Redmi Note 7 vs. Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 vs. Realme U1: Specs, Features, Prices

Redmi Note 7 was unveiled as the first smartphone under Xiaomi’s sub-brand, Redmi, on Thursday. The first and latest Redmi phone comes with a 48MP sensor on the rear which is the highlight of the handset. Moreover, the device also features a water-drop notched display which makes it on par with some other popular budget phones in the price range. Xiaomi also opts for a 2.5D glass protection on both sides of the phone with a 6.3-inch display. As Redmi is now an independent brand, the Redmi Note 7 carries a Redmi logo on the rear instead of the standard Xiaomi logo.

Redmi Note 7 (left) vs. Realme U1 (middle) vs. Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 (right)

The Redmi Note 7 is a strong contender in its price range, competing against the likes of Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 and Realme U1. So, let’s see how the specs and price of these three handsets compared to each other so that you can have a clear idea of which phone to choose.

Redmi Note 7 vs. Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 vs. Realme U1: Specifications

In the display department, the Redmi Note 7 sports a 6.3-inch FHD+ LTPS display with 1,080 x 2,340 pixels resolution and an aspect ratio of 19.5:9, 84% NTSC color gamut, 450 nits brightness and Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 features a 6.26-inch FHD+ with 2,280 pixels resolution and an aspect ratio of 19:9 as well as Corning Gorilla Glass 6.

On the other hand, the Realme U1 has the same display specs with the Redmi Note 7, packing an FHD+ display with a 1,080 x 2,340 pixels resolution and an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. However, it features a 2.5D curved Gorilla Glass 3. While the Redmi and Realme handsets have a water-drop notch, the Asus device comes with a slightly wider notch on the front.

The Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 has a slightly wider notch compared to the other two's

The Redmi Note 7 is powered by the Snapdragon 660 processor, coupled with Adreno 512 GPU and 3/4/6GB of RAM. Similarly, the ZenFone Max Pro M2 also features the same Snapdragon 660 processor along with 3/4/6GB of RAM as well. Different from the other two, the Realme U1 comes with a MediaTek Helio P70 processor, paired with an ARM Mali-G72 GPU and 3/4GB of RAM.

Redmi Note 7 

In the camera department, the Redmi Note 7 sports a 48MP Samsung GM1 main sensor with an aperture of f/1.8 and a 5MP depth sensor. Along with the camera setup, the handset also has a monochrome dual-LED flash and PDAF tech as well as quite a few AI-powered features, including background blur, portrait mode, EIS, HDR and more.

The ZenFone Max Pro M2, meanwhile, features a dual camera system on the rear, comprising of a 12MP Sony IMX486 main sensor with an aperture of f/1.8 and a 1.25µm pixels and a 5MP depth sensor. The camera setup is backed with some features such as 4K video recording and EIS.

Lastly, the Realme U1 comes with a dual camera system on the rear, including a 13MP main sensor with an aperture of f/2.2, a 2MP sensor with an aperture of f/2.4, and an LED flash. The camera features include AI Scene Detection, Portrait Lighting mode, and a Bokeh mode.

The Redmi Note 7 has a 48MP sensor which is the highest out of the three handsets

On the front, the Redmi handset features a 13MP sensor with features such as AI smart beauty, AI Face ID, background blur, AI single shot blur and front HDR. Meanwhile, the ZenFone Max Pro M2 packs a 13MP single sensor with an aperture of f/2.0, 1.12µm pixels and an LED flash.

Lastly, the Realme U1 sports a 25MP Sony IMX576 sensor with an aperture of f/2.0, 1.8µm pixels and also 4-in-1 pixels technology. The handset also has a Backlight mode and features such as Smarter Groupie and AI Beauty+ mode.

The Realme U1 is touted to sport a great selfie camera with 25MP

In terms of memory, the Redmi device is offered in two memory options which are 32GB as well as 64GB internal storage, and they are both expandable up to 256GB via a microSD slot. The Asus and Realme U1 smartphones also come in two memory variants of 32GB and 64GB internal storage, but while Asus allows users to expand the storage up to 2TB, Realme only offers maximum 256GB expandable storage on the Realme U1.

The Redmi Note 7 is backed by a 4,000 mAh battery with support for QC 4.0 while the other two don’t have support for quick charge tech. The Zenfone Max Pro M2 has a 5,000 mAh battery, and the Realme U1 comes with a 3,500 mAh battery.

The Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 is backed by a whopping 5,000 mAh battery

The dimensions of the Redmi Note 7 is 159.21 x 75.21 x 8.1 mm and its weight is 186g. Meanwhile, the ZenFone Max Pro M2 weighs 175g and measures 158.41 x 76.28 x 7.7 mm. Lastly, the Realme U1 measures 157 x 74 x 8 mm and weighs 168g.

Redmi Note 7 vs. Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 vs. Realme U1: Price

Redmi offers the Redmi Note 7 at a price starting from 999 RMB (around Rs. 10,310) for the variant with 3GB of RAM/32GB of storage. The option with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage is offered at a price of 1,199 RMB (around Rs. 12,500) and the top-end model with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage is priced at 1,399 RMB (around Rs. 14,450). The handset will be up for sale in China from 15 January and come in three color options, including Bright Black, Twilight Gold, Fantasy Blue. Redmi hasn’t revealed the pricing and release date of the handset in the Indian market.

On the other hand, the ZenFone Max Pro M2 is offered in India at a starting price of Rs. 12,999 for the variant with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The next option with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage is priced at Rs. 14,999, and the top-end model with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage can be purchased for Rs. 16,999.

Finally, Realme released the Realme U1 in the Indian market in November last year at a price of Rs. 11,999 for the option with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The other option with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage is priced at Rs. 14,499.