Xiaomi Redmi Note 7S vs Realme 3 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy M30: Top budget phones compared

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7S will go on sale in India on May 23. Here’s how the phone fares against the competition.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7S vs the competition (HT Photo)

Xiaomi is bringing 48-megapixel camera to mid-range and budget phones in India. Its latest Redmi Note 7S is also one of the cheapest handsets to offer such camera resolution.

Note that Redmi Note 7S doesn't have SonyIMX 586 sensor that runs on more premium Redmi Note 7 Pro. Instead it has Samsung's GM1 sensor. But that's the camera, what about other specifications? Let's take a look at what the competition is offering in this segment.

Design and display

Xiaomi's latest Redmi Note 7S is identical to Redmi Note 7 Pro with similar glass back panel and gradient colour. Redmi Note 7S comes with Gorilla Glass 5 protection both on front and back. On the front, Redmi Note 7S has dot notch display with 6.3-inch full HD+ display.

Realme 3 Pro also comes with glass-like finish on the back. It offers dewdrop styled notch on a 6.3-inch Full HD+ display. You get more unique colour options with Realme 3 Pro - 'Carbon Gray', 'Nitro Blue', and 'Lightning Purple'.

Samsung Galaxy M30 doesn't offer a glass back panel but has a convincing glossy finish. It has Samsung's Infinity-U cutout on top in a Super AMOLED 6.4-inch Full HD+ display.

Camera

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7S offers the best camera specifications between the three budget phones. Redmi Note 7S has 48-megapixel and 5-megapixel dual rear cameras with PDAF, EIS and AI portrait mode.

Realme 3 Pro offers a dual-camera setup of 16-megapixel (f1.7 aperture) and 5-megapixel (f2.4 aperture) sensors. Note that the primary sensor is Sony IMX519, same as OnePlus 6T's.

Samsung Galaxy M30 gives a more flexible camera setup with a triple sensor setup. It comes with 13-megapixel, 5-megapixel and 5-megapixel ultra-wide lens sensors. Galaxy M30 offers 123-degree ultra-wide angle shots and ability to adjust blur background with 'Live Focus'.

Performance

Redmi Note 7S makes a small trade-off in the performance department as it offers Snapdragon octa-core 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 AIE processor. The Redmi Note 7 Pro model comes with a superior 2.0 GHz octa-core Snapdragon 675 processor. The phone is available 3GB+32GB and 4GB+64GB storage variants. It is powered by a 4,000mAh battery with Quick Charge support and USB Type-C.

Realme 3 Pro offers a much faster and better processor - Snapdragon 710 processor paired with 4GB+64GB and 6GB+128GB variants. Realme 3 Pro is powered by a big 4,045 battery accompanied by Oppo's VOOC fast charging support. Realme 3 Pro doesn't have USB Type-C.

Samsung Galaxy M30 features the biggest battery in the lot at 5,000mAh which is paired with a 15W Type-C fast charger. It is powered by in-house Exynos 7904 octa-core processor with 4+64GB, 6GB+128GB variants.

Round up,

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7S has more or less same set of specifications and features that the competition offers. Compared to Realme 3 Pro and Samsung Galaxy M30, Redmi Note 7S is also quite cheap at ₹10,999 (base price). If you're looking for a better 48-megapixel rear camera, you may consider Redmi Note 7 Pro.