Realme X is the phone that half of India has been talking about. The other half? They’re preoccupied with its competitor, Xiaomi’s Redmi K20, but that’s a topic for another day.
This phone from Realme is a lot of things. It’s the most premium smartphone they’ve made so far. There’s an OLED notchless 6.53” FullHD+ display, with a popup selfie cam tucked into the top frame. There’s also an in-display fingerprint sensor, a 48MP camera on the back, and more premium specs that are usually well out of this price range.
Gorgeous design
Despite its plastic back and frame, the Realme X is gorgeous. It’s not a small phone but it’s still pretty compact and comfortable enough to hold, though there’s no way you’ll be able to reach all corners of that gorgeous screen one-handed.
It comes also in two colors: Space Blue and Polar White, which is the same color as the limited Spider-Man edition we unboxed.
It’s one of the nicest displays in this price range, both outdoors and indoors. Because it’s an OLED screen, it boasts deep blacks with punchy saturated colors and as you’d expect, you can tweak it to be warmer or colder in the settings menu.
There is a bit of a chin but it’s not something that would bother anyone. It does help with an area to rest your thumb, with a slightly higher point to initiate those navigation gestures. So while it’s not truly bezel-less, it is still pretty darn gorgeous.
The back panel makes an S-shape reflection depending on how light hits it, similar to what we’ve seen on higher-end OPPO phones. This little detail helps it look way more expensive a device than it actually is.
High end features for not much money
The Realme X an under-display optical fingerprint scanner. It works and it’s fast. The scanner is placed a comfortable distance above the bottom of the display, and there’s a “lift to activate” feature that works well enough that the sensor is always ready for you when you pick up the phone. The phone unlocks quick enough, so no complaints here.
It’s worth mentioning that you can also set up face unlock instead of the fingerprint scanning, but I would advise against this. It’s fast but that would mean the pop-up selfie camera will have to keep popping up. The screen lights up to help in dim conditions, and you can set it to require your eyes to be open for the phone to unlock.
The pop-up camera module used to be exclusive to more expensive smartphones so it’s refreshing to see this feature in a phone of this price range. The module pops up whenever you open the camera app or trigger face unlock, and it is promised to be good for at least 200,000 actuation. Realme says the selfie camera is covered with sapphire glass as well for better durability.
The entire module will automatically retract when a fall is detected or if it senses you’re trying to manually push it in.
The Realme X has a much-appreciated headphone jack, next to a USB-C port, a speaker grill for the loudspeaker, and a microphone. The down-firing speaker sounds decent but just as any phone with a similar placement you have to be careful not to block it when holding the phone. Sound output out of the headphone jack is also actually really, really good.
The Realme X is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 710, and comes in either 4GB, 6GB, or 8GB RAM variants, with either 64GB or 128GB of storage. For those who need more than that, there is, unfortunately, no microSD card slot.
The Realme X runs OPPO’s latest ColorOS 6.0 on top of Android 9.0 Pie. There are a few pre-installed apps out of the box, but you can uninstall them all if you don’t need them.
ColorOS 6.0 is similar to a lot of other skins we’ve seen, with an ever-changing magazine-type lock screen, that you can disable to a normal lock screen instead. Unlike previous versions, it also has a much-appreciated app drawer. The split-screen multitasking also gets an update: you can now swipe in from the side, and hold to switch between your two recently opened apps, which is a cool new gesture.
Realme X’s 3765 mAh battery can survive a day’s worth of medium-to-heavy usage. It also supports 20W VOOC 3.0, which charges the phone up to 50 percent in 30 minutes, or full in about an hour and 20.
Pretty good cameras
The main camera of the Realme X gives you a bunch of shooting modes to choose from. There’s an expert mode which consists of manual settings, as well as slo-mo, nightscape for low light shots, timelapse, and pano, for panoramic shots.
Nightscape works pretty well and is a long-exposure handheld mode for night photos, similar to Pixel’s Night Sight.
The phone shoots photos at 12MP by default, but you can switch to 48MP in the settings menu. This will give you finer details, but I’d only advise doing this in good lighting.
There’s also AI scene recognition, which adjusts camera settings depending on what you’re taking a photo of — blue skies get bluer, plants and trees get greener.
Realme also gives you the option to toggle 2x zoom, but this essentially crops your photo since there’s no telephoto lens on the phone.
Another thing to note is the Chroma Boost toggle on one end of the viewfinder, next to flash and HDR settings. It’s an advanced HDR mode that takes a combination of images and offers further improvements in dynamic range and color reproduction.
Daytime photos taken with the Realme X can do no wrong, with a nice wide dynamic range, vivid colors, and high contrasts as well. Images retain a lot of detail, but I mostly left Chroma Boost and HDR modes switched off. The AI mode also does a good job detecting scenes and adjusting settings.
Take a look at these samples:
I wish I could say the same thing when it comes to low light performance. The phone tends to underexpose images every so often, but with nightscape, highlights and shadows become more manageable. This is, of course, understandable for a phone in this price range.
Portrait mode, however, is a different story. Realme X takes excellent portraits. Subject detection is one of the best in the price range, with subjects isolated with great precision, for very pleasing and impressive results overall.
Selfies taken on the Realme X are pretty good, although dimmer lighting results to a drop in sharpness and aggressive noise reduction. Even though the selfie camera has no depth sensor like the rear setup, it still does a good job isolating the subject and blurring the background.
Is this your GadgetMatch?
Its competition includes the Vivo V15 Pro which has an ultrawide angle camera but costs more. And then there’s Xiaomi’s Redmi K20, but that phone has pros and cons of its own and is also priced a little higher than the Realme X. Realme also recently announced the Realme XT, which is equally equipped at the same price.
There are a lot of reasons the Realme X is one of the most talked-about phones this year — a really nice notch-less display, solid battery life, and good cameras. The USB-C and audio ports are definitely a plus, too. With very little compromises starting at INR 16,999, this is simply one of the best value-for-money phones you can buy today.
India
TECNO’s POVA 8 5G is both futuristic and future-ready
8000mAh battery, Sony LYTIA 600 camera, Alive Matrix display, and more
Four months after the POVA Curve 2 5G, TECNO adds the POVA 8 5G to their performance-focused arsenal.
Futuristic vibe
TECNO’s POVA 8 5G continues the series’ signature sci-fi-inspired design language. The latest smartphone features sharp geometric elements and a semi-transparent rear panel.
Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch
One of its standout features is none other than the new Alive Matrix Display. It’s a customizable light panel on the back that can display 49 pre-loaded lighting effects for incoming calls, notifications, charging status, gaming sessions, and more. Prospective users can also personalize scenarios to match their style and could actually store many more customized effects aside from the pre-loaded ones.
Beside that LED display lies the 50MP main rear camera based on Sony’s LYTIA 600 (or LYT-600) sensor. The said sensor offers improved light capture for brighter and more detailed photos. It also supports 2x lossless zoom. Up front, you’ll get a 13MP front-facing shooter.
Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch
Powering the device is MediaTek’s Dimensity 7100 SoC. That’s paired together with TECNO’s in-house G1 Signal Enhancement Chip and SE1 Wi-Fi Enhancement Chip — making it a triple chipset smartphone.
TECNO says these chips help improve connectivity in challenging environments such as elevators and basements while boosting Wi-Fi reception.
The phone also features a 144Hz display with TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light Certification and military-grade durability.
Last but definitely not the least, its 8000mAh battery that can last as much as two days. For some measure, TECNO says the phone can last up to 85+ hours of music playback, 29+ hours of YouTube streaming, 26+ hours of WhatsApp, or 14+ hours of playing Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB).
Future-ready
Aside from the beastly battery packed inside, TECNO is also bringing several practical AI tools to the POVA 8 5G.
Among them is AI YouTube Summary. This turns lengthy videos into concise notes with key points and timestamps. The device also features AI-powered noise cancellation that helps isolate the speaker’s voice during calls, recordings, and meetings.
Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch
For photography, AI LightMaster 2.0 can remove unwanted reflections, lens flare, and shadows. The phone also supports uploading Live Photos directly to Instagram as Boomerang.
In select markets, users can even access AI Health features that estimate metrics such as heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and respiration through facial scanning technology.
Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch
Further solidifying its future readiness, TECNO promises two major Android OS upgrades and three years of security updates.
The company is also bundling three years of FREE 256GB cloud storage for POVA 8 5G users. Eligible markets can also receive a 3-month Google AI Plus trial which includes 2TB of cloud storage.
Pricing and Availability
The TECNO POVA 8 5G debuts first in India and is available in 16-Bit White, Terminal Green, and Plasma Orange colorways.
UPDATE: In India, the POVA 8 5G is currently offered in 6+128GB and 8+128GB configurations for INR 29,999 and INR 31,999 respectively.
Specific pricing and availability in global markets are yet to follow along these four color choices: Arc White, Graphite Black, Echo Green, and Helios Orange.
India
Nothing opens first India store in Bengaluru
New retail space blends self-expression, creator culture, and community play.
Nothing has officially opened its first India store in Bengaluru, marking a major step in the brand’s global retail expansion.
Located in Indiranagar, Nothing Store Bengaluru spans 5,032 square feet across two floors. The space draws inspiration from 1970s assembly lines and workshops, translating Nothing’s rebellious design language into an interactive, hands-on environment built for the local community.
The store puts self-expression at its core. It is the only Nothing location worldwide where customers can personalise their products. A dedicated studio also supports creator unboxings and hands-on content, reinforcing the brand’s focus on co-creation.
The space includes a community hangout zone for events and meetups, alongside playful elements such as vending machines, claw games, and conveyor-belt displays. An in-house coffee shop, seating areas, and workshop spaces position the store as a cultural hub rather than a traditional retail outlet.
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Nothing and CMF products are available in store, alongside official Nothing merchandise. The brand says the location will evolve over time through collaborations, workshops, and limited-run installations by local creators, reflecting the rhythm and voices of the city.
Bengaluru was chosen for its role as India’s innovation capital and its community of early adopters, creators, and cultural tastemakers. Indiranagar’s creative energy and lifestyle focus made it a natural home for Nothing’s first physical store in the country.
The Bengaluru opening builds on Nothing’s first store in Soho. The company has confirmed plans to open additional locations in New York and Japan.
Nothing Store Bengaluru opens on February 14, 2026, at 12:00 PM IST. It is located at 660/1, 100 Feet Road, 1st Stage, Indiranagar, Bengaluru. Regular store hours are 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily.
India
TECNO POVA Curve 2 5G packs an 8000mAh battery
The brand’s biggest battery in a smartphone yet
This 2026, TECNO is refreshing its performance-focused POVA lineup by adding a new member in it.
Big power without the bulk
Despite its slim and curved 7.42mm design (and weight of only 195g), the POVA Curve 2 5G arrives with TECNO’s largest battery yet — 8000mAh battery to be precise.
TECNO says the battery is TÜV SÜD-certified for long lifespan and is engineered to last up to six years. It’s also rated to operate in extreme temperatures ranging between as hot as 60°C (140ºF) or as cold as -20ºC (-4ºF).
If you’re already in a pinch, there’s the 45W fast charging with Bypass charging support in tow.
Durability was not compromised as it has a Corning Gorilla Glass 7i Front Glass protection, IP64 water and dust resistance rating, even SGS-certification for 1.5m drop protection.
Speaking of front, it features a curved 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate. Beneath that glass lies MediaTek’s Dimensity 7100 5G SoC.
On the software side, it runs the latest HiOS 16 (based on Android 16) with integrated AI tools in mind. That means AI-powered content summaries, writing assistance, call noise reduction, and automatic photo enhancements.
TECNO’s Ella AI Assistant has also been improved with more personalized interactions across the system. One-tap FlashMemo also exists for instantly capturing on-screen information. Moreover, Mind Hub organizes notes and AI-generated content in one place.
Lastly, connectivity gets a boost, too. With POVA Curve 2 5G’s dual-signal enhancement, it has an improved cellular and Wi-Fi performance in crowded or weak-signal environments. Interestingly, it also supports offline voice, text, and image communication up to 1.5km in open areas.
With all these in mind, TECNO promises two major Android OS upgrades.
Pricing and Availability
The TECNO POVA Curve 2 5G comes in three colorways: Melting Silver, Storm Titanium, and Mystic Purple.
It launches first in India this February 2026. Pricing is between INR 31,999 and INR 34,999 for the 8+128GB and 8+256GB configurations respectively.
It will also make an appearance at MWC 2026 this upcoming March 2 until March 5, 2026.
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