When looking for a daily driver smartphone, it should have: 1) decent specs capable of running most applications including games in light to moderate settings; 2) a big battery that can last for more than a day; 3) a pocket-friendly price tag. Fortunately, we have two smartphones that fit the bill — the Vivo Y19 and the Realme 5. Which one looks good on paper? Let’s find out.
| VIVO Y19 | REALME 5 |
|---|---|
| 6.53-inch Halo FullView FHD+ (2340 x 1080) IPS display, 395ppi | 6.5-inch Mini-drop Full-screen HD+ (1600 x 720) IPS display, 269ppi, Corning Gorilla Glass 3+ |
| MediaTek Helio P65 (12nm) 2.0 GHz octa-core CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 (11nm) 2.0GHz octa-core CPU |
| Mali-G52 MC2 GPU | Adreno 610 GPU |
| 4GB | 3GB / 4GB RAM |
| 128GB | 32GB / 64GB / 128GB |
| microSD up to 256GB (SIM 2 slot) | microSD up to 256GB (dedicated slot) |
| 16MP F1.8 main + 8MP F2.2 ultrawide + 2MP F2.4 macro triple rear cameras | 12MP F1.8 main + 8MP F2.25 ultrawide + 2MP portrait + 2MP macro quad rear cameras |
| 16MP F2.0 front camera | 13MP F2.0 front camera |
| Dual-SIM | Dual SIM |
| 4G LTE | 4G LTE |
| Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac |
| Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Fingerprint scanner (rear) | Fingerprint scanner (rear) |
| Face Unlock | Face Unlock |
| 3.5mm headphone jack | 3.5mm headphone jack |
| microUSB | microUSB |
| 5,000mAh battery w/ 18W fast charging | 5,000mAh battery w/ 10W charging |
| Funtouch 9.2 (Android 9 Pie) | ColorOS 6 (Android 9 Pie) |
| 162.2 x 76.5 x 8.9 mm | 164.4 x 75.6 x 9.3 mm |
| 193 g | 198 g |
Summary of advantages
Vivo Y19:
• Higher screen resolution
• Higher main camera resolution
• Higher front camera resolution
• 18W fast charging
Realme 5:
• Comes in other configurations
• Gorilla Glass 3+
• Dedicated microSD card slot
• Macro camera
• Lower price
Starting with the display, the two almost have the same screen size with just a 03-inch difference, but they’re different when it comes to resolution. The Vivo Y19 has the upper hand for having a Full HD+ resolution or equal to 395ppi, compared to the Realme 5’s HD+ or 269ppi. However, the latter has Gorilla Glass 3+ protection while the other does not.
When it comes to memory, the Vivo Y19 comes in one configuration — 4GB + 128GB, while the Realme 5 has three — 3GB + 32GB/64GB and 4GB + 128GB. The latter has the advantage when it comes to offering users options, especially when it comes to budget. As for expandability, the Realme 5 wins for having a dedicated microSD card slot.
Looking at the cameras, the Vivo Y19 has a triple camera setup with a higher main camera resolution, while the Realme 5 has a quad-camera setup with a dedicated portrait lens. For selfies, the Y19 has a higher front camera resolution. As we all know, the number of megapixels doesn’t always guarantee the quality, so we’ll know which one is better once we have both devices reviewed side-by-side.
Performance-wise, the two are powered by different chipsets. The Vivo Y19 has a MediaTek Helio P65 with Mali-G52 GPU, while the Realme 5 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 with Adreno 610 GPU. We haven’t reviewed the Y19 yet, so we can’t comment on its performance.
As for the battery, the two devices sport a massive 5,000mAh capacity so that you can expect good mileage from both devices, although we’re yet to determine which one can provide the longest battery life. When it comes to charging, the Vivo Y19 wins for having an 18W fast charging.
Lastly, the price, the Vivo Y19, has a PHP 10,999 price tag. The Realme 5, on the other hand, carries three price tags, but for this comparison, we’ll look at the 4GB + 128GB model, which is at PHP 9,990. That’s a PHP 1,009 difference.
So, which one to get? If you’re on a tight budget, want Gorilla Glass 3+, a dedicated portrait camera, and a dedicated microSD card, get the Realme 5. But if you can stretch the budget a bit, buy the Vivo Y19. You’ll get a better screen resolution, higher camera resolutions, and fast charging.
