The best Realme phones are ideally suited for someone looking for a great mid-range or budget smartphone. The company's devices typically offer useful features without costing a fortune.
Realme is an up-and-comer in the smartphone world since launching its first ever phone in 2018. From there, it joined the European market not long after and has quickly proven itself to be one of the more interesting tech companies around. It’s so interesting that we've written a guide on its history.
Reasons to buy
+It has a distinctive design+It charges impressively quicklyReasons to avoid
-The phone heats up often-The user interface has bloatwareThe Realme GT easily earns its place as the top handset from the company, and it'll likely be one of the highlights of 2021. It's a great way for Realme to kick off its newest line of smartphones, also called the GT line.
The Realme GT has a top-end Snapdragon 888 chipset, super-fast 65W wired charging, a distinctive faux-leather rear broken up by a black stripe, and an easily-totable body thanks to its small size.
The real clincher, though, is the low price of the Realme GT, as it sits comfortably in the low-mid-range section. That more than makes up for the one or two little shortcomings we found with the phone, which include its tendency to heat up, and the fact that it has a few bloatware apps out of the box.
Note: in some regions, like Europe, the Realme GT is only on sale through AliExpress, not the standard retailers which our pricing tool pulls through. You can find theofficial product listing here.
Check out our fullRealme GT review.
2. Realme 9 Pro Plus
A mid-range champion
Specifications
Release date: February 2022Weight: 182gDimensions: 160.6 x 73.3 x 8mmOS: Android 12Screen size: 6.4-inchResolution: 1080 x 2400CPU: MediaTek Dimensity 920 5GRAM: 6/8GBStorage: 128GB/246GBBattery: 4,500mAhRear camera: 50MP + 8MP + 2MPFront camera: 16MPReasons to buy
+Fantastic value+Perfect for low-light photographyReasons to avoid
-Display is only 90Hz-Heart monitor is hidden in menusA budget phone yet somehow packing in some surprising features, the Realme 9 Pro Plus has two unique abilities. It has a heart rate monitor built into the fingerprint scanner, albeit hidden away amongst menus. More noticeable is its rear which changes color in sunlight and looks positively eye-catching.
Elsewhere, it offers some above-average performance for the price range, along with a camera that works particularly well in low-light conditions. The rest of the time, its 50MP main snapper, 8MP ultra-wide, and 2MP macro does a good job of providing bright and bold imagery.
It's all pretty good for such an inexpensive phone and easily makes the Realme 9 Pro Plus worth your consideration.
Check out our fullRealme 9 Pro Plus review.
3. Realme 8 Pro
Realme's cheap champ
Specifications
Release date: March 2021Weight: 176gDimensions: 160.6 x 73.9 x 8.1mmOS: Android 11Screen size: 6.4-inchResolution: 1080 x 2400CPU: Snapdragon 720GRAM: 6/8GBStorage: 128GBBattery: 4,500mAhRear camera: 108MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MPFront camera: 16MPReasons to buy
+It feels snug in the hand+Its cameras are good for the priceReasons to avoid
-The screen refresh rate is only 60Hz-It doesn't support 5GIf you're looking for a great cheap Android phone, the Realme 8 Pro is a great choice - it's the top-end member of the company's 2021 numbered series, which are generally Realme's most affordable handsets.
We found this Realme phone was a cheap and cheery alternative to the huge handsets which often crowd this market segment. Plus it had a super-high-res main camera, impressively fast charging, and a comfortable-to-hold textured plastic back.
It's not perfect for everything - if you want a large display, 5G, a high-refresh-rate screen or the absolute best processing power, you might find it misses a trick or two. But if you just need a useful budget phone, it's a great choice.
Check out our fullRealme 8 Pro review.
4. Realme GT Master Edition
A capable mid-range phone
Specifications
Release date: July 2021Weight: 174gDimensions: 159.2 x 73.5 x 8mmOS: Android 11Screen size: 6.43-inchResolution: 1080 x 2400CPU: Snapdragon 778GRAM: 8GBStorage: 128/256GBBattery: 4,300mAhRear camera: 64MP + 8MP + 2MPFront camera: 32MPReasons to buy
+It charges very quickly+Its display looks greatReasons to avoid
-It isn't waterproof-Its design is fairly ordinaryThe second of its family, the Realme GT Master Edition takes some of the specs of the original GT but cuts some corners, and sells for a lower price as a result. Ignore the name, though - this isn't the master of the series.
The GT ME has a slightly weaker chipset, smaller battery and less eye-catching design than its sibling, but it also costs a fair amount less. So it's a good option if you like the look of the GT but don't need all its top specs.
Note: in some regions, like Europe, the Realme GT Master Edition is only on sale through AliExpress, not the standard retailers which our pricing tool pulls through. You can find theofficial product listing here.
Check our our fullRealme GT Master Edition review.
5. Realme 8 5G
A super-cheap 5G phone
Specifications
Release date: April 2021Weight: 185gDimensions: 162.5 x 74.8 x 8.5mmOS: Android 11Screen size: 6.5-inchResolution: 1080 x 2400CPU: Dimensity 700RAM: 4/6/8GBStorage: 64/128GBBattery: 5,000mAhRear camera: 48MP + 2MP + 2MPFront camera: 16MPReasons to buy
+It offers affordable 5G+It has a large, bright screenReasons to avoid
-Its design is rather basic-The camera is only averageIf you're looking for super low-cost 5G, the Realme 8 5G is one of the best options for you, as it lets you access the next generation of data connectivity for a lower price than most other devices.
In many ways, this is your basic budget Android phone with a standard design, a fair processor, an average camera and a big but good-looking display.
It's the price and 5G combination that really make this an interesting phone, and if you're keen to get yourself some super-speedy internet without breaking the bank, it's worth paying attention to the Realme 8 5G.
Check out our fullRealme 8 5G review
6. Realme 8
The suffix-less Realme 8 family member
Specifications
Release date: March 2021Weight: 177gDimensions: 160.6 x 73.9 x 8mmOS: Android 11Screen size: 6.4-inchResolution: 1080 x 2400CPU: Helio G95RAM: 4/6/8GBStorage: 64/128GBBattery: 5,000mAhRear camera: 64MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MPFront camera: 16MPReasons to buy
+It performs well for gaming+It has a sharp displayReasons to avoid
-Its shiny look could be divisive-It feels a bit cheapDespite being the only Realme 8 phone without a suffix, the standard model isn't technically the weakest - it's actually a more powerful phone than the 5G model, though of course it only connects to 4G networks.
This is a decent budget Android phone that's well-rounded where it matters, especially in the display and performance areas, where it's a good device for the cost.
We weren't too sure on the design - you probably had your own thoughts as you scrolled past the image just above this listing - and if you need 5G or particularly high specs, another Realme phone is probably better for you. But this is a valiant cheap choice too.
Read our fullRealme 8 review.
7. Realme X3 SuperZoom
The last of a lost line
Specifications
Release date: May 2020Weight: 202gDimensions: 163.8 x 75.8 x 8.9mmOS: Android 10Screen size: 6.6-inchResolution: 1080 x 2400CPU: Snapdragon 855 PlusRAM: 8/12GBStorage: 128/256GBBattery: 4,200mAhRear camera: 64MP + 8MP + 8MP + 2MPFront camera: 32MP + 8MPReasons to buy
+It has a long battery life and charges quickly+It's a powerful phoneReasons to avoid
-Its design is uninspiring-The camera performance is inconsistentThe Realme X series was replaced by the GT line, so there are no more coming out, and the X3 SuperZoom was one of the last ones.
This is a fairly high-end phone with a chipset that was great as of the X3's release, and its six cameras and long-lasting battery are all impressive too.
It's not a perfect phone - as you can expect for a low-placed entry in our list of the best Realme phones. Our main gripes are its uninspiring design, the LCD screen, and the fact the camera strategy was clearly 'quantity over quality', with some inconsistent results.
Read our fullRealme X3 SuperZoom review
Realme phones Q&A
Is Realme a good phone brand?
We've sung the praises of Realme in various reviews, and the reason is that the company's phones are great value for money.
The devices often come with specs you don't tend to find at the price, especially in the chipset department, and have fewer rough edges (literally and metaphorically) than cheap phones from other brands.
Sure, a Realme phone won't compete with your top-end Samsung Galaxy or Xiaomi handset in terms of specs or features, but the low price makes up for that.
Should I go for Realme or Redmi?
Redmi is Xiaomi's line of low-cost phones, and in most markets it's arguably Realme's biggest competitior.
Redmi phones tend to be pretty big, with huge batteries and massive screens, which makes them large powerhouses for gaming and streaming media. However, the problem with that is that they can be annoying to use as your average smartphone, due to their giant size, especially if you've got small hands or shallow pockets.
Realme devices are often smaller and focus on the design and charging speeds - their svelte builds often make them easier to use as day-to-day handsets, but in the gaming or streaming department, they might miss out thanks to their restricted screen space.
What are the main Realme phone lines?
Realme launched the GT line in 2021, which replaces the X series and offers top specs at mid-range prices. The other main line is the numbered series, like the Realme 7 or 8 - these often come with 5G and Pro versions, and have price tags which land them in the budget category.
In some regions, Realme has other lines, like the Narzo or V series, but these generally don't sell in any of TechRadar's main regions, so we haven't tested them. That's why you won't find them on this list.
If that changes, as we've heard it will for the Narzo line, maybe you'll see more handsets infiltrate this list soon.