Double trouble for Samsung! Two new Android phones launch with big features on a budget

Budget Android phones just keep on getting better and better and now there are yet another pair of devices that could tempt you away from buying an expensive flagship. Chinese firm Realme has been shaking up the Android market in recent months with devices that offer seriously impressive specs at much more affordable price. The Realme GT2 Pro, for example, gets some of the best specs available on the market including the supremely powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor but only costs £699 – that’s cheaper than Samsung’s Galaxy S22 flagship but with similar specs.

Now there are two more devices to choose from with the company launching its Realme 9 and and Realme 9 5G.

Both cost the same £249 price but offer different features with Realme hoping that it gives consumers the chance to pick what they really need without needing to pay a premium.

For example, the standard Realme 9 gets basic 4G data speeds but includes a more advanced 108-megapixel rear camera, thinner design, faster 30W charging and an under-screen fingerprint scanner.

Meanwhile, the Realme 9 5G gets access to those faster data speeds and includes a silky-smooth 120Hz display but compromises slightly on the camera and gets a standard fingerprint sensor that’s tucked inside the power button. There’s also slightly slower 18W charging on this 5G phone.

It’s certainly a unique idea and it will be interesting to see how consumers react to these products when they hit shelves.

Although some things are different, both phones include a large 5,000mAh battery, Qualcomm Snapdragon processors and a striking Ripple Holographic Design that makes the case look like it’s textured.

They also get expandable storage and run on Realme’s UI 3.0 which is based on Android 12.

Here are the full specs for each phone:

REALME 9 (4G)
SCREEN: 6.4-inch
PROCESSOR: Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 Processor
BATTERY: 5000mAh with 33W Quick Charge
NETWORK: 4G only
CAMERA: 108MP Main Camera, Super-wide Lens, 4cm Macro Lens
EXTRAS: In-display fingerprint scanner, 3-card slot for two SIM cards and one SD card and Ripple Holographic Design

REALME 9 (5G)
SCREEN: 6.6” Fullscreen 120Hz Ultra Smooth Display
PROCESSOR: Snapdragon 695 5G Processor
BATTERY: 5000mAh with 18W charging
NETWORK: Full 5G speeds
CAMERA: 50MP Ultra HD Main Camera, B&W Portrait Lens, 4cm Macro Lens
EXTRAS: Corner Protection Design, five levels of refresh rate adjustment and Smart 5G Power Saving