The realme 9i is the latest addition to the company's lineup of popular smartphones. By far, this smartphone is the most affordable of the current number series line and is pegged to bring a feature-rich experience in a very compelling price standpoint.
realme 9i Unboxing
We were very lucky to get the first dibs on this device. In just a few days of testing the handset, there's a lot to unpack, but we're saving the juicy details for our review coming soon. Right now, join us as we discuss our unboxing experience and first impressions of the new realme 9i.
What's in the Box?
The realme 9i is packaged inside the brand's newly redesigned box in rich yellow color, with the 9i highlighted in very prominent texts on the face of the box. The bottom part is in thick black accents which extend to the back of the packaging.
Opening the box, you'll see a packet that contains the jelly case, SIM eject tool, and documentations. The main unit can be found underneath this packet; and further down are the USB-C cable and 33-watt capable wall adapter.
Getting the phone ready is quite a breeze. After initial setup, you need to check for software updates. Our unit comes with 4GB of RAM for seamless multitasking, plus the phone can further expand its RAM for up to 3GB, provided there's enough native storage space available. Of course, you can adjust RAM expansion in 1GB, 2GB, and 3GB via Settings - About Phone - RAM. realme also stressed that the 6GB variant will be released in the local market.
Design, Display
The realme 9i is a familiar slab with a light-catching design; realme calls this the Stereo Prism Design that underwent 8 layers of optical coating. When struck by a light source, the panel reflects vertical lights on its surface. Our Prism Black looks very classy with the shiny piano finish; there's also a more vibrant color option - the Prism Blue.
The backing features the protruded camera module which houses the triple camera setup - 50MP wide, 2MP macro, and 2MP depth-sensing sensors. realme calls this the Matrix AI Camera, and the phone definitely wobbles when placed on a flat surface due to this camera bump.
The realme 9i features a curved back panel and curved frame which could be very friendly on the hands. It has great handling and has on-point positioning of ports and buttons.
The power button that doubles as a fingerprint scanner is on the right side; while the volume rocker and the SIM tray are on the left.
The bottom side houses the 3.5-mm audio jack, primary microphone, speaker grille, and USB-C port. Lastly, there's also a secondary microphone on the top.
The front panel is framed by a 6.6-inch FHD+ display. The screen uses a hole-punch design which gives provision to the 16MP selfie camera. Bezels are quite thin on the top and the sides, with the exception of the sizable chin.
The display also supports 90Hz refresh rate which is a step down from the 120Hz refresh rate of its predecessor, the realme 8i. Just like some other realme LCD panels before, this one does not disappoint. It's still one of the brightest displays in this segment.
The realme 9i is a 190-gram smartphone with good handling and design cues. One thing to point out though is that it easily attracts fingerprints on the back panel, so you have to wipe it very often.
Hardware, Battery
Under the hood, the realme 9i is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G processor; this chip is developed under 6nm process with 4 cores of Kryo 265 Gold Cortex-A73 and 4 cores of Kryo 265 Silver Cortex-A53.
As mentioned earlier, we'll get the 6GB RAM variant here in the Philippines, so expect things to be very smooth in terms of exploring the phone's interface. We also have the realme UI 2.0 based on Android 11 to keep things ticking in the software level.
The realme 9i is powered by a juicy 5000 mAh battery for longer usage. This is complemented by a 33W Dart Charge, which according to company's claim, is capable of charging the phone to 100% in 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Lastly, the smartphone supports stereo speakers which is a welcome feature if you're planning to use the device in consuming content, watching YouTube videos, and even in gaming.
The Wrap
The realme 9i is gunning to be the most popular model in the realme 9 series; this is due to its powerful internals and expected practical pricing. Its design is a staple in the realme phones - good handling, thin with flashy exterior. We'll discuss more of the realme 9i features in our in-depth review.
This smartphone will be officially launched in the Philippines on May 4 via the realme PH Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Update: The realme 9i is now available in 6GB+128GB variant for P11,990 SRP. As an early bird offer exclusively on Shopee, the realme 9i 6GB+128GB is available for P1,200 OFF (P10,790) from May 5 to 7. Likewise, it's available on all realme official stores and partner dealers nationwide.
realme 9i Specs
- 6.6-inch FHD+ IPS LCD display, 1080 x 2412p, 400 PPI, 20:9 ratio, 90Hz, 480 nits (typ)
- Snapdragon 680 4G (6 nm)
- 2.4GHz Octa-core CPU
- Adreno 610 GPU
- 6GB+128GB, UFS 2.1
- microSD support (dedicated slot)
- Triple rear cameras: 50MP, f/1.8 main with PDAF + 2MP, f/2.4 macro + 2MP, f/2.4 depth-sensing sensor, with LED flash
- Front camera: 16MP, f/2.1
- 1080p@30fps videos
- Loudspeaker, with stereo speakers
- 3.5mm jack
- Dual-SIM (Nano)
- 4G/LTE
- Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
- Bluetooth v5.0
- GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
- NFC
- USB Type-C 2.0, USB OTG
- Fingerprint (side-mounted)
- Realme UI 2.0, based on Android 11
- 164.4 x 75.7 x 8.4 mm, 190 grams
- Li-Po 5000 mAh battery with 33W Fast charging
- Prism Black, Prism Blue
- P11,990 SRP
