Realme Malaysia lately has often focused on mid-range and basic class devices. Through the realme 11 Pro+ they try to bring the capabilities of the 200MP flagship camera in a more affordable package. Not only that, the back panel design was also produced by former GUCCI designers to give a more luxurious appearance.
Realme 11 Pro+ is also the first device in Malaysia with the Dimensity 7050 chip. The question is, with a price tag below RM2000, is this device worth owning?
SPECIFICATIONS
Realme 11 Pro+
Screen 6.7″ AMOLED, FHD+, 120Hz
Processor Dimensity 7050 (6nm)
2x 2.6 GHz Cortex-A78 chips
6x 2.0 GHz Cortex-A55
Mali-G68 MC4 Graphics Chip
12GB RAM + 12GB Virtual
512GB Internal Storage
Main Camera 200MP f/1.69 OIS (Wide Angle)
8MP f/2.2 (Ultra Wide Angle)
2MP f/2.4 (Macro)
Street Photography Mode, One Take,
Super NightScape
Selfie Camera 32 Megapixel f/2.45
5000 mAh battery
100W wired charging
SIM/Telephony Dual SIM nano / 5G
NFC Yes
No Audio Jack
Waterproof None
Scan System Under-screen fingerprint scanner
Selling Price RM 1999 (12/512 GB)
RM 1499 (8/256 GB)
SCREEN
A 6.7″ AMOLED screen with FHD+ resolution and 120Hz support is used on this device. The large size, thin and almost even bezels are quite attractive when watching videos on any streaming platform. The screen brightness can reach 950 nits which is good enough for indoor/office as well as outdoor use.
Because realme doesn't use an AMOLED LTPO panel, the 120Hz refresh rate works adaptively with the software. It's a bit disappointing that the device's screen doesn't feel fast enough and suffers from lag issues unlike competing devices in the same class. This may be due to software optimizations that are not mature enough for the new chip.
The device's screen is also protected with double-strengthened glass. It's a little strange why rival devices can use branded glass like Corning, but realme only uses the normal type. This makes me less confident about using this device without a screen protector.
FINGERPRINT SCANNER
Like most other Chinese-made devices, the realme 11 Pro+ also uses an under-screen fingerprint scanner that is positioned far down. With relatively large hand sizes, my fingers get tired easily, forcing me to use the not-so-secure face scan as a security option to unlock the screen.
DESIGN
The 11 Pro+ to me is the most beautiful realme mid-range device I've seen. Although the body shape of the device looks the same as the previous model, it can still look like a luxurious device. This is because it was designed by a former GUCCI designer with faux leather on the back panel that has a 3D woven texture as well as GUCCI's iconic striped stitching effect.
The physical volume and power buttons are on the right side. On top of the device there is a microphone hole, and a speaker grill. Below is the SIM card slot, another microphone hole, speaker grill and USB-C charging port.
A round camera bump is designed and is in the center of the top. The arrangement of each camera lens is neat and the gold coil finish around it makes the color of this device, which is Sunrise Beige, look beautiful and pleasing to the eye. In the hands of the realme 11 Pro+ feels premium like a flagship device that doubles the selling price. The device is also always comfortable in the hand and easy to operate.
Realme claims that the back panel of this device is artificial leather with an anti-dirty coating. After almost a month of using this device without any protective case I still don't see any dirt marks like the iPhone leather case.
USAGE AND SOFTWARE – REALME UI 4.0
Since realme UI 4.0 was introduced with a build based on Android 13, the overall design of this operating system looks similar to ColorOS 13 and Oxygen OS 13. So as a writer who has used many Oppo and OnePlus devices, this realme 11 Pro+ does not feel foreign and very easy to use. Realme UI 4.0 looks neat and simple like stock Android. realme also offers many interesting features and functions that are not available in competing devices.
This device comes with a real memory of 12GB of RAM and can add up to 12GB of virtual memory making the total amount of RAM 24GB. You might think it's a gimmick, but trust me who locks apps a lot in the background this feature helps keep the device running smoother.
YouTube – picture-in-picture mode where the shadow stays for a few minutes.
As the picture above I still use 12+4 GB of RAM, the system often crashes and many applications cannot run in the background. The time lag problem also occurs until the device starts to heat up. The most serious issue is when the system slows down and it's hard for me to exit an app back to the home screen.
Performance issues on this device mostly occur in the launcher. I feel this is because the Dimensity 7050 chip is still new and the realme software has not been optimized enough to work well. I hope with 2 Android version updates and 3 years of security, realme can solve the issue I'm having.
BENCHMARK – Dimensity 7050
There are many devices on the market now with chips equivalent to Dimensity 7050. Among them are Poco X5 Pro with Snapdragon 778G chip, iQOO Z7 with Snapdragon 782G or even Redmi Note 12 Pro+ with Dimensity 1080 which is the most similar.
Surprisingly only the realme 11 Pro+ feels slow and delayed. This again proves my theory that the Dimensity 7050 chip is still new and the software is still immature when paired with this chip.
The benchmark scores however did not disappoint. It can register what I expect for its class. This is a bit odd as benchmark tests can display scores roughly the same as competing devices but the usage experience is not up to par.
Geekbench 6
realme 11 Pro+ – 946/2382
Redmi Note 12 Pro+ – 960/2288
iQOO Z7 – 1125/3001
Poco X5 Pro – 781/2892
Antutu 3D
realme 11 Pro+ – 562446
Redmi Note 12 Pro+ – 463849
iQOO Z7 – 588831
Poco X5 Pro – 529942
Wild Life Extreme
realme 11 Pro+ –
Redmi Note 12 Pro+ – cannot be tested
iQOO Z7 – 808
Poco X5 Pro – cannot be tested
The first play experience is also quite disappointing. I just played Marvel SNAP and Asphalt 9 the device started heating up and experienced lag for a few minutes after finishing playing. When playing first with higher graphics, at first it seems smooth but only for a few minutes later the device doesn't feel fun to use.
Is the former MediaTek problem returning? This is an issue that should not exist since the Dimensity 7050 is simply a Dimensity 1080 using a different production technique.
TELEPHONY And GPS
The use of mobile data does not bring problems. The 4G network is always stable and fast as is the WiFi connection. For the 5G of this device there is no problem with a Yes 5G SIM card in the Kuala Lumpur area. Phone calls are also clear, loud and of good quality. For the GPS of this device it took a while to lock the location which was beyond my expectations. The specifications of this realme 11 Pro+ device I expect to have a good and fast GPS.
CAMERA
Realme 11 Pro+ is realme's first device with a 200MP camera. Realme also claims that their new device is the first in the world with a 200MP camera that supports up to 4x zoom. Other sensors are 8MP for ultra-wide angle and 2MP for macro. The camera application on this device also offers a Street Photography mode with smart zoom, a One Take feature that takes many photos at once and gives the best results and Super Nightscape for a brighter night mode.
Realme's claims for the camera of their mid-range device are pretty terrible. I have a hard time believing promotional statements because they are rarely 100% true. So I thoroughly tested the camera of this device and here is what I got.
Auto mode in office that preserves details well and good focus.
200MP mode in daytime which has good HDR but details are not well preserved.
Auto mode with good stabilisation, ATV ride shaky picture has good focus. One Take mode is also useful in this situation.
The sample above so far looks interesting except for the 200MP mode which is a little disappointing. But with pixel binning technology, the image can be compressed to 50MP or 12MP depending on the situation.
For human photos, selfies are a bit disappointing because they are too bright and don't have good focus. Details are only preserved on the face closest to the camera. The rear camera's portrait mode however looks satisfactory. Vibrant colors, preserved details and neat bokeh effects.
Animal portraits are also quality for a device camera in this class.
I was most disappointed with the zoom capabilities. The Realme 11 Pro+ is supposedly the first in the industry with a 200MP camera supporting 4x zoom. But the result of the digital zoom of this device cannot be used even in daylight with a lot of light. The focus is not good, the colors are washed out and the result of the picture is blurry because there is no detail.
But the device's 200MP camera comes in handy with its Street Photography mode that has smart zoom. Somehow the zoom in this mode is better than the auto mode zoom. This feature allows the user to touch the subject and it will zoom automatically by focusing directly on the subject. Zoom will occur randomly at either 2x or 4x. The sample below is with the Lonely Planet watermark which is a well-known brand as a travel guide.
Last but not least is the night mode. When compared to the Honor 90 with a 200MP camera as well, realme seems to be lagging behind. But realme UI is trying hard to provide the best post-processing. For a device under RM2000, the result of tonight's mod is acceptable and I am not ashamed to share it on social media.
For video recording, the realme 11 Pro+ is what I expected for a device in this class. Until today, Android devices priced below RM3000 are still not satisfactory if shared on social media. Even video recording does not have interesting colors compared to photography. It is clear here that realme only focuses on photography and video is only a secondary feature.
BATTERY
The device supports super fast 100W fast charging. It's similar to last year's OnePlus 10T giving the realme 11 Pro+ a mid-range device with the same features as a basic flagship device. The device's 5000mAh battery can be charged from 0% to 100% in less than 30 minutes. It's good at charging but disappointing at battery life.
The 11 Pro+ only lasts around 6 hours SOT for light use and 5 hours SOT for heavy use. This is for use within one day. When the device is less used it can last up to two days with around 2 hours of SOT.
AUDIO
Like most realme devices in their number series, the realme 11 Pro+ supports stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos. Although not the best but still balanced and interesting to listen to music, watch videos and play games. The audio is also balanced and comfortable to listen to. If the speaker of this device is louder, it will definitely be more exciting. The Dolby Atmos profiles in this device don't seem to help so I just stick with the auto profile.
IN THE BOX
Here is what is received in the box with purchase.
1x realme 11 Pro+
USB-A to USB-C cable
SuperVOOC 100W charger
SIM pin
Silicone protective frame
Handbook/safety
CONCLUSION
The Realme 11 Pro+ is an affordable mid-range device masquerading as a premium class. The back panel with a tasteful GUCCI designer touch in the hand, looks premium with the iconic striped stitching effect of GUCCI products, woven texture that makes this class device look luxurious compared to competitors. The thin and curved body design also makes the device easy to handle.
It's just that the performance of this device is disappointing even though it already has 24GB of RAM memory (12GB real + 12GB virtual). The device also heats up easily and there is a delay in light use. The camera is not consistent like Xiaomi devices in the same class, namely the AI that is not consistent enough to identify the best colors, atmosphere and settings for photography.
Even so, the starting price of RM1499 is quite worth it for the specifications of this device. Maybe in the future realme UI will be updated to provide better performance and more consistent camera quality. This price is also "cheap" for GUCCI products.
Pro
Beautiful design, premium and looks luxurious.
Realme UI with interesting features.
200MP camera with Street Photography mode that has smart zoom.
Fast charging, less than 30 minutes can be full.
Affordable.
Cons
Inconsistent performance and frequent delays.
The camera is not good enough quality with details that are not preserved.
Disappointing 5000mAh battery life.