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Xiaomi Redmi K20 vs Realme X: Battle of the Best in Mid-Range Smartphones Category Heats up

The Redmi K20 seems to have an edge over the Realme X, but is the extra cost justified? Let's find out... Plus our Final Verdict that which Phone You Should Buy.

The newly launched Redmi K20 and K20 Pro from Xiaomi are clearly the new value champions. But ever since the launch, there has been a huge debate, rather a newly created ‘hatred’ for the Redmi K20. 

Apparently, a lot of people on social media are upset over the pricing of the K20 and have gone to the extent of making a petition asking Xiaomi to cut down the pricing to Rs 20,000. From what we know people are comparing the Realme X with the Realme K20, insisting that the former is a better option.

So we thought why not do a quick comparison to see if the Redmi K20 makes sense for its price.

Redmi K20

The Redmi K20 features a 6.39-inch AMOLED Full-HD+ (2340x1080 pixels) resolution display with a 91.9 per cent screen to body ratio, HDR support, DC dimming, and an in-display fingerprint scanner. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 SoC, which is a fairly new chipset, and claimed to be the third fastest offering from the chipmaker. It is available with 6GB of RAM and up to 128GB of storage.

Redmi K20

There is a triple rear camera setup at the back with a 48-megapixel Sony IMX582 primary sensor, a 13-megapixel secondary camera with a wide-angle lens, and an 8-megapixel shooter with an f/2.4 lens. For selfies, there is a 20-megapixel pop-up selfie camera. Other features include a 4,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support, dual SIM support, USB Type-C port, and 3.5mm audio jack. In terms of the connectivity options, you will get Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, and NFC on the smartphone.

The Redmi K20 is being offered in two variants, 6GB with 64GB storage and 6GB with 128GB storage which are priced at Rs 21,999 and Rs 23,999 respectively. There are three colours to choose from including- Carbon black, Flame red, Glacier blue.

Realme X

The Realme X comes with a full-screen display without any notch or punch holes. There is a 6.53-inch AMOLED display with an FHD+ resolution (2340x1080 pixels). There is also an in-display fingerprint scanner. Since there is no notch, you get a pop-up front camera mechanism with a 16-megapixel Sony IMX 471 sensor. On the inside, there is Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 SoC similar to what we saw on the Realme 3 Pro, with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage.

Realme X

At the back, there is a 48-megapixel camera with a Sony IMX586 sensor, paired with a 5-megapixel secondary depth camera. You get a 3,765 mAh battery with support for VOOC 3.0 charging. Rest of the features include ColorOS 6 based on Android Pie 9, Dolby Atmos audio support and Hyper Boost 2.0 gaming mode.

Realme X is priced at Rs 16,999 for the 4GB RAM + 128GB storage variant while the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage variant is priced at Rs 19,999. The special Realme X Spider-Man: Far From Home edition will also be up for grabs which is priced at Rs 20,999. The special Naoto Fukasawa collection of the Realme X with Garlic and Onion finishes will also be available priced at Rs 19,999. Both Spider-Man: Far From Home edition and Naoto Fukasawa collection will be available in August.

Now on paper, the Redmi K20 is a better option. Yes, it is also more expensive. But if we ‘do the math’, the K20 has a more powerful processor, a triple camera setup, bigger battery, and an overall better-looking design and build. The Realme X is not a bad looking smartphone by any means, but that gradient finish on the back of the K20 is definitely unique. Also, the Realme X has a plastic back, while the Redmi K20 is all glass with a metal frame in the middle.

Yes, the K20 doesn’t offer 8GB of RAM, but what you need to look here is that the Snapdragon 730 is not just a minor upgrade over the 710. The SD730 features faster CPU clock speeds and is built on the 8nm architecture, which makes it much more efficient in terms of power consumption. It also features an improved Spectra 350 ISP and a dedicated NPU to offer improved machine learning capabilities.

Final Verdict

Xiaomi does have an edge over Realme and we believe the extra cost of the K20 is justified. Now we are not defending Xiaomi here, but since we have experienced both the devices, the Redmi K20 does feel to be slightly better than the Realme X. In the end, it is up to the consumers to make a wise decision.