The Realme Narzo 70 Pro was released last week and it is a 5G mid-ranger that tries to be good at everything. The display is flat (unlike the 60 Pro), it’s a 6.67” FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED panel. The phone is powered by the same Dimensity 7050 as before with 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage (256GB is available for ₹2,000 more).
Instead of a 100MP camera, the new model has a 50MP main (1/1.56”, OIS) and adds an 8MP ultra wide. Unfortunately, this change comes at the cost of 4K video recording. On the plus side, the 70 Pro gains a 3.5mm headphone jack and an IP54 rating. The 5,000mAh battery with 67W charging is unchanged.
The Samsung Galaxy F15 arrived earlier this month with a 6.6” FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED display. This one is on the entry level side of things with a Dimensity 6100+ with 4GB of RAM (you can get 2 extra gigs for ₹1,500). On the back is a 50MP main camera with a 5MP ultra wide companion. The phone has a huge 6,000mAh battery with 25W charging, as well as a microSD slot and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Note that this one has 5G connectivity.
The Poco C61 was announced this week and is another entry level offering. It’s cheaper and limited to 4G only (Helio G36), plus the 6.71” IPS LCD has only HD+ resolution (it does run at 90Hz, for what that is worth). The rear camera is a basic 8MP snapper and there is a 5,000mAh battery with basic 10W charging. The microSD slot and 3.5mm jack are nice, though.
But have a look at the older Poco C55. Its 90Hz IPS LCD has FHD+ resolution instead and inside is the beefier Helio G88. It’s no speed demon, but it’s better than the G36. And the rear camera has 64MP resolution, plus the 5,000mAh battery charges faster at 33W. Guess which of the two models is cheaper?
Speaking of cheap, the Lava O2 is done with its pre-order and you can pick it up for around the same price as the C61. It’s fairly similar with a 6.5” 90Hz IPS LCD – HD+, of course – and a Unisoc T616 chipset. The 5,000mAh battery has a slight edge at 18W charging.
OnePlus picked an interesting date to unveil the Nord CE4 – Monday, April 1. The Amazon landing page promises a Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, plus 100W SuperVOOC charging and an FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED display. More details to follow.
The Tecno Pova 6 Pro will go on sale on April 4 and as an early bird bonus, you will get a Tecno S2 Bluetooth speaker (which is valued at ₹5,000). The phone itself has a roomy 6.78” 120Hz AMOLED display (FHD+) and a Dimensity 6080 chipset. The 108MP camera is lonely on the back, but the 32MP selfie cam has a dual-LED flash to keep it company. The phone has a large 6,000mAh battery that supports fast 70W charging. The storage is expandable and the stereo speakers are paired with a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The Honor Pad 9 is also done with its pre-order and is now available on Amazon. The 12.1” IPS LCD runs at 120Hz and offers 120Hz colors. The Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 is not the fastest, but it is efficient. The slate packs 8 speakers in its 7mm thick aluminum body as well as an 8,300mAh battery with 35W charging.
If that is too pricey, have a look at the old Honor Pad 8. It also has a 12” IPS LCD with 10-bit colors, though it is limited to 60Hz. And the Snapdragon 680 is quite old at this point, plus the battery is smaller and slower (7,250mAH and 22.5W charging). You still get 8 speakers, though, so it’s a fine streaming machine.
We wrap things up with a couple of “coming soon” devices from Samsung – the Galaxy M55 and M15. The M55 “impresses” with 45W charging for its 5,000mAh battery – that’s the first non-flagship Samsung to go that high. The 6.7” 120Hz FHD+ OLED display promises Always On functionality. The 50MP camera on the rear has a large sensor (1/1.56”) and OIS, plus it is joined by an 8MP ultra wide. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 wouldn’t have been our first pick, but at least you get expandable storage and stereo speakers.
As for the Galaxy M15, it is nearly identical to the F15 we saw above. The only notable difference is the display and even that is not all that notable – it’s a 6.5” panel instead of 6.6” (both FHD+ 90Hz OLEDs).
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Haslinda has worked with some of the largest telcos in North America and Asia. She loves tech and doesn’t like iPhone
