I recently found myself getting drawn to colorful things – from small candies to fashion accessories and outfits. With the world getting bleaker as the days go by, I realized that it’s good to surround ourselves with vibrant things – just like the new realme 6i Blue Soda.

Compared to the White Milk and Green Tea variants released last May 13, the realme 6i in Blue Soda is a standout in the bunch. Designed by industrial master Naoto Fukasawa (MUJI designer), the new color fits perfectly with the youth aesthetic. However, it’s not just an eye candy! The realme 6i is the first quad-camera smartphone under Php 10,000 to sport a MediaTek Helio G80 SoC, a large 5,000mAh battery, and a Quick Charge capability. It looks good, but its performance is even better for its price point!

Here are our thoughts about this unit:

DESIGN AND BUILD

Although it’s 6.5” in size, the realme 6i feels heavier when compared with other phones of the same size. 199g isn’t that bad, though! The grip is better without the protective case, but of course, we’d like to keep the stunning design away from scratches. I’m in awe of the holographic-like eye-catching design and color since it perfectly fits our #OOTDs and flatlay photos!

I appreciate the look of the screen even though there’re are still bezels. 89.9% screen-to-body ratio is good enough for binge-watching series and playing games. The camera is also positioned at the top center so it’s easier to take selfies.  

At the bottom of the phone, you’ll find a headphone jack – which is another think I like, the USB Type-C port – a bang-for-your-buck feature, and loudspeaker. At the back of the phone, you’ll find the quad cameras with LED flash and the fingerprint scanner – which is handy since we can’t utilize face unlock with our face masks on. The volume controls and card tray are located at the left side of the phone, while the power button sits on the right. The position of the volume controls and power button is the only thing that I find bothersome about the design of this device since I usually end up accidentally pressing on one or both whenever I use a selfie stick/tripod and whenever I put the phone on a stand while watching videos in landscape mode. I’m getting used to it, though.

CAMERA

The realme 6i has a 48MP primary sensor, 8MP ultrawide lens, 2MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. Users can select the 48MP mode separately, which is easier than shifting into usual “pro mode” of phones. The portrait mode can still be improved since there are shots where the blur in the background are way too striking than usual. Macro and ultrawide lens are okay, although the former performs better at a specific distance. Although it also houses quad cameras, the realme 6i’s zoom and low light performance still needs to be enhanced as the outcomes appear quite grainy.

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For selfies, I highly suggest users to keep your photos natural-looking as much as possible since the Beauty Mode of the realme 6i has a huge difference from the normal shots. This can be tweaked by users in case there’s a need to use some facial retouch.  

When it comes to videos, the 1080p reels are good, but don’t expect gimbal-like stabilization for this one. Still best to use a gimbal or a tripod (on wheels).  

BATTERY AND PERFORMANCE

I’ve been using the realme 6i for 3 days already, but I’ve only charged it once, thanks to its 5,000mAh Li-Po battery with support for 18W fast charging. The phone has been connected to the Wi-Fi for over 48 hours and the social media apps are all running in the background since I need to keep up with latest trends for work.

The realme 6i has different battery-saving options and it’s backed by a power-efficient chipset – the MediaTek Helio G80. This is an affordable choice for gaming devices and it doesn’t drain the battery even if you use if for a whole day.

AVAILABILITY

From what we’ve heard, the realme 6i Blue Soda variant will be exclusively available at a discounted price on Shopee and Lazada, but it will also be available in official realme offline merchants. However, we recommend that you place orders online to keep yourselves safe from the pandemic. Even though our phone exudes a cheerful, vibrant vibe, let’s not forget that we’re still in the midst of a deadly virus!

SPECIFICATIONS

Size	164.4mm*75.4mm*9mm
Weight	199g
Display	16.5cm (6.5”) Mini-Drop Fullscreen Resolution: 1600*720 HD+ Protection: 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass
Rear Camera	48MP AI Quad Camera Main Camera: 48 MP 4-in-1 Pixels, 26mm, f/1.9 Aperture, 6P lens Macro: 2MP f/2,4 Aperture, 4cm Focus Distance, 3P lens Wide-Angle: 8MP f/2.25 Aperture, 5P lens Portrait: 2MP f/2.4 Aperture, Portrait Mode, 3P lens Video:1080P/30fps Video Recording
Front Camera	16MP f/2.0 Aperture, 5P lens Video: 1080P & 720P/30fps Video Recording
Chipset	MediaTek Helio G80 SoC Octa-core, up to 2.05GHz
System	Realme UI based on Android 10
Storage	3GB RAM + 64GB storage (Blue Soda variant) 4GB RAM + 64GB storage 4GB RAM + 128GB storage (Blue Soda variant) Expandable up to 256GB via microSD
Connectivity	Dual nano-sim cards MicroSD expansion/triple slots Wireless Supports 2.4F Wi-Fi Supports Bluetooth 5.0
Sensors	Magnetic Induction Sensor Light Sensor Proximity Sensor Gyro-meter Acceleration Sensor
Battery	5,000 mAh 18W Quick Charge Includes 9V/2A charger and cable USB Type-C port
Inclusions	18W Quick Charger x 1 USB Type-C Cable x 1 Warranty Card x1 Quick Guide x 1 SIM Tray Ejector Pin x 1 Screen Protect Film (pre-installed) Protector Case x 1

PRICE (AND SALE SCHEDULE!)

The realme 6i Blue Soda variant has two storage configurations: 3GB RAM + 64GB storage for Php7,990 and 4GB RAM + 128GB storage for Php9,990. It will be available in the official realme stores on both Lazada and Shopee starting June 04. This will also be available in all realme stores and kiosks nationwide.

As initial offering for realme 6i Blue Soda variant, customers may avail special sale promos during the highly anticipated 6.6 e-commerce sale events of Lazada and Shopee:

realme Philippines will also be joining the Shopee 6.6 Sale, offering up to 21% discount on smartphones and AIoT devices. On June 6, Shopee Flash Sales featuring the realme 6 series will be up to offer special discounts:

And if ever you miss the Flash Sales, there’s still chance to grab the unit at these prices:

OVERALL

Definitely using this variant! It fits perfectly with my personal aesthetic and it’s just too pretty to ignore! Not to mention the powerful specs and affordable price point. It’s quite hard to look for a different alternative with the same specs and price — especially if you got it on sale!

 For more details about the latest smartphone releases, you can follow realme Philippines’ Facebook page or check our updates via Manila Millennial‘s Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram page!