Realme 1 vs Redmi Note 5 vs Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1: Price in India, Specifications Compared

Realme 1 was launched in India on Tuesday, as an entry-level smartphone from Chinese manufacturer Oppo's new sub-brand called Realme. With the new brand and a new handset, the company is aiming at the budget smartphone segment in the country, which is dominated by Chinese rival Xiaomi and its latest handset, the Redmi Note 5. With the Realme 1, the company has incorporated the 'glossy diamond-cut design' seen on recent launches from Oppo - Oppo F7 and Oppo A3. However, there is no iPhone X-style display notch on the Realme 1. The key features of the handset include a 6-inch display, MediaTek Helio P60 processor, and a dual-core AI-specific chip.

At this price range, the Realme 1 - quite obviously - will compete with the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 in the Indian market because of its pricing. But it won't be the only one as Asus also recently launched its new affordable smartphone called ZenFone Max Pro M1 in India. The Redmi Note 5 is arguably dominating the market with its compelling hardware and MIUI features, but the new ZenFone Max Pro M1 had arrived with a list of attractive features to take on the competition, including a dual rear camera setup, thin bezel display, metal body, a large battery, and a stock Android experience.

Therefore, we take a look at the Realme 1 price in India and specifications and compare them with those of the Redmi Note 5 and Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1.

Realme 1 vs Redmi Note 5 vs Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 price in India

The Realme 1 price in India starts at Rs. 8,990 for the 3GB RAM/ 32GB storage variant. It goes up to Rs. 10,990 for the 4GB RAM/ 64GB storage model, while the 6GB RAM/ 128GB storage variant will be available at Rs. 13,990. The smartphone will be made available in Diamond Black, Moonlight Silver (coming in June), and Solar Red colour variants in the country. Notably, the first sale of the handset will start on May 25 on Amazon India, where only the 3GB RAM and 6GB RAM variant will be up for grabs. The Realme 1 India launch offers include a 5 percent cashback on SBI cards on EMI, Jio benefits worth Rs. 4,850, a free case, and a free screen protector. Also, buyers will get 80 percent off on Kindle ebooks (up to Rs. 300).

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Review

On the other hand, the Redmi Note 5 price in India starts at Rs. 9,999 for the 3GB RAM, 32GB storage variant, while its 4GB RAM, 64GB storage variant is priced at Rs. 11,999. Both Redmi Note 5 variants come in Black, Gold, Lake Blue, and Rose Gold colour options and are available for purchase in India via Flipkart, Mi Home, and Mi.com. It will also soon go on sale through Xiaomi's offline retail partners.

Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 Review

Meanwhile, the Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 price in India is Rs. 10,999 for 3GB RAM, 32GB internal storage variant , whereas its 4GB RAM, 64GB storage model is available at Rs. 12,999. The handset comes in Midnight Black and Grey colour options. It is available for purchase exclusively through Flipkart. There will also be a 6GB RAM variant that will be launched later, priced at Rs. 14,999.

Realme 1 vs Redmi Note 5 vs Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 specifications

The Realme 1 is a dual-SIM handset that runs ColorOS 5.0 based on Android 8.1 Oreo (and comes with an India-specific theme). The smartphone sports a 6-inch full-HD+ (1080x2160 pixels) display with an 84.75 percent screen-to-body ratio. It is powered by an octa-core MediaTek Helio P60 processor that is clocked up to 2GHz, paired with 3GB, 4GB, or 6GB of RAM depending on the variant, as well as a dual-core AI-specific chip.

The Realme 1 bears a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, and a 8-megapixel front camera. The company is touting use of the Oppo's AI Beauty 2.0 feature that apart from beautification also offers 296-point facial recognition with . The smartphone also offers Face Unlock (said to unlock the smartphone in 0.1 seconds), but it does not have a fingerprint sensor. The Realme 1 features AR stickers for both the front and rear cameras.

In terms of storage, the Realme 1 comes with 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB of inbuilt storage options, expandable via microSD card. Connectivity options include dual 4G VoLTE support on the Realme 1. It is powered by a 3410mAh battery. Built out of a fibre-glass body, the Realme 1 measures 156x75.3x7.8mm and weighs 158 grams. Also, there is a AI Board assistant in the smartphone.

On the other hand, the dual-SIM Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 runs Android Nougat-based MIUI 9 and features a 5.99-inch full-HD+ (1080x2160 pixels) display with an 18:9 aspect ratio and 84 percent NTSC colour gamut. It is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 625 SoC, coupled with either 3GB or 4GB RAM. For taking pictures and recording videos, the Redmi Note 5 has a single, 12-megapixel camera sensor on the back with an f/2.2 aperture lens and an LED flash. The front of the smartphone bears a 5-megapixel sensor that has an LED selfie-light module. The front camera supports features such as Beautify 3.0 beautification tech.

Xiaomi has provided 32GB and 64GB inbuilt storage options on the Redmi Note 5, both of which are expandable via microSD card in a hybrid dual-SIM format. On the connectivity front, the handset has 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, 3.5mm headphone jack, and Micro-USB. The smartphone packs a 4000mAh battery and measures 158.5x75.45x8.05mm.

In contrast, the dual-SIM (Nano) Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 runs pure Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box and is expected to receive Android P and Android Q upgrades. The handset features a 5.99-inch full-HD+ (1080x2160 pixels) IPS FullView display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. It comes with an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 SoC, paired with Adreno 509 GPU and either 3GB or 4GB RAM. The smartphone has a dual camera setup on the back that includes a 13-megapixel primary Omnivision sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and a 5-megapixel secondary depth sensing sensor. On the front, there is an 8-megapixel sensor with an f/2.0 aperture, 85.5-degree wide-angle lens. Both camera setups have an LED flash.

In terms of storage, the ZenFone Max Pro M1 has up to 64GB of inbuilt storage, expandable via microSD card (up to 2TB). The smartphone has 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS/ A-GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack, and Micro-USB. Besides, it packs a 5000mAh battery and measures 159x76x8.46mm.

We discussed whether Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 is a Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro killer on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.