The Realme X2 Pro is the first mainstream phone to hit Europe with Samsung’s 64MP camera sensor, which sits alongside three other cameras to deliver a flagship-grade wide/ultra-wide/telephoto setup.
Realme is a relatively unknown entity in the UK, but it’s part of the same group that owns OnePlus and Oppo, so is definitely not small fry. Its latest X2 Pro is an aggressive effort to claim the affordable flagship crown from devices like the OnePlus 7T and the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro.
It’s doing this by making waves with its specs, and that 64MP camera is most definitely leading the charge – vying for the best camera phone top spot. There’s also a top-tier Samsung Galaxy S10 beating processor, better than Pixel 4 XL storage options and fast charging that deliver almost three times the speeds of the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s power brick – zoinks.
Realme X2 Pro: Price and release
The Realme X2 Pro will be available in the UK at Amazon from early November 2019. While we’re still waiting on local pricing, the starting capacity of 64GB storage with 6GB RAM is set to cost €399, going up in €50 increments. That means the 128GB/8GB version costs €449, and the maxed-out 256GB/12GB version costs €499.
Realme X2 Pro: specs and features
The Realme X2 Pro is available in two colors, Neptune Blue and Lunar White, with a curved back and Gorilla Glass 5 protection either side. On the front, is a screen protector, and the 24MP selfie camera is nuzzled in a water droplet notch.
Adding to the premium feel of the curved glass is a metal frame, there’s a USB-C port at the base alongside a headphone jack, and one of the two Dolby-tuned stereo speakers.
The Realme X2 Pro’s screen is incredibly compelling for the price with its Super AMOLED technology and 90Hz refresh rate. The Full HD+ resolution isn’t Galaxy Note 10 Plus sharp, but it still clocks in at 405 pixels-per-inch, outclassing the iPhone 11 from a PPI point of view.
The Realme X2 Pro also features a huge 4000mAh battery and a class-leadingly fast 50W charger in the box, which Realme claims will power the phone up from 0-100% in just 30 minutes.
With Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 855+ processor, it’s also incredibly powerful, and in its most premium configuration, combined with 12GB RAM, no other Android flagship should, in theory, be able to topple this incredibly affordable smartphone when it comes to power other than the overclocked ROG Phone 2.
Realme X2 Pro camera
The Realme X2 Pro’s quad-camera experience starts with that primary 64MP sensor made by Samsung. Just like Sony’s IMX586 which has a 48MP resolution and captures 12MP images, it combines information from four pixels into one, capturing 16MP images. The sensor itself is 1/1.7” and is paired with an f/1.8 lens and features PDAF.
There’s also a 13MP, f/2.5 telephoto camera with a 1/3.4″ sensor and 1.0µm pixels, which offers roughly 2x optical zoom, and a 13mm ultra-wide-angle camera with 8 MP resolution and an f/2.2 lens. Finally, the fourth camera is a depth sensor which captures perspective information to improve background separation for portrait mode photography.
The Realme X2 Pro’s video capture credentials also impress, with up to 60fps 4K recording and time-stoppingly powerful 960fps slow-motion video capture at 720p.
In our brief time with the camera, there’s nothing standout about the shooting modes, other than an Ultra 64MP mode, which captures full-resolution 64MP photos, and the Ultra Macro mode, similar to the 2.5cm focus mode of the OnePlus 7T-series.
The X2 Pro won’t capture RAW photos, though nothing else seems to be missing, with other modes including a comprehensive expert mode, night, panorama, time-lapse, slo-mo and a portrait mode.
Early verdict
We can’t help but be blown away by the Realme X2 Pro’s value. While it’s far too early to comment on its camera quality, the phone’s design and specs alone guarantee it a spot in the bang for buck hall of fame.
The camera will be interesting to test, not just because it features such a high-resolution sensor, but also because it’s one of the few Samsung sensors used in a flagship-grade smartphone available now.
How will it stack up to Sony’s ubiquitous 48MP IMX586? Where does the Realme X2 Pro sit in the sea of midrange smartphones currently available? Can it really charge up 100% in just 30 minutes? So many questions – for all the answers, keep it locked to Digital Camera World for the full review coming in the next few weeks.