Xiaomi has released a new smartphone in China called the Xiaomi CIVI 5G, sporting an OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, triple-rear cameras, and powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778 5G SoC. There’s another smartphone in the market, though, that packs similar hardware, the realme GT Master Edition. Given their specs, which one do you think is the best option? Find out below.
| Xiaomi CIVI 5G | realme GT Master Edition |
|---|---|
| 6.55-inch FHD+ (2400 x 1080) OLED display, 402ppi | 6.43-inch FHD+ (2400 x 1080) Super AMOLED display, 409ppi |
| 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate | 120Hz refresh rate, 360Hz touch sampling rate |
| Qualcomm Snapdragon 778 5G SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 778 5G SoC |
| Adreno 642L GPU | Adreno 642L GPU |
| 8GB, 12GB RAM | 8GB RAM |
| 128GB, 256GB storage | 128GB, 256GB storage |
| Triple rear cameras: • 64MP F1.97 (main) • 8MP F2.2 (ultrawide) • 2MP F2.4 (macro) | Triple rear cameras: • 64MP F1.8 (main) • 8MP F2.2 (ultrawide) • 2MP F2.4 (macro) |
| 32MP front camera | 32MP front camera |
| Dual-SIM | Dual-SIM |
| 5G, 4G LTE | 5G, 4G LTE |
| WiFi 6E | WiFi 6 |
| Bluetooth 5.2 | Bluetooth 5.2 |
| NFC | NFC |
| GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Fingerprint scanner (in-display) | Fingerprint scanner (in-display) |
| Stereo Speakers | |
| 3.5mm audio jack | |
| IR Blaster | |
| USB-C | USB-C |
| MIUI 12.5 (Android 11) | realme UI 2.0 (Android 11) |
| 4,500mAh battery w/ 55W fast charging | 4,200mAh batter w/ 65W fast charging |
Summary of advantages
Xiaomi CIVI 5G:
• Slightly larger screen
• Has 12GB RAM
• WiFi 6E
• Stereo speakers
• IR Blaster
• Slightly larger battery
realme GT Master Edition:
• Slightly higher ppi count
• Higher touch sampling rate
• 3.5mm audio jack
• Higher charging rate
Table of Contents
Display
Both smartphones are equipped with large screens starting at 6-inches, but the Xiaomi CIVI 5G has a slightly larger screen. However, the 0.12-inch difference is negligible. Both also have FHD+ resolutions with the realme GT Master Edition having a slightly higher ppi count, but the 7ppi difference is negligible and won’t be noticed.
The two also differ in panels used. The CIVI 5G uses an OLED panel, while the GT ME uses Super AMOLED. Both have its advantages, but to the regular user, they offer deep blacks, excellent contrast, and punchy colors.
Both also have high refresh rates at 120Hz. However, they differ in touch sampling rates. The GT ME has the advantage with 360Hz, which provides a better response compared to the 240Hz of the CIVI 5G.
CPU and GPU
Both smartphones are equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 778 5G SoC with 4×2.4 GHz Kryo 670 and 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 670 processors and Adreno 642L GPU. Since the chipset is the same, we can expect the same level of performance.
Memory
For the RAM, the CIVI 5G comes in 8GB and 12GB options. The GT ME, on the other hand, is only offered with 8GB RAM for the PH market. Both come in 128GB and 256GB storage capacities without support for microSD cards.
Camera
Both devices offer the same camera configuration. We’re talking about triple-rear cameras with 64MP main, 8MP ultrawide, and 2mP macro. For selfies, both have a 32MP front camera. While the pixel count is the same, it doesn’t mean that they will produce the same image quality. We’ll know once we have reviewed both devices.
Connectivity and Features
The two are also almost identical in connectivity features. Both have dual-SIM, 5G connectivity, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, USB-C, in-display fingerprint scanners, and GPS. However, the CIVI 5G offers WiFi 6E (vs WiFi 6) which supports the 6GHz band. This is handy when WiFi channels become crowded as it can use the new frequency band for better connection.
As for other features, the CIVI 5G has the advantage in stereo speakers and IR blaster, while the GT ME has a 3.5mm audio jack. The former is good if you want more immersive audio and want to control your appliances at home with infrared.
The GT ME, on the other hand, is a great device if you prefer using your favorite wired headphones.
Battery
The CIVI 5G wins in terms of battery capacity with 4,500mAh versus the 4,200mAh of the GT ME. However, the GT ME wins in charging rate as it has a 65W fast charge compared to the CIVI 5G’s 55W.
Which one is for you?
If you want a smartphone with 12GB of RAM, stereo speakers, IR Blaster, WiFI 6E, and a larger battery, the Xiaomi CIVI 5G is a good option. However, if you want something with a better touch sampling rate, 3.5mm audio jack, and a faster charging rate, the realme GT Master Edition is for you.
It’s worth noting that the GT ME is already available in the Philippines for PHP 18,990 for the 8GB + 128GB and PHP 21,990 for the 8GB + 256GB. The CIVI 5G, on the other hand, is currently only available in China and there’s no word yet if it will arrive in the Philippines. But if it ever it arrives in the country, how much do you think Xiaomi should price it, and which one are you going to get? Let us know in the comments below.
What it boils down to, is availability, since Realme is backed by Oppo, ad their supply chain is excellent, I’d go with the Realme. And, MIUI is buggy.