The sub-Php10k smartphone segment has become more interesting than ever before. A lot of pioneering and emerging brands are bringing their A-game, which gives consumers more interesting options to choose from.
One of the latest contenders is the Realme 3, the latest offering of OPPO’s sub-brand. Since its inception, Realme promised to deliver great products justifies their price tag. And staying true to their purpose, we expect that to be immortalized with this device.
Its earlier releases, the Realme 2 Pro and the Realme C1, were adored by many as they were able to provide everyone’s needs despite the affordable price tag.
However, other than Realme, another company is also trying to lure in those budget-conscious consumers. And unlike Realme, this one has been around for years and considered as one of the biggest names in the industry.
What I’m talking about is Samsung, and their latest release, the Samsung Galaxy M20. With this device, the South Korean giant will attempt to redeem itself as they try to fight back on emerging Chinese brands like Xiaomi, Honor, and of course, Realme.
So here in our Realme 3 versus Samsung Galaxy M30 specifications and features comparison, we’re about to see which between these two devices will thrive in this populated price segment.
Samsung Galaxy M20 | Realme 3 | |
---|---|---|
Operating System | Android 8.1 Oreo Samsung Experience v9.5 | Android 9 Pie ColorOS 6.0 |
SIM | Dual SIM Dual Standby | Dual SIM Dual Standby |
Display | 6.3-inch FHD+ IPS display 2340 x 1080 pixel resolution ~409ppi 90% screen-to-body ratio | 6.2-inch HD+ IPS 1520 x 720 pixel resolution ~271ppi Corning Gorilla Glass 88.3% screen-to-body ratio |
Processor | 1.8GHz Exynos 7904 octa-core | India: 2.1GHz MediaTek Helio P70 octa-core processor International: 2.0GHz MediaTek Helio P60 octa-core processor |
RAM | 3GB | 3GB/4GB |
GPU | Mali-G71 MP2 | Mali-G71 MP3 |
Storage | 32GB expandable via microSD up to 512GB | 32GB/64GB expandable via microSD up to 256GB |
Front camera | 8-megapixel Selfie Focus | 13-megapixel |
Rear Camera | 13-megapixel 5-megapixel (120-degree wide-angle) PDAF f/19 LED flash | 13-megapixel + 2-megapixel f/1.8 PDAF LED flash |
Audio | Single loudspeaker Headphone jack Dolby Atmos Widevine L1 | Single loudspeaker Headphone jack |
Security | Fingerprint scanner Face unlock | Fingerprint scanner Face unlock |
Connectivity | HSPA+, LTE, VoLTE WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth 5.0 GPS FM Radio USB Type-C | HSPA+, LTE, VoLTE WiFi 802.11 b/g/n Bluetooth 4.2 GPS microUSB |
Dimensions | 156.4 x 74.5 x 8.8mm | 156.1 x 75.6 x 8.3mm |
Weight | 189g | 175g |
Colors | Ocean Blue Charcoal Blue | Radiant Blue Dynamic Black Classic Black |
Battery | 5,000mAh non-removable 15W fast charger | 4,230mAh non-removable 10W fast charger |
Price | 3GB/32GB: Php10,990 | 3GB/32GB: Php6,990 3GB/64GB: Php7,990 4GB/64GB: Php9,990 |
The Samsung Galaxy M20 was launched in the Philippines a couple of days back for a price of Php10,990. On the other hand, the Realme 3 with the same 3GB/32GB configuration is only at Php6,990.
Obviously, judging by their price tags, the Realme 3 is indeed the more affordable option.
So now we’ve cleared the pricing out of the way, let’s now answer the big question: Which between these two devices is actually better?
Well, the answer to that is slightly complicated. As you can see, while the Galaxy M20 is indeed the more expensive option, it does have a few better features over the competition to justify the price premium that you’d be paying.
For starters, it has a sharper FHD+ screen, while the latter only has an HD+ resolution. The screen size and screen-to-body ratio are also slightly better on the Galaxy M20.
Of course, we also have the cameras on the back. While the two devices have the same 13-megapixel primary sensors, Samsung’s bet has a 5-megapixel ultra wide angle lens, while the secondary camera on the Realme 3 is only used for depth sensing. We were actually able to test the Galaxy M20’s camera in our hands-on review, so you might want to check it out.
Lastly, the Samsung Galaxy M20 has a bigger 5,000mAh battery with a 15W fast charging technology. That’s obviously more impressive than the 4,230mAh battery that the Realme 3 has. Oh, and there’s also the USB Type-C connectivity on the M20, which easily shames the microUSB port of its competitor.
But if having a really reliable performance is what you need, then you might want to go with the Realme 3 instead. This device has a more reliable and battle-tested Helio P60 processor (or a more powerful P70 chip if you’re getting it in India).
It also runs on a newer Android 9 Pie with Realme’s ColorOS 6.0 skin on top. And as a bonus, the Realme 3 has Corning Gorilla Glass protection and a more pixel-dense 13-megapixel selfie snapper.
To wrap it up, despite some compromises over the competition, it appears that the Realme 3 is the better value-oriented smartphone between these two. The Realme 3 starts at only Php6,990, and can go up to Php9,990 if you opt for the 4GB/64GB model.
The Realme 3’s top-of-the-line model is even cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy M20, which is only available in a 3GB/32GB model for Php10,9990.