Looking for a capable smartphone in the Php11,000 range? Check out these two offerings from Realme and local brand Cherry Mobile.
First, we have the Realme 9i, the latest addition to the company’s line-up and the cheaper option for the new Realme number series.
We’ll be comparing that to the Cherry Mobile Aqua SV, one of the first 5G phones from the Filipino tech brand.
If you’re shopping in this price range, it’s clear that you’re looking for the most smartphone you can get for the money.
So the question is, which between the two is actually worth your money? We find out in our Realme 9i versus Cherry Mobile Aqua SV specifications and features comparison.
| Realme 9i | Cherry Mobile Aqua SV | |
| Operating System | Android 11 Realme UI 2.0 | Android 11 |
| Display | 6.6-inch FHD+ IPS 2412 x 1080 pixel 401ppi 30Hz/48Hz/50Hz/60Hz/90Hz refresh rate 180Hz touch sampling | 6.6-inch FHD+ AMOLED 2400 x 1080 pixels 398ppi 90Hz refresh rate Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Processor | 2.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 octa-core | 2.4GHz MediaTek Dimensity 810 octa-core Liquid Cooling Technology |
| RAM | 6GB RAM +5GB via Dynamic RAM Expansion | 8GB |
| GPU | Adreno 610 | Mali-G57 MC2 |
| Storage | 128GB expandable via microSD | 128GB not expandable via microSD |
| Front Camera | 16-megapixel | 16-megapixel 2-megapixel |
| Rear Camera | 50-megapixel (f/1.8, PDAF) 2-megapixel (f/2.4, macro) 2-megapixel (depth sensor) LED flash | 64-megapixel 5-megapixel (ultra-wide) 2-megapixel (macro) 2-megapixel (depth sensor) LED flash |
| Audio | Stereo speakers Headphone jack | Single Loudspeaker No Headphone jack |
| Connectivity | HSPA+, 4G LTE WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band Bluetooth 5.0 GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS USB Type-C | HSPA+, 4G LTE, 5G WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band Bluetooth 5.1 GPS, A-GPS USB Type-C |
| Security | Side-mounted fingerprint scanner Face unlock | In-display fingerprint scanner Face unlock |
| Others | – | Curved screen |
| Colors | Prism Blue Prism Black | Luxxe Green |
| Dimensions and Weight | 164.4 x 75.7 x 8.4mm 190g | 160.5 x 73.8 x 8.8mm 175g |
| Battery and Charging | 5,000mAh 33W Dart fast charging | 4,200mAh 30W fast charging |
| Price | Php11,990 | Php11,999 |
Design and Build Quality
We always say that judging which smartphone has the better design is subjective. However, in the case of our contenders today, it’s quite obvious that the Cherry Mobile Aqua SV is the winner.
This device is easily one of the best, if not the best, designed Cherry Mobile in the market today. It has a curved screen that feels really nice in the hands. It’s lighter, too.
What’s more, it has a faux leather design on its plastic back, while the front is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 5.
That doesn’t mean that the Realme 9i looks bad. For a Realme device, it looks a little refreshing. Although, it lacks the flare that the Aqua SV has.
Winner: Cherry Mobile Aqua SV
Display and Audio
The Aqua SV boasts a fancy and contrast-y AMOLED panel, which even has a Gorilla Glass 5 and a curved screen.
However, the Realme 9i gets to have a stereo speaker setup, which the former lacks. It also has an adaptive refresh rate for better battery efficiency.
Winner: Tie
Performance and Hardware
An easy win for the Cherry Mobile Aqua SV, which is one of the first 5G smartphones from the local brand. You get that while having a similar price tag.
On the other hand, the Realme 9i settles for a 4G-only Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor. It also only has 6GB of RAM, while the Aqua SV has 8GB of memory.
Winner: Cherry Mobile Aqua SV
Cameras
Another win for the Aqua SV. This one boasts a sharper 64-megapixel main camera. It’s joined by a 5-megapixel ultra-wide lens, 2-megapixel macro, and depth sensor. On the front, we have a pill-shaped punch-hole for the 16-megapixel and 2-megapixel shooters.
On the other hand, the Realme 9i settles for a 50-megapixel main camera. Sadly, it lacks an ultra-wide lens and a secondary front sensor.
Winner: Cherry Mobile Aqua SV
Battery
Finally, a clear win for the Realme 9i. It may be bulkier than the Aqua SV, but that’s due to its larger 5,000mAh battery. The competition settles for a 4,200mAh battery.
Related
The charging adapters they come with are similar, but due to its smaller battery, charging times on the Aqua SV should be faster. Still, at the end of the day, most people would prefer a larger battery.
Winner: Realme 9i
Conclusion
I guess we have a clear winner here. The fact that the Cherry Mobile Aqua SV managed to have 5G connectivity already made it an easy winner against the 4G-only Realme 9i.
If that’s not enough, it was able to edge out the Realme 9i thanks to its sleeker design, better cameras, and a fancy AMOLED panel with an in-display fingerprint scanner.
Both the Cherry Mobile Aqua SV and Realme 9i have a retail price of around Php11,990. As a special introductory offer, they are being sold at Php9,999 and Php10,790, respectively, for a limited time.
Winner: Cherry Mobile Aqua SV