Today, Realme officially launched the affordable Realme 6i in India. The handset is already present in the global market but under another name: Realme 6s. So, keep in mind that it is not the same Realme 6i sold globally. Another device launched in India with a different name from the global market is the Redmi Note 9 Pro, also known as Redmi Note 9S in Europe. Here is a specs comparison with these two devices and another handset that carries amazing specifications if we compare them to its price: the Samsung Galaxy M31. Let’s discover together which device carries the highest value for money for Indian customers.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro vs Realme 6i vs Samsung Galaxy M31
| Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro | Samsung Galaxy M31 | Realme 6i | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 165.8 x 76.7 x 8.8 mm, 209 grams | 159.2 x 75.1 x 8.9 mm, 191 grams | 162.1 x 74.8 x 8.9 mm, 191 grams |
| DISPLAY | 6.67 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), 395 ppi, IPS LCD | 6.4 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 403 ppi, Super AMOLED | 6.5 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), IPS LCD |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G, octa-core 2.3 GHz | Samsung Exynos 9611, octa-core 2.3 GHz | MediaTek Helio G90T, octa-core 2.05 GHz |
| MEMORY | 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD dedicated slot | 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD dedicated slot | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD dedicated slot |
| SOFTWARE | Android 10, MIUI | Android 10, One UI | Android 10, Realme UI |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS |
| CAMERA | Quad 48 + 8 + 5 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.2, f/2.4 and f/2.4 16 MP f/2.5 front camera |
Quad 64 + 8 + 5 + 5 MP f/1.8, f/2.2, f/2.4 and f/2.2 32 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Quad 48 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.3, f/2.4 and f/2.4 16 MP f/2.0 front camera |
| BATTERY | 5020 mAh, fast charging 18W | 6000 mAh, fast charging 15W | 4300 mAh, fast charging 30W |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Dual SIM slot, splash resistant | Dual SIM slot | Dual SIM slot, splash resistant |
Design
Do you prefer having a beautiful look or premium materials? If your answer is the first, then you should go for the Realme 6i as it offers a more minimalistic and elegant look, including a punch-hole display with narrow bezels and an elegant glass back with a smaller camera module. If you want the most premium materials, then choose the Redmi Note 9 Pro as it boasts a glass back instead of a full polycarbonate body. The Samsung Galaxy M31 has a plastic design just like the Realme 6i and an uglier design, imho.
Display
The most wonderful display belongs to the Samsung Galaxy M31. Since it is a Samsung device and Samsung makes AMOLED displays, the Galaxy M31 features a Super AMOLED panel, despite it is a very affordable device. So you get more brilliant color and deeper blacks. Redmi Note 9 Pro and Realme 6i both come with an IPS panel, but the Realme 6i comes with an additional feature: a 90 Hz refresh rate making the visual experience smoother. But a lot of people actually prefer having a 60 Hz AMOLED display rather than a 90 Hz IPS panel.
Specs & Software
If we look at the power of the chipsets found on these three devices, the Helio G90T found on the Realme 6i is the most powerful one. Snapdragon 720G is slightly inferior in terms of performance, but it is built at 8 nm and it has lower energy consumption. That is one of the reasons why it is actually more interesting, without mentioning Qualcomm’s reputation. Also note that you can get the Redmi Note 9 Pro in a configuration with 128 GB of internal storage, while Realme 6i stops at 64 GB. The SoC found on the Samsung Galaxy M31 is way inferior to Helio G90T and Snapdragon 720G in terms of performance. Redmi Note 9 Pro, Realme 6i and Samsung Galaxy M31 run Android 10 out of the box, with a customized user interface.
Camera
The camera award goes to the Samsung Galaxy M31 for offering a better main sensor on the rear side: a 64 MP lens with a f/1.8 aperture. It even comes with a better depth sensor than its rivals, sporting a 5 MP resolution. Last but not least, it has a superior 32 MP front camera which can shoot more detailed selfies and can also record 4K videos at 30 fps.
Battery
Samsung Galaxy M31 is the best even when it comes to the battery life. Thanks to its AMOLED display, a chipset built at 10 nm and a huge 6000 mAh battery, it can last more than two days even with intensive usage.
Price
Realme 6i is priced INR 12,999 in India, Samsung Galaxy M31 begins at INR 16,499, and Redmi Note 9 Pro starts at INR 13,999. If we exclude the hardware department, Samsung Galaxy M31 is actually a superior phone. It has a huge battery, better cameras and an AMOLED display.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro vs Realme 6i vs Samsung Galaxy M31: PROs and CONS
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro
PROs
- Great hardware
- Glass back
- Wider display
- IR blaster
CONS
- Nothing particular
Realme 6i
PROs
- Powerful hardware
- 90 Hz refresh rate
- Water-sealed
- Faster charging
CONS
- Smaller battery
Samsung Galaxy M31
PROs
- Huge battery
- Super AMOLED display
- Great cameras
- NFC (it depends on the region)
CONS
- Inferior hardware
