Realme started 2022 by launching a duo of mid-range phones, the Realme 9 Pro and the Realme 9 Pro Plus. But this review will focus on the Realme 9 Pro Plus which relies on a camera with the latest Sony IMX766 sensor.
Realme 9 Pro Plus is the latest variant in the 'number series' and is the first model to carry the '+' frill behind it. Of course, with the addition of Plus in the name, this phone brings many improvements in terms of specifications and features.
Provoking a flagship-class camera in a middle-class phone, what is the performance of the Realme 9 Pro Plus when used for daily activities? Check out the full review below.
Design
One aspect that immediately catches the eye of the Realme 9 Pro Plus is its design. When compared to the Realme 8 Pro, the design of this phone looks more mature and luxurious.
There is no longer the word 'Dare to Leap' across the back panel. The rear camera housing is also the same color as all the back panels.
Realme 9 Pro Plus comes in two color options, namely Sunrise Blue, Aurora Green, and Midnight Black. The unit that came to us was Sunrise Blue with blue and orange/yellow color gradations and sparkles of glitter that made it stand out even more.
But the charm of the Realme 9 Pro Plus does not end there. Thanks to the Light Shift Design which adopts the photochromic concept, the Realme 9 Pro Plus can change its color to purplish red when exposed to direct sunlight. The process only takes about 3 seconds, but if the weather is a bit cloudy it's usually difficult for the phone to change color.
In addition to the rear panel that can change color, the overall design of the Realme 9 Pro Plus is fairly conventional. Starting from the back, there is a camera module filled with three rear cameras. This module is quite thick so that the Realme 9 Pro Plus cannot lie flat when placed on a table.
The back panel which is made of glass has a glossy finish which makes this phone prone to fingerprints. The back panel is also slightly curved on the left and right, making the phone comfortable to hold.
The Realme 9 Pro Plus has a flat plastic frame that surrounds all four sides. This frame comes in a blue color that matches the color of the back panel and has a matte finish.
On the front there is a screen with a punch hole on the top left and coated with Gorilla Glass 5. The bezels that surround this screen on the top, left, and right are quite thin, but the chin looks like it can be reduced again.
Furthermore, the bottom of the Realme 9 Pro Plus is inhabited by a 3.5 mm headphone jack, USB-C port, and speakers. The volume buttons and the SIM card slot are placed on the left side. Unfortunately, Realme 9 Pro Plus does not provide a slot for microSD expansion. The right side of the phone is filled only by the Power button.
Screen and Interface
Realme 9 Pro Plus is equipped with a Super AMOLED screen with a 6.4-inch stretch. The resolution is Full HD + with a screen-to-body ratio of 90.8%.
The screen refresh rate is 90Hz, a bit less than other competitors in its class that already use a 120Hz refresh rate. But the touch sampling rate is 360Hz, so the screen is more responsive when used for playing games.
To support the multimedia experience, Realme embeds the O1 Ultra Vision Engine feature. This feature can improve video quality from SDR to HDR in certain applications, such as Instagram and TikTok.
Realme 9 Pro Plus also supports Widevine L1 which allows users to watch Netflix in HD quality. Overall, the Realme 9 Pro Plus has a screen with a high brightness level and is comfortable to view in any situation, including outdoors and low light conditions.
Realme has also embedded speakers at the top and bottom to support a more optimal gaming and viewing experience. Do not miss the Dolby Atmos support which can be felt when connecting headphones to the cellphone.
For added security, the Realme 9 Pro Plus has a pretty responsive under-screen fingerprint sensor. Uniquely, this fingerprint sensor can be used to measure heart rate which can be accessed through the Realme Labs feature. The measurement results are not much different from measurements using a smartwatch.
Turning to the software and interface, Realme 9 Pro Plus runs Android 12 wrapped in Realme UI 3.0. The main features of Android 12 such as indicators and privacy dashboard are also brought to this phone, but what stands out the most is the more diverse personalization options.
This is likely to be influenced by Android 12 which does prioritize personalization features. For example, the Wallpaper Color Picking feature allows users to choose the theme color automatically according to the installed wallpaper.
When compared to similar features on the Google Pixel, the color picker feature offered by Realme UI 3.0 is much richer and more intuitive. In terms of software and personalization, Realme UI 3.0 gets an A+ score.
Performance and Battery
Realme 9 Pro Plus carries the MediaTek Dimensity 920 chipset. This 6nm chip already has an integrated 5G modem.
This chipset is combined with a choice of 6GB/8GB RAM and 128GB/256GB internal memory. The variant we tested ourselves carried the 8GB/128GB configuration. Realme 9 Pro Plus does not have a microSD slot, but this phone is supported by the RAM expansion feature which can increase RAM capacity up to 5GB.
With specifications like these, the Realme 9 Pro Plus offers excellent performance for a mid-range phone. The process of multitasking and switching applications can be done smoothly without lag.
PUBG Mobile games can also be played with right-aligned graphic quality without any problems. When playing Genshin Impact, you can also use Medium graphic quality with a frame rate of 60 fps, although the frame rate sometimes drops.
When tested using a benchmark application, here are the scores recorded by the Realme 9 Pro Plus:
Realme 9 Pro Plus is equipped with a 4,500 mAh battery. The battery capacity is still the same as the Realme 8 Pro, but the fast charging is increased to SuperDart 65W.
This battery life is sufficient to support daily activities. With this capacity, the Realme 9 Pro Plus battery can last more than a day and a half, even after playing games for almost an hour.
The 65W SuperDart charger included in the box can also charge the battery in a flash. From 5% to full, it takes less than an hour.
Camera
The most awaited, Realme 9 Pro Plus camera review. When compared to the Realme 8 Pro, the camera on the Realme 9 Pro Plus brings many improvements.
If you only look at the numbers, the 50 MP main camera on the Realme 9 Pro Plus looks lower when compared to the 108 MP camera on the Realme 8 Pro. But the main camera on the Realme 9 Pro Plus uses the Sony IMX766 sensor which is widely used in flagship phone cameras.
The size of this sensor is quite large, namely 1/1.56 inch, allowing more light to enter. Combined with OIS and AI Noise Reduction Engine 3.0 technology, photos taken in low light conditions are slicker and less noise.
The 50 MP main camera was paired with an 8 MP ultra-wide camera and a 2 MP macro camera. On the front there is a 16 MP selfie camera that can take group selfies thanks to the 78-degree field of view.
Realme has also embedded several smart features that can help users take creative photos easily. For example, AI Scene Enhancement which can beautify photos without editing, and Street Photography which has four unique long exposure photo modes.
Overall, the camera performance of the Realme 9 Pro Plus really exceeds expectations for a mid-range phone. Thanks to the Sony IMX766 sensor, taking photos in any conditions is not a problem. Realme provides a night mode on this phone, but even if it's not activated, low-light photos still look great.
Our opinion
Need a phone with a camera that is equivalent to flagship quality? Realme 9 Pro Plus could be the answer.
Thanks to sophisticated sensors and an increasingly intelligent algorithmic brain, the Realme 9 Pro Plus can be relied on to take photos in any conditions. Its creative photography features also support the lifestyle of today's consumers who often upload content on social media.
Not only high-end cameras, this phone also comes with a complete package such as a unique design, bright Super AMOLED screen, long battery life, fast performance, and don't forget to carry the latest version of Android and Realme UI.