The good thing about a brand like Realme is that it gives equal importance to its flagship as well as affordable phones. Realme did a great job with its recently announced C series. At a price so low the features Realme C12 and C15 offer are comparable to mid-range devices. Similarly, the new Realme 7 series look and feel nothing less than a flagship.

Realme brings in the 7 and 7 Pro which are successors to the Realme 6 and the 6 Pro announced earlier this year. The Realme 7 starts at Rs 14,999 for the 6GB RAM and 64GB storage model. For the past seven days, I have been using the Realme 7 top-end model that packs 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage that is priced at Rs 16,999. If you need more storage, there’s also an option for microSD card support.

With the Realme 7, the company is not only offering flagship specifications but also good looks. For this device, the company has taken into consideration each and every part including battery, screen, cameras, hardware, and have upgraded them when compared to the predecessor Realme 6.

Realme 7 price: Startings Rs 14,999

Realme 7 specifications: MediaTek Helio G95 processor | up to 8GB RAM | up to 128GB storage | 64MP quad rear camera | 16MP selfie camera | 6.5-inch screen | 5000mAh battery | 30W fast charging support | Realme UI based on Android 10 | side-mounted fingerprint sensor

So, is Realme 7 one of the best smartphones available under the Rs 15,000 price point? Here’s what I think.

Realme 7 weighs just right (Express photo: Sneha Saha)
What is good, not so good
Realme 7 is a good looking device and also stands out in this crowded space due to its unique design. It looks nothing less than a flagship device. Despite sporting a big 6.5-inch screen the phone feels extremely compact as well as premium in the hands. The phone also doesn’t feel very heavy in the hands like the Realme C12 and the C15. The overall weight is pretty balanced out throughout the device.

The Realme 7 offers a good viewing experience as well as in indoor situations. Inside the house, the screen of the phone gets adequately bright. I watched a few videos, played games like Asphalt 9, PUBG Mobile (banned in India on August 2), and Temple Run on the phone and they all looked pretty good. The viewing angles were also fine. However, in outdoor situations, even the 100 percent brightness level didn’t feel adequate. During my morning walk, I often had to partly cover the phone screen to avoid the direct sunlight so I could view emails and Twitter feed properly.

Realme 7’s unique design looks stunning (Express photo: Sneha Saha)
What surprised me is the performance of the phone. The MediaTek G95 processor that powers the Realme 7 works smoothly and handles multitasking very well. I used the phone as my primary device, which means I made calls, played games, browsed the internet, and social media including Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, sent many emails and WhatsApp messages. The Realme 7 never felt laggy or slowed down. I have been using the device before PUBG Mobile was banned in India and played the game and it ran smoothly in even high graphics settings.

Realme 7 shines in the camera department too. I clicked many pictures in different scenarios and in almost all lighting conditions the phone was able to capture good, detailed pictures. In low light, though, the phone slightly struggles to capture details. However, the Night mode helps in this case and makes low light pictures look crisper.