Phones launched in May 2021: The month of May 2021 was bustling with phone launches in India. While it was relatively quiet compared to March and April, we saw quite a few interesting launches this month, such as the POCO M3 Pro, Redmi Note 10 5G, and Samsung Galaxy F52. Slapping ‘2021’ in front of an older phone’s name seems to be the flavour of the month. The Redmi Note 8 2021 and Realme C11 2021 are such examples. Most of the phones launched in May 2021 were mid-rangers or budget offerings, with the notable exception of the ASUS ZenFone 8 series. Let’s take a look at the list of phones launched in May 2021.
ASUS ZenFone 8 series
ASUS finally launched its 2021 flagship smartphones – the ASUS ZenFone 8 and ZenFone 8 Flip. ASUS Zenfone 8 price starts at USD 599 (around Rs 44,100) for the 6GB/128GB version, while the ASUS Zenfone 8 Flip costs EUR 799 (around Rs 71,100) for the 8GB + 256GB storage version. Both phones are official in Europe and are yet to be launched in India.
ASUS ZenFone 8
The ASUS ZenFone 8 has a 5.9-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel that refreshes at 120Hz, 240Hz touch sampling rate, 1100nits brightness, 112 per cent DCPI-P3 Colour Gamut, and HDR10+ certification. It is powered by the Snapdragon 888 coupled with 16GB LPDDR5 RAM, and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage. Its camera layout is relatively tepid, with a 64MP Sony IMX686 primary sensor and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle sensor. The phone has a 12MP front camera for selfies and video chats and an in-display fingerprint sensor for security. Its 4,000mAh battery supports 30W fast-charging.
ASUS ZenFone 8 Flip
ASUS ZenFone 8 Flip has a much larger 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel that refreshes at 90Hz refresh rate, 200Hz touch sampling rate, 1100nits brightness, 112 per cent DCPI-P3 Colour Gamut, and HDR10+ certification. It is powered by the same Snapdragon 888 chipset but scales down the RAM to 12GB, but the 256GB UFS 3.1 storage is unchanged. The ZenFone 8 Flip gets an extra camera sensor at the back, which includes a 64MP Sony IMX686 primary sensor, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle sensor and an 8MP telephoto camera. The phone has an in-display fingerprint sensor for security, a 5,000mAh battery with 30W fast charging support.
Redmi Note 10S
The Redmi Note 10S was launched in India on May 13th for Rs 13,999. It is essentially a stop-gap between the Redmi Note 10 and Redmi Note 10 Pro with its 6.43-inch FHD+ AMOLED, 700 nits of sustained brightness and 1,100 nits peak brightness. 100% of the DCI-P3 colour gamut is covered, too. A MediaTek Helio G95 SoC powers the smartphone, along with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Its quad-camera array consists of a 64MP primary camera, an 8MP ultrawide camera, a 2MP macro sensor, and a 2MP depth sensor. For selfies, you get a 13MP camera at the front. The smartphone draws power from a 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging. Connectivity options of the smartphone include two SIM card slots, 4G LTE with VoLTE and VoWiFi, dual-band Wi-FI ac, Bluetooth v5.1, GPS, NFC, Infrared port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a USB Type-C port. The phone has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers, as well an IP53 rating.
POCO M3 Pro 5G
POCO M3 Pro 5G is essentially a global Redmi Note 10 5G. It was launched on May 17th in Europe for EUR 179 (approximately Rs 16,000). It packs a 6.5-inch FHD+ LCD panel with 1100 nits brightness and a 90Hz refresh rate. A MediaTek Dimensity 700 SoC powers it, coupled with 6GB RAM, and 128GB UFS 2.2 storage that is further expandable via a microSD card. The smartphone draws power from a 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast-charging support. Moving to optics, the POCO M3 Pro has triple cameras at the back with a 48MP primary sensor, a 2MP depth unit, and a 2MP macro lens for close-up shots. The handset has an 8MP snapper on the front for selfies and video chats. A side-mounted fingerprint sensor is included, too.
Samsung Galaxy F52 5G
Samsung’s never-ending cycle of M and F smartphone launches continues with the Samsung Galaxy F52 5G. The smartphone was launched in China on May 20th for CNY 1,999 (approx Rs 22,700). It features a 6.6-inch FHD+ TFT panel clocked at 120Hz. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G chipset powers it, paired with 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. Its quad-camera array consists of a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP wide-angle lens, and two 2MP sensors (macro and depth). At the front, the phone gets a 16MP camera for selfies. The smartphone draws power from a 4,500mAh battery that supports 25W fast charging.
Vivo Y52s (t1 edition)
Vivo took a Vivo Y52s, slapped a Snapdragon chipset into it, and called it the Vivo Y52s (t1 edition). The smartphone was launched in China on May 4th for RMB 1,999 (approx Rs 22,000). Some of its key specs include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 chipset, a 6.5-inch IPS LCD screen with a refresh rate of 90Hz a 5,000mAh battery that supports 18W fast charging, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, 802.11 b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, and GPS. A waterdrop notch on the screen houses the smartphone’s 8MP selfie camera module. At the back, we get two camera sensors- a 48MP primarily lens and a 2MP depth sensor.
OPPO A54 5G
The OPPO A54 5G was launched in Europe on May 4th for EUR 219 (around Rs 19,500). Its specifications include a 6.5-inch FHD+ LCD display clocked at 90Hz, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 SoC, 4GB RAM, and 64GB storage that should be further expandable via a microSD card. The smartphone packs a 5,000mAh battery with 10W charging support. Moving to optics, the OPPO A54 has a quad-camera setup at the back, with a 48MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, a 2MP macro lens, and a 2MPmono sensor. A 16MP handles selfies and video calls. OPPO has thrown in a side-mounted fingerprint, too.
Realme C11 2021
The Realme C11 2021 is essentially a Realme C11 with the current year slapped in front of it. It costs RUB 7,415 (approximately Rs 7,327) in Russia and was launched on May 5th in Russia. Its specifications include a 6.5-inch HD+ IPS LCD panel with a V-shaped notch at the top, which houses the 5MP selfie camera at the front. At the back, there is one 8MP sensor. A Unisoc SC9863 SoC powers the smartphone, coupled with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. It packs a 5,000mAh battery with 10W charging.
OPPO K9 5G
The OPPO K9 5G is yet another China-only smartphone. It costs RMB 1999 (approx Rs 22,000) and was launched on May 5th in China. It ships with a 6.4-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of 90Hz and a 180Hz touch sampling rate. Under the hood, there’s a Qualcomm Snapdragon 768 5G chipset, coupled with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The smartphone draws power from a 4,300mAh battery that supports fast charging at 65W. It is set in a dual-cell configuration, meaning that it is actually two different 2,150mAh batteries working together. At the back, the OPPO K9 5G packs a triple-camera array, which consists of a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 2MP macro lens. A 32MP sensor handles selfies and video calls. It runs Android 11 customised with ColorOS 11.1 out of the box.
Infinix HOT 10T
Infinix HOT 10T was launched in Kenya on May 11th for Ksh 15,499 (approx Rs 10,700). Its key specs include a 6.82-inch HD+ IPS LCD panel clocked at 90Hz, 180Hz touch sampling rate, a MediaTek Helio G70 SoC paired with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage. Its camera array consists of a 48MP primary sensor, a 2MP and an AI lens. There is an 8MP snapper on the front for selfies and video chats. A 5,000mAh battery with 10W fast-charging support powers the smartphone. It has a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor for security.
Infinix Hot 10S
The Infinix Hot 10S is the newest sub-Rs 10,000 smartphone on the block. It was launched on May 20 for Rs 9,999. Infinix Hot 10S sports a 6.82-inch HD+ IPS LCD display, 90Hz refresh rate, and 480nits brightness. It is powered by the MediaTek Helio G85 SoC paired with Mali-G52 MC2 GPU, MediaTek HyperEngine technology, up to 6GB RAM, and 64GB storage that should be further expandable up to 256GB via a microSD card. As for the cameras, the Infinix Hot 10S has a triple-camera setup at the back, with a 48MP primary sensor with f/1.79 large aperture and quad-LED flash, a 2MP depth sensor, and an AI Lens. There is an 8MP snapper on the front for selfies and video chats, an old-fashioned capacitive fingerprint sensor for security, and a 6,000mAh battery with 18W fast-charging support.
iQOO Neo 5 Lite 5G
iQOO Neo 5 Lite 5G was launched in China on May 24th for RMB 2,299 (approx Rs 26,000). Its 6.57-inch FHD+ LCD panel refreshes at an impressive 144Hz and is HDR10+ certified. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 SoC powers it, coupled with 12GB LPDDR5 RAM, and 256GB expandable UFS 3.1 storage. The smartphone draws power from a 4,500mAh battery with 44W fast-charging support. At the back, we get a 48MP Sony IMX582 primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 2MP macro sensor. A 16MP snapper handles selfies and video chats. Lastly, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor is included, too.
Tecno Spark 7 Pro
Tecno launched the affordable Tecno Spark 7 Pro in India on May 24th for Rs 9,999. The smartphone packs a 6.6-inch HD+ display that refreshes at 90Hz. A MediaTek Helio G80 SoC powers the phone, paired with up to 6GB RAM. At the back, we get three sensors, including a 48MP primary sensor, a depth sensor, and an AI lens. For selfies, you get an 8MP sensor at the front. The smartphone draws power from a 5,000mAh battery that charges at a paltry 10W. A rear-mounted fingerprint has also been thrown in.
Realme GT Neo Flash, Q3 Pro Carnival
The Realme GT Neo Flash and Q3 Pro Carnival are incremental upgrades over the Realme GT Neo and Realme Q3 Pro. The Realme GT Neo Flash Edition has been launched with a starting price of CNY 2,299 (around Rs 26,100) for the 8GB RAM and 256GB variant. On the other hand, the Realme Q3 Pro Carnival Edition costs CNY 1,799 (around Rs 20,400) for the sole variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage.
Realme GT Neo Flash
The Realme GT Neo Flash features a 6.43-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. A MediaTek Dimensity 1200 chipset powers the phone, paired with up to 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage. The device packs a 4,500mAh battery and supports 65W fast charging. The triple rear camera system includes a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP wide-angle lens, and a 2MP macro camera. The device also gets a 16MP front-facing camera.
Realme Q3 Pro Carnival
The Realme Q3 Pro Carnival Edition runs the same 6.43-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel mentioned above, complete with a 120Hz refresh rate. However, a Snapdragon 768G 5G chipset powers the smartphone. The handset features a 4,500mAh battery with 50W fast charging support, an in-display fingerprint sensor. Its camera layout is identical to that of the Realme GT Neo Flash.
Realme Narzo 30 and Narzo 30 5G
Realme launched two new Narzo devices within the span of a few days. First, the Realme Narzo was launched in Malaysia on May 18th for RM 799 (approx. Rs 14,160). It was followed by the Relame Narzo 30 5G launch in Europe on May 236th for EUR 189 (approx Rs 16,800).
Realme Narzo 30
The Realme Narzo 30 sports a 6.5-inch IPS LCD panel that refreshes at 90Hz and has a peak brightness of 580 nits. A MediaTek Helio Helio G95 SoC powers the smartphone, coupled with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Its triple-camera array has a 48MP primary camera, 2MP monochrome sensor, and a 2MP macro lens. At the front, there is a 16MP camera for social media stuff and narcissism. The Narzo 30 packs a 5,000mAh battery that supports 30W fast charging. A side-mounted fingerprint sensor handles biometric authentication.
Realme Narzo 30 5G
Realme Narzo 30 5G has the same display as the Realme Narzo 50, aka a 6.5-inch LCD panel, clocked at 90Hz. The device is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 700 5G chipset paired with 4GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. Everything else is pretty much identical across both phones, including the 48MP triple rear camera, 5,000mAh battery and side-mounted fingerprint sensor.
Redmi Note 10 5G and Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G
Xiaomi launched two new 5G-enabled Redmi Note 10 variants in China on May 26th. Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G price starts at RMB 1,599 (around Rs 18,200), while the Redmi Note 10 5G costs RMB 1099 (around Rs 12,500).
Redmi Note 10 5G
The Redmi Note 10 5G runs a 6.5-inch FHD+ display clocked at 90Hz. A MediaTek Dimensity 700 SoC powers it, along with up to 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage. It draws power from a 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast-charging support. Its camera layout is somewhat barebones. It features a 48MP primary sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. There is an 8MP shooter at the front for selfies and video chats and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for biometric authentication.
Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G
The Redmi Note 10 Pro ships with a slightly larger 6.6-inch FHD+ IPS LCD panel that refreshes at 120Hz, 240Hz touch sampling rate, and has a peak brightness of 1,100 nits. It is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 1100 SoC coupled with up to 8GB LPDDR4x RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 internal storage that is further expandable via a microSD card. The phone packs a 5,000mAh battery with 67W fast-charging support. The Redmi Note 10 Pro adds a third camera sensor at the back. It packs a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 2MP macro lens for close-up shots. There is a 16MP sensor on the front for selfies and video chats and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for security.
OPPO Reno6, Reno6 Pro and Reno6 Pro+
The OPPO Reno6, Reno6 Pro and Reno6 Pro+ have been teased for quite some time now. They were finally launched in China on May 26th. A global launch will follow suit, eventually. OPPO Reno 6 price in China starts from CNY 2,799 (approx Rs 31,800) for the base variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. The Reno 6 Pro 8GB/128GB model is priced at CNY 3,499 (approx Rs 39,800), while the Reno 6 Pro+ 8GB/128GB costs CNY 3,999 (approx Rs 45,500).
OPPO Reno6
OPPO Reno 6 ships with a 6.43-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel clocked at 90Hz. It is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 900 SoC coupled with up to 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage that should be further expandable via a microSD card slot. Its 4,300mAh battery supports 65W fast charging. At the back, we get a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 2MP macro lens. It has a 32MP snapper on the front for Instagram stuff. There’s an in-display fingerprint sensor too.
OPPO Reno6 Pro and OPPO Reno6 Pro+
Both the Reno 6 Pro and Reno 6 Pro+ ship with a 6.55-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel clocked at 90Hz. The Reno 6 Pro is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC while the Reno 6 Pro+ gets the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 chipset. Both phones come with up to 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage. Both phones get a slightly larger 4,500mAh battery with 65W fast-charging support. Moving to optics, the OPPO Reno 6 Pro features a triple camera system that includes a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP wide-angle lens, and a 2MP macro lens. The Reno 6 Pro+ has a remarkably different setup that includes a 50MP sensor, 16MP wide-angle lens, 2MP macro lens, and 13MP telephoto lens. Both phones feature a 32MP camera for selfies.
You can check out more news about upcoming smartphones as well as popular product recommendations on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages and head to our YouTube channel for the latest videos.
