Those on the lookout for a new laptop now have another choice to pick. realme has launched its first laptop, the realme Book.
Prior to its release, people had pointed out that it looked like a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. (I get what they’re saying, but then again, don’t most laptops take on that generic design nowadays?)
In any case, functionality likely takes precedence over just aesthetics for users, so here’s what to expect from the realme Book.
There will be 3 variants available, with the realme Book i3 and realme Book i5 (both with 8GB of RAM and 512GB SSD) available for purchase first on August 27.
realme Book i3 will come at a recommended retail price (RRP) of RM2,999, while realme Book i5 will come at a RRP of RM3,499. Both come in 2 colours: Real Blue, and Real Grey.
The third variant, realme Book i5 (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) has no launch date in Malaysia yet, but its RRP is RM3,999. It will come in only one colour, Real Blue.
realme Book i3 & i5 (8+512GB)
These 14-inch laptops have a screen-to-body ratio of 90% thanks to the thin bezels. The last laptop I’d tried with thin bezels was the Huawei MateBook D15 (2021), and though the wide screen made for a great viewing experience, the compromise was the pop-up camera which captured you at a weird angle.
Thankfully, this isn’t the case for the realme Book, as it maintains an in-built 720P HD Camera on the top of the screen for virtual meetings.
One of its appeals that realme is trying to market is its 2K display. More specifically, it boasts a resolution of 2160 x 1440 pixels. For reference, most laptops these days offer an average resolution of 1920 x 1080.
While not a huge leap, you can still expect higher quality and more crisp images on-screen. This should make gaming, editing, or watching shows a pleasure.
realme Book weighs approximately 1.38kg (the i5 16+512GB version weighs 1.48kg), which is decently light for its size.
It runs on a 54Wh (typical) large battery, and can charge up to 50% within 30 minutes if the laptop is turned off. All in all, a full charge should last users just under half a day if they’re not running intensive programmes on it. Windows 10 Home will come pre-installed, with a free upgrade to Windows 11 available.
realme Book can be purchased via Shopee, SENHENG, Courts, and all realme authorised stores from August 27 onwards. Each purchase will come with a 2-year warranty.
Expanding its tech repertoire
realme has a slew of devices under its brand by now, including smart TVs, smartwatches, wireless earbuds, and of course, smartphones.
With laptops now added to its repertoire, we’ll likely see realme develop a more robust tech ecosystem (kind of like what it’s doing with the TechLife Ecosystem, but more focused on the connectivity between communicative devices).
Did you know: realme’s TechLife Ecosystem enables users to control smart bulbs, motion sensor lights, home security cameras, smart scale, and smart plugs from their phone. In May 2021, Indian-based brand DIZO was announced as the ecosystem’s first partner brand.
With the launch of its laptop, the brand has also announced a new function called PC connect that will allow users to link their realme smartphones to their realme Book. This means users can control their realme smartphone from the realme Book, similar to how Samsung Flow and Huawei’s Multi-screen Collaboration.
Interestingly, could realme’s foray into laptops also be a sort of pilot test for OPPO’s eventual laptop launch? It was reported back in late 2020 that the parent company had allegedly planned to launch tablets and laptops in 2021 as well, though no further news on this has emerged as of today.
realme is also working on a tablet, realme Pad, though there’s been no confirmed launch date either. Entering the tablet and laptop market will put realme in further competition with Xiaomi, Huawei, and Honor.
Admittedly, it does feel like realme’s a little late to the party, but its first laptop has already caught the eyes of fans and non-fans. If the laptop meets expectations, it would be the start of another lucrative sector for the brand.
Will it knock out its more experienced competition in this field? That remains to be seen.
Featured Image Credit: realme
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