Realme 3i vs Samsung Galaxy M10 vs Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 comparison: Which one to buy?

Gone are the days when you had to empty your pockets to buy a good smartphone. Even if you have tight pockets, the market has lots of phones which would fit your bill. Leave the budget range, now you get multiple picks at a particular price. Three such budget phones are – Realme 3i, Samsung Galaxy M10, and Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 – all priced in the 7K to 8K slot.

If you’re still wondering why these three phones made the cut, give a quick glance over the specs and price comparison table down below –

Realme 3i vs. Samsung Galaxy M10 vs. Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 Specs

*Subject to change with time

Now that the specs are out of the way, let’s compare the devices on different parameters, starting with the design.

Design and Display

Out of the three, Zenfone Max Pro M1 looks behind times due to the thick bezels at the top and bottom. The other two sports the waterdrop notch which offers a larger screen real estate than the Zenfone. But you see the Zenfone has a larger pixel density, a contrast ratio of 1500:1 with a maximum brightness of 450 nits, which means a better viewing experience compared to the rest.

Zenfone has a metal (aluminum) chassis, whereas the other two comes in a plastic body. But of the latter two, Realme’s diamond-cut design has a sleek appeal. Samsung for some unbeknownst reason has ditched the fingerprint sensor on M10. The Zenfone Max Pro M1 is the heaviest of the bunch due to a beefier battery.

ALSO READ: Samsung Galaxy M10 vs Asus Zenfone Max M2 – Which One Should You Buy?

UX and Performance

The performance on all the three devices is on par, more or less. So the pick trickles down to the software experience. Both Samsung’s Experience UI (inspired from One UI) and Color OS 6.0 are better stacked with features, albeit with some quirks. The Color OS 6.0, for example, can feel a little too much for the system resources on Realme 3i.

Pro M1, on the other hand, will be a tad smoother due to the no-bloat no-overlay interface. It has a triple-slot, wherein you can insert two SIMs and one memory card.

Off the three, Zenfone packs the biggest battery, followed by Realme 3i and Samsung M10.

P.S. You can play PUBG and other demanding games, even if not at their max graphics settings. Yet again, the battery size will play a paramount role.

Cameras

Comparing the cameras, you must know that the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 comes in two distinctive models –

• 3/4GB with 13MP (f.2.2)+ plus 5MP (f/2.4) duo at the back and 8MP (f/2.2) front camera.
• 6GB edition with 16MP (f/2.0) plus 5MP (2.4) depth sensor on the rear and a 16MP selfie snapper.

So, while there is a thin line of difference between the base variants of the trifecta, the gap broadens as the 6GB model is taken into consideration.

 Verdict: Which phone to buy?

Let’s address the elephant in the room first – Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 is the oldest amongst the three. That said, there is a reason to include it, which you might have sensed thus far.

Granted the Realme 3i and Samsung Galaxy M10 dons a design of the present times. But, if you don’t mind the bezel-envelope across M1 display (which is handy for gaming and notch-free), it has a lot to look forward to. Needless to say, the flagships of 2019 *cough* Pixel 4 *cough* also allegedly wears the same look.

ALSO READ: Redmi 7A vs Realme C2 Comparison

Zenfone predominantly shines in the display. It also has a larger battery, bloat-free software, and the lowest price tag of the lot. However, if you are wooed by a feature-filled software or modern design trends, you may go with Realme 3i as well. Summing up, the decision may go down to your personal preference, keeping the above comparison in consideration.

So, which one of the three do you prefer? Let us know in the comments.