Here’s a first look at the Realme 2 that aims to keep prices real when it launches in Malaysia
As one of the newest spin-off brands from OPPO, Realme is looking to make their mark in the smartphone market with the increasingly popular strategy of launching good looking phones at very reasonable prices, as their recent launch in Jakarta would attest to where they showcased the Realme 2 and Realme 2 Pro.
Both phones are set to launch in Malaysia at an undetermined date in the near future but we managed to get our hands on a retail sample of the Realme 2.
Externally, the packaging itself is a sturdy affair done up in a dual-toned white and red finish. Within it is a basic assortment of kit to get you started – a soft TPU cover to protect the phone, a two-pin USB charger that still retains OPPO markings and a USB cable. The assortment available is fair, if unremarkable.
At this point in time, Realme hasn’t indicated if retail units destined for the Malaysia market will have the local three-pin UK style charger. If that isn’t the case when it hits retail in Malaysia, best be prepared with an adaptor.
Out of the box, the Realme 2 is covered by a protective plastic sheath. Peeling it off reveals a surprisingly well made phone with a sturdy heft and posh look about it.
In terms of specifications, the Realme 2 has a 6.2-inch IPS LCD touchscreen up front with a deep notch that contributes towards a large 19:9 aspect ratio and is paved over by 2.5D glass.
Despite being 1,520 x 720 pixels resolution, the Realme 2 at first blush displayed good colour rendition and fair sharpness after a cursory run through of a few websites and a few YouTube videos. Perched up top within the notch is an 8-MP selfie camera.
The backplate comes in one of three different colours – Diamond Black, Diamond Red, Diamond Blue with our test unit coming in Diamond Black. There’s no indication which or if all the existing colour variants will be coming to Malaysia at this point in time.
In the case of our test unit, it bore a mirrored finish complemented by a series of triangular wedges in a slightly lighter reflective finish to break up the expanse of black. Like many other contemporary designs, the Realme 2 also has a horizontally arrayed dual camera array that consists of a 13-MP f/2.2 camera paired up with a 2-MP depth sensor and an LED flash and a lozenge shaped fingerprint reader. The finish looks surprisingly good though it is a fingerprint magnet.
The sides come with a non reflective matte black finish with the right side sporting a power button and the left a volume rocker and a hybrid SIM card slot that lets you either slot in two SIM cards or one SIM and one microSD card slot as circumstances warrant. The base has a 3.5mm audio jack and a micro USB port while the top is otherwise bare.
In the case of our test unit, it came with an entry-level Snapdragon 450 1.8GHz octacore running Android Oreo 8.1 paired with 3GB RAM and 32GB of storage along with a 4,230mAh battery to keep it powered. A slightly better specced variant with 4GB RAM and 64GB of storage exists though there’s no word if it will be sold in Malaysia as yet.
On initial assessment, the Realme 2 looks like a well built phone. The inclusion of a posh looking mirrored glass backplate, 2.5D glass on the front and the usual characteristic rounded corners lend it an appearance that looks more premium than what its intended price tag would indicate.
While no official price for Malaysia has been announced as yet, it was launched in India at ₹8,990 which is about RM503 give or take some pocket change. If you’re on a really tight budget and are looking for a phone intended for casual use, this looks promising indeed when it launches in Malaysia. More details when we put it through its paces!
