The mid-segment is a proper battlefield these days and in this battlefield, Realme has just introduced a new soldier. The brand has launched the Realme P1 as part of a new P series. The phone comes with a starting price of Rs 15,999 and along with it come some impressive specs. It is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7050 processor which is not only efficient in handling your everyday smartphone business but would also let you dip your toes in the gaming pool (with compromised settings of course).
Realme P1 comes with a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with 120 Hz refresh rate, a dual camera set up on the back featuring a 50-megapixel main and a 2-megapixel depth camera, a 16-megapixel lens on the front for selfies, IP54 dust and splash resistance, and stereo speakers.
Top this with a 5,000mAh battery with support for 45W fast charging, Android 14 with Realme OS on top and a very good-looking design and you get a mid-segment phone that does not look or feel that mid-segment. But even all the good looks and specs in the world cannot make the Realme P1 immune from competition.
Here are some smartphone assassins that could take down the latest Realme in town:
Poco X6 Neo 5G: A Megapixel Bumper
Price: Rs 15,999
Big camera muscle is a major pro in any price segment and that is exactly where the Poco X6 Neo scores. The phone is one of the few devices in the price range that brings a triple-figure main sensor. It comes with a 108-megapixel main sensor which does very well in the details department and also offers the 3x zoom.
This is paired with a 2-megapixel sensor whose utility can be argued endlessly and a good16 16-megapixel sensor on the front for selfies.
The phone also comes with a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and runs on the efficient MediaTek Dimensity 6080 chipset. Bundled with this is a 5,000mAh battery with 33W fast charging support. It also comes with IP54 dust and splash resistance, and while its design is routine, it comes in some very unusual colours.
It comes with Android 13 out of the box and it lacks stereo speakers, but that is a small price to pay if you are into that massive megapixel bump and steady performance.
Moto G84: A Moto-G Flagbearer
Price: Rs 17,999 onwards
The Moto G series has been making a lot of noise with its very ‘value for money’ offerings and the Moto G84 is a device that fits right into that mould. The phone comes with several specs that are not very common in this price segment.
It brings a dual camera setup with a very well-performing 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS which is very rare to see in this zone. This is paired with an 8-megapixel ultrawide on the back and a 16-megapixel selfie camera on the front. The phone also comes with stereo speakers a 3.5mm audio jack and has a single 12GB RAM, 256GB storage variant, which is again not seen too often at its price.
It has a 6.5-inch FHD+ pOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate, IP54 dust and splash resistance. It is backed by a 5,000mAh battery with 30W fast charging support and yet remains a very light phone at 166.8 grams.
Some might be put off by the presence of a slightly dated Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 processor and the Android 13 out of the box but because it is a Moto, it runs stock Android which ensures smooth functioning.
And is a good-looking one at that with a vegan leather back as well. Enough to tempt you to say "Hello" to this Moto at this price.
Samsung Galaxy M34 5G: A Plain Jane, But Only In Looks
Price: Rs 15,999 onwards
Many might see the Galaxy M34 as the ‘Plain Jane’ of the list with its rather basic design and waterdrop notch, but it does have several specs and features up its sleeve that make it a headache for the Realme P1. The phone runs on Samsung’s Exynos 1280 processor which is a very good mid-segment chipset.
This is paired with a vibrant 6.5-inch full HD+ Super AMOLED display with 120 Hz refresh rate and this being a Samsung phone, that display is gorgeous.
Its camera setup is impressive too and comprises a triple camera set on the back with a 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS (a rarity in this segment), an 8-megapixel ultrawide and a 2-megapixel one.
On the front, that dated drop notch design houses a 13-megapixel selfie sensor. The phone has a big 6,000mAh battery with 25W charging support which comfortably gives you two days of usage, but you do not get a charger in the box.
You also get good speakers, and a 3.5 mm audio jack (another plus in our book), and while it runs on Android 13 out of the box with Samsung’s OneUI on top, the brand’s speedy software update record does not leave much scope for worrying.
Realme Narzo 60 Pro 5G: Cousin With A Killer Instinct
Price: Rs 14,999 onwards
It is one thing to bring big megapixel muscle but another thing to back it with OIS. The Realme Narzo 60 Pro does both. The phone comes with a huge 100-megapixel number on the main sensor which is accompanied by OIS, enabling it to deliver some stunning detail in low light and videos and also offer 2x lossless zoom. It is paired with a rather menial 2-megapixel sensor but a 16-megapixel sensor on the front takes good selfies.
It has a 6.7-inch full HD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and is powered by the same MediaTek Dimensity 7050 processor as seen on the Realme P1.
Top this off with a 5,000mAh battery with a faster 67 W charging support, stereo speakers, a slightly more affordable starting price and you get a cousin which is more lethal to the Realme P1 than almost any other device in the list.
It does come with Android 13 out of the box but an update should fix that issue too. The phone looks very good as well.
Moto G54: Doesn’t Get Any More ‘Value For Money’ Than This
Price: Rs 13,999 onwards
If you are looking to get the most in the least amount spent (who isn’t) and have a budget in the vicinity of Rs 15,000, then perhaps the Moto G54 would be one of your top picks from this list. The phone ticks one spec box after another effortlessly.
It comes with a good 6.5-inch full HD+ display with 120Hz refresh rate and runs on the very capable MediaTek Dimensity 7020 chipset. It has a dual camera set up on the back comprising a 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS (yes, OIS at this price) and a not-so-usable 2-megapixel supporting camera.
At the front, it carries a 16-megapixel selfie sensor. Round all of this off with a huge 6,000mAh battery with 33W charging support, a clean stock Android interface (although you get Android 13 out of the box), stereo speakers, a 3.5 mm audio jack, what Moto claims is a ‘water repellent design’ paired with a very affordable price tag, and you get the real ‘value for money’ phone in the list.