It is a very hard fight between Realme and Redmi. Every time one of the two brands launches a new value for money device, each other comes up with a perfect rival. Today we talk about entry-level handsets: on the same day, both the companies launched their most affordable phones for 2020. Realme came up with the Realme C11, while Xiaomi launched the Redmi 9A and the Redmi 9C. Which company released the best entry-level device this time? And which released the handset with the highest value for money? Let’s discover it together through a specs comparison.

Realme C11 vs Xiaomi Redmi 9A vs Xiaomi Redmi 9C

Realme C11 Xiaomi Redmi 9A Xiaomi Redmi 9C
DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT 164.4 x 75.9 x 9.1 mm, 196 grams N/D N/D
DISPLAY 6.5 inches, 720 x 1560p (HD+), 270 ppi, IPS LCD 6.53 inches, 720 x 1600p (HD+), 270 ppi, IPS LCD 6.53 inches, 720 x 1600p (HD+), 270 ppi, IPS LCD
PROCESSOR Mediatek Helio G35, octa-core 2.3 GHz Mediatek Helio G25, octa-core 2.0 GHz Mediatek Helio G35, octa-core 2.3 GHz
MEMORY 2 GB RAM, 32 GB – micro SD dedicated slot 2 GB RAM, 32 GB – micro SD dedicated slot 2 GB RAM, 32 GB – micro SD dedicated slot
SOFTWARE Android 10, Realme UI Android 10, MIUI Android 10, MIUI
CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
CAMERA Dual 13 + 2 MP f/2.2 and f/2.4
5 MP f/2.4 front camera		 Single 13 MP
5 MP front camera		 Triple 13 + 5 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.4 and f/2.4
5 MP front camera
BATTERY 5000 mAh, 10W charging 5000 mAh, 10W charging 5000 mAh, 10W charging
ADDITIONAL FEATURES Dual SIM slot Dual SIM slot Dual SIM slot

Design

It is all about tastes, but if I had to choose the best design, I would go for the Redmi 9A. The reason is simple: I do not like big and square-shaped camera modules despite the iPhone 11 series came with this solution, and Redmi 9A has the smallest camera module. But if you do not have problems with such camera modules, you might like the Realme C11 a lot more. Just note that in each case, you get a cheap polycarbonate design with no protection against water and dust.

 

Display

Realme C11, Redmi 9A, and Redmi 9C come with below-average IPS panels sporting a wide diagonal, a waterdrop notch, and an HD+ resolution. The differences between these displays are just marginal, so you should definitely focus on something else as you will get more or less the same display performance with this whole trio of devices.

 

Specs & Software

With the Redmi 9C and the Realme C11, you get exactly the same hardware department composed of the Helio G35 chipset, 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage you can furtherly expand with a micro SD up to 256 GB. With the Redmi 9A you get the same memory configuration, but a lower-end Helio G25 SoC. Both the chipsets are meant for gaming, despite they are low-end processors. With Realme C11 you get Android 10 customized by Realme UI, while Redmi 9C and Redmi 9A ship with MIUI 12 based on Android 10. Note that Redmi 9C and Redmi 9A ship with an IR blaster which can be used to control TVs and other home appliances (like most of Xiaomi devices), while Realme C11 does not have one. On the other hand, Realme C11 offers the FM radio which you can use by connecting your headphones.

 

 

Camera

The most advanced camera department belongs to the Redmi 9C which offers a 13 MP main sensor with a bright f/1.8 focal aperture, a 5 MP macro camera, and a 2 MP depth sensor. You do not get such a bright aperture with the Realme C11, and it even lacks a macro camera. Redmi 9A is the most disappointing as it comes with just a 13 MP sensor on the back. With all these handsets, you get an entry-level 5 MP front camera. Redmi 9C wins the camera comparison.

 

 

Battery

You should get a very similar battery life with all of these smartphones since they feature the same battery capacity and very similar specs sheets. All come with an HD+ display and a 12 nm chipset, as well as the same memory configurations. In each case, you should get an amazing battery life (likely three days on a single charge with moderate usage), so you should not worry about the battery life at all.

 

Price

Redmi 9C and Realme C11 are sold in Malaysia with price tags equivalent to about €90/$101 at the actual change. Redmi 9A has a €75/$84 listing price. The most advanced device and also the winner of this comparison is the Redmi 9C with the camera department making the difference. Realme C11 is very attractive, but it comes with an inferior camera at the same price. Redmi 9A has a higher value for money, but we recommend spending those €15 more to get a device with a better camera and chipset unless you do not care about cameras at all. Do you agree with us? Let us know by using the comment box below.

 

 

Realme C11 vs Xiaomi Redmi 9A vs Xiaomi Redmi 9C: PROs and CONS

Realme C11

PROs

  • Great design
  • Great hardware
  • Long battery life

CONS

  • Nothing particular

 

Xiaomi Redmi 9C

PROs

  • IR blaster
  • Good hardware
  • Best cameras
  • MIUI 12 out of the box

CONS

  • Nothing particular

 

Xiaomi Redmi 9A

PROs

  • More affordable
  • Smaller camera module
  • IR blaster
  • MIUI 12 out of the box

CONS

  • Inferior cameras
  • Inferior chipset

 

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