Unlike previous years, in 2021, Realme has unveiled just one generation of its mid-range numbered series. The new lineup came in the form of the Realme 8 series and wasn’t very appealing with the Pro bringing the same chipset as its predecessors. Realme didn’t bring the Realme 9 series this year but should launch them earlier in the next month. That explains why the first leaks and certifications for the devices. We expect at least four smartphones – Realme 9, Realme 9i, 9 Pro, and a new variant dubbed Realme 9 Pro Plus or Max. Today, the Realme 9i has passed through the NBTC certification website.
The Realme 9i has reached the NBTC certification listing with the RMX3941 codename. This is basically the main benefit of this certification, after all, we know that everything appearing with the RMX3941 codename is for the Realme 9i. The device’s launch seems to be imminent at this point. However, it’s not possible to determine if all devices will be launched at the very same time.
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The Realme 9i already had its design revealed thanks to a set of leaked renders earlier this month. The renders revealed that the handset will pack a design language similar to that of the Realme GT Neo 2. Going by the renders, the upcoming Realme 9i will have a bezel-free display with a punch-hole cutout. As usual, it’s a side-mounted punch-hole cutout. As per the leaks, the panel has a Full HD+ resolution. It’s a common LCD with a 90 Hz refresh rate.
Under the hood, the phone will carry the MediaTek Dimensity 680 processor. This chipset is only of the few 4G-only chips that Qualcomm still offers. It’s fabbed on a 6 nm process. The renders reveal that the device will offer a triple-rear camera setup. Moreover, the leaks suggest a primary camera with a 50 MP resolution. This has been a common standard for budget devices recently, most of them are coming with the 50 MP camera. There might be other sensors, but the function and resolution are yet to be revealed.
As per the FCC certification of the handset, it comes with a 4,880 mAh battery capacity. We assume that this battery will have a typical capacity of 5,000 mAh. An intriguing detail of the handset is that it will still run Realme UI 2.0 based on Android 11. Apparently, Realme’s is still not ready to ship smartphones with Realme UI 3.0 natively. That may be a dealbreaker for some users that just want to get the latest software experience. The device will probably need some months to get the Android 12 update. Moving on, the handset will pack dual-band Wi-Fi and has 162.5 mm x 74 mm dimensions as per the FCC certification.