The sub-Rs 25,000 smartphone segment is now attractive for companies. With inflation, plus the cost of components rising, manufacturers are launching their
Realme 10 Pro+ 5G primary camera samples (tap to see full size)
One downside is that there is no optical image stabilisation (OIS), which the Realme 9 Pro+ 5G’s primary camera offered. You do get electronic image stabilisation (EIS) but it might not be as useful when capturing videos or shooting in low light.
The ultra-wide camera, in comparison, blows out highlights in both daytime and nighttime shots. Details were not good compared to the main camera, and the edges of frames were heavily distorted too. Lastly, the macro camera is best not used. I would rather use the main camera’s 108-megapixel mode and crop the resulting shot enough to get a well-exposed, detailed close-up.
Realme 10 Pro+ 5G ultra-wide camera samples (tap to see full size)
The 16-megapixel front camera is a hit or miss when it comes to capturing facial tones. It also smoothens skin a bit too much, even after disabling the beauty mode filters. Portrait mode, while getting edge detection right in most cases, makes skin look slightly fairer.
Realme 10 Pro+ 5G’s screen has curved edges and a camera hole at the top centre
Realme 10 Pro+ 5G front camera sample
The rear camera can shoot up to 4K video at 30 fps, doing a surprisingly good job with colours and dynamic range during the day. There was noticeable noise in video shot in low light or at night. The front camera’s video recording resolution is capped at 1080p 30fps. It compromises dynamic range but focus on the subject was sharp.
Verdict
The Realme 10 Pro+ 5G gets many things right. While design is mostly subjective, I like the overall in-hand feel and weight distribution. The Realme 10 Pro+ 5G’s curved-edge AMOLED display is also a class apart, making this a great device for content consumption. The phone’s performance is, more or less, the same as that of the Realme 9 Pro+ 5G. It’s quite capable for most use cases, including casual gaming. The primary camera does a good job in most situations. I wish it had OIS support in order to really justify the Pro+ moniker, though.
Software is typically developed and designed to complement hardware and this defines the user experience. While it has many new features, Realme UI 4.0 now has a huge amount of bloatware and spam. If not for this, the Realme 10 Pro+ 5G could have been among the top contenders for the title of the best smartphone under Rs. 25,000. If you are okay with the software situation and want a smartphone that is built well, offers great multimedia experience, and has decent cameras, the Realme 10 Pro+ 5G can be considered.
