Realme narzo 50i Prime, analysis: when being the cheapest is not at odds with fluidity

Currently there are many good entry-level mobiles that can be found on the market. One of them is undoubtedly the Realme Narzo 50i Prime that was presented in July, and that due to its characteristics promises to be a good recommendation for those looking for a mobile for just over 100 euros.

From EuroXliveAndroid we have been able to thoroughly test this promising device to draw interesting conclusions. Of these it can be anticipated that it has a battery you don’t have to worry aboutbut an operating system that is not very current, being Android 11.

Technical sheet of the Realme narzo 50i Prime

A design that lacks the most important thing: being comfortable

The aesthetic section of this device in sight is very nice. The edges are completely flat and the back is matte. preventing it from creating a mirror effect. In our case, the mobile that has come to us is dark blue, although it can also be found in mint green. In addition, the fact of having a texture that is not completely smooth and a dark color prevents the traces from being seen too much, although they will be there. But although it is a beautiful mobile in sight, it is not a comfortable phone in hand.

The flat edges end up being really uncomfortable when using the device for several minutes without any kind of case. This is something that increases when you have a small hand, a situation in which you will be forced to carry a cover in case you want to use it for a long time. But as a positive point, it must be said that at the junction of the chassis with the screen there is a small relief that completely eliminates the feeling of a possible cut, trying to make it a little more comfortable.

As far as the screen is concerned, many shortcomings can be found. We are facing an IPS panel with an HD + resolution and not Full HD. Although, this is something that should be valued knowing that we are facing an entry mobile with a price of around 100 euros. That is why for an undemanding public it may be enough to view multimedia content as it has a correct color calibration, and a size of 6.5 inches that will allow you to enjoy it much better. The problem that can occur is on the street, where it took us a long time to see the content of the screeneven if it is not placed in direct sunlight.

This Narzo 50i Prime has a single speaker at the bottom of the device that offers a canned sound in a medium volume range, without saturating it at maximum. This is something completely expected in an entry range, where it is not one of the most important features. But this is something that ends up being complemented with a jack to which you can connect higher quality headphones and enjoy the best multimedia content.

A performance that has surprised us, but a facial recognition that suspends

Finding the name of the UNISOC T612 processor on the device box does not convey much confidence or expectation, due to how unknown it can be. But the truth is that after testing it intensely in recent days it has surprised and for good. In day-to-day tasks such as opening applications, changing screens or writing a message on WhatsApp we have hardly noticed lag. In order to get a little lag out of it, you have to use high-performance applications or games with good graphics. But without a doubt it ends up taking an outstanding performance.

The negative point that this mobile takes in this section is the biometric system that integrates in a unique way: facial recognition. Although it is unlocked quickly, it is not at all safe when have been unlocked with a simple photograph during the reviewed, although it is something we are used to in this type of device. No other alternative can be used as it does not include a fingerprint sensor, having to resort to the unlock pattern or code.

The customization layer that Realme bets on in this mobile is quite subtle. This means that you will be able to practically enjoy a pure Android, and it is possible that it is also one of those responsible for the good performance in its operation. The negative point is that it comes with Android 11something unusual in this type of input range where they are already being delivered with Android 12.

But what this mobile stands out the most is undoubtedly the battery. It has a capacity of 5,000 mAh that has been particularly given to not having to charge it in a day and a half with 8 hours of screen use. The problem comes in the charging system, where the USB-C standard is not used, but microUSB 2.0 and which causes the charge to be limited to 10 W. This makes it take more than 2 hours to charge from 0 to 100%. with the official cable, and in a generic charger as it does not include an adapter in the box.

Some cameras that meet the minimum expected

The most basic of any camera first goes through the interface that is going to be used to take all the photographs. In this case, when you open it, it is impossible for you to get lost because it barely integrates functionalities. By default it will be activated in automatic mode, also having the possibility of accessing the “vertical” or “video” tab. Finally, in the “More” section you will find the rest of the options that are scarce, highlighting the night mode and manual mode for professionals.

In addition to these features in the interface, the possibility of activate HDR mode to improve the quality of images both on the front and rear camera. And if you want to improve the image, it also adds a beauty mode that you must edit yourself to adjust it to what you want. Below you will be able to see different images taken with this mobile, although we already anticipated that the selfie camera is not very adapted to capture all the color.

Main lens (without HDR)

Main lens (with HDR)

Despite the fact that this mobile only has one lens, it has a fairly good image capture quality. He knows how to deal with color, but only if there are very favorable lighting conditions. In the case of wanting to use it indoors, the colors it captures are not real or natural at all. Although, you can notice quite a difference when activating the HDR mode when taking an image, especially when there is maximum lighting, something that has surprised.

Selfie (no HDR)

Selfies (with HDR)

In the case of the selfie camera we have been surprised and for the worse. As can be seen in the examples, when activating HDR mode the image becomes much whiter, not transmitting natural colors and being much colder. You can clearly see it in the trees in the background where the HDR completely removes the green color from it. But except for this, we are facing a camera that, to be in a mobile entry, meets expectations.

Main lens (without night mode)

Main lens (with night mode activated)

low light selfie

The night mode has undoubtedly been the great disappointment of this phone. Despite the fact that little could be expected from this functionality, the truth is that the result has been disastrous, being able to think that it may be a bug. As seen in the photographs, when activating the night mode, what occurs is a increase in the granulation of the image totally losing the detailtrying to modify the colors but without any success.

And when it comes to the selfie, you can see that it follows a similar pattern. If we are going to see the left arm of the image, it is totally blurred as well as the face that does not collect any detail. This shows, as we have previously commented, that the cameras of this narzo 50i Prime only work properly in very good lighting conditions. If you get out of there the quality plummets.

EuroXliveAndroid’s opinion

When offering an opinion on this device, it is important to start from the premise that it has a price of around 140 euros. That is why, in the eyes of any person, important deficiencies are noted in terms of the screen, which has a very fair resolution, and also the camera that falls short of functions. We must remember that It does not integrate a portrait mode or a macro modehighlighting in an extra way only a night mode that is quite poor.

But all this makes this Realme narzo 50i Prime is intended for users who are not looking for maximum power or level performance. That is to say that they want to avoid going through the charger all day and that they can use basic applications without feeling that it freezes. And in these two aspects it is a perfect mobile as it has a processor that has surprised us, and a 5,000 mAh battery that will cost to consume throughout the day.