Realme has just dropped the Realme 10s! It is the newest member of the Realme 10 lineup. And it has some serious value to put on the table. Basically, when Realme announced the 10 series, it only had four members. They were the Realme 10 5G, Realme 10 Pro, Realme 10 Pro+, and Realme 10 4G.
So, none of us were expecting to see a fifth member in the lineup. However, from the official unveiling, it seems like the Realme 10s is not exactly a brand-new phone. Instead, it is a better version of the Realme 9i 5G. So, does that make the 10s less worthy? Let’s find out!
Realme 10s Specifications
The fifth member of the Realme 10 series comes with 8GB of RAM, offers up to 256GB of storage, and can fast charge at 33W. Feel like the 256GB storage will not be enough for you? Don’t worry; the 10s comes with a dedicated MicroSD card slot. Now, that is something we rarely see in a smartphone these days.
Nonetheless, with the MicroSD card slot, you can expand the storage to up to 1TB. And that is a lot of storage for a budget phone.
In terms of the processor, Realme went with the Dimensity 810 chip. Seeing the TENNA listing, we speculated that the chip would be one of the Dimensity 700 series CPUs. But Realme did go with an upgrade. And the Dimensity 810 inside the Realme 10s will indeed offer similar performance as the other mid-range devices.
When it comes to the camera department, the 10s comes with a 50MP primary camera, accompanied by a 0.3 MP depth camera. On the front, you will find an 8MP selfie shooter, which is pretty acceptable for a budget device.
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What about the battery? Well, the 10s packs a 5000 mAH battery. And as mentioned earlier, it can charge at 33W. Finally, the 10s features a side-mounted fingerprint reader and has 5G connectivity.
A Revamped Realme 9i 5G?
From all the core specs, it’s quite clear that the Realme 10s is just a revamped version of the 9i 5G. The 9i 5G also came with a Dimensity 810, but it maxed out at 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Like the 10s, the 9i 5G also featured a MicroSD slot.
Furthermore, the 10s seems to be using the same 6.6-inch FHD+ 90Hz LCD that is found in the 9i 5G. The cutout for the front camera is in the same position too.
So, what makes the 10s different? Well, the camera module is a little different. Yes, the 10s has the same 50MP primary camera as the 9i 5G. But it does not have macro and portrait units of the 9i 5G. Instead, it comes with a depth camera.
Then, there is the Hi-Res Audio support. This is something that you will not find in the 9i 5G. And the Hi-Res Audio support will surely make the 10s much more appealing to audiophiles.
Basically, there is not much difference between the Realme 9i 5G and the 10s. However, the upgrades that the brand chose for the 10s are indeed appreciable. It will undoubtedly appeal more to people who are looking to get a budget-friendly 5G phone.
Realme 10s Price and Availability
The Realme 10s is currently available for pre-order in China. Its sales will start on December 20. You can choose one of two colors, blue or black. But, in my opinion, the blue color looks more eye-catching than the black version. Nonetheless, the 128GB model is priced at CNY1,099 ($155), while the 256GB version costs CNY1,299 ($185).
