The new Realme 3 Pro packs in a lot for the price
It was in India in New Delhi that Realme, one of OPPO's brands, unveiled its new smartphone, the Realme 3 Pro. Succeeding the very good Realme 2 Pro launched six months ago, the smartphone is aimed at an entry-level customer base since the brand is positioning its smartphone at less than $200. Despite its low price, the Realme 3 Pro aims to make no comprehension and promises a big autonomy, a nice design and a quality photo experience. Was the mission successful? These are our first impressions.
An aggressive price
The Realme 3 Pro displays particularly aggressive prices. Several versions are available for sale: 4GB/64GB (13 399 roupies, around 193 dollars) and 6GB/128GB (16 999 roupees, around 235 dollars). For all models, the memory is expandable via microSD card (up to 256GB of storage). Three colors available are Carbon Gray, Nitro Blue, and Lightning Purple. Sales will start 29th of April.
Like Xiaomi a short while ago, Realme is coming to Europe and only later to the US. The Chinese manufacturer, independent of OPPO in its choices, will start its career first on the old continent before arriving on the other side of the Atlantic. This information was confirmed by Madhav Sheth, CEO of Realme, and Levi Lee, the future head of Realme in Europe.
A successful design
Despite the low price, the Realme 3 Pro takes care of its design, and the result is a great success because the smartphone has an elegant dress with a gradient colored back part that plays with the effects of light.
Of course, it's plastic (not metal), the Realme 3 Pro offers a modern and trendy look, a dual camera (vertically aligned), a mini-jack and a fingerprint reader. Facial recognition is also on the menu.
Compared to Redmi Note 7, which uses 2.5D glass, the 3D design of Realme 3 Pro offers a thinner smartphone, offering better feel, lighter weight and "better impact resistance" depending on the brand. Aesthetically, the two devices are in any case very similar.
Overall, the handling is pleasant and is made easier by the rounded edges of the terminal. We will simply regret the passage a little too "sharp" between the chassis and the screen of the device.
A notch in the shape of a water drop
While high-end smartphones are following the trends of pierced screens or pop-up cameras, entry-level smartphones have switched to the drop-shaped notch. As a result, the Realme 3 Pro's 6.3-inch LCD screen offers an excellent body-to-screen ratio of 90.3%. A small chin still remains but remains relatively discreet. As with Redmi Note 7, Gorilla Glass 5 is used to protect the front screen.
The screen displays a nice brightness and good contrasts. The readability, even outdoors, seems satisfactory, even in sunny weather, and the colors also seem to be in line with reality, despite a slight tendency to turn blue (but nothing too serious).
Realme 3 Pro software
As always on Realme, we find Color OS in its version 6.0 which is based on Android Pie. This is the same interface as the one available on OPPO smartphones. This is not surprising because Realme is a brand of the Chinese manufacturer. The interface is very fluid and the opening and closing of applications is never a problem.
Personally, I don't necessarily like the customization of the manufacturer but it's also a matter of getting used to. After all, as Euripides said, "change is always pleasant."
Realme 3 Pro performance
In addition to its design, the Realme 3 Pro also impresses with its technical data sheet. Under the hood is a 710 Snapdragon processor and 6GB of RAM . So it's better than what Redmi Note 7 can offer. My few hours spent with the smartphone confirmed the very good performance of the terminal.
Players should not have any problems, even when playing graphically demanding games like PUBG, so Realme promises a much better experience in this field than its competitors like Redmi Note 7 or Honor 8X. Anyway, our complete test, which should come in the next few days, will allow us to know more.
Realme 3 Pro camera
In terms of the camera, the Realme 3 Pro also looks like a good deal. The device offers a dual sensor:
- a 16MP main sensor (IMX519 1/2.6 inches). The unique pixel size of the camera is 1.22 µm and an aperture of f/1.7.
- a 5MP secondary camera
The smartphone also offers a night mode that significantly improves image quality in low-light conditions. The famous beauty fashions (how could it be otherwise with a Chinese manufacturer) and artificial intelligence are also present. At first glance, AI makes it possible to optimize scenes by offering more detail and more balanced exposure. In addition, some colors can be optimized according to the scenes to make them brighter and more attractive.
At the front, there is a 25 MP front sensor (f/2.0 aperture) that also provides facial recognition and a portrait mode is also available.
An autonomy that promises to be excellent
If the smartphone does not use a Type-C USB socket, the Realme 3 Pro nevertheless offers pretty promises in terms of battery life. Realme has made great efforts compared to the previous model. The smartphone has a 4045mAh battery compatible with the ultra-fast VOOC 3.0 charge. It takes 30 minutes to charge the device halfway, and 1h20 for a full charge. This means that it is possible to imagine more than two days of autonomy even under conditions of intensive use.
Realme 3 Pro technical specifications
First verdict: Redmi Note 7's best rival
While the high-end market is changing rapidly with the arrival of folding smartphones, the entry-level market is also changing with increasingly attractive and cheaper smartphones. This Realme 3 Pro is definitely part of this new generation of devices, the brand seems to have done an excellent job and the smartphone simply displays an excellent price-quality ratio that makes you forget its few (small) flaws.
It remains to be seen whether this promising device will fulfill its potential perfectly in our comprehensive test and which markets the smartphone will be introduced into. One thing is clear, here we have an initially appealing device that could be the perfect rival of Redmi Note 7.
Can we get one in the US and will it work? Final cost? From where?
These are Asian gems 😊
I agree this is a beautiful device if you live in Asia, were you can probably pick one up inside of shop and get tech support (buying one online is too much of a risk for me)
Exactly!
I'm sure it's a nice device, but it's very difficult to gauge how good a device is unless you can actually find it in a North American shop (who wants to play roulette by something off of eBay or Amazon?)
And will it come with another software update? Or is this a 1 year and done phone!
Minimum (Min) one major software updates and two years of security. patches. Can be two major updates, which is definitely true in case of Xiaomi MIUI devices and Asus stock Android devices which come in the same price range and offers a jaw dropping value for money when compared to $1000 flagships. Xiaomi Android One smartphones, like Mi A1, will receive minimum two major updates or even a third major update, as Mi A1 (launched with Android Nought) is rumoured to get Android Q.
Unless you want QHD Amoled (more vibrant display), IP rating, stereo speakers, 3.1 protocol in USB, 44% more in benchmarks, 20% better day light and 50% better lowlight, wireless charging, reverse wireless charging, you have all your needs fulfilled, including heaven gaming, at 20% of the price. These companies sell millions of devices at 3% profit margins. After sales services are good. 😄😄😄