The Realme 9i: A Budget-Friendly 4G Phone With a Few Omissions
In the age of 5G, it’s surprising to see a new phone like the Realme 9i launched without support for the next generation of cellular technology. While 5G networks haven’t arrived in India yet, offering a phone that’s not future-proof is a bold move for Realme, especially considering its predecessor, the Realme 8i, boasted a 120Hz refresh rate display. The Realme 9i is positioned as an entry-level phone in the brand new Realme 9 series, and its affordability comes at the cost of certain features.
This review delves deep into the Realme 9i, exploring its design, performance, battery life, and camera capabilities to determine if it’s truly a worthy successor to the Realme 8i. We’ll also compare it to the competition to assess its value proposition and see if it’s the right choice for you.
Realme 9i Price in India
The Realme 9i is available in India in two configurations:
- 4GB RAM + 64GB storage: Rs. 13,999
- 6GB RAM + 128GB storage: Rs. 15,999
Both variants come in two color options: Prism Black and Prism Blue. Our review unit was the higher-end 6GB/128GB configuration in Prism Blue.
Realme 9i Design
The Realme 9i sports a distinct "Stereo Prism" design, featuring a 6.6-inch display with thin bezels on the top and sides, but a slightly thicker chin. A punch-hole cutout in the top-left corner accommodates the selfie camera. The phone’s plastic frame holds the power button on the right and the volume buttons on the left. A convenient feature is the integration of the capacitive fingerprint scanner into the power button, making unlocking quick and easy. The rounded sides and corners minimize discomfort while holding the phone for extended periods.
On the bottom, you’ll find the USB Type-C port, 3.5mm headphone jack, speaker, and primary microphone. The top houses the secondary microphone, while the earpiece doubles as the second speaker to provide stereo sound. The SIM tray, located on the left, supports two Nano-SIM cards and a microSD card.
The Realme 9i’s 5,000mAh battery keeps the weight manageable at 190g. The box includes a generous 33W fast charger, a welcome inclusion at this price point.
The back panel features a distinctive triple camera setup that resembles the one found on the Realme GT Neo 2. The textured back panel reveals its unique pattern only when light hits it at specific angles.
Realme 9i Specifications and Software
The Realme 9i is equipped with the following hardware:
- Display: 6.6-inch full-HD+ (1080×2412 pixels) LCD with a 90Hz refresh rate
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 SoC
- RAM: 4GB or 6GB (with DRE support for up to 11GB on 6GB variant)
- Storage: 64GB or 128GB (expandable via microSD card)
- Camera (Rear): 50-megapixel primary, 2-megapixel macro, 2-megapixel black-and-white
- Camera (Front): 16-megapixel
- Battery: 5,000mAh
- Charging: 33W fast charging
- Software: Realme UI 2.0 based on Android 11
The Realme 9i’s dynamic refresh rate display adjusts refresh rates based on the content displayed, switching between 90Hz for smoother scrolling and 60Hz for optimal battery life. However, a 120Hz display would have been a more desirable upgrade considering the Realme 8i’s offering.
Though 5G is not available in India yet, the absence of 5G support in the Realme 9i makes it less future-proof compared to competitors at this price point. However, the phone does support dual VoLTE, Bluetooth 5, dual-band Wi-Fi, and four GPS standards.
The Realme 9i runs on Realme UI 2.0, which is based on Android 11. Our review unit was running the January 2022 Android security patch. The user interface is user-friendly, and navigation is intuitive. However, the phone ships with a large number of pre-installed apps, some of which push spammy notifications. Thankfully, most of these apps can be uninstalled. Users have the option to customize the display’s color mode and even manually set the refresh rate to 60Hz if they prefer.
The software features gesture controls, allowing for a more intuitive interaction with the phone, if enabled. A dedicated Game Mode is also included, allowing users to block incoming calls and notifications for uninterrupted gaming sessions.
Realme 9i Performance and Battery Life
The Realme 9i delivers smooth daily performance during our review. The display brightness was adequate for most scenarios, but direct sunlight exposure required shielding for optimal viewing. The 90Hz refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling and a responsive user experience. While the audio output wasn’t perfectly balanced, the bottom-firing speaker was noticeably louder than the earpiece speaker, making for a decent stereo experience.
With our review unit boasting 8GB of RAM, multitasking was a breeze. Realme’s DRE feature, which expands RAM capacity using storage space, was enabled by default, effectively boosting the usable RAM to 11GB. Both fingerprint and face recognition were reliable and offered quick and dependable unlocking mechanisms.
Benchmark results reflected the phone’s mid-range performance:
- AnTuTu: 280,907 points
- Geekbench 5 single-core: 383 points
- Geekbench 5 multi-core: 1554 points
- PCMark Work 3.0: 8101 points
- GFXBench T-Rex: 36fps
- GFXBench Car Chase: 7.2fps
These scores, though acceptable, were slightly lower than the Realme 8i’s results, which is powered by the MediaTek Helio G96 SoC.
We tested the Realme 9i’s gaming capabilities with Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), which defaulted to "Smooth" graphics and "Medium" frame rate settings. The game ran smoothly without noticeable lag, confirming the phone’s ability to handle casual gaming. After a 21-minute gaming session, the phone exhibited a slight heating sensation, with a 4% battery drop.
Battery life was a highlight, with the Realme 9i easily lasting two days on a single charge with moderate usage. Idle battery drain was minimal, showcasing the phone’s impressive power efficiency. In our standard HD video loop test, the phone managed an impressive 22 hours and 42 minutes of playback. The Realme 9i boasts a significant upgrade over the Realme 8i’s 18W fast charging, with a rapid 33W fast charging capability. The included 33W charger powered the phone to 51% in just 30 minutes and a remarkable 91% in an hour, making it a quick and convenient charging solution. Light to moderate users would likely only need to charge the phone every other day.
Realme 9i Cameras
The Realme 9i features a triple camera system on the rear:
- 50-megapixel primary camera
- 2-megapixel macro camera
- 2-megapixel black-and-white camera
The front camera houses a 16-megapixel sensor for selfies. Realme’s camera app is straightforward and user-friendly, offering quick toggles for HDR and AI scene enhancement. The phone swiftly locks focus and sets appropriate exposure for various shooting conditions.
Primary camera photos were pixel-binned to 12.5-megapixels by default. Daylight photos offered good quality and average dynamic range, although magnifying revealed less detailed areas, especially in shadows. HDR was automatically enabled in bright environments, effectively managing exposure. The lack of an ultra-wide-angle camera is a notable omission that would have expanded the phone’s shooting capabilities.
Close-up photos displayed good detail and sharpness. Portrait photos featured good edge detection, allowing users to customize the level of background blur before capturing the image. Macro photos, while offering decent detail, weren’t high-resolution.
Low-light photos taken with the primary camera displayed haze, with distant objects appearing barely recognizable. Objects in shadow areas also appeared grainy. Night mode provided a slight improvement in shadow detail, but overall clarity was still lacking.
Selfies taken in daylight were satisfactory. Portrait mode effectively separated subjects from the background. However, low-light selfies were average, lacking sharpness and detail.
Video recording maximum resolution was 1080p for both the primary and selfie cameras. Unfortunately, the lack of stabilization translates to shaky footage. Low-light video was also slightly grainy, further highlighting the camera’s limitations.
Verdict: A Budget-Friendly Choice With Trade-offs
The Realme 9i’s starting price of Rs. 13,999 makes it an attractive option for budget-conscious buyers. However, the higher-end variant faces stiff competition from phones offering better performance and 5G connectivity, which the 9i lacks. Despite the upgrade to stereo speakers and faster 33W charging, the 90Hz refresh rate represents a downgrade from the Realme 8i’s 120Hz display.
The Realme 9i’s camera performance is also a drawback, making it difficult to recommend the higher-priced variant to those seeking an all-rounder smartphone. Ironically, the Realme 8i still offers more features and better camera quality at a similar price point.
If you prioritize a future-proof smartphone with 5G connectivity, you might consider the Moto G51 or the Redmi Note 11T 5G as better alternatives. However, the Realme 9i remains a solid choice for those who prioritize affordability, long battery life, and adequate performance for everyday tasks. Ultimately, the decision boils down to your budget, feature priorities, and the need for future-proof technology.
