Last year, the Realme 7 was one of the most affordable mid-range devices to hit the market. It was a tale of sophistication, which is why it appeared strong despite being yet another beefed-up Realme 6. Just as anticipated, Realme has updated last years’ Realme 7 with the Realme 8, just six months apart, and it’s fair to say that the tradition hasn’t changed.
Let’s get right to the point. Realme 8 is a great example of a low-cost device that doesn’t cut corners on features like the camera or battery life. Realme is a fairly new yet rapidly rising name in Nigeria. Their devices which are primarily aimed at young people searching for the best cheap handset never fail consumers. The Realme 8, which has a heavy emphasis on photography, has a 64MP main sensor and it should be able to produce much greater detail than the Realme 7’s 48MP.
Design & display
To begin with, the Realme 8 appears to be very distinct from its predecessor in terms of design. This time around Realme has chosen a glossy finish over a matt finish polycarbonate rear panel. Although that it can collect fingerprints and stains. The Realme 8 features a dual-tone finish that the company refers to as “Infinite Bold Design.” A large “Dare to Leap” labeling appears on the right side, although it isn’t as prominent as it is on the Realme 8 Pro.
On the back, there’s a square-shaped camera module that gives it a distinct look which is a new trend that is seen in most mid-range devices. At the right edge, you’ll find the power button and volume rocker controls. On the bottom, you’ll find a Type-C outlet, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a speaker grille. The device is lightweight (about 177g) and comfortable to carry for long periods of time.
The Realme sports a 6.44-inch Super AMOLED display with FHD+ (1080 x 2400 pixels) resolution, 411PPI pixel density, 1000 nits peak brightness, and a standard refresh rate of 60Hz. The Realme 7 had a 90Hz refresh rate LCD display, as you can remember. While the Realme 8’s screen does not have a high refresh rate and support for HDR, but it has been redesigned to provide better color reproduction and a brighter overall display.
The Realme 8 has a pleasing display, with vibrant colors and deep blacks that one might expect from an AMOLED display. You get an in-display fingerprint sensor and the Always On Display feature. Overall, the display on the Realme 8 is of decent quality with good brightness levels and vibrant color.
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Camera of Realme 8
The phone has four cameras on the back which consist s of a 64 MP (f/1.8) primary lens, an 8 MP (f/2.3) ultra-wide camera lens, and two 2 MP (f/2.4) sensors. There’s a 16 MP (f/2.5) front-facing camera for selfies and video calls.
You’ll note that there isn’t a telephoto lens. This is because zooming capabilities are not commonly seen on mid-range devices. And this is why most midrange devices have chosen to emphasize the camera’s ultra-wide sensor and color accuracy.
Performance & battery
On the hardware side, the Realme 8 is not that amazing and it is the same as its predecessor, which was already not that good.
The phone is powered by a Mediatek Helio G95 (12 nm) chipset, which is paired with up to 8 GB of RAM and 128GB internal storage that can be expanded. This chipset only supports 4G.
If you don’t care much about performance, I’m confident to tell you that the Realme 8 will be a good buy. It can be a dependable regular driver that can also play some heavy games. The software aspect is also not left behind, the device runs on the latest Realme UI 2.0, which is based on Android 11. Realme’s insightful customization talents add another level of individuality to the equation, even if it is beginning to look more and more like Oppo’s software which many users like.
If you happen to completely utilize the battery and run out in the evening, the device has the same 30-watt fast charging tech as its predecessor. It’s incredible, and it can fill it up from zero to 100% in just 65 minutes. That’s really fast, and it’s ideal for those times when you’ve forgotten to power it and just need to give it a quick boost before going out for school or work.
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Full Specs
| Announced Date | 24th March 2021 |
| Release Date | 25th March 2021 |
| Build | Front glass Plastic back Plastic frame |
| Weight | 177g |
| Water-Resistant | No |
| Dimensions | 160.6 x 73.9 x 8 mm |
| Display Size & Type | 6.44 inches AMOLED FHD+ 60Hz refresh rate Max Brightness: 1000nit |
| Screen Protection | – |
| Screen Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~83.3% |
| Pixel Density | 411 PPI |
| Software | Android 11, Realme UI 2.0 |
| CPU | Octa-core |
| GPU | Mali-G76 MC4 |
| Chipset | Mediatek Helio G95 (12 nm) |
| Storage | 128/256 GB UFS 2.1 No SDCard |
| RAM | 4/6/8 GB |
| Main Camera (Quad) | 64 MP (f/1.8) main lens 8 MP (f/2.3) Ultrawide 2 MP (f/2.4) Macro sensor 2 MP (f/2.4) depth sensor Supports [email protected], [email protected]/60/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie Camera (Single) | 16 MP (f/2.5) Supports [email protected] video recording. gyro-EIS |
| 3.5mm Headphone Jack | Yes |
| Network | 2G, 3G, 4G Supports nano SIM + nano SIM |
| Connectivity | GSM, GPS, WiFi-Direct, BT 5.1 Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac |
| Sensors | Fingerprint (Under-display) Proximity sensor Compass Acceleration sensor Gyro-meter sensor |
| Battery | -Non-Removable Li-Po 5,000 mAh -USB: Type-C 2.0, USB OTG -Fast battery charging: Yes (30 W) -Wireless Charging: No -Reverse charging: No |
| Colors | Cyber Silver, Cyber Black |
| Price | Starts from $215 |
*Pls Note that the price of this device may change with time.
Realme 8 price in Nigeria & availability
The latest Realme 8 was released with a starting price of $215.00. Cyber Silver, Cyber Black color options are available for the handset. There are no details as at the time of writing this post as to whether or not this phone will be released in Nigeria. However, we expect it to be available by May with a price range of N80,000 – N90,000 for the 4GB varaint, N90,000 – N100,000 for the 6GB variant, and N105,000 – N115,000 for the 8GB varaint. STAY TUNED AND SUBSCRIBE!!!
Verdict
The Realme 8 comes with a 64 MP main sensor, a bright touchscreen, a massive 5,000mAh battery, and a good amount of storage for a starting price of $215. It will be difficult to criticize this phone when you look at the features and I think the price is justified. When it comes to performance, it didn’t quite hit the mark.
To summarize this Realme 8 review, it will be quite difficult to find a better phone for less than $250 that has outstanding battery life and a good camera. You can find slightly better budget phones, but they’ll cost you a little more, such as the Samsung Galaxy M31s, which costs about $300. If you’re on a tight budget and able to compromise in a few ways, this is a great option.
Should you buy it?
The Realme 8 is an excellent smartphone. With a good camera, decent performance, a very decent display, extremely fast charging, and good sound quality, it can easily win consumers’ hearts that are on the budget and want something decent. The Realme 8 is a great deal for those looking for a mid-range smartphone under $250 if the “DARE TO LEAP” labeling does not really concern you. If you can’t bear the phone’s big labeling on the back, then you have to consider other options.
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