Realme has expanded its already extensive offering with a new lineup. The portfolio, known as the P-series, is supposed to be India-focused and emphasize “superior performance and exceptional user experience.” The top smartphone in the collection, the Realme P1 Pro, was available for us to test out. On paper, at least, the smartphone priced under Rs 25,000 has respectable specs. After using the Realme P1 Pro in the real world, this is our evaluation of it. Examine it.
Verdict
The Realme P1 Pro is nevertheless a smartphone to take into consideration even though its features and performance in the real world may not be very noteworthy. When paired with its dual speakers and dependable battery support, the handset’s satisfactory performance and viewing experience might make it an appealing choice.
Design and display
The Realme P1 Pro shares a similar design with the company’s earlier-released 12 Pro series. Nevertheless, the phone comes with a matte-finish plastic back in place of the vegan leather back. For review, we were sent the Phoenix Red color version, which has a brownish tone and a soft texture that deters smudges and fingerprints.
On the rear panel is a sizable spherical camera module. The module protrudes slightly from the frame and is made up of 475 shimmering, fan-shaped parts that, when illuminated at an angle, reflect a cool pattern. But even though the module appears to have four rings, the phone only has two cameras. Now let’s talk about the P1 Pro‘s IP65 rating for dust and water protection. The handset also has curved edges, which contribute to its comfort in use. The USB Type-C port for data transfer and charging is located on the bottom edge, while the volume rocker and power button are located on the right spine.
In addition, the phone has two high-res certified speakers and a 6.7-inch FHD+ OLED display for immersive viewing—at least inside. When it comes to outdoor screen legibility, the phone’s maximum brightness of 950 nits does leave one wanting more. Positively, the display’s 120Hz refresh rate supports a wide range of user interfaces and compatible applications. Moreover, Widevine L1 certification guarantees FHD resolution streaming from streaming services.
The Realme P1 Pro has an in-display fingerprint scanner for further security. While it may not be quick, it reliably unlocks the smartphone every time.
Cameras
The Realme P1 Pro’s optics consist of an 8MP portrait lens and a 50MP Sony LYT-600 OIS main camera. With a larger field of view (FoV) than the primary camera, the latter also functions as an ultra-wide camera. The portrait lens performs well on both human and non-human subjects; on the other hand, non-human subjects’ edge detection is less precise than that of human subjects. Minor warping is also seen on the edges. The bokeh effect appears quite pleasing, although being a little odd.
The photos from the Realme P1 Pro camera appear to have less dynamic range than those from the Nothing Phone (2a) camera. The camera results that are included show the handset crushing details in dark places. The Realme P1 Pro has a 16MP punch-hole camera for selfies and video calls. The photographer produces likable photos with respectable facial details, however the skin tones might use some work.
Both software and performance
In terms of performance, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC at the heart of the Realme P1 Pro is impressive. 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM and up to 256GB of user-expandable UFS 3.1 storage come with the SoC. First, for simulated performance, the device received scores of 929 on Geekbench’s single-core test and 5,92,957 on AnTuTu. It received a multi-core test score of 2,680. The scores are comparable to some of its rivals, even though they might not be segment leaders.
In terms of software, the P1 Pro comes pre-installed with Realme UI 5.0 on top of Android 14. The experience is still arguably the same as it has been with all of the Realme smartphones that have been released in India this year. Some third-party apps are installed, but most of them—like Facebook and LinkedIn—are helpful. It is possible to remove them if you choose not to utilize them. For the smartphone, the business is promising two years of software and three years of security upgrades; this is less than what the Nothing Phone (2a) in the same segment gives.
Battery and charging
The Realme P1 Pro has a 5,000mAh battery that can be charged at 45W quickly. The gadget can be fully charged from 20% to 100% in less than an hour using the charger that comes in the box. Depending on how much you use it, the phone should last up to a day once completely charged. The phone lasted 12 hours and 24 minutes on the PCMark battery test. The phone performs better on YouTube than it does when compared to some of its competitors, despite the lower score.
Final verdict
The base 128GB storage version of the Realme P1 Pro costs Rs 21,999, while the top-tier 256GB storage option costs Rs 22,999. Realme 12+, Redmi Note 13 Pro, and Nothing Phone (2a) are some alternatives in this price range. The performance and distinctive design of the Nothing Phone (2a) (review) set it apart from the others. Compared to the P1 Pro, the Redmi Note 13 Pro (review) and Realme 12+ (review) provide more flexible camera settings. Furthermore, Realme’s 12+ offers excellent 67W rapid charging.
In the meantime, people looking for a mid-range smartphone with a balanced feature set may consider the Realme P1 Pro. Power users might not be impressed by its performance, but it works well for most daily jobs and casual gaming.
