in-display fingerprint scanner. Powering the device is the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor, and the RAM and storage options remain unchanged, offering choices of 6GB or 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM paired with 128GB of UFS 2.1 storage. The battery capacity stays consistent at 4,500mAh, but the charging speed is limited to 50W, unlike the 65W charging capabilities of the Realme 7 Pro.
While the Realme 8 Pro is claimed to have a brighter display than its predecessor, it sadly misses out on the stereo speakers featured in the Realme 7 Pro. Additionally, it utilizes Asahi Dragontrail reinforced glass instead of the more robust Corning Gorilla Glass. Bluetooth connectivity is also downgraded to Bluetooth 5.0, compared to the 5.1 version found in the Realme 7 Pro.
However, several improvements are noteworthy. These include a better primary camera and Android 11 out of the box, in contrast to the Realme 7 Pro’s Android 10 offering.
The Realme 8 Pro runs Realme UI 2.0, Realme’s custom user interface, overlaid on Android 11, accompanied by the February Android security patch (which is slightly outdated at this time). Realme UI 2.0 brings a personalized touch without confusing users. Navigation through the settings is straightforward, and a section called Realme Labs provides access to experimental beta features, giving users a sneak peek into potential upcoming software updates.
Unfortunately, the Realme 8 Pro ships with a fair amount of pre-installed bloatware. Besides the usual Google apps, it includes Flipkart, Amazon, Realme Community, Heyfun, Snapchat, and other third-party applications. I encountered some annoying spam notifications from HeyFun, the Themes store, and the browser, which was a bit of a nuisance.
Realme 8 Pro: Performance
The Realme 8 Pro delivers smooth performance, handling everyday tasks without hiccups. The display is sharp and bright enough for outdoor use, although stereo speakers would have been a welcome addition. I found the in-display fingerprint scanner to be incredibly quick and responsive.
Gaming enthusiasts will be pleased to know that the Realme 8 Pro handled Call of Duty Mobile with ease, defaulting to the High preset for graphics and frame rate. The game ran smoothly without any significant lag or stutter. However, the phone did get slightly warm after a 20-minute gaming session, resulting in a 6% battery drop.
We ran a comprehensive suite of benchmarks to evaluate the Realme 8 Pro’s performance against its competitors. In AnTuTu, it managed to achieve 287,443 points, while scoring 852 points in PCMark Work 2.0. In the T-Rex and Car Chase scenes of the GFXBench graphics benchmark, the Realme 8 Pro achieved 60fps and 16fps, respectively. These scores are surprisingly similar to its more affordable sibling, the Realme 8.
The battery life on the Realme 8 Pro lasted me about a day and a half on average. In our demanding HD video loop test, the phone achieved a commendable 26 hours and 14 minutes, an excellent score. The 50W fast charging capability of the Realme 8 Pro allowed it to reach 75% charge in just 30 minutes, significantly reducing the time spent tethered to a power outlet.
Realme 8 Pro: Cameras
One of the most significant changes compared to the Realme 7 Pro lies in the camera department. The Realme 8 Pro boasts a 108-megapixel primary rear camera, a rare feature in the sub-₹20,000 market. Joining it is an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, a 2-megapixel macro camera, and a 2-megapixel B&W camera. The camera app interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, making it effortless to find the desired settings. A quick toggle enables AI Scene enhancement, which quickly identifies the scene and adjusts settings accordingly.
Daylight photography with the Realme 8 Pro produced decent results. Objects at a distance were recognizable but lacked the sharpness I expected. I found the AI to be a bit overly aggressive, sometimes boosting the color saturation unnecessarily. However, you have the option to shoot at the full 108-megapixel resolution, though it takes slightly longer to capture the image. Photos taken at this resolution displayed superior detail. If you plan on cropping your photos after shooting, utilizing the 108-megapixel resolution is highly recommended.
Close-up shots were impressive, with the phone neatly capturing a soft depth effect around the subject. However, I noticed that the Realme 8 Pro struggled to capture details well when shooting bright red flowers. Portrait shots fared better, displaying excellent edge detection between the subject and the background. The phone also allows you to fine-tune the blur level before capturing the shot.
The performance of the ultra-wide-angle camera was a bit underwhelming, producing softer images with a lack of detail. It’s best to stick to landscape shots with this lens. The macro camera, while limited in resolution, still manages to deliver sharp, usable close-up shots.
While low-light shots in the default mode looked decent, the lack of detail became apparent upon zooming in. The Night mode, which takes about five seconds to capture an image, resulted in significantly sharper images with improved detail.
Selfies with the Realme 8 Pro were crisp and sharp, capturing clear images under most lighting conditions. The phone also offers the option to take portrait selfies, which impressed with good edge detection and the ability to accurately identify faces even with masks.
Video recording tops out at 4K for the primary camera, but unfortunately, stabilization is absent at this resolution. Footage captured at 1080p lacks stabilization by default, and Ultra Steady mode needs to be manually enabled. An Ultra Steady Max mode is also available, which utilizes the ultra-wide-angle camera for enhanced stability. This process feels unnecessarily convoluted with an extra step involved for stabilization. Overall, video quality was average.
Verdict
The Realme 8 series doesn’t represent a dramatic upgrade over its predecessor, the Realme 7 series. We found the Realme 8 to be only a minor departure from its predecessor, and the Realme 8 Pro doesn’t offer a significant leap either. The list of feature removals is notably longer than the list of additions in the Realme 8 Pro, which is a bit of a letdown.
While the Realme 8 Pro is priced lower than the Realme 7 Pro, we still don’t think it delivers the same level of value for money. For most people, the Realme 7 Pro would be a wiser choice, offering faster charging, stereo speakers, better overall camera performance, and the potential for attractive deals during sales. Alternatively, consider the Redmi Note 10 Pro, a compelling option that offers a similar experience at a more affordable price point.
Ultimately, the Realme 8 Pro is a decent smartphone but fails to truly stand out in a crowded market. It offers a solid performance, a good camera, and a comfortable design, but its lack of significant upgrades over its predecessor leaves us wanting more. If you’re searching for a budget-friendly smartphone with a solid foundation, the Realme 8 Pro is worth considering, but if you are looking for a significant leap forward, you might want to explore other options.
