Xiaomi, Realme, and Honor released three variants of their latest smartphones lineup which are identified by the “i” letter in their names. But they do not share only that letter in common: these devices are all affordable phones with a very high value for money. The Redmi 9i is an entry-level handset, while Realme 7i and Honor 30i are lower-midrange devices. Is it worth spending more to get lower-midrange “i” variants or the Redmi 9i is enough for your actual needs? In this comparison, we will try to answer this question and highlight the main differences between these three handsets.
Xiaomi Redmi 9i vs Realme 7i vs Huawei Honor 30i
| Xiaomi Redmi 9i | Realme 7i | Huawei Honor 30i | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 164.9 x 77.1 x 9 mm, 194 grams | 164.1 x 75.5 x 8.9 mm, 188 grams | 157.2 x 73.2 x 7.7 mm, 171.5 grams |
| DISPLAY | 6.53 inches, 720 x 1600p (HD+), 269 ppi, IPS LCD | 6.5 inches, 720 x 1600p (Full HD+), IPS LCD | 6.3 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), 418 ppi, AMOLED |
| PROCESSOR | MediaTek Helio G25, octa-core 2 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 662, octa-core 2 GHz | Huawei Hisilicon Kirin 710F, octa-core 2.2 GHz |
| MEMORY | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD dedicated slot | 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD dedicated slot | 4 GB RAM, 128 GB – nano memory card slot |
| SOFTWARE | Android 10, MIUI | Android 10, Realme UI | Android 10, EMUI |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS |
| CAMERA | 13 MP f/2.2 5 MP f/2.2 front camera |
Quad 64 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.3 + f/2.4 + f/2.4 16 MP f/2.1 front camera |
Triple 48 + 8 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.4 and f/2.4 16 MP f/2.0 front camera |
| BATTERY | 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh, fast charging 18W | 4000 mAh |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Dual SIM slot | Dual SIM slot | Dual SIM slot |
Design
If you are looking for the most modern and elegant design, we believe you should go for the Realme 7i. Unlike the Redmi 9i and the Honor 30i sporting a waterdrop notch, the Realme 7i has a display with a single punch hole making the front panel way more elegant and futuristic. But if you just need a compact phone for better one-handed use which fits better in a pocket, then choose the Honor 30i which has smaller dimensions, it is thinner and even lighter (but it has a smaller display and battery).
Display
Despite its display is actually smaller, Honor 30i wins the display comparison for two reasons: first of all, it has a higher Full HD+ resolution with 1080 x 2400 pixels. Further, it has an AMOLED panel which shows more brilliant colors. The Honor 30i is also a device offering a higher brightness level. The silver medal goes to the Realme 7i which offers a 90 Hz refresh rate, but it has an IPS display with a lower HD+ resolution. Redmi 9i loses because it comes with an IPS HD+ display, as well as a standard refresh rate.
Specs & Software
If instead of a better display quality you need higher performance, get the Realme 7i without thinking twice. It is equipped with a Snapdragon 662 SoC by Qualcomm paired with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of UFS 2.1 internal storage. With the Honor 30i and the Redmi 9i, you get max 4 GB of RAM. In each case, you have Android 10 out of the box, but the Honor 30i launched without Google services due to the U.S. ban. The Honor 30i actually offers a better chipset than the Redmi 9i: the latter still performs well for an entry-level, but Kirin 710F is superior.
Camera
Just like happens in the hardware comparison, Realme 7i wins even the camera comparison. It has a better main sensor on its rear setup (a 64 MP lens with bright f/1.8 aperture) paired with more secondary sensors, including an 8 MP ultrawide camera and a pair of 2 MP lens for macro and depth calculation. Right after, we got the Honor 30i with a 48 MP triple camera including an ultrawide sensor and a pretty nice 16 MP front camera. Redmi 9i disappoints with its 13 MP main sensor.
Battery
The Redmi 9i is the handset that should provide the longest battery life because it has a huge 5000 mAh battery and it sports a standard refresh rate. Realme 7i sports the same battery capacity, but it has a 90 Hz refresh rate and it is more energy-demanding. On the other hand, unlike the Redmi 9i, it supports fast charging.
Price
Redmi 9i is priced about €100/$118, Realme 7i costs about €180/$213, and you need about €200/$237 to grab a unit of the Honor 30i. At the moment, none of these devices is on sale in the Old Continent: you can only find them in Asia. You should go for the Redmi 9i only if you want to save money: it offers a good user experience, but it can not compete with the Realme 7i and the Honor 30i in any way. Realme 7i has a bigger battery, great design, better hardware, and better cameras than Honor 30i, while the Honor 30i has a better display and it is a lot more compact. The Realme 7i wins this comparison.
Xiaomi Redmi 9i vs Realme 7i vs Huawei Honor 30i: PROs and CONS
Xiaomi Redmi 9i
PROs
- Very affordable
- Micro SD dedicated slot
- Long battery life
- MIUI 12 out of the box
CONS
- Inferior cameras
- HD+ display
Realme 7i
PROs
- 90 Hz display
- Best cameras
- Fast charging
- Punch-hole design
CONS
- HD+ display
Huawei Honor 30i
PROs
- Thin and lightweight
- Compact
- Full HD+ and AMOLED display
- High brightness
CONS
- Smaller battery
