Once a desolate place, the smartphones under Rs 30,000 segment has recently become one of the more exciting spaces in India. Termed as the “mid-range”, this segment now has offerings from OnePlus, Samsung, Xiaomi, Google, and more recently, Realme.
With today’s launch of the Realme X7 Pro in India, the choice for a new smartphone in this price has gotten even more difficult. In true 2021 fashion, it brings 5G, a new design and some other specifications which for the first time to this price band.
Confused between it and the OnePlus Nord or the Samsung Galaxy M51? Let’s take an objective look at their specifications and see how well they compare to each other.
Before we start, it’s important to note that the Realme X7 Pro isn’t necessarily a successor to the Realme X3 series from last June, but the start of a new lineup of affordable flagships. It aims to be a cheaper alternative to Snapdragon 888-powered premium smartphones.
Processor
Starting with the most important aspect, the Realme X7 Pro is one of the first smartphones to opt for the Dimensity 1000 Plus chipset, which is MediaTek’s current flagship with dual 5G capabilities.
On the other hand, the OnePlus Nord opts for the tried and tested Snapdragon 765G chipset, which is amongst the most popular platforms at this price. The Galaxy M51 sits below it with the 4G-only Snapdragon 730G, which means you’re likely to feel the difference in heavier tasks like gaming.
Display
Here’s where the Realme X7 Pro pulls ahead, with a 6.55-inch Super AMOLED display with Gorilla Glass 5, running at 120Hz — the cheapest phone to do so.
The OnePlus Nord is not far behind with a 6.44-inch AMOLED screen with 90Hz refresh rate and similar Gorilla Glass 5 protection. The Samsung opts for a simpler 60Hz screen that spans 6.7-inches and is protected by Gorilla Glass 3+.
Camera
Historically a strong point for Realme, the X7 Pro has a quad-camera setup with a 64MP f/1.8 primary camera (Sony IMX686), an 8MP ultra-wide shooter, a 2MP macro shooter and a 2MP depth sensor. Where it tries to take a lead is the barrage of shooting modes available for photos and videos.
OnePlus has equipped the Nord with a similar quad-camera array with a 48MP shooter leading the charge, along with an 8MP ultra-wide lens, a 5MP depth sensor and a macro camera. Samsung’s approach with the M51 isn’t much different either, with a 64MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide shooter with a larger 123-degree field of view, a 5MP macro lens and a depth sensor.
All of them have a 32MP selfie camera.
Battery
Here’s where all three phones take very different paths. The Realme X7 Pro has a decent 4,500mAh battery with whopping 65W Super Dart charging, which takes only about 25 minutes for a full charge.
OnePlus’s Warp Charge 30 takes a little over an hour to refuel the 4,115mAh battery while Samsung goes for a brute force approach, housing an industry-leading 7,000mAh battery. The 25W charging takes a lot longer to do its job for obvious reasons, but you shouldn’t need to charge it frequently anyway.
Price in India
The Realme X7 Pro is priced at Rs 29,999 in India and comes in a sole 8GB + 128GB variant.
The OnePlus Nord starts at Rs 27,999 for the 8GB + 128GB variant and goes up to Rs 29,999 for the 12GB + 256GB variant.
The Samsung Galaxy M51 has 128GB across the board, with the 6GB model costing Rs 22,999 and the 8GB one going for Rs 24,999.