Realme Book Slim Review: A Bold Entry in the Ultraportable Laptop Market
Realme, the smartphone brand known for its aggressive pricing strategies and stylish designs, has now entered the laptop market with the Realme Book Slim. This ultraportable laptop promises to bring the same value proposition to a new category, challenging established players with its attractive price point. But does the Realme Book Slim live up to the hype? Does it offer the performance, features, and build quality expected from a laptop intended for a young, tech-savvy audience? This in-depth review dives deep to answer these questions and explore whether the Realme Book Slim is a good choice for your next laptop purchase.
A Striking Design
The Realme Book Slim is a head-turner. The aluminum body, particularly in the Real Blue color, adds a premium feel and stands out from the crowd. Its 15.5mm thickness and 1.38kg weight position it firmly within the ultraportable segment, making it easy to carry around. The lid features a subtle Realme logo and a sandblasted texture, avoiding any over-the-top design elements.
The 3:2 aspect ratio display results in a squarish body, catering to a larger keyboard and trackpad, a welcome design choice for productivity. The keyboard, while lacking dedicated paging keys, is comfortable to type on and features white backlighting. The integrated fingerprint sensor in the power button ensures secure and fast Windows Hello authentication.
The laptop boasts a limited but functional port selection, including two Type-C ports (one supporting Thunderbolt 4 on the Core i5 variant), USB 3.1 Type-A port, and a 3.5mm audio output. While the lack of an SD card slot and HDMI output might be a drawback for some, it’s common in ultraportable laptops. Overall, the design focuses on portability and usability, delivering a sleek and modern aesthetic.
Performance: A Balanced Act
The Realme Book Slim comes in two variants: a Core i3-1115G4 model with 256GB SSD and a Core i5-1135G7 model with 512GB SSD. While the Core i3 variant, reviewed here, offers a decent performance for everyday tasks, the Core i5 variant boasts better performance thanks to its Intel Iris Xe graphics.
The 3:2 aspect ratio display with a 2160×1440 resolution is a standout feature, providing a crisp and immersive visual experience. The screen also boasts 100% sRGB color gamut coverage and 330nits brightness, guaranteeing vibrant and accurate colors.
You get 8GB of RAM (soldered, not upgradeable), a 720p webcam, and a 54Wh battery with 65W fast charging. The compact USB-PD charger also supports 30W Dash Charging for compatible Realme phones.
The stereo speakers deliver surprisingly clear and loud sound, though the treble can feel harsh at times. The keyboard’s crisp action and reasonable travel are well-suited for extended typing sessions. The large trackpad supports Windows multi-touch gestures, but its physical click mechanism might feel less satisfying.
Benchmark Analysis: A Performance Snapshot
Benchmark tests paint a clearer picture of the Realme Book Slim’s performance. PCMark 10 scores of 4,213 and 3,677 in standard and extended runs, respectively, indicate solid overall performance. Cinebench R20 scores of 497 and 1,273 reveal the limitations of the two-core processor in heavily threaded applications. POVRay rendering took 4 minutes, 13 seconds, reflecting the same performance limitations.
3DMark tests, such as Fire Strike Extreme (1,412) and Time Spy (1,019), indicate acceptable integrated graphics performance. However, gaming performance is limited, with games like Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Far Cry struggling to maintain decent frame rates even at lower resolutions.
CrystalDiskMark revealed an SSD performance surpassing Realme’s stated figures with sequential read/write speeds of 3113.7MBps and 1239.7MBps respectively. These speeds are more than sufficient for everyday use.
Battery life is satisfactory, delivering between six to eight hours of mixed usage. The Battery Eater Pro benchmark resulted in a run time of over two hours. The laptop charges quickly, reaching 30% in half an hour and fully charging in around two hours.
A Competitive Edge at a Budget-Friendly Price
The Realme Book Slim’s strengths lie in its attractive price point and impressive display. Its performance is competent for everyday tasks, making it suitable for students, professionals, and casual users. The lightweight and portable design offers convenience for those on the move.
However, certain compromises are evident. The port selection is limited, the keyboard could benefit from added functionality, and the cooling system can get noisy under heavy load. Additionally, the Core i3 variant’s limited gaming performance might leave gamers wanting more.
Verdict: Worth It for the Price
The Realme Book Slim is a solid competitor in the ultraportable market, particularly within its price range. The large, crisp display and competent performance make it a compelling choice for productivity and multimedia consumption. Although certain drawbacks like limited port selection and potential for heat generation exist, the laptop’s overall value proposition is undeniable.
Realme has entered the laptop market with a strong first offering. If you prioritize portability, display quality, and a budget-friendly price, the Realme Book Slim is certainly worth considering. However, those who require advanced gaming performance or extensive port options may find other options more suitable. Ultimately, the Realme Book Slim offers a compelling blend of features and value, demonstrating Realme’s commitment to delivering innovative and accessible technology.
