Design and Build

The 9i sports a generic polycarbonate body with a plastic frame weighing 190g. Though not the slimmest at 8.4mm, it feels sturdy enough in the hand.

Available in Black and Blue colors, it doesn’t stand out but gets the job done. Button placement is also comfortable with the side-mounted fingerprint reader doubling as a power key.

Display

Upfront lies a 6.6-inch IPS LCD screen with FHD+ resolution and a smooth 90Hz refresh rate. Colours appear reasonably vibrant while sunlight legibility is average at 480 nits brightness.

The tall 20:9 aspect ratio is great for videos. Dragontrail glass offers basic protection from scratches too. Though not the best, overall viewing experience is pleasant given the price tag.

Hardware and Performance

Powering the budget 9i is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 680 chip paired with up to 6GB RAM. In regular use, apps load quickly enough while multitasking is handled smoothly.

Gaming is decent too with optimized titles running smoothly. The Adreno 610 GPU struggles on demanding 3D games though. Realme UI 4 provides a clean interface on top of Android 11.

Cameras

The triple camera setup includes a 50MP main, 2MP macro and depth units. Photos take average shots in good lighting but noise creeps in as light decreases.

Selfies from the 16MP shooter are average for social media. Videos max out at 1080p30 which is sufficient for casual recording. Low light performance could certainly be improved.

Battery Life

The sizable 5000mAh cell paired with the efficient Snapdragon 680 delivers a day of moderate usage comfortably on a single charge.

Realme’s 33W SuperDart charging top-ups the cell swiftly from empty to 70% in around 30 minutes as claimed. Standby time is also very good lasting over two days with nominal usage.

Pricing and Availability

Priced around $180/£220, the Realme 9i undercuts most competitors while offering similar specs and features. You get dependable performance for basic usage and multitasking.

Build quality could be better but overall software updates are quick for the price. The 90Hz display and 33W charging are also valued additions in this budget class. Recommended for daily use on a tight budget.

Conclusion

For its affordable cost, the Realme 9i punches well above its weight in terms of specs and run time. Users seeking dependable basics covered at a budget will find it to be a compelling option.

It may not top any category but provides a well-rounded everyday experience for its price which remains competitive. Realme continues delivering value for money with its number series lineups.