Realme P1 5G: A Solid Midrange Contender or Just Another Phone in a Crowded Market?
Realme’s latest offering, the Realme P1 5G, enters the competitive sub-Rs. 20,000 smartphone market with a compelling set of features and an aggressive price tag. Sharing some similarities with the Realme 12+, the P1 5G promises high performance and long battery life at a slightly lower price point. But is it enough to stand out in a sea of similar devices? We put the Realme P1 5G through its paces to see if it deserves a spot in your pocket.
Realme P1 5G Price in India
The Realme P1 5G comes in two configurations: a 6GB + 128GB variant priced at Rs. 14,999 and an 8GB + 256GB model (the one we reviewed) priced at Rs. 16,999.
In addition to the phone, you’ll find a transparent TPU case, a SIM ejector tool, a USB Type-A to Type-C cable, and a 45W charging brick in the box. The phone is available in two stylish color options: Peacock Green and Phoenix Red.
Realme P1 5G Design: A Familiar Yet Refined Look
The Realme P1 5G sports a mature design with a brushed-like finish on the back panel, particularly apparent in the Phoenix Red color option we reviewed. While the iQoo Z9 also features a similar brushstroke design, it isn’t as subtle as the P1 5G’s. The rear camera module shares a striking resemblance to the Realme 12+, with the addition of a ridge-like finish that originates from the center of the camera island.
The Realme P1 5G features flat edges and slightly rounded corners, contributing to a comfortable grip. The power button and volume rocker are conveniently located on the right side of the phone. At the top, you’ll find a 3.5mm headphone jack and a speaker, while the bottom edge houses a second speaker, a USB Type-C port, and the SIM tray. The phone’s IP54 rating, offering protection from splashes and dust, is a welcome addition in this price range.
Realme P1 5G Specifications and Software: A Solid Foundation
The Realme P1 5G, like its sibling, the Realme 12+, is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7050 chipset. This octa-core processor utilizes two Arm Cortex-A78 cores clocked at 2.6GHz and six Cortex-A55 cores with a peak clock speed of 2.0GHz. The handset offers up to 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM, making the 8GB variant the more appealing choice.
Running Android 14 with Realme UI 5.0 on top, the P1 5G comes with a promise of two years of Android OS upgrades and three years of security updates. This competitive software support makes the P1 5G stand out in a segment where most manufacturers offer similar support.
The Realme P1 5G offers a wide range of connectivity options, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, 5G, 4G LTE, GPS, and a USB Type-C port. However, the absence of NFC connectivity is a drawback, as it limits the phone’s contactless payment functionality.
Fueling the Realme P1 5G is a 5,000mAh battery with 45W fast charging support. This combination ensures ample power and rapid charging capabilities.
Realme P1 5G Performance: A Smooth Ride for Everyday Use
The MediaTek Dimensity 7050 chip found in the P1 5G delivers impressive performance for a midrange device, handling most tasks with ease. Whether it’s browsing the web, using social media apps, capturing photos and videos, or even gaming, the phone keeps up.
We tested several games on the Realme P1 5G, including Asphalt 9, Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Call of Duty: Mobile, and Sky: Children of the Light. While some games required manual adjustments to the graphics settings, the P1 5G handled them without any lag or stuttering. Additionally, the lack of thermal throttling after extended gameplay is a positive indication of efficient thermal management.
Benchmark results further support the P1 5G’s strong performance:
- AnTuTu v10: 570,926 points
- Geekbench: 956 points (single-core), 2,369 points (multi-core)
- PCMark 3.0 (Work 3.0): 13,319 points
- GFXBench: Car Chase (21fps), Manhattan 3.1 (39fps), T-Rex (60fps)
- 3DMark: Wild Life (2,292 points), Wild Life Unlimited (2,253 points), Sling Shot (5,132 points), Sling Shot Extreme (4,075 points)
Realme UI 5.0, optimized for the P1 5G, ensures smooth animations and a fluid user experience. RAM management is commendable, especially in the 8GB variant. Switching between multiple apps is seamless without any noticeable lag.
However, the phone ships with a few preinstalled apps that can be uninstalled. The built-in app store also attempts to scan apps from the Play Store, which might be considered intrusive by some users. We also found that the Hot Apps and Hot Games folder could not be fully disabled from the app drawer.
Realme P1 5G Display: A Vibrant and Responsive Experience
The Realme P1 5G boasts a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 240Hz touch sampling rate. This combination results in a highly responsive and smooth display. Gaming is a delightful experience thanks to the fast refresh rate and touch response.
Realme claims the display can reach 1200 nits in high brightness mode, offering decent visibility even in bright outdoor conditions. However, in extreme sunlight, the screen might struggle to maintain visibility.
The P1 5G’s display features a clever algorithm that allows for use with wet fingers or even wet surfaces. We tested this feature, and indeed, typing and scrolling remain responsive even when the screen is wet, as claimed by Realme.
The Mini Capsule 2.0 feature has also been upgraded to offer music playback controls and calendar alerts. It also provides a brief glimpse of your daily step count, offering a quick overview of your activity levels.
Realme P1 5G Battery: Long-Lasting Power with Quick Recharging
The P1 5G’s 5,000mAh battery provides excellent battery life, delivering about 6 hours and 17 minutes of screen-on time before hitting 5 percent. Our HD video loop test yielded impressive results, with the P1 5G running for 18 hours and 36 minutes.
The included 45W fast charger enables rapid recharging, bringing the battery from 0 to 52 percent in just 30 minutes and reaching 95 percent in one hour. This fast charging capability is a valuable asset for users who require quick charging solutions.
Realme P1 5G Cameras: A Mixed Bag of Performance
The Realme P1 5G features a dual-camera setup on the rear:
- 50-megapixel camera with a 1/2.76-inch Samsung ISOCELL JN1 sensor (f/1.8 aperture, 77-degree field of view)
- 2-megapixel monochrome camera (f/2.4 aperture, 88-degree field of view)
For capturing selfies and video calls, the phone utilizes a 16-megapixel camera with an f/2.45 aperture housed in a center-aligned hole-punch cutout.
In practical terms, the 50-megapixel primary camera delivers decent image quality in good lighting conditions, particularly for close-up subjects like flowers or pets. The camera app offers a 2x mode for capturing detailed images without significant loss of quality. Notably, switching between these modes does not affect the color tone while capturing images of the same subject.
The camera app also features a Street mode, allowing users to capture images at 27mm and 54mm focal lengths. While this mode performs well in ample sunlight, images captured in less-than-ideal conditions might exhibit noise and grain.
The camera app includes a pro mode that allows for RAW image capture and manual control over ISO, shutter speed, focus, white balance, and exposure values.
In low-light scenarios, the phone’s default photo mode automatically employs a delay before capturing an image to enhance quality. You can manually disable this delay if you prefer immediate captures. Although a dedicated night mode is available, captured images generally experience significant noise reduction and smoothing, resulting in a loss of detail.
The 16-megapixel selfie camera comes with a default beauty mode filter that can be disabled for sharper and more realistic images.
The Realme P1 5G can record video in 4K/30fps using the primary rear camera. However, the Ultra Steady mode is limited to 1080p/60fps and lower resolutions. Even with stabilization enabled at 1080p, some jitter in videos may be noticeable.
Realme P1 5G Verdict: A Solid Overall Package with Some Caveats
The Realme P1 5G aims to deliver a balanced midrange experience, prioritizing performance and battery life on a budget. The phone’s decent AMOLED display complements its performance and long-lasting power. Its price tag, potentially undercutting the Realme 12+ 5G, offers an attractive option for budget-conscious buyers.
For users seeking a capable phone for everyday use and casual gaming, the Realme P1 5G is a tempting choice. It scores high on performance, battery life, and display quality.
However, the camera system falls short, failing to impress with its mediocre image quality. If your budget allows, the Realme 12+, the iQoo Z9, or the Samsung Galaxy M15 5G offer superior camera performance. The Galaxy M15 5G, though less powerful, comes at an even lower price point and boasts two additional years of software support.
In conclusion, the Realme P1 5G provides a compelling combination of performance and battery life at an appealing price. However, its lackluster camera capabilities might disappoint users seeking excellent photography. Ultimately, your decision depends on your priorities: if performance and battery life are paramount, the Realme P1 5G is a strong contender. However, if photography is a key consideration, you might want to explore other options in the market.
