Realme 8 5G review

The competition

We do like Realme's idea for an affordable 5G smartphone, and we have to say - the Realme 8 5G did turn out pretty good. Currently, it is the cheapest 5G-capable phone and yet it manages to offer other premium goodies such as a 90Hz screen, a high-res 48MP camera, and a large 5,000mAh battery.

But the Realme 8 5G is not the only phone born out of the same thought.

Xiaomi's Redmi Note 9T costs about the same as the Realme 8 5G and is a good match specs-wise. The Redmi has pretty much the same screen, though its refresh rate is limited to 60Hz. It makes up for this omission by having the Dimensity 800U chip with faster GPU and 4K video capturing on its 48MP snapper.

Then there is the Galaxy A32 5G. Just like the Redmi, this one also has a pretty standard 60Hz display. But for the extra €30, you'd get an 8MP ultrawide shooter, a 5MP macro cam and 4K video capture on the main 48MP snapper. Oh, and the GPU is faster, too, as it has an additional core.

OnePlus Nord N10 5G matches the 90Hz display but has faster graphics thanks to the Snapdragon 690 5G chip and it brags with stereo speakers. It also has a higher resolution 64MP main camera with 4K video recording and offers an 8MP ultrawide shooter in addition to the duo of 2MP snappers. This Nord also has doubled based storage, but of course all these goodies will cost you at least €50 on top of the Realme's price.

Motorola's Moto G50 is yet another 5G-enabled smartphone via the Snapdragon 480 5G chip. The phone has a 720p 90Hz screen and a triple-camera that's a match to the Realme 8 5G. The Moto G50 has water-repellent coating - the only thing that the Realme 8 5G cannot match or beat. The Moto G50 is about €40 more expensive, and we are not sure if water-proofing is worth the extra money and the inferior screen.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T • Samsung Galaxy A32 • OnePlus Nord N10 5G • Motorola Moto G50

Realme's own 7 5G model is worth checking out. It's price has fallen down to €220 across various retailers and for this extra €20 (on top of the official €199 price), you'd be getting a 120Hz, more powerful graphics, 4K video capturing, an ultrawide camera, water-sealed ports, and faster charging. Indeed, this phone is worth considering before getting the cheaper Realme 8 5G.

Finally, if you are not into 5G yet, you may want to consider the regular Realme 8 sold on the same price as the 5G. This one packs a Super AMOLED screen, faster hardware, a better 64MP main camera with 4K, adds an ultrawide camera, and supports 30W fast charging. You lose 5G and 90Hz refresh rate. Decisions, decisions...

The Redmi Note 10 (same price) is also worth mentioning - has IP53 certification and packs a Super AMOLED screen, 4K capturing, an ultrawide camera, stereo speakers, and faster charging. You lose 5G connectivity and 90Hz refresh. It's a tradeoff we can live with.

Realme 7 5G • Realme 8 • Xiaomi Redmi Note 10

The verdict

The Realme 8 5G's early bird price is €179, but it will climb up to €199 once the promotion ends. If you get one at the special price, it will make a perfect sense - you probably won't be able to find a better offer. And we do recommend getting it while this deal lasts.

But once the price settles at €199, it becomes tougher to recommend the Realme 8 5G right away. There are other phones priced closely to the Realme 8 5G, like the better-equipped Realme 7 5G, so we'd advice for exploring all possibilities and pick the one that's right for you. And if that turns out to be the Realme 8 5G, you won't be disappointed for sure.

Pros

• Sharp 1080p screen, 90Hz, bright enough, small notch.
• Good battery life.
• Stable gaming performance.
• The main camera takes great photos day and night.
• Clean and responsive UI.
• 5G, 3.5mm jack, NFC, microSD.

Cons

• No splash protection.
• No stereo speakers.
• Slow charging speed.
• No 4K video recording.