Realme has unveiled the Realme 9 Pro and Pro Plus, two new phones that have risen to the top of the company’s wildly popular mid-range numbered series. We reviewed the 8 Pro last year and found it to be one of the best value phones available anywhere — except in the United States, where Realme has no presence.
The two new 9 Pro phones are significant improvements over the 8 Pro. The physical design is completely new, combining thin flat sides with a curved back panel that, at least on the “sunrise blue” model, incorporates a photochromic layer that changes color when exposed to sunlight. Take the phone outside on a reasonably sunny day, and it will quickly change from blue to a reddish tint.
The 9 Pro Plus’s main attraction is its 50-megapixel primary camera, which has optical image stabilization and uses the same Sony IMX766 sensor found in some BBK flagship phones from last years, such as the OnePlus 9 Pro and the Oppo Find X3 Pro. It has a large 1/1.56″ sensor with 2.0m pixels, but its performance will be influenced by how Realme tunes the software.
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The main cameras are supported by a 119-degree ultrawide and a macro lens, respectively; the non-Plus 9 Pro’s main camera has an unspecified 64-megapixel sensor that lacks OIS and is presumably physically smaller.
The spec differences between the 9 Pro and the 9 Pro Plus are actually quite unusual because the Plus isn’t always better overall. The 9 Pro Plus features a 90Hz OLED screen, a MediaTek Dimensity 920 processor, and a 4,500mAh battery with 60W fast charging.
In the meantime, the 9 Pro features a 120Hz LCD, a Snapdragon 695 processor, and a 5,000mAh battery with 33W fast charging. The OLED screen with an in-display fingerprint sensor on the 9 Pro Plus is what distinguishes it as the more flagship-like device.
Realme has not yet announced pricing or release dates for the 9 Pro and 9 Pro Plus. India and Europe are likely to be among the first markets to receive the product.
