Realme 10 Pro 5G : Budget phones with flagship cameras used to be unicorns. Not anymore. The Realme 10 Pro 5G just crashed the party with a 108-megapixel sensor at a price that makes other brands sweat bullets.
Starting around ₹18,990, this phone asks a simple question: why pay more when you can get professional-grade photos without selling your kidney?
The Camera That Shouldn’t Exist at This Price
Let’s address the megapixel-sized elephant in the room. That 108MP Samsung HM6 sensor isn’t some marketing gimmick—it’s the real deal, borrowed from phones costing twice as much. Realme basically walked into Samsung’s sensor factory and said, “We’ll take your good stuff, but make it affordable.”
In daylight, this camera captures details that make you zoom in just to see what else it caught. Texture in clothing, individual leaves on trees, readable text on distant signboards—it’s all there, waiting to be discovered. The ProLight Camera system doesn’t just capture photos; it captures moments with clarity that budget phones typically butcher.
Night photography? That’s where things get interesting. Most budget phones turn into potatoes when the sun sets, but the 10 Pro’s Super Nightscape mode actually works.
Street lights don’t blow out into white blobs, shadows retain detail, and people’s faces remain recognizable. It’s not quite Night Sight level, but for the price? Close enough to make Google nervous.
Design That Punches Above Its Weight
Realme calls it “Hyperspace Design,” which sounds like marketing nonsense until you hold the phone. The back panel shifts colors subtly under different lighting—not the gaudy rainbow effect cheaper phones love, but sophisticated transitions that catch eyes without screaming for attention.
At 8.1mm thin and 190 grams, it doesn’t feel like the budget brick you’d expect. The weight distribution deserves applause—despite that massive camera module, the phone doesn’t feel top-heavy. One-handed use remains comfortable, though reaching the top of that 6.72-inch screen might require some thumb gymnastics.
The side-mounted fingerprint scanner proves that sometimes old-school solutions work best. It’s faster and more reliable than many in-display sensors on expensive phones. Small victory, but in daily use, these things matter more than spec sheets suggest.
That Display Though
Six point seven two inches of LCD might not sound exciting next to AMOLED flagships, but Realme squeezed every drop of quality from this panel. The 120Hz refresh rate transforms the experience—scrolling feels smooth as silk, games look fluid, and even basic tasks feel premium.
The party trick? A bezel so thin (1mm) it practically disappears. Realme even integrated the ambient light sensor into the bezel instead of creating a notch. It’s engineering dedication that shows someone actually thought about user experience, not just hitting spec targets.
Brightness peaks high enough for outdoor use, colors pop without looking artificial, and that 93.76% screen-to-body ratio means you’re mostly looking at display, not plastic borders. For an LCD at this price, it’s borderline miraculous.
Performance Without the Price Tag
The Snapdragon 695 5G might not win benchmark wars, but here’s a secret: it doesn’t need to. This chip handles everything normal humans throw at it without breaking a sweat.
Instagram, YouTube, light gaming—all smooth as butter. PUBG Mobile at medium settings? Runs fine. Call of Duty Mobile? Also fine. You’re not getting 90fps ultra settings, but at this price, who’s complaining?
The real magic happens with RAM management. Starting at 6GB (expandable virtually to 14GB) or 8GB (expandable to 16GB), the phone keeps apps in memory like a digital hoarder. Switch between twenty apps without reloads.
Edit those massive 108MP photos without waiting. It’s the kind of multitasking that makes you forget this isn’t a flagship.
5G support comes standard because it’s 2025 and anything less would be embarrassing. But Realme went beyond checkbox features—the implementation actually works across multiple bands, future-proofing your investment.
Battery Life That Actually Lasts
Five thousand milliamp-hours paired with an efficient processor equals all-day battery life without anxiety. Heavy users see evening with 20-30% remaining. Moderate users might stretch into day two. The 108MP camera does drain battery during extended photo sessions, but that’s physics, not poor optimization.
Charging brings mixed feelings. The 33W SuperVOOC charging fills the battery in about 74 minutes—not the fastest, but respectable. More importantly, it doesn’t generate concerning heat levels. Some Chinese phones charge faster but feel like holding a hand warmer. Realme chose reliability over bragging rights.
Software: The Good and The Annoying
Realme UI 4.0 based on Android 13 delivers a mostly pleasant experience. The interface feels modern without trying too hard, animations flow smoothly, and customization options satisfy tweakers without overwhelming newcomers.
But yes, there’s bloatware. Quite a bit of it. The good news? Most can be uninstalled without rooting. Spend ten minutes cleaning house after setup, and you’re left with a clean, fast interface that doesn’t constantly push ads in your face.
The camera app deserves special mention. Despite the complex hardware, it remains approachable. Auto mode handles most situations brilliantly, while Pro mode opens enough controls for enthusiasts.
Features like Street Photography Mode 3.0 actually help rather than complicate—AI suggesting filters based on lighting conditions sounds gimmicky but works surprisingly well.
The Competition Problem
At ₹18,990, the Realme 10 Pro 5G creates headaches for competitors. Xiaomi’s Redmi Note series suddenly looks less appealing. Samsung’s M-series seems overpriced. Even Realme’s own lineup gets cannibalized—why buy anything else when this exists?
The formula is simple but effective: take one killer feature (108MP camera), execute it well, build a competent phone around it, price it aggressively. Others offer more balanced packages, but none match the camera prowess at this price point.
Realme 10 Pro 5G Real Talk Time
Is the Realme 10 Pro 5G perfect? Hell no. The LCD screen, while good, isn’t AMOLED. The ultrawide camera (2MP depth sensor) is basically decoration. Software could use fewer pre-installed apps. The 33W charging feels slow compared to phones pushing 100W+.
But here’s the thing—at this price, those aren’t flaws, they’re reasonable compromises. You’re getting a legitimate 108MP camera that takes stunning photos, wrapped in a phone that handles everything else competently. For most people, that’s more than enough.
The Realme 10 Pro 5G represents something important: democratization of premium features. It proves that good cameras don’t require four-digit price tags, that 5G doesn’t mean expensive, and that budget doesn’t mean bad.
For anyone wanting flagship photos without flagship prices, this phone doesn’t just make sense—it makes everything else look overpriced.
Sometimes disruption comes from unexpected places. The Realme 10 Pro 5G might not revolutionize smartphones, but it definitely revolutionizes what we should expect for our money. And in a world where phone prices keep climbing, that’s the kind of revolution we need.
