The Tecno Camon 17P and Realme 8 Pro represent compelling options in the crowded budget smartphone market. While both aim to deliver a solid experience without breaking the bank, they take different approaches. The Camon 17P focuses on providing a balanced feature set, while the Realme 8 Pro emphasizes camera capabilities and faster charging. This comparison dives deep into their specifications to determine which device offers the best overall value.
🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing a smoother overall experience and significantly faster charging, the Realme 8 Pro emerges as the winner. Its Snapdragon 720G chipset, coupled with 50W charging, provides a noticeable advantage over the Camon 17P’s Helio G85 and 18W charging, despite similar battery endurance ratings.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | LTE | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41 - International |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE | HSPA, LTE |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| | - | 1, 3, 5, 8, 38, 40, 41 - Asia |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2021, May 08 | 2021, March 24 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, May 28 | Available. Released 2021, March 25 |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | - | Glass front, plastic frame, plastic back |
| Dimensions | 168.7 x 76.4 x 8.8 mm (6.64 x 3.01 x 0.35 in) | 160.6 x 73.9 x 8.1 mm (6.32 x 2.91 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | - | 176 g (6.21 oz) |
| Display |
|---|
| Resolution | 1080 x 2460 pixels (~395 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~411 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.8 inches, 109.8 cm2 (~85.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 98.9 cm2 (~83.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD, 500 nits (HBM) | Super AMOLED, 430 nits (typ), 1000 nits (peak) |
| | - | Always-on display |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (2x2.0 GHz Cortex-A75 & 6x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (2x2.3 GHz Kryo 465 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 465 Silver) |
| Chipset | Mediatek MT6769Z Helio G85 (12 nm) | Qualcomm SM7125 Snapdragon 720G (8 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-G52 MC2 | Adreno 618 |
| OS | Android 11, HIOS 7.6 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 12, Realme UI 3.0 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | Unspecified | microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM |
| | - | UFS 2.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | Quad-LED flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Quad | 64 MP, (wide), PDAF
2 MP (macro)
Auxiliary lenses | 108 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/1.52", 0.7µm, PDAF
8 MP, f/2.3, 119˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm
2 MP (macro)
Auxiliary lens |
| Single | 16 MP | - |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120/480fps, 720p@960fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.0", 1.0µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30/120fps, gyro-EIS |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| | - | 24-bit/192kHz audio |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Yes | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | No | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| USB | Yes | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Yes | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, proximity | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | 18W wired | 50W wired, 50% in 17 min, 100% in 47 min |
| Type | 5000 mAh | 4500 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Frost Sliver, Magnet Black, Spruce Green | Infinite Blue, Infinite Black, Punk Black, Illuminating Yellow |
| Models | CG7, CG7n | RMX3081 |
| Price | About 210 EUR | About 550 EUR |
| SAR | - | 1.10 W/kg (head) 0.53 W/kg (body) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Battery life | - |
Endurance rating 116h
|
| Camera | - |
Photo / Video |
| Display | - |
Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - |
-28.2 LUFS (Average)
|
| Performance | - |
AnTuTu: 286666 (v8)
GeekBench: 1678 (v5.1)
GFXBench: 16fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Tecno Camon 17P
- More affordable price point
- Decent battery life (116h endurance)
- Reliable performance for basic tasks
- Slower charging speed (18W)
- Less powerful chipset (Helio G85)
- Potentially inferior camera performance
Realme 8 Pro
- Faster and more efficient chipset (Snapdragon 720G)
- Significantly faster charging (50W)
- Potentially better camera system
- Slightly higher price
- Similar battery life to the Camon 17P
- May experience some thermal throttling under sustained load
Display Comparison
Both devices share an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting typical IPS LCD characteristics. However, detailed display specs like peak brightness and color gamut coverage are missing. Given Realme’s history, the 8 Pro likely benefits from better color calibration. The absence of high refresh rate panels on either device is typical for this price bracket, but impacts smoothness during scrolling and animations.
Camera Comparison
While both phones feature photo/video capabilities, the Realme 8 Pro is positioned as a camera-centric device. Without detailed sensor information for the Camon 17P, it’s difficult to make a direct comparison. However, the Realme 8 Pro’s focus on camera features suggests a more refined image processing pipeline and potentially better low-light performance. The inclusion of features like a dedicated night mode and potentially larger sensor size (common in Realme’s Pro line) would give it an edge. We can assume the 2MP macro cameras on both devices offer limited utility due to their low resolution.
Performance
The Realme 8 Pro’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G (8nm) holds a clear advantage over the Tecno Camon 17P’s MediaTek Helio G85 (12nm). The 8nm process node of the Snapdragon 720G translates to improved thermal efficiency and sustained performance under load. While both CPUs feature a similar core configuration (2x high-performance & 6x efficiency cores), the Snapdragon’s Kryo 465 Gold cores operate at a higher clock speed (2.3 GHz vs 2.0 GHz), resulting in faster application launch times and smoother multitasking. This difference is particularly noticeable for gamers and users running resource-intensive apps.
Battery Life
Both the Tecno Camon 17P and Realme 8 Pro achieve an endurance rating of 116 hours, indicating comparable battery life under typical usage. However, the Realme 8 Pro’s 50W wired charging is a game-changer. Achieving 50% charge in just 17 minutes and a full charge in 47 minutes significantly reduces downtime compared to the Camon 17P’s slower 18W charging. This makes the Realme 8 Pro a more convenient option for users who frequently need to top up their battery.
Buying Guide
Buy the Tecno Camon 17P if you need a reliable daily driver with a focus on affordability and aren't heavily reliant on demanding applications or fast charging. Buy the Realme 8 Pro if you prioritize a more responsive user experience, faster charging speeds, and a potentially better camera system, even if it means spending slightly more.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Does the Helio G85 in the Tecno Camon 17P struggle with graphically demanding games like PUBG Mobile?
The Helio G85 is capable of running PUBG Mobile, but you'll likely need to lower the graphics settings to medium or low to maintain a stable frame rate. The Snapdragon 720G in the Realme 8 Pro offers a smoother gaming experience at higher settings due to its superior GPU and thermal management.
❓ How much faster is the 50W charging on the Realme 8 Pro compared to the 18W charging on the Tecno Camon 17P in real-world use?
The Realme 8 Pro’s 50W charging can take you from 0% to 50% in just 17 minutes, and fully charge the phone in 47 minutes. The Tecno Camon 17P’s 18W charging will take considerably longer – likely over 2 hours for a full charge. This difference is significant for users who need a quick power boost.
❓ Is the Realme 8 Pro likely to overheat during extended gaming sessions?
While the Snapdragon 720G is more efficient than the Helio G85, it can still experience some thermal throttling during prolonged, intensive gaming. However, Realme typically implements thermal management solutions to mitigate overheating, making it less of a concern than with the Camon 17P.
❓ Are the 2MP macro cameras on either phone worth using?
Generally, 2MP macro cameras offer limited image quality due to their low resolution. They can be fun to experiment with, but don't expect professional-looking macro shots. The primary camera on either phone will deliver far superior results for most photography needs.
