Realme unveils Narzo 30 Pro with 5G and 120Hz screen, Narzo 30A tags along

Realme unveiled the first two models of the Narzo 30 series – the advanced Pro model and the budget 30A option. The Narzo 30 Pro is the first in the family to support 5G networks and the first to have a 120Hz display (previous generations had a few 90Hz phones).

The Pro model focuses on gaming, camera quality and fast connectivity, while the A-phone is for the budget conscious and bets on a large 6,000 mAh battery instead.

The Narzo 30 Pro is the “most powerful 5G gaming mid-ranger”, according to Realme, which is a lot to put on one device. At the heart of that promise is the MediaTek Dimensity 800U chipset, which features two Cortex-A76 cores at 2.4GHz (and six A55s) plus a Mali-G57 MC3 GPU.

That GPU will be repainting the 6.5” 1080p+ display at up to 120Hz. The switch between 60Hz and 120Hz is automatic and depends on the content. Games that require fast reaction times will benefit from the touch sampling rate of 180Hz. The LCD panel is rated at 600 nits peak brightness.

The Pro model is equipped with a 48MP main camera on the back. The sensor sits behind an f/1.8 lens and has 0.8 µm pixels with support for 4-in-1 binning. Low light performance is further boosted by the Super Nightscape mode. When it comes to video recording, the camera offers 4K 30 fps and 1080p 60 fps, as well as a Cinema mode (21:9 aspect ratio) and digital image stabilization (UIS Video Stabilization).

Then there’s the 8MP ultrawide-angle camera (119º), which is also used for the UIS Max Video Stabilization mode. Also on the back is a 2MP macro cam (4cm shooting distance). The front camera is punch holed into the display, it packs a 16MP sensor and also has a Super Nightscape mode for late time selfies.

The 30 Pro is the first 5G phone in the Narzo series. It supports Dual SIM, Dual Standby operation and downlink speeds up to 2.34 GHz. The card slot also can take a microSD instead of one of the SIM cards if you need more storage. As standard, the phone comes with 6GB of RAM and 64GB storage (UFS 2.1), but there’s an option to upgrade to 8/128GB.

The 5,000 mAh battery can be filled to nearly 50% in 25 minutes using the bundled 30W charger, a 100% charge takes 65 minutes. A full battery will last for 37 hours of calls or 18 hours of binging on YouTube videos. Note that USB Power Delivery is supported at 15W.

The charger, a cable, plus a screen protector and a protective case are bundled in the retail box. There is a 3.5mm jack and the phone supports Dolby Atmos and has a Hi-Res Audio certification.

Out of the box you’ll get Android 10, but work on Realme UI 2.0 is underway and the update is “coming soon” (version 2.0 is based on Android 11). Users can use face unlock or the fast fingerprint reader on the side of the phone.

Realme says it performs 320 quality tests on every 30 Pro units to ensure its durability. Also, all the ports have silicon gaskets to prevent splashed water from entering the phone.

Offered in Blade Silver or Sword Black colors, the Realme Narzo 30 Pro 5G will cost INR16,999 ($235/€195) or INR19,999 ($275/€225) for the 6/64 GB and 8/128 GB memory variant, respectively. The launch date is March 4, with availability on Realme's own store, Flipkart and mainline stores.

The Narzo 30A is the budget model in the 30-series. It focuses on the basics with an emphasis on long battery life – longer than even the Pro phone, thanks to the larger 6,000 mAh battery.

For example, it can play YouTube videos for 27 hours on a single charge, up from 18. You can chat your fingers off on WhatsApp for 28 hours straight or spend 10 hours gaming. The battery is charged at 18W and can be used as a power bank thanks to reverse charging.

There are some trade-offs here. The 6.5” display drops to 720p+ resolution and 60Hz refresh rate. Peak brightness is almost the same as on the Pro, however, reaching 570 nits in Sunlight mode.

The 30A is powered by what MediaTek calls a gaming chipset, the Helio G85. It has two Cortex-A75 cores (2.0 GHz) and a Mali-G52 GPU and is only asked to render graphics at 60fps. The chip is coupled with 3GB of RAM and 32GB storage as standard and you can pay a bit extra to get a 4/64 GB unit. As with the Pro, you can slot a microSD card instead of one of the SIM cards.

There are further concessions, e.g. this is a 4G phone so you’ll get slower connectivity. You can still fit two SIM cards in there though, in addition to a memory card.

The camera is more basic as well, the main module on the back has a 13MP sensor and is limited to 1080p@30fps videos. Also on the back are the black & white depth sensor and the fingerprint reader. The selfie camera has an 8MP sensor.

Just like the Pro, the 30A will launch with Android 10, but the Realme UI 2.0 update will be released soon after launch.

The Realme Narzo 30A will be available in Laser Black and Laser Blue. It comes with either a 3/32 GB or a 4/64 GB memory combo, and the respective prices are INR8,999 ($125/€100) or INR9,999 ($140/€115). The market launch is scheduled for March 5, with availability on Realme.com, Flipkart, and some offline stores.