Completing their 9 series lineup, realme has recently made the realme 9 4G official in the Philippines with focus on how it can #CaptureBeyondLimits. As a smartphone with 4G capabilities standing alongside 5G ones, let’s take a look at what sets the realme 9 4G apart from its siblings.

DESIGN AND DISPLAY

At first glance, it’s easy to get confused between the realme 9 and the realme 9 Pro+ because of the appearance of its cameras, AMOLED panel, and fingerprint sensor. However, what sets the realme 9 apart is its Ripple Holographic Design in three different colors – Stargaze White, Sunburst Gold, and Meteor Black. The unit we got is in Stargaze White – a chic option for those who prefer having eye-candy smartphones. The Sunburst Gold is a unique take which is unique to realme, though!

At the back, you’ll find protruding cameras – a 108MP main camera, 8MP ultra-wide camera, and 2MP depth sensor. A small realme logo is printed on the lower left corner of the smartphone but it’s not that noticeable, especially if you have the free jelly case on. I’m a fan of its holographic design and light color, so it’s sad to see it turn to a grey-like shade whenever I put the jelly case. I’m not complaining, though, because it’s free and it protects the phone! We’ll just need to find a case that won’t conceal the realme 9’s beauty.

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On the right side of the device is a power/lock button that sits directly where you’d normally rest your thumb when holding the device. On the left are the volume buttons and the SIM card tray which comes with a slot for a microSD card.

On top is a secondary microphone, while at the bottom are its 3.5mm audio port, the main microphone, a USB-C port, and the speaker grilles.

In front, you’ll find a 6.4-inch screen with a Full HD+ resolution and a 90Hz Super AMOLED display. There’s a small punch hole camera on the upper left side and a really thin earpiece, making them almost unnoticeable when watching videos. With slim bezels (except for the one at the bottom which is slightly thicker), you can also enjoy more screen space. The realme 9 also comes with an In-display Fingerprint Sensor with a Heart Rate Monitor to keep your phone secured while also keeping your health in check.

I would say that it looks premium and it feels premium, weighing around 178g only and being a perfect fit in my small hands. It’s something that I won’t be ashamed to show off in public, especially with my light-colored OOTD.

CAMERA

Being promoted with the hashtag, #CaptureBeyondLimits, you can tell that the main feature of the realme 9 is its 108MP ProLight Camera. This is powered by a Samsung HM6 Sensor which allows up to 9 images to be used in pixel-binning so users can capture better images even in low-light areas. Combined with an 8MP 120-degree ultra wide-angle camera (f/2.2) and a 2MP depth sensor (f/2.4), it gives off vibrant outputs.

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The main shooter is really good, especially when used under bright lights. No need for post-edits as the colors have the right saturation to make it look appealing. However, I have experienced challenges in using the zoom and ultrawide camera as the colors tend to change – making it hard to capture the actual color of your subject. The blue tint has been a repetitive thing that I had to manually try to correct during my test run:

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There’s also a bit of distortion when using the ultra-wide camera but as a city girl, I don’t see myself using this camera feature that much anyway. When used at night, some images tend to have heavy blue hues as well, making the scenery look cool even though it’s warm-looking in real-life.

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As for the 16MP selfie camera (f/2.5), it’s pretty decent for a mid-range smartphone. What I like about it is that it doesn’t blur out the frames of my eyeglasses when in Portrait mode, unlike that of other brands. Like previous models, the front camera can instantly detect when you’re in a poorly lit area so it automatically activates its ring light-like feature.

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When it comes to videos, the realme 9 can only capture 720p and 1080p clips on ultra-wide and 2x zoom mode. For vloggers, the front camera’s video mode comes with filters for an instant retouch if you feel like making your face look slimmer or make your eyes look bigger without post-processing every clip.

STORAGE AND PERFORMANCE

Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 Processor and an Adreno 610 GPU, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB large internal storage for day-to-day use, it’s an all-rounder smartphone that can be a good fit for students and professionals who need a device that can quickly switch from productivity apps to entertainment apps. Note, however, that the realme 9 isn’t exactly a gaming phone but it comes with a Dynamic RAM Expansion of up to 5GB for better gameplay and multitasking.

You can still run games like Mobile Legends and Pokemon Unite without draining your battery, though. The realme 9 has a 5,000mAh battery and is capable of 33W Dart Charge so you’ll only need around 75 minutes daily to charge your smartphone before going through your day.

As per my personal test run, the realme 9 has consistently kept up with my jam-packed sched for an entire day (always over 12 hours) with WiFi/ mobile data on, multiple social media apps running in the background, and the camera being activated from time to time. Whenever I reach 20%, I use its Power Saving Mode for prolonged battery life. So far, it hasn’t died on me yet while I’m outside the house.

The realme 9 runs on realme UI 3.0 based on Android 12, which comes with a lot of features that can be personalized to every user’s liking, too.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

The realme 9 is already available in stores nationwide and via Lazada for Php 14,999 (6GB+128GB). If you want to save Php 2,500 and get freebies, check out during the Lazada Super Brand Day on June 19 to get it for the price of Php 12,499 – inclusive of a 1-year extended warranty and a free blue realme Buds Q2.

You can also find the realme 9 4G in physical stores for the same price, but early buyers will be receiving a free realme Buds Air 2 Neo worth Php 1,990 for every purchase until June 19, 2022.

OVERALL

For a Php 15,000 budget, you’ll get a good all-rounder smartphone with a decent camera that is capable of taking clear photos, 90Hz Super AMOLED display, and a large battery that can keep up with usual day-to-day tasks. It’s something to consider if 5G isn’t in your area yet and you don’t see yourself needing it in the near future. If you’re looking for a nice display that can keep up with usual work and play requirements, then this may be a good fit.

For the full specs, visit our previous blog at:

Closer look at the realme 9 4G before its official launch on June 14

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