With tons of choices available in the sub-10K segment, the Redmi Note 8 and recently launched Realme 5s are two of the most compelling options you can opt for. Priced at Rs. 9,999, both the devices offer Snapdragon 665 chip, 48-megapixel quad cameras, and massive batteries.
But, which one’s a better choice of the duo? Well, let’s see how these devices fare against each other in our spec-based Redmi Note 8 vs Realme 5s comparison.
Redmi Note 8 vs Realme 5s
Design: Glass vs Poly-carbonate
Both the Redmi Note 8 and Realme 5s come with modern design profiles, including a water-drop notch upfront and shiny back panel. While Note 8 bears a glass back with a wavy S-trim, the latter gets a poly-carbonate rear with a glossy diamond-cut pattern, similar to the Realme 5 (review).
Display: Full-HD+ vs HD+
The Redmi Note 8 gets a 6.39-inch IPS LCD display having a Full-HD+ resolution of 2340 × 1080 pixels. It comes with a screen to body ratio of 90% and gets Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on top.
The Realme 5s, on the other hand, features a slightly bigger 6.5-inch IPS display with an HD+ resolution of 1600 ×720 pixels. It is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3+ and boasts of an 89% screen to body ratio.
Evidently, the Note 8 has a sharper display with a pixel density of 403ppi, compared to the 269ppi on the Realme counterpart. That said, the latter has better outdoor visibility, thanks to a maximum brightness of 480 nits, which is marginally higher than the 450 nits cap on the Note 8.
Performance: Same Hardware on Offer
Both the phones are powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 SoC which is an octa-core chip built on the 11nm process, with a maximum clock speed of 2.0GHz. The chip is further mated with Adreno 610 GPU, which is good enough for medium gaming.
For starters, the Redmi Note 8 comes in 4GB/64GB and 6GB/128GB RAM and storage variants while the Realme 5s is available in 4/64GB and 4/128GB configurations. Both the devices have the provision to expand storage using the dedicated microSD card slot.
Software: MIUI vs ColorOS
When it comes to the software, neither of the two offer pure Android experience. The Redmi Note 8 gets MIUI 10 while the Realme 5s runs ColorOS 6 on top of Android 9 Pie.
Both the custom skins have their own set of perks, and it’s entirely your personal choice on what to go for. That said, Redmi Note 8 has an edge for those who are into custom ROMs and modification, thanks to the insane support from the developer community.
Cameras: 48MP Quad Array, but different sensors
As noted, the Redmi Note 8 offers a 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 sensor with f/1.7 aperture- the same used on Redmi Note 7 Pro and Realme 5 Pro, followed by an 8-megapixel 120° ultra-wide-angle lens, a 2-megapixel depth sensor and a 2-megapixel macro camera for 2cm macro shots. For selfies, it gets a 13-megapixel shooter.
Similarly, the Realme 5s gets a 48-megapixel primary camera but utilises Samsung GM1 sensor instead, seen previously on the Redmi Note 7. Further, the setup comprises of an 8-megapixel ultra wide-angle sensor, 2-megapixel portrait sensor and a 2-megapixel macro camera for 4cm macro shots. There’s a 13-megapixel selfie camera up front.
As far as primary imaging duties are concerned, the Sony IMX586 sensor used on the Redmi Note 8 is better than Realme 5s’ Samsung GM1 unit.
Battery & Charging: Faster Charging vs Larger Capacity
Both the phones come with impressive battery life. The Redmi Note 8, following the Note-culture, gets a 4,000mAh cell while the Realme 5s boasts of a bigger 5,000mAh battery.
Larger capacity on the latter clubbed with a lower resolution display sums up for better endurance. But then again, the Note 8 has 18W fast charging capability, coupled with USB Type-C port, while the 5s gets regular 10W charging support and uses dated micro-USB standard.
Redmi Note 8 vs Realme 5s: Verdict
Both the devices offer good value and features for a starting price of Rs. 9,999. However, the Redmi Note 8 has a clear edge with respect to the build quality, display, cameras and support for fast charging. The Realme 5s offers a larger battery but falls short of other essentials as most of the things haven’t changed much from the Realme 5. So yeah, Redmi Note 8 will be our choice in this comparison.
