Realme Book Slim review: This MacBook clone is better than you think

Realme Ebook Slim begins at Rs 46,999. (Photograph credit score: Saurabh Singh/Monetary Specific)

The simplest solution to sum up the Realme Ebook Slim—Realme’s first laptop computer—is to say that it exceeds all expectations. To drag one thing off like this within the first try itself isn’t just mind-blowing, nevertheless it additionally raises lots of hopes and expectations about the place the corporate can—and can—go from right here.

Many would level out the “many” MacBook influences on this laptop computer however that’s an excellent basis to construct on. Realme isn’t the primary firm to borrow from Apple. It actually gained’t be the final. As is true for any product, it’s what it’s achieved above and past these influences that basically issues.

Additionally Learn | Realme Ebook Slim laptop computer first look: Design, specs, options, and every thing to know

The TL; DR model of that is, Realme has caught to the fundamentals, and whereas the concept of “not taking dangers” is mostly frowned upon within the tech trade, a smartphone firm—that was based simply three years in the past—making a laptop computer, is an announcement in its personal proper. That it was in a position to it so neatly simply goes to indicate the depth of expertise and talent its R&D crew possesses.

Realme Ebook Slim design, {hardware}

Realme has constructed fairly a fame for making handsome {hardware} after which promoting it at disruptively aggressive costs. The apple didn’t fall removed from the tree within the case of its first laptop computer as properly.

The design is gorgeous, if not probably the most unique. (Photograph credit score: Saurabh Singh/Monetary Specific)

The Realme Ebook Slim is being provided in two variations. The bottom mannequin begins at slightly below Rs 50,000—Rs 46,999 to be extra particular—and though there’s one other, extra highly effective and future-ready configuration out there for Rs 59,999, that entry-level possibility, that’s the one that basically lights up the section. Just like the Mi Pocket book Extremely, the Realme Ebook Slim additionally makes nearly each different laptop computer round its worth, appear ridiculously costlier.

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The design is gorgeous, if not probably the most unique. Realme has tried to make the match and end pretty much as good as among the different premium competitors which given its worth level, is spectacular. it, there’s no telling that that is the corporate’s first laptop computer. The identical feeling extends—seamlessly—into the person expertise. The Realme Ebook Slim is presumably one of the best piece of {hardware} that Realme has ever made.

This can be a skinny and lightweight laptop computer made virtually completely out of metallic. It’s simple to lug round, simple to maneuverer. At its thickest level, the laptop computer measures 15.5mm. It weighs only one.38kg.

Portability is the Realme Ebook Slim’s greatest USP. It’s versatile too with a hinge that offers you lots of freedom and adaptability to prop it up at a number of angles—all the way in which as much as virtually a 180-degree—and use it effortlessly, say for example, in your lap.

No matter its paper-thin dimensions and price range price ticket, Realme hasn’t in the reduction of on sturdiness and polish. It appears like Realme has been making laptops since eternally.

It has a butterfly keyboard. (Photograph credit score: Saurabh Singh/Monetary Specific)

There are additionally two completely different colourways—blue and grey—to select from. The blue variant we now have for evaluation appears gorgeous. One other factor that stands out is the minimal branding. The lid has the Realme emblem, however its positioning is aesthetically pleasing. The keyboard deck—additionally—is totally clear.

That keyboard deck is a blended bag although. It’s brimming to the core with options, which is nice. There’s a backlit keyboard with three ranges of illumination and the trackpad helps Home windows Precision Drivers. For biometrics, there’s a bodily fingerprint scanner which helps Home windows Hey.

Whereas the trackpad is amazingly strong and reassuringly giant, the keys are common at greatest. The person ‘butterfly’ keys—that are made from plastic—have 1.3 mm journey. They’re loud and clicky however they’re utterly flat—which is after all by design—one thing which doesn’t bode properly for prolonged typing. We are able to’t touch upon their longevity facet both.

Additionally Learn | Mi Pocket book Extremely evaluation: Sleeper hit worth laptop computer of 2021

It could have been higher had Realme not copied this characteristic of the MacBook. Even Apple has introduced again the ‘scissor swap’ key phrase after widespread criticism. Anyhow, that’s the one purple flag we had been capable of finding however as a result of the keyboard is the glue that holds every thing collectively in a laptop computer, it’s vital to grasp—and take note—what you’re stepping into even when the remainder of the package deal appears—and is—too good to be true.

For what it’s value, we’ve been utilizing the Realme Ebook Slim for nearly three months now and it’s held up surprisingly properly. That’s an excellent signal.

The i3 model packs Intel UHD graphics. (Photograph credit score: Saurabh Singh/Monetary Specific)

Realme Ebook Slim show

On the outset, it is a productivity-focused machine with a tall 3:2 14-inch display with 2160×1440 pixel or 2K decision. The panel is IPS LCD, helps 100% sRGB and may theoretically peak 400nits. We gained’t go an excessive amount of into the nitty-gritties right here as a result of it’s not wanted.

The Realme Ebook Slim’s show is well among the many greatest, not simply in its personal section, nevertheless it’s higher than many costlier machines out there immediately. The one different laptop computer that offers you a extra eye-popping show at this worth is the Asus VivoBook K15 OLED.

Realme claims its laptop computer has a 90% screen-to-body ratio however numbers apart, the Realme Ebook Slim has a really immersive close to edge-to-edge display that’s proper up there with one of the best within the enterprise. Opposite to many different productiveness laptops, it has a shiny show which impacts viewing angles typically relying on the type of content material you’ve gotten on the display. Matte would have been nicer however once more, that is completely subjective. The display is nice for content material consumption, so it might all slim down to make use of case.

However no matter be the case, there’s no denying that the Realme Ebook Slim’s show units a benchmark for a way price range laptop computer screens can—and may—be and hopefully, we’ll see extra of this trickle right down to different laptops. The Redmibook Professional that’s priced roughly across the identical ball park determine, has a extra highly effective spec-sheet however what can solely be described as a horrendous show which type of defeats the entire objective of a product like this.

The bottom variant of the Realme Ebook Slim has an eleventh Gen Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor. (Photograph credit score: Saurabh Singh/Monetary Specific)

Realme Ebook Slim efficiency, battery life

The Realme Ebook Slim packs Intel’s 11-gen Core i3 and Core i5 processors paired with 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM and as much as 512GB PCIe SSD storage.

The bottom variant of the Realme Ebook Slim has an eleventh Gen Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor (2 cores, 4 threads) with a clock velocity of three.0GHz (Turbo Enhance as much as 4.1GHz). The highest-end variant has an eleventh Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor (4 cores, 8 threads) with a clock velocity of two.4GHz (Turbo Enhance as much as 4.2GHz). There are just a few different variations.

The i5 model packs Intel Iris Xe graphics. The i3 model packs Intel UHD graphics. The i5 model makes use of sooner 4266MHz RAM (the i3 model caps at 3733MHz).

The i5 model has a Thunderbolt 4/ USB 4, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, USB-A 3.1 Gen 1, 3.5mm headphone and microphone jack. The i3 model has 2 USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, USB-A 3.1 Gen 1, 3.5mm headphone and microphone jack. The i5 model helps Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6. The i3 model helps Bluetooth 5.1 and Wi-Fi 5.

These should not small variations by any means, and it is best to completely be wanting on the higher-end mannequin when you’re in search of a.) extra energy, and b.) future-proofing. However that possibility additionally has a.) extra competitors together with one from Xiaomi—the Mi Pocket book Extremely—that we imagine presents extra worth, and b.) isn’t as available for getting—it’s out of inventory on Realme India web site on the time of scripting this evaluation.

The i3 model makes extra sense for the type of budget-conscious viewers that Realme is concentrating on anyway and at its worth, it has no direct competitors—none in any respect.

The 54Wh battery inside this laptop computer will simply final a full work-day. (Photograph credit score: Saurabh Singh/Monetary Specific)

Let’s begin with efficiency. This mannequin packs an eleventh Technology Intel Core i3-1115G4 (Tiger Lake-UP3) processor with built-in Intel UHD graphics. That is paired with 8GB DDR4x-3733 RAM and 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD. The i3-1115G4 is a 2 core, 4 thread processor constructed on a 10nm course of node with a base clock velocity of 3GHz and enhance speeds of as much as 4.1GHz. The chip consumes as much as 28W of TDP.

Single-core efficiency is ‘expectedly’ good which is to say this laptop computer can deal with fundamental duties together with internet searching, mails, some gentle picture and video enhancing, and video calls—it has a good 720p webcam—properly. You may as well play just a few informal video games right here and there however, make sure that this isn’t a gaming laptop computer. Not until you’re stress-testing it, the system doesn’t warmth up/throttle and runs largely cool and quiet.

The 54Wh battery inside this laptop computer will simply final a full work-day for reasonable customers which is once more, incredible. Not like most laptops on this section which include barrel chargers, the Realme Ebook Slim comes with a 65W USB Kind-C charger within the field and could be topped utilizing commonplace chargers as properly, say for example Realme’s 30W Dart Cost out there with a few of its telephones.

Proper out of the gate, the Realme Ebook Slim runs Home windows 10. Apart from a helpful PC join instrument, there isn’t a different bloatware contained in the laptop computer. It’s Home windows 11-ready with the replace anticipated to reach quickly.

Rounding off the package deal are a pair of loud stereo audio system tuned by Harman Kardon.

Realme Ebook Slim | Must you purchase?

As you’ll be able to inform after studying this evaluation, Realme has mainly hit it out of the ball park with its first laptop computer. The Realme Ebook Slim will get so many issues proper, these ‘MacBook’ appears simply find yourself being icing on the cake. However sure after all, we hope—and count on—that the following model is a bit more unique.

The i3 model makes extra sense for the type of budget-conscious viewers. (Photograph credit score: Saurabh Singh/Monetary Specific)

The one different laptop computer that comes near the Realme Ebook Slim’s terrific worth proposition is the Asus VivoBook K15 OLED however, the competitors isn’t precisely neck-to-neck. Each laptops are supposed for various folks which makes selecting one—over the opposite—little simpler.

Additionally Learn | Asus VivoBook K15 OLED evaluation: Lights up the price range laptop computer section, simply in time for festive season

For most individuals, the Realme Ebook Slim must be a greater choose. It’s a laptop computer that offers you all of the bells and whistles of a premium, costlier laptop computer at half the associated fee.

That is simply Realme’s greatest product this 12 months.

Execs: Premium construct, Good show, Good all-round efficiency, Good battery life, Nice worth

Cons: Spinoff design, Butterfly keyboard, No SD card reader