Realme 5
Price: €169 (around £141) from fave.co/39ePMUE
Oppo, the biggest smartphone manufacturer in China, had experienced limited global success until just a few years ago.
However, its launch was a defining moment in what has been a rapid expansion into European markets.
Its Realme sub-brand is clearly targeting the affordable market, with four of the five phones it currently sells in Europe retailing for under €300. The Realme 5 is the cheapest in that line-up, yet on first impressions there’s little to tell it apart from much more expensive handsets. Will extended usage reveal many shortcomings, or can it truly be considered one of the best cheap phones around? Read on to find out.
Design and build
One of the first things you notice about the Realme 5 is the unique patterned design on the back of the phone. This is particularly apparent on the Crystal Blue model we reviewed, but it’s also pretty defined on the equally stunning purple variant. This makes the phone highly reflective, giving it a premium feel even if it is more vulnerable to fingerprint marks.
Talking of fingerprints, the rear-mounted scanner is in a very natural position around a quarter of the way down the device,
