Why you must not compare Mi A3 with Realme 5
Xiaomi’s Mi A3 is a successor (taxonomically,m but not technically) to the hugely popular Mi A2. 24 hours before the launch of Mi A3 in India, Realme pulled out their Realme 5 and announced it as India’s first mobile to be powered by Snapdragon 665. The moment the processor was announced, the Internet is abuzz with everyone comparing it with Mi A3. Yes, Mi A3 is also a device powered by Snapdragon 665, but there ends the similarity. Mi A3 is in a different league. Yes, it a notch (pun intended) below the specs of Mi A2, but it cannot be compared with Realme 5. Here are 4 reasons…
Android One
Mi A3 is on Android One program, which means you get a clean stock Android experience straight from Google. No adds, No bloatware, No duplicate play store, No Comic sans. Realme 5 still runs on a cartoonish looking Color OS 6. Stock Android may not have all the bells and whistles of a skinned UI like MIUI or Color OS, but it is lean, mean and slick. Literally, this is one big reason, you just cannot compare the Mi A3 with Realme 5, but I have got a few more, read on…
Quad-Pixel camera vs Quad Camera
Quad pixel or pixel binning technology is the best thing that has happened in 2019. With Quad Bayer technology, 4 pixels are combined to form a huge pixel and deliver stunning pictures. Mi A3 has a 48 MP Sony IMX 586 sensor on the rear and a 32 MP Samsung GD1 sensor on the front, both Quad pixel sensor. Additionally, it has an 8 MP wide-angle sensor and a 2 MP depth sensor. But Realme has a regular 12 MP camera sensor on the back, with 8 MP wide-angle, 2 MP depth sensor and a dedicated 2 MP camera for macro shots. The front selfie camera is 13 MP sensor, but Realme is known for its awesome selfies. A regular 12 MP camera is no match for a Sony IMX 586 sensor. So again, there is no point comparing these mobiles.
AMOLED Display
I am not sure what Xiaomi was thinking, when they went for an HD+ panel, compared to a full HD panel on the Mi A2. I just can’t imagine technology front-runners like Xiaomi are still using HD+ panels on their mobiles. But its an AMOLED Panel and 6″ screen with a PPI of 286, which is marginally better than the 6.5″ HD+ screen on Realme 5 with PPI of 269.
In-display Fingerprint scanner
Fingerprint scanner under the display much cooler than the capacitive fingerprint scanner on Realme 5. But it is much faster to unlock the mobile.
Battery
Realme 5 has a massive 5000 mAh battery, making it thicker and heavier, compared to Mi A3 with 4030 mAh battery. I am not comparing the real-life performance yet, but the extra battery and larger display make the Realme 5 a bulky device to hold and handle. Mi A3 comes with support for 18W QC 3 charger and bundled with 10W charger in the box, while Realme 5 is bundled with a 10W charger. But again, its a mobile priced at under 10k, so I am greedy if I expected a VOOC charger in it. But I am not sure if it supports VOOC charger or any kind of fast charger.
The rest of the similarities are clearly evident and you already know the differences. But the point here is that both these mobiles have a different proposition. They offer different values to the customers. Realme 5 is a great value for money mobile that offers good performance under Rs 10k. But the Mi A3 is a mobile that offers clean Android experience and focuses a lot on end-user experience. Comparing mobiles by price tags or hardware specifications does not make sense anymore. Decide what you want and look for a mobile that matches your requirements.
Let us wait and for the official pricing, specs and availability details of Mi A3. (Section will be updated)
Mi A3 will be available in India in 2 memory variants and 3 color variants. The 4 GB RAM / 64 GB variant is priced at Rs 12999 while the top end 6/128 is priced at Rs 15999.
