Realme 7i Review

Realme 7i was unveiled as part of the brand’s extravagant ‘Leap into next-gen’ AIoT event. The 7i brings down some of the features from Realme 7 (review) and at the same time makes certain downgrades to justify a lower price tag. So, on one hand, we will gauge how much the cuts made impact the overall experience. On the other, you’ll see how it fares against the competition, not just from fellow brands, but from Realme’s own lineup. (Realme 7i review हिंदी में पढ़िए)

This is the Smartprix review of the Realme 7i and let’s begin with a hover over the specs.

Realme 7i Specification and Price in India

Model	Realme 7i
Display	6.5-inch, LCD, 1600 x 720 (HD+), 90Hz refresh rate
Software	Android 10, Realme UI
Processor	Snapdragon 662
Memory	4GB LPDDR4x
Storage	64/128GB UFS 2.1 storage, Dedicated card slot (up to 256GB)
Battery	5000mAh, 18W fast charging inside the box
Rear camera	64MP F1.8 (primary); 8MP F2.2 (wide-angle); 2MP F2.4 (portrait sensor); 2MP F2.4 (macro); 1080p@30fps video recording
Selfie camera	16MP, F/2.1; 1080p@30fps video recording
Fingerprint sensor	Capacitive (rear)
Dimensions and weight	164.1×75.5×8.5~8.9mm; 188 grams
Indian Price	4 + 64GB: Rs. 11,999 4 + 128GB: Rs. 12,999

 

On with the review then,

• Realme 7i Review: Design and Display
• Realme 7i Review: Performance and Software Experience
• Realme 7i Camera Review
• Realme 7i Review: Audio, Battery, and Connectivity
• Realme 7i Review Verdict

Realme 7i Unboxing

• Handset
• 18W fast charger
• USB Type-C Cable
• Protect Case
• Protect Film
• SIM Card Tool
• Important Info Booklet with Warranty Card

Realme 7i Review: Design and Display

Realme has outfitted the 7i with a split-tone design. This time, the rear smirks a glossy mirror finish. I prefer the frosted back of the 7 over this. But, my brother was wooed by its charm. So, it’s a matter of taste really.

The phone gets smeared easily. You can slap on the bundled case to cover against drops and dirt. Even with the case, the phone sits well in the palm. At 188 grams, it is comfortably handy.

The case evens out the (64MP quad) camera bump, leaves a cutout for the fingerprint reader, and doesn’t affect the tactility of the right side buttons. Also, the capacitive scanner is within reach and works well. To the left, there’s the 2 SIMs + 1 micro-SD slot. The bottom has a USB-C dock, 3.5mm jack, and the phone’s single speaker vent.

Coming to the front, the 6.5-inch display looks the same as on a 7, albeit with a tad thicker chin. It has got the same 90Hz goodness, but it loses out in the pixel density (270 PPI) due to a low-res 720p panel. The whites are warmer, but tweakable from the display settings.

There are more such settings to toggle and software functions to savor. So let’s get to that then.

Realme 7i Review: Performance and Software Experience

Realme UI (based on Android 10) bags a kitchen sink of features. Here are some things I like:

• Clone Phone app for quick migration of setup from the previous phone.
• Super Power Saving mode that gives extra life to the phone when the battery is about to die.
• Smart sidebar for instant access to frequently used apps and shortcuts.
• An advanced dark mode that can darken even apps that don’t support it natively. I use it for Twitter Lite.
• App lock, Private Safe, DocVault, etc warrants privacy and security.
• Game Space is highly useful thanks to the built-in FPS counter, screen recording, quick access to messaging apps, performance optimizations, notification management, etc.
• Experimental functionalities like Dual Mode Audio and Super Nighttime Standby are also convenient to have.

At the same time, there are still things about the Realme skin that I’m not a fan of. The company has got to lean down the bloat situation. Then there are the annoying ads infesting the interface, albeit avoidable by disabling the “Get Recommendations” setting.

ALSO READ: Moto G9 Review

As for this phone, in particular, you’d feel the frailty of its hardware in way of lags and jitters while juggling multiple apps, whilst loading animations, etc. I tried games like Among Us, Asphalt 9, and Call of Duty. The combination of Snapdragon 662, Adreno 610, and 4gigs of RAM ensures the games are playable at low to mid settings. But, don’t greed beyond. I did and COD froze at max graphics.

Here’s how it fares in synthetic benchmark tests:

Benchmarks	Realme 7i (SD662)
Geekbench 5 Single-core	311
Geekbench 5 Multi-core	1311
GFXBench Car Chase | Manhattan | T-Rex fps	13 | 32 | 50
PCMark Work	6249
Androbench Sequential Read	506.49 MB/s
Androbench Sequential Write	245.04 MB/s
Androbench Random Read	115.2 MB/s
Androbench Random Write	153.19 MB/s
3DMark Slingshot Extreme OpenGL	1161
3DMark Slingshot Extreme Vulkan	1102

Moving on…

Realme 7i Camera Review

Realme 7i is kitted out with a 16MP shooter on the front and a 64MP quad array by the back. The camera app is clearly arranged and simple to use. You get options to shoot portraits, night mode, full-64MP, and videos right from the main screen. Further treats like macro mode, Google Lens, slow-mo, time-lapse, and pro mode are nestled in a separate screen.

Here are the 7i cams out in the open —

Under sufficient light, the camera does a reasonable job of capturing the frame. The well-lit results with warm tones are good for socials. But, once you pixel-peep, you’d find the details glossed over and certainly less than what you’d expect outta 64 megapixels (with or without pixel binning).

Turn on the AI Dazzle mode to vibe up the saturation. And for a wide perspective, use the 8MP ultrawide mode. It retains colors close to the primary sensor but suffers from the fish eye distortion and presents even fewer details.

Edge detection and background blur are tastefully done in both front and back portraits. You may disable the AI beautification for slightly sharper details on the skin.

Macro mode lets you zoom closer to objects but the quality, as you see, isn’t encouraging.

The night mode hardly made any impact. Sure, it switches up the exposure a bit, but the overall difference isn’t very apparent. Likewise, the night mode for selfies isn’t worth writing home about.

Realme 7i Review: Audio, Battery, and Connectivity

Thanks to a 5000mAh battery, a 720p display and power efficiency of 11nm-based SD662, you could expect the phone to run long. In our PCMark test (with full brightness), 7i scored 10 hrs 37 mins (with 20% remaining). The supplied 18W adapter crosses 3 hour mark to fill the tank.

ALSO READ: Realme Narzo 20A Review

For connectivity, you are getting USB-C port, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, and GPS. When it comes to calls, the earpice and mic duo works alright.

Realme 7i Review Verdict

What you get with the 7i is mostly par for the course, including the good, the bad, and the meh.

It sports a flashy design, big battery, feature-filled software, and reliable connectivity. The display wins a point for 90Hz smoothness but loses a point for its weaker HD resolution. At a starting price of Rs. 11,999, it jostles against the FHD wielders like Poco M2 and Redmi Note 9 (which have 60Hz display).

So, here we are again, a different month and a different Realme phone upgraded to the latest trends. Realme 7i offers good value but it’s upon you to weigh the pros and cons and decide whether it fits your bill.

Pros

• Feature-rich Realme UI
• 90Hz snappy display
• Long battery life
• Essential connectivity options

Cons

• Weak HD display
• Not so great night mode
• Timid speaker output

Realme 7i FAQs

Q. Does Realme 7i support USB-C?

A. Yes, Realme 7i does feature a USB-C port.

Q. Is Realme 7i available offline?

A. Yes, the Realme 7i is available offline.

Q. Is Realme 7i good for gaming?

A. Most games are playable at low to mid settings.

Q. Does Realme 7i support 5G?

A. No, Realme 7i doesn’t support 5G. But, you can enjoy 4G internet.

Q. What is the SAR value of Realme 7i?

A. 1.10 W/kg (head) 0.53 W/kg (body)

Q. Does Realme 7i support a high refresh rate display?

A. Yes, Realme 7i sports a 90Hz panel.

Q. Does realme 7i come with Gorilla Glass protection?

A. Yes, Realme 7i has got Gorilla Glass 3 shield on top of its screen.