realme X50 Pro 5G Review – Speed Of The Future!

Since the announcement of its release earlier this year, I’ve been waiting for this to arrive here in the Philippines, every time realme announces that they are releasing yet another smartphone, I always wish it would be this one, now it’s finally here, we have the realme X50 Pro 5G. realme’s Flagship phone that features the latest 5G technology and breaks boundaries when it comes to mobile data speeds. And apparently, it offers more than that. 

Today, we’re going to discuss pretty much everything you need to know about this smartphone starting from the essentials and the things that make this standout compared to the rest of realme’s smartphone lineup and against its competitors at this price range. Of course, the notable feature is the 5G connectivity but it also packs some serious hardware inside with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G processor, 90Hz Super AMOLED display, 65W SuperDart Charge technology, Dual Stereo Speakers, 64MP Quad Camera setup, and the first realme smartphone here in the Philippines to feature the latest realme UI version 2 based on Android 11. Surely a lot of new and most sought-after features are all inside this sleek and gorgeous piece of technology. With that being said, let’s get into it.

MY EARLY BREAKDOWN

 

Pros: Blazing fast 5G speeds, Premium design and construction, Good super AMOLED display with 90hz high refresh rate, Flagship killer specs, Superfast charging, Good camera quality, Decent stereo speakers, Fast in-display fingerprint sensor, Smooth and lightweight realme UI version 2 OS, 

Cons: No wireless charging

SPECIFICATIONS

 

Processor	Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 865 5G CPU：7nm EUV, octa-core, up to 2.84GHz GPU：Adreno 650 AIE：5th Generation Qualcomm AI Engine
Storage & RAM	12GB + 256GB Largest available for realme X50 Pro RAM：6GB/8GB/12GB LPDDR5 Quad-channel ROM：128GB/256GB UFS 3.0+Turbo write+HPB
Display	90Hz Ultra-smooth display 16.4cm (6.44”) Fullscreen Resolution：2400×1080 FHD+ Screen-to-body ratio：92 percent Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Charging & Battery	65W SuperDart Charge 4,200mAh（typ） Includes a 10V/6.5A charger & cable USB Type-C port
Camera	64MP AI Quad Cameras 20x Zoom Rear Camera 64MP Ultra high-resolution wide-angle camera 26mm, FOV 78.6-degree, f/1.8, 6P lens Samsung GW1, 1/1.72” 8MP Ultra wide-angle & macro camera 15.7mm, FOV 119-degree, f/2.3, 5P lens, 3cm focus 12MP Tele camera 54.08mm, f/2.5, 5P lens 2MP B&W portrait camera FOV 88.8-degree, f/2.4 Photography function： Portrait distortion correction, Hypertext, Ultra 64MP mode, Ultra Nightscape, Super Nightscape, panoramic view, Expert mode, Timelapse, Portrait mode, HDR, Ultra wide-angle mode, Ultra macro mode, AI scene recognition, AI beauty, Filter, Chroma boost, Slow motion, Bokeh effect control Video recording： UIS Video Stabilization UIS Max Video Stabilization Ultra wide-angle video Real-time bokeh effect video 4K/30fps video recording 1080P/30fps, 60fps video recording 720P/30fps, 60fps video recording Dual In-display Selfie Sony 32MP wide-angle camera FOV 80.4-degree, f/2.5, 5P lens Sony IMX 616 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera FOV 105-degree, f/2.2, 5P lens Photography： Portrait mode, Timelapse, panoramic view, AI beauty, HDR, face recognition, filter, portrait nightscape, bokeh effect control Video recording： UIS Video Stabilization UIS Max Video Stabilization Slo-mo selfie Ultra wide-angle video Real-time bokeh effect video 1080P/30fps video recording 720P/30fps video recording
Cellular & Wireless	5G Network Frequency bands  [UK, France, Italy, Spain, Australia, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia] 5G NR: n77/78/38/40/41/1/3/5/7/28* FDD  LTE: B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/17/18/19/20/26/28/32/66 TD-LTE: B38/39/40/41/42 W-CDMA: B1/2/4/5/6/8/19 GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 [India] NSA: n78/n41(2515-2675MHz)/n79* SA: n78/n41(2515-2675MHz)/n79* FDD-LTE: B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/17/20 TD-LTE: B34/38/39/40/41(2515-2675MHz) W-CDMA: B1/2/4/5/6/8/19 GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 *realme X50 Pro 5G supports these 5G bands above, local 5G network support varies depending on local 5G network availability. Wireless network 2.4/5GHz 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax Bluetooth 5.1
Navigation	Dual-frequency GPS GPS, AGPS, Glonass, Beidou
Audio	Dual speakers Superlinear speaker Double mic noise suppression Dolby Atmos Hi-Res Audio
Size & Weight	Height: 158.96mm Width: 74.24mm Depth: 8.9mm Weight≈205g
Sensors	Magnetic induction sensor, light sensor, proximity sensor, gyrometer, acceleration sensor
Operating System	realme UI Version 2 Based on Android 11
Packing List	realme X50 Pro 65W SuperDart charger USB Type-C cable Protect case Protect film SIM card tool  Important info booklet with warranty card

WHAT’S IN THE PACKAGE

 

Even for a flagship phone, the realme X50 Pro 5G’s packaging is nothing special with a typical yellow box, the model name, and the realme logo in front.

Around the box, we have the same branding details,

And at the back, we have its key features and technical details such as the exact model name and the variant which in our case, we have the top of the line 12GB RAM, 256GB ROM Moss Green variant. It should also be available in Rust Red. 

Upon opening the box, reveals the usual accessory box that contains a few items.

Inside it, we have a couple of paperwork which includes the warranty guide and the quick start guide.

Of course, we also have a free jelly case like most realme smartphones before this. And like I always say, this is quite important more than you actually think about it. Because usually, it’s kinda hard to find a smartphone case for newly released models. 

Removing the accessory box reveals the realme X50 Pro 5G nicely protected by a plastic film.

Removing it alongside its platform reveals the rest of the package contents that includes a SIM ejector pin,

The 65W SuperDart power brick which is actually pretty hefty,

And the noticeably thick USB Type C charging cable.

And that’s about it for the unboxing experience, now let’s take a closer look at the realme X50 Pro 5G smartphone itself.

FULL REVIEW

Design, Construction, and Full Review

 

In terms of the design, at first, you might not notice it but if you look closely, the bottom bezels are noticeably thinner than usual. This makes up for a larger 92% screen to body ratio.

In front, we have the 6.44″ Super AMOLED display with a 20:9 Full HD+ 2400×1080 resolution and a total of 409 pixels per inch density giving us an overall detailed, crispy, and contrasty display, not to mention well-saturated colors, deeper blacks, decent color reproduction, and viewing angles. We’ll discuss more about the display later but at first glance, the display looks really stunning.

Here in front, we also have a large cutout to make way for the dual selfie cameras that feature a Sony 32MP wide-angle camera with Sony IMX 616 sensor and an 8MP ultra-wide-angle. camera. Aside from that, we also have here the subtle earpiece that also doubles as a speaker for the Dolby Atmos Certified Hi-Res Sound Quality.

Lastly, here in front, we also have a hidden in-display fingerprint sensor that features a rated 0.27s quick activation. Oh by the way, as usual, the display comes with a pre-applied screen protector that like the free jelly case, is quite important more than we actually appreciate.

Now, flipping it on the left side, we have the dedicated buttons for volume adjustment. We can also see here the 360 degrees surround antenna on both sides which we’ll tackle more later.

Flipping it on the other side, we have the power button with a golden accent lining and the said surround antenna again on both sides.

Turning it on the top side, we have the secondary microphone and again, the 360 surround antenna on both sides.

Turning it all over at the bottom side, we have the main speaker unit, the USB Type C port, the primary microphone, and the SIM card tray that supports dual nano-SIM cards. There’s no SD Card slot but honestly, the 256GB internal storage should be sufficient enough.

Now, looking at the back, we have a familiar design similar to what the previous flagship realme X3 Superzoom has. As realme claims, it is processed by the industry-leading AG technology and chose a 25 percent haze value to reduce the emission of light from 8 percent to less than 1 percent of ordinary glass. 

Essentially, this gives the glass back a sort of frosted finish that looks absolutely sleek and gorgeous while also being relatively fingerprint-resistant. It still reacts randomly to lighting and reflections but is way subtle compared to a completely glossy glass back. 

Here at the back, we also have a realme logo located on the usual spot here at the lower-left corner.

And then on the top left corner, we have the 64MP AI quad-camera setup that features a 12MP telephoto lens, the main 64MP Ultra high-resolution wide-angle camera, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 2MP B&W portrait camera. And of course, we have a small flash.

Overall, in terms of design and construction, with a glass front, glass back, both of which are protected by corning gorilla glass 5, and an aluminum frame, there’s no denying the fact that it has all the necessary design elements and construction materials of a flagship phone and without a doubt, a beauty to hold and glance at.

Display 

 

Moving our focus towards the display, as I’ve pointed out earlier, the realme X50 Pro 5G features a 6.44″ Super AMOLED display with a 20:9 Full HD+ 2400×1080 resolution and a total of 409 pixels per inch density. 

Being an AMOLED display, contrast levels are pretty good with deeper blacks and without the usual blue tint. And with deeper blacks and good contrast levels, it makes everything pop from the icons, user interface to everything you see on the display. Colors are also more than substantial with 100% DCI-P3 and 105 NTSC color gamuts, not to mention HDR 10+ certification thanks to its 1000+ nits of brightness. 

Viewing angles are expectedly good and the overall image quality is probably the best I’ve seen from any realme smartphones that I’ve used before. And rightfully so since this is their current flagship phone. Having a Super AMOLED screen is a big thing, but it gets better because it also features a 90hz high refresh rate screen with a 180hz sampling rate. This essentially means that the display of the realme X50 Pro 5G is not only good for media consumption but for gaming as well. Perfect for a powerful, all-around smartphone. 

In-Display Fingerprint Sensor

 

While we’re here talking about the display, underneath it we have the in-display fingerprint sensor. To be honest, I am not a fan of an in-display fingerprint sensor as while it’s awesome and a step forward towards the future, I feel like some implementation of it is less than ideal. But, the good thing here is that this one is an exception. The in-display fingerprint sensor of the realme X50 Pro 5G is rated to activate at around 0.27 seconds and as per my testing, it seems to be true as it is significantly quicker than any in-display fingerprint sensor that I’ve tried before.

Speaker

 

In terms of the speaker, I am happy to say that the realme X50 Pro 5G is not your typical smartphone with just a single downward-firing speaker. It features dual stereo speakers taking advantage of the earpiece as the secondary speaker. And not only that, but It also supports Dolby Atmos surround sound and Hi-Res Sound Quality certifications. 

In terms of the actual sound quality, aside from having the stereo effect which is a rarity now in today’s smartphones, the sound quality is actually really good with deeper bass and a fuller sound overall. It can get surprisingly loud that can fill a small room with clarity. One thing that stands out with this one is the bass, at this point, I am already used to smartphones with little to no bass but this is an exception, it does provide enough low end and bass that not only can be heard but can be felt as well. Aside from that, the mids and highs are also clear with enough details for an overall good listening experience.

realme UI version 2

 

The realme X50 Pro 5G is the first realme smartphone to roll out the new realme UI version 2 based on the latest Android 11 and offers a bunch of improvements in the user interface, privacy, and performance.

One of the key changes is the revamped notification panel with a now floating design which is a subtle yet welcoming sight.

Another key improvement is the availability of three different levels of the Dark Mode, The Pitch Dark (Enhanced), Blue Dark (Medium), and Grey Dark (Gentle).

There are also some improvements in terms of privacy, the most notable one is the option to hide any application with an access code.

Aside from that, there are also a bunch of improvements when it comes to system performance, the most significant one being the 23.63% improvement to application start-up time. This is a great improvement not only for this flagship phone but for the other budget ones should the rollout continues especially given the fact that the realme UI even on its first version is already quite smooth, lightweight, and is easy to handle.

If you want to learn more about the changelog of the realme UI version 2, click here.

Camera

 

The realme X50 Pro 5G like any other previous flagship smartphone from realme features a quad-camera setup that includes a 12MP telephoto camera, the main 64MP Ultra high-resolution wide-angle camera, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 2MP B&W portrait camera. 

At first, I wasn’t really expecting a mind-blowing difference in terms of image quality compared to previous realme smartphones that I’ve tried before because, on paper, they often look pretty much the same in terms of specifications. However, I was surprised that the 5X zoom of the realme X50 Pro 5G is more than substantial in terms of resolution, clarity, and details.

The ultra-wide-angle lens is also pretty decent with substantial saturation, details, and contrast.

The 1X, on the other hand, is more saturated, has more details and contrast, and a good choice for an all-around camera especially considering its field of view. 

With that being said, the 2X is more punchy in terms of contrast and has a lot of details without over-sharpening.

I am personally fond of ultra-wide-angle lenses as it gives us a quite unique and interesting perspective, allowing us to look beyond what we normally see using our naked eyes. And I am happy to learn that the ultra-wide-angle lens of the realme X50 Pro 5G is pretty decent. It’s not the best mega-pixel wise being the lowest among the quad-camera setup at 8mp, but the results are decent enough for my needs.

1X for the normal field of view and probably the one that most of us will use during run and gun situations.

2X for a closer look and for subjects that are farther away.

And as I’ve pointed out earlier, the 5X is perfectly usable and more than adequate considering how far it is from the lens.

HDR works quite well balancing both the shadows and highlights.

As for the selfie camera, in normal mode, the image quality is realistic with enough details, contrast, and saturation and without much over-sharpening.

The portrait mode is also pretty decent with more contrast and good edge detection for the background separation or bokeh effect. However, it tends to make the image darker and adds a warmer tone compared to the normal mode.

The 32Mp main selfie camera like I said, produces a fairly balanced image with good details, contrast, saturation, and produces an overall good image quality for selfies.

The 8Mp ultra-wide-angle lens, however, produces a more contrasty image that crushes the shadows unnecessarily and adds a little bit of pink tint to it which looks quite unnatural. Nevertheless, it allows us to capture a wider image which is good for group selfies and a wider vlogging experience.

Here are the rest of the shots that I took using the quad-camera setup and the dual-selfie cameras of the realme X50 Pro 5G

360 Degrees Surround Antenna, 5G Connectivity, and WiFi 6

 

One of the main selling points of the realme X50 Pro 5G is on its model name itself, the 5G connectivity. And to take full advantage of this new leap in technology, realme has decided to come up with a design that will maximize the potential of the 5G connectivity by adding a 360 degrees surround antenna. 

They added 12 antennas for the X50 Pro 5G, allotting three for GPS, Bluetooth, and WiFi, one for NFC, and eight for 4G+5G, the last to ensure a strong 5G network connection. With this, you are assured that you’re getting the best reception regardless of how you hold the phone at any angle. It also supports Smart 5G which essentially means it will automatically switch between 4G and 5G depending on the available signal effectively reducing power consumption.

As per my testing, living in an area where the nearest Smart Philippines 5G cell site is a town away, with an LTE signal, I’m getting around 118 Mbps download speed and 22.9 upload speed.

Of course, I have to find a spot where we can take advantage of the 5G connectivity, so we went to a nearby town where there’s supposed to be a 5G cell site. And now with a 5G signal, I was able to get around 205 Mbps download and 31.3 Mbps upload which is significantly faster than my LTE speeds. Now, I know for a fact that this is not the fastest 5G speeds available in our country but for me, this is honestly a good sign and a step forward towards the future of mobile data speeds. And it goes without saying that I’m excited for more 5G cell sites within our city and that I now have a proper decent internet backup should my main ISP decided to fail on me.

Aside from the awesome 5G connectivity, the realme X50 Pro 5G also features the latest WiFi 6 technology with dual-band support. This means this smartphone is ready should our ISP becomes ready for WiFi 6 speeds and that we have both the 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz frequency options should we choose to segregate our devices and how they connect to our router.

Now, with all that being said in terms of the 5G connectivity, it is worth mentioning that the realme X50 Pro 5G will be available via Postpaid Plan in the Philippines via Smart Signature Plan. The first postpaid partnership of realme here in the Philippines. 

Specifications Rundown and Other Features

 

Under the hood, the realme X50 Pro 5G is powered by the 7nm Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 with an Adreno 650 GPU. It also has at least for the variant that we have here, 12GB of RAM and 256GB of ROM. It also features the new LPDDR5 standard and UFS 3.0+Turbo Write+HPB technologies which essentially improves overall performance and reduces power consumption. Speaking of power consumption, the realme X50 Pro 5G packs a decent 4200mAh of battery and while it is not the biggest in terms of capacity, it is backup by the 65W SuperDart Charge technology which allows us to charge this phone to 100% in just 35 minutes. Of course, I’ve done my own testing which I will share with you later. Aside from that, the realme X50 Pro 5G also features a vapor cooling system using a vapor chamber, thermal silica, a couple of copper coil, and a bunch of layers of graphite to maintain good thermal performance while gaming, media consumption, and overall productivity tasks.

And like I said earlier, it now features the new and improved realme UI version 2 based on Android 11.

With the unboxing experience, parts overview, camera quality, and specifications rundown out of the way, let’s take a look at some performance benchmarks and real-world performance testings for the realme X50 Pro 5G.

Performance Benchmarks

 

With some capable hardware inside starting with the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, an Adreno 650 GPU, and 12GB of RAM, it was never a doubt that the realme X50 Pro 5G is a powerhouse when it comes to performance. Our sample here scored a whopping 615746 in Antutu Benchmark which speaks volumes when it comes to its capability.

It was able to crunch numbers way ahead of its predecessors in any test that we threw at it and in all criteria.

Antutu Benchmark

GeekBench 5 Benchmark

3DMark Slingshot

3DMark Slingshot Extreme – OpenGL

3DMark Slingshot Extreme – Vulkan

Battery Life and Charging Time

In terms of battery life, the realme X50 Pro 5G packs a decent 4200mAh of battery. And as per our usual testing via the PC Mark Work 2.0 Battery Life benchmark with maximum brightness and maximum volume with earphones plugged in, it was able to last around 6.02 hours.

 

While it may not be a lot in terms of total capacity and battery life, charging it using the 65W SuperDart Charge power brick allows us to essentially use it again in just a matter of minutes. As per my actual testing, I was able to charge the realme X50 Pro 5G from 10% to 100% in just 0.67 hours or around 40 minutes. Which is extremely fast compared to most smartphones at this price range.

And to give you more data here is a screenshot of my AccuBattery testings.

Gaming Experience

 

The gaming experience using the realme X50 Pro 5G is nothing short of amazing. I was able to play any game at maximum graphics settings and at maximum framerate available. 

NBA 2K20

 

In NBA 2K20, which is a known demanding game when it comes to graphics processing power, the realme X50 Pro 5G didn’t break a sweat.

At default settings, it was set to low, but even when cranking all the settings to high and ultra-high, the gameplay is still highly playable and smooth.

It runs at 60 FPS without even utilizing all the CPU and GPU processing power of the Snapdragon 865 and the Adreno 650 GPU. And with the highest settings set, the visual experience is something I haven’t experienced before in any mobile NBA 2K game.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang

 

In mobile legends, the default graphics settings are set to High and HD mode on but with HFR mode off. 

So as always, I turned the high frame rate mode on with the utmost confidence that the realme X50 Pro 5G can handle it.

You know your phone is fast when it loads way ahead of its competitors.

And even with HFR mode, HD and High graphics settings turned on, the gameplay experience in Mobile Legends is extremely smooth even during clashes, ultimate, and generally moving around the map.

Call of Duty Mobile

 

In Call of Duty Mobile, which is another graphics-intensive game, the gameplay is both smooth and visually pleasing.

 

By default, the graphics setting is already set to very high but the frame rate is only set at high setting, so I cranked that up to the maximum setting as well.

It runs at 60 FPS with a very smooth gaming experience.

I must say, I’ve never seen Call of Duty Mobile this good visually and this screenshot doesn’t even give it justice, because looking at it personally via the bright and vibrant Super AMOLED display is really something else.

And having capable hardware like this gives me the justification that you can really get an edge against your opponents that uses an inferior smartphone.

Asphalt 9

 

Asphalt 9 is probably one of the best mobile games visually with stunning graphics and amazing effects, however, it is also one of the games that are really tasking for any smartphone even the flagship ones.

By default, it is set to default visual quality but of course, we have to set that to high quality to really push the capability of the realme X50 Pro 5G.

As per my testing, it runs at 60FPS at around 50% GPU usage and just a little bit of CPU utilization.

I’d say the gaming experience is absolutely amazing with good visual quality and stable gameplay experience. I didn’t encounter any significant frame drops that I typically encounter here in Asphalt 9.

PUBG Mobile

 

PUBG Mobile is again one of the most tasking games in terms of graphics and processing power and most of the time, mobile gamers have to sacrifice image quality for framerate stability and smoothness of the game. Well, not this time.

By default, the graphics setting is set to HD and in High framerate. Fortunately, Ultra HD is available for download for this device so of course, I set it to Ultra HD and in Extreme frame rate settings.

The game runs at 60 FPS with a smooth gameplay experience and without any stuttering or frame drops at all.

Visually, I haven’t seen PUBG Mobile this good looking as I’ve never used such a powerful device before. Usually, I had to set the graphics settings to low in order to properly play this game but now, I can enjoy both the game itself as well as the environment.

I am not a mobile gamer, but I feel like having a much better graphics quality like this gives me an advantage detail-wise looking around the environment especially when scoping.

 

League of Legends: Wild Rift

 

It is my first time playing League of Legends: Wild Rift and I must say, this game looks really good! visually-wise, I honestly feel it is better compared to its competitors.

By default, it is already set to the highest graphics quality possible which is Ultra High Definition.

It runs at 60 FPS and the gameplay is quite smooth and aesthetically pleasing.

Game Space

 

Aside from the capable hardware inside that can power any available mobile games out there, the realme X50 Pro 5G also has a feature called “Game Space”

It’s essentially an application that allows you to take advantage of the powerful hardware of your phone by prioritizing resources for gaming. Here you can set your desired mode like low power mode for casual gaming, balanced mode, and competition mode for intense and competitive gaming.

We also have the game assistant that you can toggle anytime by swiping from the side. Here you can access different shortcuts or prevent any unnecessary distractions.

Lastly, in terms of thermals, the highest temperature I was able to record is only around 40 degrees and that is after an entire game in NBA 2K20, while it’s definitely hot to the touch, it is far from being uncomfortable. 

 

Overall, as I’ve pointed out earlier, with the realme X50 Pro 5G, you can pretty much play any game available at the maximum settings without any problem. 

VERDICT

 

To conclude, the realme X50 Pro 5G smartphone has all the necessary features you’ll ever need from a flagship phone. The design and construction is premium with a glass front, glass back and aluminum frame partnered with a frosted finish. The display has a good balance between good image quality and gaming capability with a Full HD+ Super AMOLED Display and 90hz high refresh rate panel, not to mention a snappy in-display fingerprint reader underneath it. The speakers are also phenomenal with dual stereo speakers and Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res certifications making this smartphone a reliable media consumption device. Packed under the hood are flagship killer specs with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, an Adreno 650 GPU, and 12GB of RAM that can crunch numbers way beyond our typical day to day needs. Of course, we have to mention the realme UI version 2 based on Android 11, a first in realme’s smartphone lineup. Above all that, is the speed of the future 5G connectivity and WiFi 6 compatibility. The only missing feature that I can think of for a flagship phone is wireless charging especially for a phone with a glass back, but other than that, the realme X50 Pro 5G is a no-compromise flagship killer smartphone and certainly worth waiting for.

One thing worth noting here though is that this smartphone will only be available at least for the time being via Postpaid Plan in the Philippines via Smart Signature Plan. As of this time of writing, I don’t have an idea if this will also be available as a standalone prepaid unit.

Price and Availability

 

Best Flagship 5G Postpaid Plan in the Philippines via Smart Signature Plan

– Php1,899 monthly – Smart Signature Plan 1,499 with one-time cash-out of PHP 6,900 and PHP 400 monthly amortization
– Pre-order Promo: December 3 – December 10. Those who will avail of the plan will get a free realme Watch worth PHP 3,990
– Available starting December 11 onwards via Smart Signature plans (Online and in-stores)