Battle of the 5G smartphones: iQOO 3 5G vs Realme X50 Pro

India is nowhere close to getting 5G connectivity but that is not hindering smartphone companies from racing towards trying to become the first to launch 5G devices in the country. Realme launched their Realme X50 Pro just yesterday, followed by iQOO launching the iQOO 3 5G today. In all this, Xiaomi 'showcased' its 5G-ready Mi Mix Alpha in select stores in the country.

However, if we consider 5G devices that have actually launched already - we have the X50 Pro and the iQOO 3 only. Both the devices support 5G, but iQOO has also launched 4G variants of the smartphone.

Understandably, when the concept of 5G phones was in a nascent stage, the fact that they would be 'expensive' was accepted. To support 5G these smartphones would need the latest SoC and a bigger battery to start with.

Adding to this price factor was Qualcomm's December launches - the top-end Snapdragon 865 did not come with a 5G modem, the Snapdragon 765G did. This meant that while all 2020 flagship devices would sport the Snapdragon 865, companies would have to pay more to get the 5G modem added on.

With that explainer behind us - let's get down to business.

The price war

The Realme X50 Pro has been launched in three variants with prices starting from ₹37,999 for the base variant (6GB/128GB). The 8GB/128GB will set you back by ₹39,999 and the 12GB/256GB variant costs ₹44,999.

On the other hand, the iQOO 3 5G is priced at ₹44,990 for the single 12GB/256GB version. The 4GB version of the iQOO 3 is priced at ₹36,990 for the 8GB/128GB and ₹39,990 for the 12GB/256GB.

Realme is bringing you a 5G phone for ₹37,999, while iQOO has kept its prices high for the 5G device it is offering ( ₹44,990). However, if you are going to compare RAM and storage, the top-end Realme X50 Pro and the iQOO 3 5G are at par.

Size matters

The iQOO 3 comes with a 6.44-inch AMOLED screen, as does the Realme X50 Pro. A major difference here is the fact that the Realme device sports 90Hz refresh rate panel with dual punch-hole on the top corner while iQOO 3 has only one camera house in the punch-hole display with 60Hz refresh rate.

The X50 Pro has a screen-to-body ration of 92% versus the 91.40% on the iQOO. Frankly, if you ask us, you would barely even notice.

What's under the hood?

Both the iQOO 3 and the Realme X50 Pro come with the Snapdragon 865 under the hood.

The iQOO comes in two 4G variants (8GB/128GB and 12GB/256GB) and one 5G variant (12GB/256GB). The Realme X50 Pro comes in three 5G variants (6GB/128GB, 8GB/128GB and 12GB/256GB).

The Realme smartphone comes with a 4,200mAh battery and a 65W SuperDart flash charge support. The iQOO 3 comes with a 4,400mAh battery with a 55W iQOO Flashcharge support.

Camera chops

The Realme X50 Pro comes with four cameras on the back and two in front. On the front there is a 32MP main shooter and a 8MP 105°super wide-angle camera for your selfies. On the back there is a 64MP lens, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, a 12MP telephoto lens wirth 20x Hybrid Zoom and a 2MP depth sensor.

The iQOO 3 comes with four cameras on the back and one on the front. On the back there is a 48MP (Sony IMX582, f/1.79), a 13MP telephoto (f/2.46), a 13MP wide angle (f/2.2) and a 2MP Bokeh (f/2.4)/. On the front there is a 16MP shooter housed in a punch-hole display.

Colour options (…why not)

The Realme X50 Pro comes in two colours - Moss Green and Rust Red. The iQOO 3 comes in three colours Volcano Orange, Quantum Silver and Tornado Black.

Additional perks

The iQOO 3 comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack. There are also these Monster Touch Buttons and 4D Game Vibration on the smartphone for enhanced gaming experience.

Also Read: IQOO 3 first impressions: A make-or-break situation