Realme 5i is a lot like the Realme 5 but cheaper

On the day its first 5G smartphone became official, Realme announced the C2 2020 in Thailand as the Realme C2s. In neighboring Vietnam, it launched the Realme 5i. And we wonder if it’s coming to the Philippines.

(Update, February 1: Our review is up! Read Realme 5i review: Best all-around budget phone.)

(Update, January 29: And it’s official in the Philippines! Read Realme 5i budget phone launched in PH. Price, specs here.)

(Update, January 23: How is this budget phone like in photography? See Realme 5i: Camera specs, sample pictures.)

(Update, January 21: It’s coming to the Philippines! Read Realme 5i launching in the Philippines Jan 29.)

You see, the Realme 5i is basically the Realme 5, which is available here for as low as P6,990 (around $138). It’s just that the 5i has an 8-megapixel selfie camera instead of the 5’s 13-megapixel one. The rear design of the newly unveiled phone is also different.

Realme 5i TV commercial (in Vietnamese)

Other than those, everything else is the same. The Realme 5i features a 6.5-inch screen with a waterdrop notch housing the front-facing camera; four cameras on the back; a 5,000mAh battery; and Android 9 layered with ColorOS 6.1 on top.

The handset is likewise powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 chip. It’s mated to either 3GB or 4GB of RAM and either 32GB or 64GB of storage.

The base model has a suggested retail price of ₫3,690,000 (P8,066 or $159), while the 4GB/64GB variant retails at ₫4,290,000 (P9,377 or $185). Take note that in Vietnam, the Realme 5 starts at ₫4,000,000 ($8,750 or $172).

Realme 5i specs

6.5-inch HD+ LCD display, 1,600 x 720 resolution, Corning Gorilla Glass 3+
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor
4GB RAM
64GB/128GB expandable storage
Quad rear cameras: 12MP (main), 8MP (ultra wide, 119 degrees field of view), 2MP (macro), 2MP (depth)
8MP front camera
Fingerprint reader (rear-mounted)
5,000mAh battery with support for reversed wired charging
ColorOS 6.1 based on Android 9.0 Pie
Colors: Green, blue

Learn About This Author

Alora Uy Guerrero

Editor-in-chief: Alora Uy Guerrero has 22 years of experience as an editor for print and digital publications such as Yahoo. She took time off journalism to manage OPPO’s digital-marketing campaigns. When not busy with her babies, she’s working on Revü, a passion project — or probably traveling or obsessing over her favorite bands, movies, TV shows, and basketball teams.