Let’s be real. Shopping for a phone under ₹25,000 is a wild ride. One minute you’re drooling over specs that belonged to flagships last year, the next you’re untangling a web of compromises. Enter the Realme P4 Pro. On paper, and straight out of the box, it looks like an undeniable champion. But here’s the twist: after living with it, especially post its latest software update, the story gets more complicated.
I’ve spent serious time with this device, and I’ll cut through the marketing for you. Is it still the king of the mid-range? Or is it a cautionary tale? Let’s break it down—not as a reviewer, but as someone who’d be giving you a straight take if you asked me about it in person.
First Impressions: “Whoa, this is under 25k?!”
You unbox the Realme P4 Pro, and the first win is immediate. It feels premium. Realme has nailed the design language here, crafting a silhouette that wouldn’t look out of place next to phones costing twice as much. That curved display melts into the frame, and the finish is sleek. It’s light for its size but doesn’t feel cheap.
And then you turn it on.
The display isn’t just good; it’s the best in its class, period. We’re talking about a 6.8-inch 1.5K curved panel with a buttery 144 Hz refresh rate. Scrolling is addictive, colors pop, and the claimed 6500 nits peak brightness? In daily use, it means you’ll have zero issues under the blazing sun. For media lovers and scrollers, this screen alone is a massive reason to buy.
The 4 Reasons to Buy
1. That Gorgeous 144 Hz Curved Display: I said it above, but it bears repeating. In this price bracket, a display this smooth and vibrant is a genuine luxury. Gaming, watching videos, or just navigating the UI feels fantastically fluid. It’s the phone’s single biggest triumph.
2. Battery Life That Ends Your Anxiety: The 7000 mAh battery isn’t a spec sheet gimmick—it’s a lifestyle change. With normal use, you’re easily looking at 1.5 to 2 days on a single charge. You stop obsessively checking the percentage. And when you do need to juice up, the 80W fast charging gets you from zero to a huge chunk in barely half an hour. It’s a perfect combo for power users.
3. Rugged Enough for Real Life: Here’s a spec many miss: IP65 & IP66 ratings. In plain English? It’s highly resistant to dust and powerful water jets. You don’t have to panic over a splash, rain, or beach day. This level of protection is rare at this price and a huge practical win.
4. Solid Mid-Range Gaming Performance: Powered by the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 4, it handles everyday tasks and gaming with ease. For competitive gamers, hitting 90 fps in supported titles is smooth and consistent. The chipset is capable and, importantly, stays cool under pressure.
The 2 Reasons to Skip
Now, here’s where we have the “but.” After the Realme UI 7.0 update, my experience—and that of other careful users—took a noticeable hit. It feels like the software giveth, and the software taketh away.
1. The Mysterious Performance Throttle: This is the most concerning issue. Benchmark scores (like AnTuTu) are notably lower post-update compared to the same hardware before the update. It suggests an intentional dialing-back of peak performance, perhaps for thermal or battery management. In practice, you might not see it in every app, but the raw power you paid for seems to have been softly capped. That’s a bitter pill to swallow.
2. A Frustrating, Inconsistent Camera: The camera hardware is a letdown hiding behind big numbers. You essentially have one usable 50MP sensor; the other lenses are filler. But the bigger problem is the software processing post-update. It struggles badly with harsh sunlight and skin tones. Photos in bright conditions can come out oddly dark, and people’s complexions often look unnatural. For a phone that gets so much else right, the camera inconsistency is a major flaw.
HIGHLIGHTS:
· Stunning 144 Hz 1.5K curved display is best-in-class.
· 7000 mAh battery + 80 W charging ends battery anxiety for 1.5-2 days.
· IP65/IP66 rating offers rare dust/water protection at this price.
· Snapdragon 7+ Gen 4 enables smooth 90 fps gaming.
· Post Realme UI 7.0 update, performance is visibly throttled. d.
· Camera is inconsistent; struggles with skin tones & harsh light.
Realme P4 Pro Verdict:
So, where does that leave us?
The Realme P4 Pro is a schizophrenic device. Its hardware—the breathtaking display, the epic battery, the rugged build—makes it one of the most compelling packages under ₹25,000. If your priorities are screen quality, battery life, and day-to-day smoothness, it’s still a fantastic pick.
But. You must go in with your eyes open to its software-driven downsides. The performance throttling and camera inconsistencies introduced by Realme UI 7.0 are not minor quirks. They are significant compromises that affect core user experiences.
Buy it if: You value a world-class display and legendary battery life above all else, and you’re willing to tolerate a good-but-not-great camera and some performance caveats.
Skip it if consistent camera performance and guaranteed, unthrottled chipset power are non-negotiable for you. You expect the software to enhance the hardware, not hold it back.
In the end, the Realme P4 Pro is a beast—but one that’s been gently tamed by its own software. The choice is whether you still want that beast on a leash.
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