With 5G launching in India later this year, brands now have a greater impetus to dish out more 5G smartphones, especially in the budget segment. When you look at the 5G ecosystem, the most affordable devices cost you around Rs 15,000, and this is where the Realme 9i 5G tries to prove its worth to the buyers. The latest 5G mid-range phone looks to freshen up the segment, and in addition to 5G network, it has other strong points to consider.
But it’s not just Realme, Infinix and iQOO are some of the other brands with a similar focus and their products like the Infinix Note 12 5G and iQOO Z6 5G will give a tough fight to the new Realme phone.
Also Read: Realme 9i 5G Review: Just in Time to Board the 5G Train
Realme 9i 5G vs Infinix Note 12 5G vs iQOO Z6 5G: Price in India
The Realme 9i pricing starts from Rs 14,999 for the 4GB+64GB variant and you have the 6GB+128GB variant available for Rs 16,999.
The Infinix Note 12 5G has a single variant available in the market with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage priced at Rs 14,999.
iQOO Z6 5G prices start from Rs 15,499 for the 4GB + 128GB variant, Rs 16,999 for the 6GB + 128GB model, and Rs 17,999 for the 8GB + 128GB variant in the market.
Realme 9i 5G vs Infinix Note 12 5G vs iQOO Z6 5G: Design
Realme 9i 5G gets a true unibody design with the cameras at the back integrated into the body. Realme says it is the first phone to use the 3-layer grain process in this segment. The phone is just 8.1mm thick and weighs 187 grams.
Infinix Note 12 has a simple approach with its design, giving you a standard plastic back panel with the camera module. It has a notch on the screen at the top and a smaller chin size than what we have seen with phones in this range. The in-hand feel also makes it easy to use with one hand. It weighs 186 grams and comes with a thickness of 7.9mm.
iQOO Z6 5G gets a plastic back panel and comes with a notch on the screen. It comes with a thickness of 8.3mm and weighs 186 grams. It doesn’t get a lot of points for its looks but the in-hand feel is quite good.
Realme 9i 5G vs Infinix Note 12 5G vs iQOO Z6 5G: Display
The Realme 9i 5G sports a 6.6-inch Full HD+ LCD screen with a 2400 x 1080 pixel resolution, 90Hz screen refresh rate and 180Hz touch sampling rate. The phone has a max brightness of 400 nits.
Infinix Note 12 comes with a 6.7-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display and has a waterdrop notch. The screen only supports a 60Hz refresh rate but gets a 180Hz touch sampling rate. The display also has 700 nits of peak brightness and a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for protection against scratches.
iQOO Z6 5G sports a 6.58-inch Full HD+ display that offers a 120Hz refresh rate, and a pixel density of 401 PPI.
Realme 9i 5G vs Infinix Note 12 5G vs iQOO Z6 5G: Performance and UI
It is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 810 SoC, which is said to be 20% faster compared to the Dimensity 700 SoC. The 9i 5G is available in two configurations 4GB+64GB and 6GB+128GB options.
Infinix is powering its new device with the MediaTek Dimensity 810 chipset as well. The vanilla Note 12 5G comes in a single model with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. It runs Android 12-based XOS 10.6 out of the box.
iQOO Z6 5G is powered by Snapdragon 695 chipset, paired with 4GB, 6GB and 8GB RAM options, while the storage offered with these variants is 128GB, which is also expandable. The phone gets the Funtouch 12 version which is based on the Android 12 operating system.
Realme 9i 5G vs Infinix Note 12 5G vs iQOO Z6 5G: Cameras
Realme 9i 5G comes with a triple rear camera setup consisting of a 50MP main sensor, a 2MP portrait sensor, and a 2MP macro sensor. There is an 8MP selfie camera on the front.
Infinix Note 12 gets a 50MP main sensor, a 2MP depth sensor and an AI lens. For selfies, there is a 16MP front camera sensor.
iQOO Z6 5G features a triple rear camera setup that has a 50MP primary sensor, 2MP macro sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. iQOO offers a 16MP selfie camera on the front.
Realme 9i 5G vs Infinix Note 12 5G vs iQOO Z6 5G: Battery
Realme 9i 5G gets a 5,000mAh battery which supports 18W fast charging via a USB Type-C port.
Infinix Note 12 5G also has a 5000mAh battery but you get it with support for 33W fast charging out of the box. iQOO Z6 5G has been provided with a 5000mAh battery with support 18W fast charging.
Realme 9i 5G vs Infinix Note 12 5G vs iQOO Z6 5G: Verdict
Realme 9i 5G is the latest mid-range 5G smartphone that buyers can consider but the lack of an AMOLED panel could work in the favour of Infinix. Having said that, iQOO Z6 gives you a 120Hz refresh rate screen. Performance-wise, Realme and Infinix have gone for the same Dimensity chipset, which is comparatively better than the Snapdragon 695 on the iQOO Z6.
Cameras are better understood after using them but expect similar performance from all three phones. Infinix gives you a faster-charging speed for the 5,000mAh battery as well. But if design is a big part of your buying decision, Realme 9i 5G has the better of the other devices.
